Harry Potter Finally Graduates Part III
by hemerocallis
Summary: Ginny and friends progress toward their Hogwarts graduation, while chasing Barty Crouch and Thicknesse, advancing the Light Guardian religion, repairing the Gringotts Circle, and forwarding the platform of the Weasley administration. Lots of infighting.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter Two – The Committee Of Thinking Beings is Formed**

The Montaigne family reunion not requiring as much time as anticipated, we made it back to Hogwarts with plenty of time before dinner. We found Luna and Neville in the common room. Neville immediately gave us the two-thumbs-up gesture highlighted by a broad smile.

"The Light Guardian was correct. My parents are fully recovered. I spoke with them for hours, bringing them up to date on my life and on current, or even decades old, events. This has been the best day of my life. Doctor White said my parents both suddenly started speaking at the same time and asked to see me. This was at exactly the same time that I invaded the Sacred Cavern and the Light Guardian spoke to me. That must mean something."

"That's wonderful," I told Neville. "It is truly miraculous."

"Yes, I really believe it is," Neville declared.

Luna said George had gone to the shop, so Harry quickly apparated there to bring him back. We needed to compare notes on what the Light Guardian had told each of us before we sat down with Professor McGonagall and the Malfoys. We'd have to compare notes with Draco as well, but that could occur in McGonagall's apartment. It was strange that the trauma of the prior day had totally killed our interest in feuding with McGonagall, but it appeared that it had. None of us voiced any concern about sharing what were really very deep secrets with her, Trew, and even Narcissa.

I volunteered to begin the discussion and rattled off everything that the Light Guardian had told me, including reporting my increased language skills and knowledge of ancient Wizard history and celestial prophecy. I was now well versed in the history, culture, and myths of the other magical species. That was vital knowledge for the Mother of the Future. Surprisingly, I also learned a lot about Muggle religion, history, myths, and culture. I felt that I could repair a magical circle and was willing to tackle the Gringotts Circle.

Harry went next, revealing that he received the same skills as I had, with the exception of the knowledge of the priestesses, of which he received just a smattering. He confirmed my message that he, Cissy, and I were accepted as Keepers and that the Montaigne prophecy had been discharged. He said he had been instructed to continue work on the prophecies and to remain in government. Just as I was granted two years to be a Harpy, Harry was given a year to be an auror, if that really was his ambition. He was also told that Professor Trelawney, in addition to Firenze and Cotto, could be of great assistance to him.

Cissy repeated most of what she had previously said to her father, also indicating that she had received the same skills that Harry had, but also had learned the thoughts of a particular ancient prophetess, named Hildegarde. Apparently Hildegarde was a very sober and studious prophetess. Despite her presumed immersion in all things Hildegarde, Cissy couldn't help bubbling, "I was just so thrilled that the Light Guardian said that the Montaigne prophecy was over and done with and that I could safely enter the Sacred Chamber without risking the end of magic or the putting off of the next golden age. I really want to be a part of the changes that will occur under the watch of the next Keepers. I regret that my father is totally unable to share my enthusiasm, but that is his loss."

Hermione had been given the biggest splash of education, which the Light Guardian had said was consistent with her future job as Muse and mother of one of the cousins, whom she would need to educate well before he went to Hogwarts. In addition to what the rest of us learned, her brain was crammed with Elf, Goblin, and Centaur philosophy, art and poetry and the more important musings and discoveries of the cetaceans, which passed generation to generation. She had a comprehensive knowledge of healing plants and potions and a boost to her mathematical skills. She was told that she must keep herself safe, keep Harry and me under control, and generally be a source of wisdom, calm, and guidance.

It turned out that Luna was the only one of us not to receive training in magical engineering, although she received the language skills, ancient Wizard history, and much of Hermione's muse knowledge. It was suggested to her that her life might well benefit by increased direction and that she should consider becoming a Light Guardian Priestess. She said this thought appealed to her, although she had no desire to become a solitary, unmarried crone.

Margaret said, "The Light Guardian said I did every bit as good a job as the original Joan. It said that while I had done my part in the battle, that I should devote myself to making peace and improving the lot of all magical creatures. I know magical engineering and a lot of languages, philosophy, and religion. I don't think I learned any history. I didn't learn about the Goblins, but know a lot about the other magical creatures, even the spiders and merpeople."

Bill and Barb said that they had learned a powerful new protective spell, a disabling curse, and knowledge of Goblin-speak. They had been instructed that they must protect the rest of us and should consider themselves to be sacred warriors. To that end they had been given an ability to detect strong hostile intent. They also received knowledge of magical engineering. They were left with a stern admonition that holy warriors strived to avoid killing any thinking creature. They said that this matched what aurors were taught and what they had always believed.

Ron and Neville also received the advanced knowledge of spells. While Neville received the same knowledge of useful plants, healing, and potions as Hermione, he also got the full dose of history. In addition to magical engineering, Ron said he now understood a lot of Muggle science, mathematics, and engineering. Inexplicably, he said he knew all that could ever be known about the design and construction of pyramids and stone sculpture.

"I'm glad we had this session," Harry concluded. "It is important to know if Draco learned things that we didn't, or if he was left out on some of the information transmitted to us. I'm feeling better about Draco since he joined in trying to rescue us, but exactly what he was told will reveal the Light Guardian's level of trust in him. Baal has made a transcript of each of our memories of what we were told and what we learned. The Minister is very interested in this.

"I think we're now in good position to go off to dinner and our meeting with Professors McGonagall and Trelawney. I didn't want any surprises from our own circle to emerge in the course of that meeting. I was also thinking that, given what the Light Guardian said about Trelawney having something to offer to us and how much it taught us about magical engineering, that perhaps we should drop the magical engineering course and switch to Trelawney's course next term. I think we can be reasonably open when we get to McGonagall's apartment. I should warn the rest of you that I won't bring it up at the start, because I don't want to risk ruining the meeting, but I do plan to ask Professor McGonagall for an apartment, like she gave Draco and Pansy."

Our pre-meeting had left me more relaxed than I had felt in advance of a McGonagall meeting in a long time and I quite enjoyed my supper. I couldn't help noticing how happy Mom looked at the staff table. It dawned on me that she had worried as much as I had about how the meeting with Dad might turn out. I think she also believed that Percy was speaking the truth, rather than just throwing out a smart remark to gain attention. I was hoping that she would join us for the McGonagall meeting. If Narcissa would be there, Mom certainly should be, also. At the end of supper, Mom did indeed join McGonagall, Trelawney, and Narcissa in leading a very large group of us up to the apartment. Barb and Bill traipsed along as participants, rather than as our bodyguards.

I don't know from whence they all came, but as I was stepping over the threshold and into the candle-lit living room of the apartment, I noticed that precisely sixteen padded armchairs were arranged in a circle in the center of the large room, with five short tables interspersed at an interval of every third chair. One chair was already filled by King Goblanze. Harry seemed to randomly grab a chair and I sat to his left, which put a table and then Mom to my left. Harry was seated next to Draco, to his right. There was even a pile of straw in the corner of the room, upon which Firenze and Bane had been ensconced, waiting for us to come up from dinner. There was a loud pop and Cotto was perched on the little table, between Mom and me. The gang was definitely all here.

"To avoid any potential awkwardness, I thought that I had best start off this meeting by giving the same gift to Harry and Ginny, which I previously presented to Draco and Pansy on the occasion of their wedding". With that, she handed Harry and me very large brass keys to our own personal apartment. I'm sure that I was all smiles.

"I'll show you how to find the apartment at the conclusion of this meeting," Professor McGonagall promised us. "I do request one difference in the arrangement that I reached with Draco and Pansy. Whereas Draco and Pansy were more or less orphans, without a strong attachment to any House, you are both strongly attached to Gryffindor. Your presence there has been hugely comforting to the younger students. I hope that you will be able to make the time to spend some of your evenings in the Gryffindor Common Room and to continue to assist the younger students."

Harry and I both promised that we intended to do that. In truth, we would greatly miss the camaraderie of the Common Room, were we to simply retire to our apartment after dinner. I anticipated nothing changing, except walking off to our own apartment, instead of trudging up the stone steps to our separate dorm rooms at the end of an evening of discussion and study. If nothing else, Ron, Hermione, George, Luna and, perhaps for a little while longer, Neville, were still living in Gryffindor and I wanted to spend as much time as possible with them, before I graduated and we dispersed to our separate adult lives.

I realized with a jolt that I had been wool gathering and that Professor McGonagall had already shifted into the guts of the meeting, having called upon Harry to present his version of events, including what the Light Guardian had communicated to him. Harry pretty much regurgitated what he had said at our pre-meeting, but did make a point of mentioning, "the confrontation in the Sacred Cavern was entirely consistent with what we saw in Professor Trelawney's globe. Her explanation of the globe darkening and turning blood red was also consistent with what actually happened. Ron loosed some Weasley blackout bombs and right after that the Light Guardian appeared as an intense ball of white fire. What we saw in the globe definitely was the blackout followed by the overloading of the scene with light."

Trelawney was positively beaming as she heard that explanation from Harry and sat visibly higher in her chair. "I just knew that the globe was showing a true vision," was all that she said.

The others retold the same tales they had told in the common room, with the exception that we said nothing about the Mother of the Future or her Muse. I was simply a Keeper and Hermione an assistant. McGonagall tried to stare me into saying more, but seemed to accept that we did not consider the Malfoys to be appropriate recipients of this knowledge. We all awaited what Draco would say. As if she realized that this was the case, Professor McGonagall chose to leave Draco for last.

Draco said, "I don't know anything about the fight with the Goblins in the Reception Hall, before Harry went into the Sacred Chamber. I ran into Mrs. Weasley collecting swords and shields from the Hogwarts corridors and helped her carry some of them down to the Reception Hall. That was just a few minutes before Harry and Cissy left the Reception Hall. I saw a Goblin push Ginny into the tunnel and then saw Hermione trying to pull her back out. I moved forward to try to help, but the door closed again, before I could get there.

"I heard Neville and Ron planning to raid the cavern if they didn't hear from Harry in ten minutes, and I volunteered to join them. Harry has been very helpful to Pansy and me, so I felt that I owed him at least that much. Somebody gave me a sword and a shield and Ron gave me a blackout bomb and a Whiz Bang to throw. Ron stuck his ring into the socket beside the door and we waited a long time for the door to open. Bill and Barb led us down the tunnel and stopped before the mouth of the tunnel, expecting that the Goblins would jump us as soon as we set foot in the cavern. We all threw our bombs and Whiz Bangs. When we heard the explosions, we pushed into the cavern, shields held high, behind Bill and Barb. There were Goblins off to the side and I stabbed one of them with my sword. The Goblin fell back and then I saw this bright ball of light. At first it looked like it wanted to sprout arms and legs and even a huge beard, but then just became a brighter and brighter ball that moved to my right to the end of the cavern. I had to close my eyes, it was so bright.

"Then a voice just flooded into my head, saying it was the Light Guardian and that I shouldn't be afraid, that the danger was past. It told me that it was the true protector of all creatures who think, and that its only wish was that we should stop fighting and killing each other and that every person and species should cooperate for the common good. It said that it had restored the magic for now, but that it was up to all of us to improve the magic and to keep the magic alive after it left. It told me there were some things that I needed to know if I were to lead a useful life and not just steal from the Muggles, as my father does. It told me that it had chosen Harry, Ginny and Cissy to be the Keepers of the Covenant and that Ginny was the Mother of the Future and Hermione was her Muse. It told me that I should help them and assist them in implementing an expanded Covenant.

"It said I must convince the remaining Great Families to join with us, but that there would be a lot of resistance. I promised that I would be strong. You have to keep your promises to the Light Guardian. It also told me that the day was not far away, when all Muggles would be able to use magic, and there would be no difference between Wizards and Muggles. I learned ancient Wizard history, Goblin-speak, Elf-speak, and magical engineering. My head felt stuffed to exploding. The Light Guardian told me that from now on I must be a protector and a builder and that I must persuade Pansy to help me - that she was too idle and obsessed with having house Elves to order about. It said I was welcome to visit the Sacred Cavern whenever I want to and that Harry would give me a ring to open the door. Then the light was gone and I could see that everyone was telling the truth when they said that the circle had been repaired and Ruppasta was gone. The Goblin King joined us and we returned to the Reception Hall. That's all that I can remember. I plan to do what the Light Guardian said. I've never seen anything as amazing as that cavern, and the crystal circle, and the Light Guardian. It was like it was right inside my head, reading every thought I had."

Well, so much for not telling the Malfoys about the Mother of the Future. Despite McGonagall's insistence, I told the group that I was still getting used to being the Mother, didn't fully understand what it meant, and would have nothing further to say on that subject.

Draco was not the last to tell his tale. King Goblanze described everything that he had witnessed from "making a routine visit to check on the defenses at the Reception Hall and being surprised by close to a hundred of Ruppasta's rebels attacking us. My loyal Goblins fought well and Bane's Centaurs were a major help. They don't have Centaurs in Europe and Ruppasta didn't realize what excellent warriors they are. He didn't, I confess I didn't either, realize that they could apparate and do magic with the London Circles interfering so badly with the Hogwarts Circle. I owe my life to the Centaurs. Many of the rebels died on the spot, but Ruppasta was able to open the portal to the Sacred Chamber, just as a pair of his rebels apparated behind me. I was captured and herded into the Sacred Cavern by the rebels. My guard inside the Sacred Cavern fought bravely to protect the Circle and to free me, but they were hindered by trying to prevent harm to me and to avoid killing fellow Goblins. Ruppasta planned to quickly disable the London Circles and did so. His rebels had planned to fight without magic. I hadn't drilled my troops enough on that approach, and my error ultimately led to my side's defeat. I'm lucky to be alive.

"Ruppasta bound me in on a stone bench at the rear of the Sacred Cavern, so that I could witness his elevation to power before I died. When Harry and Cissy entered the Cavern, Ruppasta told me that I might as well witness the deaths of those whose cheating allowed me to hang onto power and was responsible for what Ruppasta described as "all the unnecessary bloodshed of this day and the past week. You should have resigned when your cheating and the illegitimacy of your rule were revealed. If I had assumed power peacefully, there would be more Goblins alive today and we could prevail against the humans. You will soon die and I will be left to make as bright a Goblin future as possible with what you have left to me."

King Goblanze said the Light Guardian instructed him to remain in office just long enough to clean up the present mess and organize a fair competition to choose a successor. In terms of knowledge, he was given "only an encyclopedic knowledge of Goblin History and lore 'so that the magnitude of your dishonesty and the depth of the disgrace to Goblin tradition that you represent should be fully apparent to you.' I am charged to do good, be generous to the unfortunate, argue for justice and fairness, and generally try to redeem my life in the time that I have left to me."

Firenze, Cotto, and Bane told McGonagall what they had already told us, although Cotto emphasized, and Firenze backed him up, in interpreting the Covenant as applying to all creatures who think. Cotto said that included Aragog's family, the cetaceans, the more intelligent simians, Giants, and the non-magical humans. We were all instructed to live in peace with all of these creatures and to do what we could to protect them. Cotto said the Light Guardian had instructed him and the Mother of the Future to form a council of the representatives of each of these species. He said he would discuss this with Arthur Weasley and Harry Potter.

"This is all as the ancient traditions say," Professor Trelawney assured us. "I am thrilled that this happened in my lifetime. While I'm speaking, I want to also say that I've made some plans regarding my future. Professor Firenze and I will co-teach the Divination courses this year. He's going to teach me the basics of celestial prophecy. I'm then going to take a year's sabbatical and study with the Dalai Lama. Professor Firenze has arranged this for me."

"I thought the two of you really, really, didn't get along," Luna piped up.

"I can't tell you what an honor it is to study with and co-teach a course with the Keeper of the Universe. Mother would be so very proud. Professor Firenze and I have settled our differences and are happily committed to working together. The headmaster has received permission from the Ministry to modify the content of the Divination courses. I won't have to teach those techniques that nobody thinks are valid. Professor Firenze and I will modify the content on the fly, so to speak."

"I look forward to the experience," Professor Firenze seconded from the corner. "It is fitting that we all be gathered here, because we all need to be part of the forces for positive change in the magical world. There has been far too much greed and stubbornness and willingness to follow leaders whose minds are obviously very, very dark. All thinking creatures have a clear choice. We can join together to peacefully build a better future for all peoples, or we can let ourselves be ruled by past jealousies and grievances and a sense that our group or even ourselves must lead the others or we will try to tear things down. It shouldn't be a hard choice. The past is dead. We all have only the future to work with. You all now know more of the truth of your history and the source and control of magical power than any Wizards in at least a millennium. You also know the other things that Wizards need to learn in order to get along with the non-magical humans and survive in the modern world. You are the group that has to make a successful future for magical creatures happen. I am happy to report that the Unicorns are rapidly returning to health and that their blood is once again silver. It is most important that the Unicorns be protected and that their numbers be increased. With the permission of all of you, I suggest that this group, and the new Goblin King, when he is selected, meet weekly to discuss our joint plans and progress in renewing our world."

"I totally agree," Cotto said. "The Elves will do our duty to make a new Covenant work. I look forward to the day when all of the magical creatures can show themselves to the humans and freely move about this world."

"I think that is quite enough for tonight," Professor McGonagall concluded the meeting. "If there are no objections, we'll meet here next week. Also, if there are no objections, I think we should include Arthur in the next meeting. I've learned that it is highly counterproductive to work at cross-purposes with a Minister who is sympathetic to your own aims."

The meeting broke up quickly and Professor McGonagall showed Harry and me how to enter our new apartment. It turns out that we went through the third floor corridor wall on the opposite side of the stuffed lizard from the entrance to Professor McGonagall's own apartment. I thanked her sincerely and profusely for the apartment, which was definitely going to make a big improvement in my life. Her parting remarks were "don't worry, the walls are extremely thick."

We found that the corridor wall was tuned to our touch, or perhaps to the touch of someone carrying the proper key. I had merely to touch the wall at the point indicated by Professor McGonagall, and the solid stone seemed to melt away, revealing a narrow archway leading to a steep stone staircase with a polished bronze railing. Like the path to the McGonagall apartment, the stairs became brightly illuminated as we approached them and then ascended. The light always appeared five feet ahead of us, until the stairs terminated at a substantial wooden door, with a large locking mechanism. I inserted my key and found that the key turned easily in the lock, with the door immediately springing loose and requiring only a gentle push to swing into the living room. Our living room was a little smaller, but quite similar to Professor McGonagall's. The room became alight as we entered, revealing two arm chairs in front of the fireplace, with a small wooden table in between. There was a stack of firewood held by a brass rack to the right of the fireplace. Our windows had no curtains and the only other furniture was two study desks and chairs pushed up against the wall on our right.

Further exploration revealed a bedroom, with a large really soft bed and a wardrobe for our clothes. There was a small bathroom off the bedroom. It held a small claw footed tub and a pedestal basin. Both happily had hot water piped to them. There was also a porcelain toilet, with an overhead flush pull.

I loved our apartment. It might be sparsely furnished, but all we really needed was that wonderful plush bed. No more stone landings for me.

Harry and I stripped off our clothes and got into bed between the very soft, fresh-smelling sheets. We just lay side by side, touching bodies, with my head on Harry's shoulder and his hand cupping my right breast. We didn't utter a sound, but our thoughts flowed back and forth effortlessly.

{[contentment, love] It's great just to be lying here together. When I stepped into the tunnel to the Sacred Cavern, I was very afraid that I would never see you again and relieved that we had taken the time to get married. I was thinking that whatever happened to me, at least you would live for both of us and be able to fulfill your prophecy. I thought if things turned out reasonably well in the Cavern, that even if Ruppasta killed me, that I might well have done enough to hold up my end of the prophecy. You can't imagine how much my heart sank, when I saw the Deputy Chairman herding you into the Cavern.}

{{I understand. I truly intended to keep my promise to you to stay out of the Cavern. I would have disregarded my father's wishes in order to be able to join you in facing what you had to face. I couldn't betray my word to you. I just thought I was seeing you for the last time, so even a last glimpse of your ankles as you walked through the tunnel was precious to me. As Bill would say, my emotion caused me to lose track of situational awareness and the Deputy Chairman was able to sneak up and give me a shove. As I stumbled out of the tunnel, I wasn't afraid, I was just worried that you would be disappointed in me and think I broke my pledge.}}

{[concern] I know you didn't enter of your own free will. I trust you in everything.}

{{That's a great relief. I'm glad our friends joined in the rescue at the end. With the Light Guardian's intervention, their presence wasn't necessary, but having them be able to share much of the experience is going to keep our circle tightly bound together in the future. I love you very much, but just the two of us aren't going to be enough. It is comforting to know that our friends will stay with us.}}

{[happiness] that's a relief to me as well. It would have been easy for this to drive us apart. Now we are all brothers and sisters in that moment. It's also a relief to know that we have a tight little band who won't think we're crazy, religious lunatics, as we tell the stories that we have to tell. That is a great comfort. I fear I'm not quite as strong as I would need to be to go ahead as just the two of us.}

{{I don't mind sharing you with our friends. You know that the Light Guardian said I'm allowed to be a Harpy for two years. Are you okay with that?}}

{Who am I to deny you what you've always wanted to do? Your skin is really soft, by the way.}

I was thinking that this was a very nice cuddle, although it didn't seem to be leading any place. Then all of a sudden it was, and when I finally fell asleep, I was a very happy Witch.

,


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two – The Committee Of Thinking Beings is Formed**

The Montaigne family reunion not requiring as much time as anticipated, we made it back to Hogwarts with plenty of time before dinner. We found Luna and Neville in the common room. Neville immediately gave us the two-thumbs-up gesture highlighted by a broad smile.

"The Light Guardian was correct. My parents are fully recovered. I spoke with them for hours, bringing them up to date on my life and on current, or even decades old, events. This has been the best day of my life. Doctor White said my parents both suddenly started speaking at the same time and asked to see me. This was at exactly the same time that I invaded the Sacred Cavern and the Light Guardian spoke to me. That must mean something."

"That's wonderful," I told Neville. "It is truly miraculous."

"Yes, I really believe it is," Neville declared.

Luna said George had gone to the shop, so Harry quickly apparated there to bring him back. We needed to compare notes on what the Light Guardian had told each of us before we sat down with Professor McGonagall and the Malfoys. We'd have to compare notes with Draco as well, but that could occur in McGonagall's apartment. It was strange that the trauma of the prior day had totally killed our interest in feuding with McGonagall, but it appeared that it had. None of us voiced any concern about sharing what were really very deep secrets with her, Trew, and even Narcissa.

I volunteered to begin the discussion and rattled off everything that the Light Guardian had told me, including reporting my increased language skills and knowledge of ancient Wizard history and celestial prophecy. I was now well versed in the history, culture, and myths of the other magical species. That was vital knowledge for the Mother of the Future. Surprisingly, I also learned a lot about Muggle religion, history, myths, and culture. I felt that I could repair a magical circle and was willing to tackle the Gringotts Circle.

Harry went next, revealing that he received the same skills as I had, with the exception of the knowledge of the priestesses, of which he received just a smattering. He confirmed my message that he, Cissy, and I were accepted as Keepers and that the Montaigne prophecy had been discharged. He said he had been instructed to continue work on the prophecies and to remain in government. Just as I was granted two years to be a Harpy, Harry was given a year to be an auror, if that really was his ambition. He was also told that Professor Trelawney, in addition to Firenze and Cotto, could be of great assistance to him.

Cissy repeated most of what she had previously said to her father, also indicating that she had received the same skills that Harry had, but also had learned the thoughts of a particular ancient prophetess, named Hildegarde. Apparently Hildegarde was a very sober and studious prophetess. Despite her presumed immersion in all things Hildegarde, Cissy couldn't help bubbling, "I was just so thrilled that the Light Guardian said that the Montaigne prophecy was over and done with and that I could safely enter the Sacred Chamber without risking the end of magic or the putting off of the next golden age. I really want to be a part of the changes that will occur under the watch of the next Keepers. I regret that my father is totally unable to share my enthusiasm, but that is his loss."

Hermione had been given the biggest splash of education, which the Light Guardian had said was consistent with her future job as Muse and mother of one of the cousins, whom she would need to educate well before he went to Hogwarts. In addition to what the rest of us learned, her brain was crammed with Elf, Goblin, and Centaur philosophy, art and poetry and the more important musings and discoveries of the cetaceans, which passed generation to generation. She had a comprehensive knowledge of healing plants and potions and a boost to her mathematical skills. She was told that she must keep herself safe, keep Harry and me under control, and generally be a source of wisdom, calm, and guidance.

It turned out that Luna was the only one of us not to receive training in magical engineering, although she received the language skills, ancient Wizard history, and much of Hermione's muse knowledge. It was suggested to her that her life might well benefit by increased direction and that she should consider becoming a Light Guardian Priestess. She said this thought appealed to her, although she had no desire to become a solitary, unmarried crone.

Margaret said, "The Light Guardian said I did every bit as good a job as the original Joan. It said that while I had done my part in the battle, that I should devote myself to making peace and improving the lot of all magical creatures. I know magical engineering and a lot of languages, philosophy, and religion. I don't think I learned any history. I didn't learn about the Goblins, but know a lot about the other magical creatures, even the spiders and merpeople."

Bill and Barb said that they had learned a powerful new protective spell, a disabling curse, and knowledge of Goblin-speak. They had been instructed that they must protect the rest of us and should consider themselves to be sacred warriors. To that end they had been given an ability to detect strong hostile intent. They also received knowledge of magical engineering. They were left with a stern admonition that holy warriors strived to avoid killing any thinking creature. They said that this matched what aurors were taught and what they had always believed.

Ron and Neville also received the advanced knowledge of spells. While Neville received the same knowledge of useful plants, healing, and potions as Hermione, he also got the full dose of history. In addition to magical engineering, Ron said he now understood a lot of Muggle science, mathematics, and engineering. Inexplicably, he said he knew all that could ever be known about the design and construction of pyramids and stone sculpture.

"I'm glad we had this session," Harry concluded. "It is important to know if Draco learned things that we didn't, or if he was left out on some of the information transmitted to us. I'm feeling better about Draco since he joined in trying to rescue us, but exactly what he was told will reveal the Light Guardian's level of trust in him. Baal has made a transcript of each of our memories of what we were told and what we learned. The Minister is very interested in this.

"I think we're now in good position to go off to dinner and our meeting with Professors McGonagall and Trelawney. I didn't want any surprises from our own circle to emerge in the course of that meeting. I was also thinking that, given what the Light Guardian said about Trelawney having something to offer to us and how much it taught us about magical engineering, that perhaps we should drop the magical engineering course and switch to Trelawney's course next term. I think we can be reasonably open when we get to McGonagall's apartment. I should warn the rest of you that I won't bring it up at the start, because I don't want to risk ruining the meeting, but I do plan to ask Professor McGonagall for an apartment, like she gave Draco and Pansy."

Our pre-meeting had left me more relaxed than I had felt in advance of a McGonagall meeting in a long time and I quite enjoyed my supper. I couldn't help noticing how happy Mom looked at the staff table. It dawned on me that she had worried as much as I had about how the meeting with Dad might turn out. I think she also believed that Percy was speaking the truth, rather than just throwing out a smart remark to gain attention. I was hoping that she would join us for the McGonagall meeting. If Narcissa would be there, Mom certainly should be, also. At the end of supper, Mom did indeed join McGonagall, Trelawney, and Narcissa in leading a very large group of us up to the apartment. Barb and Bill traipsed along as participants, rather than as our bodyguards.

I don't know from whence they all came, but as I was stepping over the threshold and into the candle-lit living room of the apartment, I noticed that precisely sixteen padded armchairs were arranged in a circle in the center of the large room, with five short tables interspersed at an interval of every third chair. One chair was already filled by King Goblanze. Harry seemed to randomly grab a chair and I sat to his left, which put a table and then Mom to my left. Harry was seated next to Draco, to his right. There was even a pile of straw in the corner of the room, upon which Firenze and Bane had been ensconced, waiting for us to come up from dinner. There was a loud pop and Cotto was perched on the little table, between Mom and me. The gang was definitely all here.

"To avoid any potential awkwardness, I thought that I had best start off this meeting by giving the same gift to Harry and Ginny, which I previously presented to Draco and Pansy on the occasion of their wedding". With that, she handed Harry and me very large brass keys to our own personal apartment. I'm sure that I was all smiles.

"I'll show you how to find the apartment at the conclusion of this meeting," Professor McGonagall promised us. "I do request one difference in the arrangement that I reached with Draco and Pansy. Whereas Draco and Pansy were more or less orphans, without a strong attachment to any House, you are both strongly attached to Gryffindor. Your presence there has been hugely comforting to the younger students. I hope that you will be able to make the time to spend some of your evenings in the Gryffindor Common Room and to continue to assist the younger students."

Harry and I both promised that we intended to do that. In truth, we would greatly miss the camaraderie of the Common Room, were we to simply retire to our apartment after dinner. I anticipated nothing changing, except walking off to our own apartment, instead of trudging up the stone steps to our separate dorm rooms at the end of an evening of discussion and study. If nothing else, Ron, Hermione, George, Luna and, perhaps for a little while longer, Neville, were still living in Gryffindor and I wanted to spend as much time as possible with them, before I graduated and we dispersed to our separate adult lives.

I realized with a jolt that I had been wool gathering and that Professor McGonagall had already shifted into the guts of the meeting, having called upon Harry to present his version of events, including what the Light Guardian had communicated to him. Harry pretty much regurgitated what he had said at our pre-meeting, but did make a point of mentioning, "the confrontation in the Sacred Cavern was entirely consistent with what we saw in Professor Trelawney's globe. Her explanation of the globe darkening and turning blood red was also consistent with what actually happened. Ron loosed some Weasley blackout bombs and right after that the Light Guardian appeared as an intense ball of white fire. What we saw in the globe definitely was the blackout followed by the overloading of the scene with light."

Trelawney was positively beaming as she heard that explanation from Harry and sat visibly higher in her chair. "I just knew that the globe was showing a true vision," was all that she said.

The others retold the same tales they had told in the common room, with the exception that we said nothing about the Mother of the Future or her Muse. I was simply a Keeper and Hermione an assistant. McGonagall tried to stare me into saying more, but seemed to accept that we did not consider the Malfoys to be appropriate recipients of this knowledge. We all awaited what Draco would say. As if she realized that this was the case, Professor McGonagall chose to leave Draco for last.

Draco said, "I don't know anything about the fight with the Goblins in the Reception Hall, before Harry went into the Sacred Chamber. I ran into Mrs. Weasley collecting swords and shields from the Hogwarts corridors and helped her carry some of them down to the Reception Hall. That was just a few minutes before Harry and Cissy left the Reception Hall. I saw a Goblin push Ginny into the tunnel and then saw Hermione trying to pull her back out. I moved forward to try to help, but the door closed again, before I could get there.

"I heard Neville and Ron planning to raid the cavern if they didn't hear from Harry in ten minutes, and I volunteered to join them. Harry has been very helpful to Pansy and me, so I felt that I owed him at least that much. Somebody gave me a sword and a shield and Ron gave me a blackout bomb and a Whiz Bang to throw. Ron stuck his ring into the socket beside the door and we waited a long time for the door to open. Bill and Barb led us down the tunnel and stopped before the mouth of the tunnel, expecting that the Goblins would jump us as soon as we set foot in the cavern. We all threw our bombs and Whiz Bangs. When we heard the explosions, we pushed into the cavern, shields held high, behind Bill and Barb. There were Goblins off to the side and I stabbed one of them with my sword. The Goblin fell back and then I saw this bright ball of light. At first it looked like it wanted to sprout arms and legs and even a huge beard, but then just became a brighter and brighter ball that moved to my right to the end of the cavern. I had to close my eyes, it was so bright.

"Then a voice just flooded into my head, saying it was the Light Guardian and that I shouldn't be afraid, that the danger was past. It told me that it was the true protector of all creatures who think, and that its only wish was that we should stop fighting and killing each other and that every person and species should cooperate for the common good. It said that it had restored the magic for now, but that it was up to all of us to improve the magic and to keep the magic alive after it left. It told me there were some things that I needed to know if I were to lead a useful life and not just steal from the Muggles, as my father does. It told me that it had chosen Harry, Ginny and Cissy to be the Keepers of the Covenant and that Ginny was the Mother of the Future and Hermione was her Muse. It told me that I should help them and assist them in implementing an expanded Covenant.

"It said I must convince the remaining Great Families to join with us, but that there would be a lot of resistance. I promised that I would be strong. You have to keep your promises to the Light Guardian. It also told me that the day was not far away, when all Muggles would be able to use magic, and there would be no difference between Wizards and Muggles. I learned ancient Wizard history, Goblin-speak, Elf-speak, and magical engineering. My head felt stuffed to exploding. The Light Guardian told me that from now on I must be a protector and a builder and that I must persuade Pansy to help me - that she was too idle and obsessed with having house Elves to order about. It said I was welcome to visit the Sacred Cavern whenever I want to and that Harry would give me a ring to open the door. Then the light was gone and I could see that everyone was telling the truth when they said that the circle had been repaired and Ruppasta was gone. The Goblin King joined us and we returned to the Reception Hall. That's all that I can remember. I plan to do what the Light Guardian said. I've never seen anything as amazing as that cavern, and the crystal circle, and the Light Guardian. It was like it was right inside my head, reading every thought I had."

Well, so much for not telling the Malfoys about the Mother of the Future. Despite McGonagall's insistence, I told the group that I was still getting used to being the Mother, didn't fully understand what it meant, and would have nothing further to say on that subject.

Draco was not the last to tell his tale. King Goblanze described everything that he had witnessed from "making a routine visit to check on the defenses at the Reception Hall and being surprised by close to a hundred of Ruppasta's rebels attacking us. My loyal Goblins fought well and Bane's Centaurs were a major help. They don't have Centaurs in Europe and Ruppasta didn't realize what excellent warriors they are. He didn't, I confess I didn't either, realize that they could apparate and do magic with the London Circles interfering so badly with the Hogwarts Circle. I owe my life to the Centaurs. Many of the rebels died on the spot, but Ruppasta was able to open the portal to the Sacred Chamber, just as a pair of his rebels apparated behind me. I was captured and herded into the Sacred Cavern by the rebels. My guard inside the Sacred Cavern fought bravely to protect the Circle and to free me, but they were hindered by trying to prevent harm to me and to avoid killing fellow Goblins. Ruppasta planned to quickly disable the London Circles and did so. His rebels had planned to fight without magic. I hadn't drilled my troops enough on that approach, and my error ultimately led to my side's defeat. I'm lucky to be alive.

"Ruppasta bound me in on a stone bench at the rear of the Sacred Cavern, so that I could witness his elevation to power before I died. When Harry and Cissy entered the Cavern, Ruppasta told me that I might as well witness the deaths of those whose cheating allowed me to hang onto power and was responsible for what Ruppasta described as "all the unnecessary bloodshed of this day and the past week. You should have resigned when your cheating and the illegitimacy of your rule were revealed. If I had assumed power peacefully, there would be more Goblins alive today and we could prevail against the humans. You will soon die and I will be left to make as bright a Goblin future as possible with what you have left to me."

King Goblanze said the Light Guardian instructed him to remain in office just long enough to clean up the present mess and organize a fair competition to choose a successor. In terms of knowledge, he was given "only an encyclopedic knowledge of Goblin History and lore 'so that the magnitude of your dishonesty and the depth of the disgrace to Goblin tradition that you represent should be fully apparent to you.' I am charged to do good, be generous to the unfortunate, argue for justice and fairness, and generally try to redeem my life in the time that I have left to me."

Firenze, Cotto, and Bane told McGonagall what they had already told us, although Cotto emphasized, and Firenze backed him up, in interpreting the Covenant as applying to all creatures who think. Cotto said that included Aragog's family, the cetaceans, the more intelligent simians, Giants, and the non-magical humans. We were all instructed to live in peace with all of these creatures and to do what we could to protect them. Cotto said the Light Guardian had instructed him and the Mother of the Future to form a council of the representatives of each of these species. He said he would discuss this with Arthur Weasley and Harry Potter.

"This is all as the ancient traditions say," Professor Trelawney assured us. "I am thrilled that this happened in my lifetime. While I'm speaking, I want to also say that I've made some plans regarding my future. Professor Firenze and I will co-teach the Divination courses this year. He's going to teach me the basics of celestial prophecy. I'm then going to take a year's sabbatical and study with the Dalai Lama. Professor Firenze has arranged this for me."

"I thought the two of you really, really, didn't get along," Luna piped up.

"I can't tell you what an honor it is to study with and co-teach a course with the Keeper of the Universe. Mother would be so very proud. Professor Firenze and I have settled our differences and are happily committed to working together. The headmaster has received permission from the Ministry to modify the content of the Divination courses. I won't have to teach those techniques that nobody thinks are valid. Professor Firenze and I will modify the content on the fly, so to speak."

"I look forward to the experience," Professor Firenze seconded from the corner. "It is fitting that we all be gathered here, because we all need to be part of the forces for positive change in the magical world. There has been far too much greed and stubbornness and willingness to follow leaders whose minds are obviously very, very dark. All thinking creatures have a clear choice. We can join together to peacefully build a better future for all peoples, or we can let ourselves be ruled by past jealousies and grievances and a sense that our group or even ourselves must lead the others or we will try to tear things down. It shouldn't be a hard choice. The past is dead. We all have only the future to work with. You all now know more of the truth of your history and the source and control of magical power than any Wizards in at least a millennium. You also know the other things that Wizards need to learn in order to get along with the non-magical humans and survive in the modern world. You are the group that has to make a successful future for magical creatures happen. I am happy to report that the Unicorns are rapidly returning to health and that their blood is once again silver. It is most important that the Unicorns be protected and that their numbers be increased. With the permission of all of you, I suggest that this group, and the new Goblin King, when he is selected, meet weekly to discuss our joint plans and progress in renewing our world."

"I totally agree," Cotto said. "The Elves will do our duty to make a new Covenant work. I look forward to the day when all of the magical creatures can show themselves to the humans and freely move about this world."

"I think that is quite enough for tonight," Professor McGonagall concluded the meeting. "If there are no objections, we'll meet here next week. Also, if there are no objections, I think we should include Arthur in the next meeting. I've learned that it is highly counterproductive to work at cross-purposes with a Minister who is sympathetic to your own aims."

The meeting broke up quickly and Professor McGonagall showed Harry and me how to enter our new apartment. It turns out that we went through the third floor corridor wall on the opposite side of the stuffed lizard from the entrance to Professor McGonagall's own apartment. I thanked her sincerely and profusely for the apartment, which was definitely going to make a big improvement in my life. Her parting remarks were "don't worry, the walls are extremely thick."

We found that the corridor wall was tuned to our touch, or perhaps to the touch of someone carrying the proper key. I had merely to touch the wall at the point indicated by Professor McGonagall, and the solid stone seemed to melt away, revealing a narrow archway leading to a steep stone staircase with a polished bronze railing. Like the path to the McGonagall apartment, the stairs became brightly illuminated as we approached them and then ascended. The light always appeared five feet ahead of us, until the stairs terminated at a substantial wooden door, with a large locking mechanism. I inserted my key and found that the key turned easily in the lock, with the door immediately springing loose and requiring only a gentle push to swing into the living room. Our living room was a little smaller, but quite similar to Professor McGonagall's. The room became alight as we entered, revealing two arm chairs in front of the fireplace, with a small wooden table in between. There was a stack of firewood held by a brass rack to the right of the fireplace. Our windows had no curtains and the only other furniture was two study desks and chairs pushed up against the wall on our right.

Further exploration revealed a bedroom, with a large really soft bed and a wardrobe for our clothes. There was a small bathroom off the bedroom. It held a small claw footed tub and a pedestal basin. Both happily had hot water piped to them. There was also a porcelain toilet, with an overhead flush pull.

I loved our apartment. It might be sparsely furnished, but all we really needed was that wonderful plush bed. No more stone landings for me.

Harry and I stripped off our clothes and got into bed between the very soft, fresh-smelling sheets. We just lay side by side, touching bodies, with my head on Harry's shoulder and his hand cupping my right breast. We didn't utter a sound, but our thoughts flowed back and forth effortlessly.

{[contentment, love] It's great just to be lying here together. When I stepped into the tunnel to the Sacred Cavern, I was very afraid that I would never see you again and relieved that we had taken the time to get married. I was thinking that whatever happened to me, at least you would live for both of us and be able to fulfill your prophecy. I thought if things turned out reasonably well in the Cavern, that even if Ruppasta killed me, that I might well have done enough to hold up my end of the prophecy. You can't imagine how much my heart sank, when I saw the Deputy Chairman herding you into the Cavern.}

{{I understand. I truly intended to keep my promise to you to stay out of the Cavern. I would have disregarded my father's wishes in order to be able to join you in facing what you had to face. I couldn't betray my word to you. I just thought I was seeing you for the last time, so even a last glimpse of your ankles as you walked through the tunnel was precious to me. As Bill would say, my emotion caused me to lose track of situational awareness and the Deputy Chairman was able to sneak up and give me a shove. As I stumbled out of the tunnel, I wasn't afraid, I was just worried that you would be disappointed in me and think I broke my pledge.}}

{[concern] I know you didn't enter of your own free will. I trust you in everything.}

{{That's a great relief. I'm glad our friends joined in the rescue at the end. With the Light Guardian's intervention, their presence wasn't necessary, but having them be able to share much of the experience is going to keep our circle tightly bound together in the future. I love you very much, but just the two of us aren't going to be enough. It is comforting to know that our friends will stay with us.}}

{[happiness] that's a relief to me as well. It would have been easy for this to drive us apart. Now we are all brothers and sisters in that moment. It's also a relief to know that we have a tight little band who won't think we're crazy, religious lunatics, as we tell the stories that we have to tell. That is a great comfort. I fear I'm not quite as strong as I would need to be to go ahead as just the two of us.}

{{I don't mind sharing you with our friends. You know that the Light Guardian said I'm allowed to be a Harpy for two years. Are you okay with that?}}

{Who am I to deny you what you've always wanted to do? Your skin is really soft, by the way.}

I was thinking that this was a very nice cuddle, although it didn't seem to be leading any place. Then all of a sudden it was, and when I finally fell asleep, I was a very happy Witch.

,


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – I Appear Before the Wizengamot**

We rejoined our friends for breakfast in the Great Hall. We were a little late, so the owls were landing just as we were sitting down. Last night had ended so well, that I had started this morning the same way. Harry did not object. Neither of us explained the cause of our tardiness.

I grabbed my papers, even before my food, not a common occurrence at all. This was a unique morning all around. I happened to open the Quibbler first and was met with the headlines:

**RUPPASTA IS DEAD, REVOLT IS ENDED. **

**HOGWARTS STUDENTS SURVIVE ENTRY INTO SACRED CAVERN **

**MAGIC RESTORED AT HOGWARTS, IMPROVED IN LONDON **

**KING GOBLANZE ALIVE AND WELL **

**MINISTER WEASLEY PROCLAIMS VICTORY**

The story was completely factual. I read it closely to see if there was any mention of the Light Guardian or the various prophecies. There wasn't, which I felt was a good thing. We would have to take great care in how we told this particular story.

The Daily Prophet stories were also reasonably accurate, although I was not pleased by the headlines:

**GOBLIN KING WINS ONE FOR WEASLEY **

**POTTER A HERO AGAIN?**

The conclusion within our group was that the press coverage was about as good as could be expected, but that we had better get our story to the reporters sooner, rather than later. Harry announced that he planned to go into the Ministry right after breakfast. He wanted Dad to hear about last night's meeting with McGonagall, directly from him. There was no benefit in giving Dad a chance to feel excluded, even for a day. He would receive a personal invitation to the next meeting, directly from Harry, within the hour.

Harry also said he needed to discuss plans and schedule for repairing the Gringotts circle with both Dad and King Goblanze. There was also the awkward matter of scheduling a meeting with the King to discuss planning for selection of his successor. And to top it off, Harry informed us "there is the even more awkward matter of discussing the fate of the captured rebel Goblins."

While Harry went off to the Ministry, I joined the rest of our circle in returning to class. Our day began with Firenze's Divination class. Professor Trelawney was sitting in on this lecture. Firenze stopped by my seat right before class, inquiring where Harry was. I told him that Harry felt the need to rush off to the Ministry to make sure that Dad heard about yesterday's meeting from him, before word leaked to him sideways, by which I don't necessarily mean from Mom.

Firenze replied "I can see the wisdom in that, but I had hoped that Harry would hear this lecture. I will be discussing the changes in the celestial portents right before and right after the battles in the Reception Hall and a certain appearance. I take it there has still been no decision reached concerning when and how any of us may speak of that appearance. I warn you that such a secret cannot be kept for long."

I mumbled something to the effect that I was sure Harry would raise the topic with Dad this morning. Firenze accepted that explanation with good grace and returned to the front of the classroom to begin his lecture. It was certainly fortunate that I was sitting on the aisle, or else Firenze could not have gotten close enough to hold this discussion without half a dozen easily excitable young Witches overhearing every word of our discussion. I certainly hoped that Harry and Dad could decide how to make an official announcement. I agreed with Firenze: this secrecy was counterproductive and possibly dangerous.

Firenze's lecture was most entertaining. Even with all the background information that the Light Guardian had poured into my brain, I still took away some new insights and a deeper appreciation of celestial Divination. I couldn't help noticing that Professor Trelawney sat transfixed throughout the lecture with the same gaga look that the second years with a crush on Firenze were prone to adopt. In Trelawney's case it appeared to be rapture caused by the content of his lecture, which apparently was giving her a whole new outlook on Divination and Professor Firenze.

I lingered after class to get permission from Firenze to gather up and save the special crystalline sand that he had used to draw his Yantra. He was very supportive of this idea.

"Yes, as the Mother of the Future, you will very definitely have need for that sand. Not only is it manufactured from the old stones and crystals of the original Hogwarts Circle, but the sand has now been energized by blood and the imparting of energy from the Unicorn horns. It is very special and extremely powerful, especially to one with your new skills. In a very real sense, our ceremony to rebalance the magic in the Universe linked my Yantra and all of the sand used to create it to the entirety of the universe. That makes it very special sand. You should fetch a bag of bottles and vials and I will meet you at the top of the pyramid in fifteen minutes. Bring something to label the containers. My mind decided that Hermione would be an excellent something to label the containers. She had missed the opportunity to view the Yantra as closely as I had and would appreciate Firenze's detailed description. She had already heard enough that she definitely wanted to 'come with'.

"I'm coming along, because I want to remind you which sand was wetted by blood and which sand received the most energy from the Unicorn horns. You'll need to collect that separately. The most important sand of all is the sand which was wetted by your own blood, as well as that to which I contributed my own blood. As you search your mind over the coming months, you will become aware of potions that use these ingredients. You will also find that you know how to draw a Yantra, although you will need to carefully sort and organize your new memories. Practice drawing with inert dyed sand, before using any of what we collect today. Sand that has been part of an energized Yantra can create a far more powerful Yantra than the one that I drew. The Mother is also able to create a stronger Yantra than a mere Keeper of the Universe."

Firenze, Hermione and I spent two hours collecting the sand from the top of the pyramid. Firenze spent the whole time giving a detailed description of everything about the Yantra and the preservation of the sand. He gave detailed answers to all of Hermione's probing questions. I thought I had understood the making and energizing of the Yantra, but as I listened to the answers to Hermione's questions, I realized that my knowledge had only scratched the surface. Why had I been satisfied with the partial knowledge that Firenze had given me earlier? Hadn't I even notices, what I now recognized to have been gaping gaps in knowledge. Of course the sand around the inner and outer gates at the center of the Yantra had special significance and power for and over the species represented by the gates. Of course the sand around the star depicting the Light Guardian, and onto which some of my own blood, as well as a unicorn's, had extra special power. This sand could ignite, or power up, an extra powerful Yantra. It got its own, specially labeled bottle. I had been shocked that Hermione had brought over fifty bottles of various sizes, but we used all of them, save one.

As he departed, Firenze spoke cryptically to us: "you may feel a desire to share some of this sacred sand with friends. That is fine, if you don't overdo it, although the sand is meant for the two of you and I can foresee that you will need almost all of it. One restriction only: don't share any of the sand that came into contact with blood or a Unicorn horn. Especially, don't share any sand that was close to a gate or the Light Guardian star."

Hermione and I just stared at each other after Firenze left. Finally, Hermione spoke. "We must carefully hide these bottles. The most special bottles should remain on our persons. I sense that this sand, in the wrong hands, could lead to some very dark magic."

Of course I agreed. We had to race to get to Mr. Granger's class.

Mr. Granger's class was technical, but somehow a little lighter than Firenze's fare and the change of pace was welcome. Mr. Granger had decided that today should be a lab session, so we each had to wire a circuit board using a supply of alternating current from his portable generator, fuses, wire, on-off switches, a rheostat control, a series of resistors in parallel, with switches to include one or more in the circuit, and a light bulb. I was amazed how much Muggle terminology I had already picked up and how easily I was able to complete the assignment. Mr. Granger came around to my work station and asked me to demonstrate the operation of my circuit board. It felt very good when he nodded his approval and gave me a little pat on the top of my head. This was knowledge that I had acquired the old-fashioned way, through a great deal of study. The Light Guardian had not poured any Muggle knowledge into my brain. Dad was correct, I am an intelligent Witch. Not Hermione-smart, but I can hold my own with just about anyone else.

Harry was already at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall when the rest of us arrived for lunch. It was fortunate that he had arrived ten minutes early and begun to eat, because once we arrived he was forced to do more talking than eating. Mom, Professor McGonagall, Professor Trelawney, and even Draco and Pansy joined our table to find out what Harry had learned at the Ministry. Draco's Mom was off helping the art professor purchase more supplies, otherwise she certainly would have joined our table.

"The Minister wants to make a presentation to the Wizengamot this afternoon and he wants everyone who was present in the Sacred Cavern to be there and to make a short statement and to be available to answer questions. He has decided that the inquiry into the incident is as complete as it is likely to be anytime soon, and it is best to get the summary of what we know to the Wizengamot and the whole community. The press will be in full attendance. Arthur sent out word that this is to be an important presentation dealing with the events at the Sacred Cavern.

"He says this will cause shock waves, because most Wizards didn't give a second thought to where magic comes from, until it faltered. Now the failure of magic is all that people talk, or rather complain, about. Few remember that there is such a thing as a Sacred Cavern, although centuries ago, all of their ancestors were free to enter it, whenever they wished.

"He plans to talk about the battle in the Gringotts Cavern, the battle in the Reception Hall, our entry into the Sacred Cavern, the appearance of the Light Guardian, and the banishment of Bruce and Ruppasta. He'll also touch on the upcoming change of Goblin leadership, and his appointment of a committee to meet with the new Keepers of the Covenant to work up a plan for enforcement and updating of the Covenant. He plans to explain the Original Covenant and the subsequent changes since then. He also plans to mention the Montaigne prophecy and what we saw in Professor Trelawney's globe, so he wants Professor Trelawney to be at the Wizengamot meeting to answer questions. Firenze, Bane, and King Goblanze will also be present, as will Cotto. Arthur thought there was too much of a danger of our little committee being viewed as something secret, extra-legal, under-handed, and in potential opposition to the government, unless he gave an explanation and officially acknowledged the committee to the Wizengamot and press and gave his blessing to its formation.

"You, Hermione, Cissy, and I are to recount our personal experiences in the Chamber of Secrets, when I next have dinner with Ernie. That's tomorrow night, by the way."

There was a lot of chattering among the rest of us as Harry finished his lunch. I told Harry that Professor Firenze felt that the lecture he missed was very important and that he would repeat it for Harry in our Common Room this evening. I also said that it really was a very good lecture. Harry said he thoroughly appreciated the gesture and would invite Percy, Callista, Cotto, and Baal to attend. I asked Harry if he had been able to determine the disposition of the captured Goblins.

"The ones in the Sacred Cavern when the Goblin Master appeared say they recognize their error in following Ruppasta and the King has welcomed them back as loyal subjects. They have been deputized to spread the word to their fellow conspirators, who were captured in the Gringotts Cavern, the Reception Hall, and on the Continent. The early results are promising. Most of the captives at least partially believe the story that those inside the Sacred Cavern told. It is a somewhat easier sell, because Ruppasta is not very popular. He promised adventure, a quick victory, glory and riches to his supporters. Now a little over a hundred and fifty of those supporters are prisoners, an equal number are hospitalized captives, and over a hundred are dead. None of them signed up for that. Many had a personal opportunity to observe that Ruppasta was behaving a bit erratically and taking undue risks with their lives. I think most of the rebels will come back into the fold. Many just thought Goblanze was a cheat and wanted a new selection process to pick a different leader. Now they know that they will have that, so there isn't much reason to keep fighting a King whom they know will be retired in six or seven months."

"That all makes sense," Hermione agreed with Harry. "I think…"

"Oops," Harry interrupted, "I almost forgot: Neville's parents and grandmother will be at the Wizengamot meeting. Arthur sees the almost instantaneous recovery of Neville's parents as proof of the Light Guardian's power. I suspect he also sees Neville's parents as being able to testify to the evil caused by the Death Eaters."

"Gods must perform miracles," Hermione told Harry.

We all set off for the Ministry right after lunch. There was a quick meeting with Dad in which he told us to just be calm and tell the truth. He said that a third of the Wizengamot was bound to be extremely skeptical and likely confrontational in some of their questioning, but that we certainly should not consider that a reflection upon ourselves. He also cautioned us to expect mixed coverage with some skepticism and even belittling comments on our sanity in the likely press reports.

The Wizengamot meeting lasted five hours and was riveting and quite rambunctious, with members screaming at each other at various contentious junctures. I thought Dad's report to the Wizengamot was exemplary. I don't remember ever hearing him speak so fluently, confidently, and persuasively. He clearly was growing in the job. He encountered some rudeness and even taunts and catcalls from some of the more conservative members. Other conservative members appeared loathe to cast aspersions upon any recounting of a Light Guardian appearance, seeing it as a sign to move back toward the old ways.

We each told our stories. Cissy and Draco appeared to carry some weight with the opposition. Cotto, Bane, and Firenze were not accorded what I regarded as an appropriate level of respect from all of the members. King Goblanze's testimony could only be termed bizarre. He gave a full account of occurrences within the Sacred Cavern, as the only witness who had been present from the time that Ruppasta's Goblins invaded, until we all left the Cavern together. He announced that a new King would replace him within eight months, confiding that this should not be viewed as a bad thing, since although he had worked tirelessly to foster good relations among all magical beings, he realized that he was a cheat and a crook, who had been too weak to prevent himself from being blackmailed by Lord Montaigne. He apologized for the bank's efforts to throttle Wizard commerce and progress. Having bared the dark side of his soul, he then took ten minutes to justify the quality of his current art work.

About a third of the Wizengamot was somewhere between extremely fidgety and outright rude during this portion of the King's remarks. For this purpose, King Goblanze had brought several drawings with him, including his depiction of the choke point in the flow of stars along the heavenly pathway of time. Perhaps in consideration to the King, Firenze also used this drawing to illustrate his report on the celestial portents preceding the actions at the Sacred Cavern and the current clearing of that path.

Professor Trelawney was a bit in awe of the Wizengamot and started her report slowly and in a faltering voice. She quickly gained command as she discussed the skills she had learned from her mother, the use of her mother's globe, and the vision we all had seen in it. I feared for the results when she announced, setting the globe on a table in front of the Wizengamot, "you can all look into the globe and see for yourselves the frightening vision that we saw just days before the events in the Sacred Cavern."

I don't think I breathed, until I realized that the globe was actually going to perform in response to her commands.

Dad's announcement of the committee was met with mixed opinion. The conservative faction demanded their own Wizengamot representative be added to the committee. Dad simply replied, "That isn't appropriate and it isn't going to happen. You'll get a report from the committee, and you'll be able to question them before you vote on their recommendations. Negotiations are definitely the responsibility of the Minister and whomever he chooses to assist him in his duties. Your responsibility is to evaluate the final product and approve or disapprove it. That is quite clear in the Ministry charter. Would you like me to read the relevant passages?"

The opposition decided that this would not be necessary. Prolonging the time for Dad to appear before the press in his current confident and capable demeanor was not in their interest. Besides, they knew full well what the charter said.

Dad was then questioned closely on the composition of the committee, and although he answered very clearly and convincingly, I had the impression that he was making up half of what he said on the fly. I remembered him instructing Harry during the campaign that this was a very stupid thing to try to do. He seemed to be getting by with it, however. He explained that "the committee deals with the Covenant and that naturally is centered upon the Covenant representatives for each of the magical species. For Wizards, our representatives are the Keepers. You'll recall that this Wizengamot replaced Lord Montaigne as Keeper and approved Deputy Minister Potter and Cissy Montaigne as his replacements. The Light Guardian chose to add my daughter Ginny as a third Keeper. In deference to the Light Guardian's decision, I have added Ginny to the committee. The earlier Covenant – I have a copy here that I will read to you and you can see the original in the library – refers to the Hogwarts Headmaster as a Keeper, so I have chosen to include Professor McGonagall on the committee. Professor Trelawney is a non-voting member who will advise the committee on prophecy. I will represent the Ministry. The committee has chosen the other members, whom I listed, as non-voting research and support staff".

There was grumbling, but seventy percent of the Wizengamot approved a committee with Harry, Cissy, McGonagall, me, Dad, Firenze, Bane, King Goblanze, Cotto, the head Unicorn, and at the Wizengamot insistence, Viktor Krum, Monsieur Deliacour, and the Muggle Prime Minister as its voting members. Bane observed that although the committee seemed rather top heavy with Wizards, he would not object, since the final agreement needed the approval of each of the magical species and that he was well trained to tune out the squabbling among Wizards.

The Muggle Prime Minister promised to work toward inter-species harmony and the reintegration of more Wizards into the larger British society and economy. He even informed the Wizengamot that we Wizards were British citizens and that we should vote in the upcoming British elections. Before announcing that he had successfully scuppered the sale of the Montaigne estate, he gave us ten reasons why it was in the interests of all Wizards to vote Labor in the upcoming election. He said he expected that Wizards would seek to integrate more fully into British society in the coming years. He pledged to assist in providing the necessary documentation for us to do so "when you feel that you have achieved the necessary familiarity with British life and customs to pass unnoticed among your fellow citizens."

The Longbottoms spoke for over a half hour, with brief corroboration from Doctor White and two St. Mungo's nurses. Neville's parents told of the torture they had endured under the Cruciatus Curse, their determination to never give in, and, surprising to me, their desire to immediately resume their service as aurors. They both stated that they had seen the Light Guardian, in the words of Neville's mother "as if in a dream, but clearly addressing me directly, and bringing me up to date on my son's life and the more important changes to our world. I feel that I even have some new auror skills."

A sticky point of the hearing, and after, was Margaret's testimony. Her parents were in attendance and not at all pleased to learn that she had waded into battle, dressed in a suit of armor. Her father said to us afterwards, "we did not raise our daughter to be a fighter and are shocked that Harry and the rest of you would put her in such a dangerous situation. You had promised that you would keep her safe."

Margaret complained to her father "nobody pushed me to do what I did. I also fought at the Battle of Hogwarts. I'm not a fighter, but sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in. I was never in great danger. The armor is enchanted and I wore the ring of Joan of Arc. The rest of our group always had my back and flanks protected. If I hadn't done this, I wouldn't have met the Light Guardian, and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to miss that. Be happy for me and don't blame Harry. He has always looked out for me. We have been safe at Hogwarts, because we have stuck together as an unbeatable whole, each looking out for the others."

In the end, her father relented, shaking Harry's hand and slapping him on the back, but also saying "in future, I expect you to keep Margaret farther from the action. She's only a young girl."

I had the sense that had he not previously had such a high regard for Harry, that Harry would have made a mortal enemy for involving Margaret in the battle.

We all went out for a huge celebratory dinner at a Muggle restaurant. Margaret and her parents came with us, as did Percy, Callista, Prudence, and Shacklebolt, so there were about twenty of us. We weren't celebrating the positive vote by the Wizengamot. This was the first opportunity for all of us to sit down together and savor the victory over Ruppasta. Harry insisted on paying for the dinner. I vowed to spend some time exploring our finances, to determine how many of Harry's gestures we could afford. I knew that Harry planned to invest a lot of his, or rather our, money in his Young Wizards' Loan Agency. The sale of shares in that agency was to begin in two days.

Two weeks from now we would know how much the government and Wizarding community as a whole were willing to invest and how much Harry, Hermione, and Cissy would need to contribute, to make up the shortfall.

There was more than a little teasing of Percy, launched by Ron's comment "I understand that you have a personal announcement that you'd like to make, but have delayed so as not to step on Ginny's moment. Now is probably a good time to speak."

"Not just yet," Percy replied. "I'll only say that she is a wonderful Witch and I'm confident that you'll all like her as much as I do. You'll know soon."

"Does that mean she doesn't know yet?" George asked.

"Not exactly."

The next morning, Harry and I were at breakfast, bright and early to see what the papers had to say about the Wizengamot meeting and all of the revelations about what had actually happened inside the Sacred Cavern. I grabbed my Quibbler first. It had fast become my go-to paper. The headlines were friendly, but perhaps a tad over the edge.

**RUPPASTA STRUCK DOWN BY GOD**

**HARRY POTTER ANNOINTED TO RECONCILE MAGICAL CREATURES**

**GOD CHOOSES CISSY TO END MONTAIGNE CURSE**

**BRUCE MONTAIGNE JOINS RUPPASTA IN PURGATORY**

**MINISTER WEASLEY SETS COMMITTEE TO ADOPT NEW COVENANT**

**WIZENGAMOT OPPOSITION STILL STUCK IN YESTERDAY**

**SACRED CAVERN TO BE OPENED TO WIZARDS NEXT WEEKEND**

**JOAN D'ARC WALKS AMONG US TO SLAY EVIL GOBLINS**

**DISGRACED LORD MONTAIGNE BACK IN HIS CAGE, DISOWNS HEROIC DAUGHTER**

The headlines hardly left room for the typically thorough reporting that I had come to expect from Luna's father and his new assistants, the Patil sisters. The Patils had extensive interviews with Cissy and Margaret. They included a remark from Margaret's father that he was "aghast at his daughter's brush with danger, but of course very proud of what she did." They had a few quotes from their interview with me, but stressed that this was a case of 'surprised girl shoved into danger', rather than 'brave girl stands by her man'.

I was relieved that there were no specifics cited from the 'Mother of the Future' prophecy, but alarmed to read a comment that there were rumored secret prophecies, involving Harry and me. I hadn't known about open house weekend at the Sacred Cavern and fervently hoped that the Unicorns would not see fit to display our prophecies during this occasion. It was bad enough that I had been publicly identified as the Mother of the Future as well as a Light Guardian Priestess. The public didn't need to know all that this entailed. I felt exposed and at risk enough with the present revelations. King Goblanze had outed me as the Mother of the Future, but at least left the view that this simply made me a special Keeper and envoy to the other magical creatures.

Neville got very favorable reporting, even if it leaned too heavily upon a recounting of his prior dispatching of Nagini and the critical importance of that brave act in Voldemort's defeat. Perhaps that was a good thing, since it led to less emphasis upon the number of Goblins, whom Neville had dispatched with the Sword of Gryffindor. I could see that coming back to haunt Neville, who is normally such a gentle soul. I doubt any Wizard had killed nearly as many Goblins during the past millennium. Rebels or not, I doubted that the Goblins would ever forget or fully forgive Neville's actions. It was much better to focus upon killing an enchanted snake. Neville's parents featured prominently, with pictures of all four Longbottoms.

The largest articles, which appeared under the mild headings: **So just what is the Covenant? **and** A History and Essence of Our Forgotten Wizard Religion** were excellent background summaries, running to three pages, each.

The Daily Prophet adopted a rather more scornful tone, but still had difficulty shaping the news in a way which was too negative for Dad and us. I admit to not being the biggest fan of The Prophet's headlines.

**Weasley Wants Still More Change**

**Minister Claimed Credit for Act of God**

**Committee Is a Family Affair for Arthur Weasley**

**Have Draco Malfoy and Cissy Montaigne Forgotten Their Roots?**

**Do We Really Have To Treat Goblins and Talking Horses As Our Equals?**

Ernie had a very nice column explaining about the Light Guardian and earlier nature-focused Wizard religions. He must have spoken to Professor McGonagall, since he had quotes from his interviews with her two Priestess friends. He also quoted Professor Trelawney in detail and gave a history of her mother's life and accomplishments, including the source of the globe in question, which had apparently been in the family for at least seven generations and was reputed to have belonged to Headmistress Ravenclaw, although it far pre-dated her.

Although Ernie was given four pages for his work, unfortunately for him, it began on page five and bore the innocuous, small-type header: **some background from Ernie**. Unless he had been working on the history in advance, and it was quite possible that McGonagall had introduced him to her friends previously, this was a mountain of work to churn out overnight.

I enjoyed the brief happy days which followed, but a dark cloud increasingly came between me and the outright joy I wanted to feel.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – The Repair Crew**

The bright sun seeped from the sitting room through the open door of our bedroom. As I awoke, I realized that it was too early for breakfast and that Harry was sleeping deeply. I decided to lie in bed, cuddled against Harry, and unpack some more of my Light Guardian memories. I decided to address two big concerns.

Afraid that twice a day sex with me might grow stale for Harry, I was eager to unpack the ancient Priestesses' knowledge on that subject. Unlike Draco's great aunt, many of the old Priestesses had been far from celibate. I had the life histories and many memories from a number of these Priestesses. I was expecting helpful guidance, but was still surprised by Ardath.

I stumbled upon Ardath several days ago, quite by accident, but remembering Luna's comment, I had stayed with Ardath long enough to quickly get the gist of her memories. They had mesmerized and somewhat shocked me.

As I started to unpack my Ardath memories, I instantly understood why George had been smiling so much lately. That worthy ancient had made a detailed study of all things sexual. Ardath was one cool Witch and she had a lot to teach me, but that wasn't honestly what kept me glued to this particular search through my unsorted memories. I found plenty of spice for Harry in my first session of daydreaming through the Ardath memories. In fact I found a lot more spice than I felt Harry was ready to be comfortable with.

I had just begin to move my mind down to the level of hidden Light Guardian knowledge, when suddenly, Ardath was talking to me. She told me that she knew twenty different ways for me to mount Harry and twice that many ways for him to mount me. She insisted upon starting through her inventory, quickly reducing me to a state of bored frustration.

I was quite sure that being an athlete and younger than Ardath, that I could do whatever she could do. I also knew that Harry had all but balked at my suggested positon three, which if not plain mashed turnip was certainly in no way bizarre. I was about to totally tune out Ardath, when she began describing a position that I couldn't imagine being able to do. I thought and thought, deciding that it wasn't even possible, and that Ardath was just an excitable day-dreamer with a vivid imagination, then it dawned on me: like Voldemort, Ardath could hover and fly – without a broom.

Shocked at myself for combining Voldemort and love-making in the same thought, I pulled back and mused about this accomplished, young, ancient and long-dead priestess who could levitate her body and fly at will. She had been Chief Priestess Of All The Families at the age of twenty-seven. Quite a rise for a youngster orphaned at nine, who had spent several years inhabiting the filthy streets of London, before being virtually kidnapped by a wealthy Abbot at the age of ten.

She was already magical. She had a vision, which had come true. She could cause objects to come to her from halfway across the room. She could stop a wild dog or a giant of a man with a knife, before they got within a body's length of her. She merely wished that they would cease their threat and they did. Sometimes they seemed to totally forget about her and simply turned and walked away with a puzzled look. Other times they dropped to the street, as if clubbed on the head from behind. Ardath hadn't stayed around to learn if they recovered. It was best for a dirty urchin not to be found next to an inert body.

Ardath had told me this to let me know that she had permitted her kidnapping. A vision the prior night had told her this was a necessary step in her continued growth. She was whisked off to the abbey, cleaned up, and, for the next seven years, required to pleasure all of the brothers. They taught her many things. Positions, the proper use of her tongue in many different kisses, and, without their knowledge, how to send them to sleep, when she had tired of their play. She also learned to sing many songs, to play several instruments, to read, to do maths, to write beautiful calligraphy, to cook, and to clean, and to heal with herbs grown in the abbey garden or found in the surrounding forest. She was the first priestess to read and speak Latin. Petrificus Totalis and Accio are her spells. She wasn't simply the first to write them down – she invented them. I hadn't heard of 'dormio' before, but that spell, which causes the target to drift calmly into a deep sleep, was also her invention. It's advantage, when used as a silent spell, was that the victim noticed nothing abnormal, but reliably slept for six hours, even amidst the loudest mayhem.

In the end, Ardath was caught at her magic. The Abbot decided that her soul could be saved only by a burning at the stake. Ardath played along, until her legs were feeling overly warm, then apparated into the surrounding woods, sending burning embers to the roof of the Abbey to burn it to the ground. The brothers were amazed to have slept through both a good burning and the loss of their home, but viewed it as a miracle that Ardath had been fully consumed and nothing but a fine ash remained.

Ardath fled to Scotland, where she developed a following in the area where Hogwarts now stands. At Hogwarts, she communed with nature, including many beings. Both her abilities and her fame multiplied. Within a year of fleeing the Abbey, she headed her own coven of a dozen Witches, living in a cave. She counted Elves and Centaurs among her close friends. At that point, my concentration faded.

Having left both Ardath's catalog of sexual positions and kisses as well as her colorful personal history, I was forced to confront the real reason I had sought guidance from Ardath. I had a serious problem and I didn't feel comfortable discussing it with Hermione.

As freaky as my whisper communications with Harry had seemed at first, the implications for sexy times were truly shocking and more than a little frightening. When I touched Harry in a sexy way, I became both the toucher and the touchee. I could 'sense' what Harry sensed. When Harry was about to touch me, I knew what he planned to do as soon as he did. It was very enjoyable, but beyond weird. In another sense it was limiting. Just as you can't tickle yourself, some of Harry's caresses were of limited effect, because I was sensing myself stroking my own skin.

As with the whisper communications, I craved the assurance that some other Witch had experienced sex in this strange way that I did. That she had done so and survived. That her marriage had survived. That she hadn't been burned as a loathsome freak.

Ardath had been no help. She had experience much, but she hadn't experienced this. She had heard of much, but had heard not a word of this. She assured me that I wasn't a freak, but I realized this was only my hidden memories speaking to me.

The Ardath memories had excited me enough that I subtly awakened Harry and told him he had a needy bride.

Harry was groggy, but willing to oblige me. I was willing to follow Harry's preference for Muggle-style. All was fine, then I was shocked to attention. I was Harry. This was seeming just like Harry's description of seeing my father being attacked by Nagini, through the eyes of Nagini. My mood died in an instant. Love-making and Voldemort had crossed paths in my mind for the second time in an hour. Harry was surprised, then hurt, as I remained as cold as a rock.

"It's me, not you Harry. It has to do with our whisper connection. It has just gotten too weird. I have to think some more before I talk about this."

Harry begged for more detail, but I told him "sorry, I really must think about this on my own."

I gave Harry a kiss and suggested that we dress and head for breakfast. Feelings of upset were just rolling off Harry, but I didn't know what I could do to stop them. The truth would upset him even more – at least until I knew enough to propose a solution. In my fears, I saw the end of my marriage. I wasn't ready to accept that and I didn't want to talk about it with Harry, until my normal optimism was restored. The worst part was that this problem connection had grown stronger each time Harry and I had sex. It hadn't been a problem on the hard stone of the landing, but then I was just thinking that I didn't want to bruise my bum. I hadn't noticed a problem the first time in our new bed – well perhaps just a faint inkling of an extra special connection. It had seemed a pleasant addition then. But now, the strength of that special connection had quickly grown into a big problem.

We were first to breakfast. Juice and food appeared before us, but we were both in too sad a mood to be hungry. I drank a little coffee, slathered strawberry jam on a scone, then just set it aside. Harry stared at the magical ceiling.

"You should eat," I encouraged him.

He just shrugged and turned his gaze to the window. I could tell that he craved the distraction of the morning newspapers and was willing a horde of owls to appear at the window. I felt very guilty and very selfish for not being able to voice my concerns to Harry.

Our moods brightened, as Cotto and Baal joined us for breakfast. At first we faked it, so that Cotto wouldn't guess that something was the matter between us. Then we got caught up in the conversation between the Elves.

I was surprised when Draco detoured past our seats to say hello to Cotto and to inquire, "Is right before lunch okay for today?" Cotto replied that it was, and then responded to my startled look as Draco walked away: "Draco want to learn about Elves and magical creatures. I and Baal meet with him to teach the ways of Elves. We meet twice, it go well."

This was a changed Draco, not at all the impertinent lout who had rightfully gotten himself shot in the bum by Bane. The Light Guardian had a very positive impact upon him.

Our day continued normally enough, with one of Professor McGonagall's Wizard History classes. This time the lecture concerned the education of young Wizards prior to the establishment of Hogwarts. McGonagall told us of home schooling and small learning circles grouped around the village's 'wise old Witch', sometimes a Priestess, more often not. This was a strange experience for me. Normally, I sat in class just soaking up the information, which McGonagall presented in a lively manner, with acute insights as to how the old history influenced the world of today. This time, I realized that I already knew everything that Professor McGonagall said, except with increased detail.

McGonagall mentioned that the first small school of magic for the training of Wizard Priests, many of whom hid within the church as Christian Priests, was established nearly 1500 years ago in Stobo. St. Mungo, after whom the hospital is named, and Merlin were its first instructors. This school had existed as a clandestine institution, shielded by the magical barriers of its creators, for nearly three hundred years. I volunteered to answer McGonagall's question as to the founders of this school, but then added the apparently obscure detail, that there had been a smaller and even earlier magical school on Iona, which was founded several years earlier and educated Witches as well as Wizards.

McGonagall replied "I'm not aware of all of that, but if that's what the Light Guardian told you, I'm sure it's correct." After my realization that I already knew this stuff, I focused upon McGonagall's insights and extrapolation of them to our time, rolling them over in my head and deciding whether or not I agreed with her. It was a very strange feeling.

Cotto waited until the last minute of McGonagall's class before he interrupted with the announcement that we were all needed immediately after lunch to begin repairs on the Gringotts Cavern. Cotto informed the headmaster that she was expected to lend her Magical Engineering professor for an indeterminant period of time.

McGonagall began to protest, "this would interrupt the education of a lot of students, including several seventh years who expect to earn their future living from what they are learning in that class…"

Cotto interrupted her with the reasonable arguments that the Minister felt it was necessary, and that we really couldn't afford to have any more Muggles venturing into Diagon Alley. She was soothed when Cotto suggested that if she knew of some particularly adept and interested students, that perhaps they would benefit more from witnessing the repairs than they would by attending class. Professor McGonagall thought for only a few seconds before responding, "I know of four students, whom I will send along with your repair crew."

We assembled our repair crew and did some pre-planning before lunch. We would take Professor Henkel, Pavel, Ron, Harry, Margaret, Cissy, Bill, Barb, George, me, Pansy who wanted to come along 'to learn and to help, I am after all in the Magical Engineering course', and the four seventh year students: Fenton and Adam from Hufflepuff, and Erin and Silas from Ravenclaw. As I thought about it, I was disappointed that none of the Gryffindors had seen fit to partake of such a practical course and field exercise. I knew that many Gryffindors longed to be aurors and that aurors needed to be adept at Magical Engineering. I made a mental not to provide some career counseling in our Common Room. I was sure that I could pull this off, without appearing to be a know-it-all. My style was not Hermione's style. I could impart important knowledge in a relaxed dumb jock kind of way.

I had encountered Adam in our Magical Engineering class, when he attended our session to make up an absence, but did not know him well. I also knew Fenton, who was a Beater for Hufflepuff. Fenton and the Ravenclaws were in the other section of Magical Engineering. I had met Erin once or twice, but Silas was totally unknown to me. Harry announced that we would divide into two teams, with Bill leading the first team and Ron the second. Bill would have Barb, George, Margaret, Pansy, Silas, and Adam on his team, while Ron would have Professor Henkel, Pavel, Cissy, me, Erin, and Fenton. Harry said that he would work with the Goblin team to coordinate strategy and procedures, since they doubtless had different procedures than we did. We had the tools that Harry had received from Dumbledore, as well as the tools that Professor Henkel had brought from Germany and the Flamel device. We knew that the Goblins had their own tools.

Harry explained that we would have to use our wands to melt a large quantity of silver, from which we would make the interlacing threads, from congealing droplets. This would require a lot of energy and effort, so he recommended a hearty lunch for all and, for everyone who had one, to wear a Keeper ring. He said he would borrow the Ravenclaw ring from Professor McGonagall for Margaret to use. As Harry announced that he had quite a few more comments regarding what magical engineering skills would be required, Hermione and I excused ourselves to spend the hour searching our Light Guardian knowledge.

Harry frowned, but I assured him "I really do know how to melt silver with my wand and I have my Light Guardian memories. Hermione and I will learn more studying those memories."

Harry conceded the point and gave me a peck on the lips as I joined Hermione. We collected Luna and some blankets and headed out onto the lawn. It was relatively warmish for the time of year. With the sun and the blankets, I was comfortable. At least my body was comfortable. My mind was in turmoil.

Harry's mention of rings had reminded me that the Light Guardian had said that I would know how to make my own Keeper ring. I could 'feel' the outline of the knowledge in the depths of my brain and vowed to tease it out over the next several days. I trained my thoughts to move in that direction. My mind saw several priestess rings, most of very simple design – non-precious stones and simple bands of tooled silver or even tin. I searched for a common chord in these designs. I tried to look deeper into the rings, to see if they held hidden secrets. Despite my good intentions and desire for my own ring and despite Dad's warning that I needed to command my Light Guardian knowledge and think more like Hermione, I was derailed quite by accident.

A voice in my head asked be "do you like my ring. I made it myself. Silver is the most magical metal and lodestone carries more magic than any precious gem. Shall I tell you how I made my marvelous ring? I could even tell you where I hid it. I knew I was dying and didn't want it to fall into bad hands."

I was about to answer "of course I want to know", when I recognized the voice as Ardath's. This led to another fruitless search for an explanation of my unique link with Harry. I knew Ardath lacked the answer, but begged her to direct me to a source of help. She gave me several false leads, which I diligently checked in the far recesses of my Light Guardian memories.

I was defeated. I would have to consult with Hermione after all. I felt constrained by Luna's presence, thinking it both more embarrassing and a greater betrayal of Harry's privacy to tell two friends rather than one. Then I decided that Luna might be exactly the person I needed. Nobody could make the totally strange and improbable sound as normal and unthreatening as Luna could.

I spill everything to both of them. Luna told me "given your whisper link, I'm surprised we didn't expect something like this to occur. I think if you stop linking it in your mind to Voldemort, you'll be able to ignore and even enjoy your special connection to Harry. It really is just an extra degree of intimacy. You turned to ice this morning, because Nagini popped into your mind. That would chill anyone, even me."

"Knowing exactly what Harry is going to do, before he does it actually doesn't seem at all strange," Hermione admitted. "I know exactly what Ron is going to do, before he does it. I don't have a whisper link with him, but he is depressingly predictable. He kisses me for almost exactly two minutes, then he sticks his tongue in my mouth and plays with my tongue, then he kisses my neck, then my ears, then he nibbles my ears, with his hand on my right breast. Then he kisses just that one breast and licks just that one nipple. Then he squeezes my left thigh. I know that I'm supposed to spread my legs at that point. It really is very predictable, but it's not unenjoyable. He's really very good with his hands and fingers. A Witch just yearns for a little variety."

"No such problem with George," Luna exalted. "George is very free-spirited and you know how inventive he is. Before I had Ardath to bring to bed with me, George complained that I didn't suggest enough things for us to try. He actually said I was timid, even though I was up for everything he suggested, and believe me, he suggested a lot. He even convinced me to join the thousand-foot club."

I gave her a puzzled look, and she explained "We had sex on his broom, flying around the three Quidditch rings. George said he only knew of three other couples who belonged to the club. It's tricky and really quite dangerous. George said that the danger added extra excitement."

"I wouldn't want to join any club over two-hundred feet," Hermione confessed.

"Yes you would, or else you'd stay grounded," Luna explained. "In the heat of the moment, you can lose control of your broom, or even fall of the broom. If you're at five-hundred feet or below, you can plow a furrow on the Quidditch pitch. There are no members of the five-hundred foot club, although George heard of two Witches who perished trying to be its first members. That was twenty years ago. We didn't fall of our broom, but George did lose control of the warming shield he had established around us. It is really cold at a thousand feet this time of year, especially at 2:00 in the morning. When we landed our clothes weren't even where we left them. I thought it was Filch, but it was Lee. I don't know why George would even bring Lee with him on a special night like that."

"You are daring," I congratulated Luna. "So you don't think I should worry too much."

"I wouldn't," Hermione assured me. "But you do need to talk to Harry. I'm sure you have him very worried. I promise to do what research I can, although I don't know where to begin. The restricted books at Hogwarts aren't the sex books, except the one on Sexcromancy, and I don't think that one applies."

I promised that I would talk to Harry 'later'.

When we rejoined Harry and Ron, I wanted to keep things light for the moment. Instead of explaining my fears, I told Harry, "I'm surprised that, when Pansy signed herself up for our expedition, Draco didn't insist on coming, to keep her company. Are there squabbles in Slytherin land?"

Harry gave me a look, before replying "I don't think so. They seem to have gotten on quite well since they've had the apartment. I actually asked Draco to join the group before Pansy signed up, but he said his mother was still very emotionally fragile and he didn't feel it safe to leave her alone. I think he had visions of her chasing down to Gringotts if we weren't back in two days and embarrassing him by personally checking to make sure he was safe. I think Draco was as surprised as we were that Pansy wanted to do something that sounds as much like work as this trip will be. In his mind, I think he would see it as a loss of face if he reversed his decision because Pansy had decided to come. You know, he'd fear it would appear that all his decisions are made for him by his mother or his wife."

"I hope that you won't feel threatened if people think I influence some of your decisions," I hastily responded.

"No, that's not what I'm worried about. But I'm not Draco, and you're certainly not Pansy. I never had a clingy mother like Narcissa to deal with, either."

I realized that I definitely couldn't put 'the discussion' off longer than this evening. For now, I happily put it off.

Mr. Granger came in right before lunchtime. He had gone shopping for Harry and had procured two pairs of work gloves for each of us, as well as a huge pile of tees and sweats in various sizes, all printed with the slogan "I restarted the magic". Since we no longer seemed to be in danger of a basilisk attack, he had also rounded up the welders' helmets for us to use, in case the light from the molten silver became too intense. Another shopping bag disgorged a pile of dust respirators, one for each of us, with a few spares.

"Robes won't do for the work we'll be doing," Harry explained. Wear the tees and your comfortable Jeans, and sneakers. Take the sweats, in case you get cold. I also want each of you to carry a water bottle. Hermione will be our safety officer and will keep you out of trouble. So, listen to me, your team leader, and Hermione, and we'll all do fine. Each of you should grab at least two tees – we may be at this project for up to a week. If you've got a second pair of Jeans and a change of underwear, I'd bring that as well. We'll be sleeping at the Ministry."

As we walked to lunch, I shared with Hermione the strange feeling I had experienced during McGonagall's lecture, as I realized that I already knew more facts than she did and focused on the deeper meanings and insights. I said it still helped me organize my facts and chronology into useful memory to be prompted by McGonagall's recounting and be forced to think what it all meant to me, before restoring the processed information.

Hermione replied, "That was sufficiently profound, that I think I will lay a quotation on you. I've thought of it before, but was afraid that you would view it as pretentious. It's from a British Muggle author whom I enjoyed reading named Graham Greene and it goes, 'there is always a moment in childhood, when a door opens and lets the future in'. I realize that is a strange thing to say to an adult, married Witch, but I feel that after shaking off the shellshock from all the deaths during the Battle of Hogwarts, that we have all passed through that doorway during the past month. None of us is anywhere near the person that we were a year ago. It has been very dramatic with Margaret and Cissy, but I see it in all of us. In the past year Ron has turned from, well, Ron, into the Wizard that I always knew he could be. We're still physically here at Hogwarts but, mentally, we've all moved past it. I think that's a lot of the reason you've had problems with McGonagall. You've outgrown Hogwarts. We all have. Hogwarts, like Christmas and Hogsmeade, is for children. It's not real in the truest sense."

After lunch we apparated from just outside the Hogwarts fence directly to the front steps of Gringotts Bank. The King was at the door to meet us. He immediately pulled Harry, me, Ron, and Hermione aside, apologizing to the rest of our group as he did so "I am sorry but there is a problem that I must explain to Harry, a potential embarrassment. Please sit in our lobby and enjoy some fine Goblin orange tea and biscuits." The Chairman's secretary led the rest of our party to a cluster of chairs and small tables to the right of the entrance. The chairman led us to a small room, in the opposite direction.

I was very anxious to hear what problem King Goblanze intended to tell us about. I was picking up mingled feelings of worry and curiosity from Harry. Hermione was eyeing the King with such rapt attention that I wondered whether the Light Guardian had given her the ability to read the nuances of Goblin facial expressions, which revealed subtle emotions and even truthfulness.

"What I propose, I propose for the sake of both speeding reconciliation of the Goblin political factions and doing the best possible job of repairing the Circle of the Goblins. Our finest magical engineer is a relatively young Goblin, named Goblex, who had prime responsibility for maintaining both the Paris and Durmstrang circles. He even led the last retuning of the Circle of the Goblins.

"He did not support me during the Ruppasta uprising. Although he was part of Ruppasta's final group of supporters in the Sacred Cavern, he did switch allegiances at the end. The Master accepted the sincerity of his decision to follow the rules going forward. I know this, because the Master told me, just as he told me that Goblex was given additional magical engineering skills. I request that you accept Goblex as my Goblin Draco, whose reformation is as important to our future as Draco's is to yours. I…"

"That's reasonable," Harry interrupted him. "If that's what Goblin politics require, I don't think we can challenge your decision."

"I'm sorry. I'm building up to the embarrassing part. Goblex was one of the two Goblins with swords, whom Ruppasta sent to kill you. In his favor, he was the only one who immediately put down his sword when the Master directed him to do so. Your view was blocked at the time, but Goblex did pull the other assassin away from you. Trust me when I say that Goblex will never try to harm you. The Master has convinced him that this would be evil. I know I ask a lot in asking you to work with him. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't totally convinced that this is both a safe and necessary thing to do."

"Well…." Harry was at a loss for words. After a moment's pause, he requested, "Please give the four of us a few minutes to consider what you've just said."

The King departed. His secretary immediately served us cups of the Goblin tea, closing the door behind her as she departed.

"I don't like it," Ron declared. "He tried to kill you."

"Yes, but in the end, he helped us. I'm tempted to trust anyone whom the Light Guardian has vouched for. In the coming years, I'm sure we will encounter a lot of reformed Goblins who supported Ruppasta. If we treat them as criminals, there will always be problems between Wizards and Goblins. King Goblanze is still in a weak position. I think we need to support him on this, although it won't be easy."

"No, it won't," Hermione agreed, "but we still need to do it."

I leaned more toward Ron's view, but the thoughts I was receiving from Harry convinced me that I needed to support his decision, so I did.

We rejoined King Goblanze and Harry told him that we agreed to work with Goblex.

I asked the King "This may sound totally impertinent, but I've noticed that you are now much more fluent in our language."

"… I believe you are correct. Apparently I received a gift from the Master, of which I was unaware."

"Ron had gone to the other end of the lobby and gathered up the rest of our crew. We were hustled to five waiting rail cars, which whisked us off to the deepest part of the tunnels and the utilitarian reception hall outside the Cavern. Most of our crew had never been this far below the surface of London and was very alert to the new sights, especially the rail station reception hall, with its Goblin art and the stone barrier, which we scrubbed away with our rings.

Pansy and Erin thought that rubbing away the rock was the coolest thing they had ever seen and begged to be told the trick. Harry explained. "The wall wasn't actually solid rock. The magical force lines were anchored here in such a large concentration and strength that, in addition to giving the visual appearance of a solid rock wall, instead of the open archway that is actually there, they form a solid enough barrier that you can't just push your way through it. If you rub your hand over that area, it will feel hard, cold, and rough, although the sense that it is rock is partly your mind playing a trick on you. If you know the secret and rub your hands across the concealed opening, it will still feel cool and solid, but you can tell that it doesn't feel quite the same as the surrounding rock.

"Like the entrance to Platform 9-3/4, if you willed your mind to ignore all the evidence of your senses, a determined effort would take you right through this 'rock barrier'. If you gave up at the first hint of resistance, the magical barrier defeated you.

Harry told the students, "I'm sorry that we just went right ahead and unanchored the force lines with our magical rings. We have all of our magical engineering tools with us, and many of us are in the Magical Engineering class, so I should have paused a moment and let all of you view the archway through the magical force line detector. I can tell you what you would have seen – a glowing pink archway in a grey wall. The barrier will recover overnight and you can view it tomorrow. I promise."

Harry extracted Dumbledore's detector from the large bag of tools that he had been carrying and stepped back to view the archway from a distance. "You can still see a bright glowing red line outlining the archway and a little glowing surface that we didn't scrape away", Harry announced. "We've pushed back almost all the force lines that incorporate the spell to the sides of the archway and they just sit there, glowing. They are now more concentrated at the edge than they were when they covered the entire arch, so the outline is even brighter now than the arch would have appeared before we scraped away at it with our rings."

Harry passed around the device, so that the whole class could see what this intense concentration of magical force looked like, when viewed with the proper tools. With that lesson concluded, we all walked into the Cavern. Or at least we started to. Fenton interrupted Harry. "Sir, I can see the magical force lines with my naked eyes – not as clearly as with the viewer, but clearly enough."

Harry explained that some Wizards could see concentrated force lines, but that it was a rare talent. "Wand makers must have this skill to succeed, so I know that my friend Seamus can also see the force lines. Perhaps you will make wands someday. At the very least, it is a very good skill to have if you intend to be a magical engineer. Perhaps one Wizard in a hundred can do what you can do. I cannot do what you can."

After that interruption, Harry led us the rest of the way into the cavern. He explained that the first step in any repair or retuning of a crystal or stone circle was to assess the overall condition of the circle. Harry asked Professor Henkel to show the students how this was done, saying we needed 'a brief diplomatic meeting with the chief Goblin engineer, Goblex. While Professor Henkel and the students went to the far end of the Cavern, as far away from the Circle as they could get, we moved forward to be formally introduced to Goblex, by King Goblanze.

The meeting with Goblex went surprisingly well. He apologized, saying he realized that he had acted against his Master's wishes and now wanted to live by the rules of the Covenant and be 'friendly associates'. He spoke in Goblinspeak and that is as good a translation as I can give. It means less than friend and more than a polite working relationship.

Harry told him, "Bad things happen, or in this case almost happen, during wars. We realize that we might have been viewed as interfering in Goblin affairs, but what Ruppasta was doing also immediately threatened our own vital interests. We will be pleased to work with you." We shook hands, the King departed, and we got to work.

Since Goblex had been in the Cavern before we arrived, the first order of business was to get his summary report. We called Professor Henkel over for this discussion. Goblex gave us a very complete report. Professor Henkel suggested we allow the students to find the flaws on their own. All agreed and we walked back to the end of the Cavern.

We viewed the Circle from the end of the Cavern, using the Dumbledore and German viewing devices. Not knowing what Professor Henkel had already said, Harry likely repeated to the students, "You can see how the lines of magical force are not smooth as they are supposed to be."

Harry and Professor Henkel explained to each student as they handed them the observation tools, "You can see that the lines of force are bunchy, with no glow at all in most of the area around the circle, but with uneven areas of fairly bright intensity. You can see how the force appears in other areas as thick twisted and knotted cords, and it almost looks like most of the force has diverted from its normal path to flow between just two pairs of crystals." The students all nodded that they had observed what they had been asked to observe.

Next, Harry and Goblex led the group right up to the Circle to inspect it closely and look for individual flaws. "We look first with the naked eye and then we will explore the area around each stone and crystal using the observation tool," Harry informed the group.

I noticed Silas gaping at Erin and almost tripping as he stepped across the outer silver ring of the Circle. I nudged Hermione and pointed to Erin, who was jiggling quite a bit as she walked and stepped over obstacles. "Erin Devine isn't really from Eire, although some of her ancestors were, but I can see why some of the boys call her Erin Go Braghless," I told Hermione. "That might have worked when she first entered Hogwarts, or if she were wearing her robes, but it certainly doesn't work for a seventh year in a tee. As safety officer, I think you really need to get her to do something about that, before the distraction causes an accident."

Hermione sidled up to Erin and whispered in her ear. Erin nodded yes and walked back to her bag at the rear of the cavern. She extracted a long-sleeved flannel shirt, which she buttoned up all the way to her neck. As she passed me, she gave a hissed whisper "I was feeling chilly in here, anyway."

"I know, that was quite obvious," I replied as she walked away.

Harry, Professor Henkel, and Goblex led portions of our group as we walked around the outer circle, examining the silver ring and the two dozen pink granite columns of the outer ring. "These columns were all interconnected by an elaborate lacing of thin silver wires, the last time I saw this circle," Harry commented. "As you can see, all of the wires, except those linking the rear six columns, have been hacked away and left tangled on the floor. As I recall the King's description, each of these columns is a foot and a half in diameter, supposed to be perfectly smooth, and sixteen feet long, which means that they are embedded up to five feet into the floor of the cavern and just about half an inch into the ceiling. I'll leave you to imagine just how that might have been accomplished. The silver in the disk extends into the holes in which the columns are set and seals the holes. The surface of the silver is supposed to be mirror smooth. What have any of you observed during the course of your inspection?"

'The silver ring is gouged in several places," Silas reported. "In another spot, the loose silver wires are frozen into the ring."

"Top marks for observation," Harry replied. "Anyone else notice any problems, apart from the hacked away silver wires?"

Erin stepped almost right up against Harry, stretching out her right arm overhead, standing on her tippy toes and saying "me, me", which had the effect that when Harry turned around, Erin's unholstered breasts, still quite prominent beneath the stretched-out flannel, were less a foot from my husband's chin.

"Yes, Erin," Harry responded, taking a step back.

"The fourth column has been whacked really hard by a rock or something, there's a three-inch long chip from the column lying on the silver ring."

"That's absolutely correct, Erin, and an astute observation," Harry congratulated her, adding, "but you should stand closer to Silas. I've noticed that he appreciates your display a lot more than I do."

I restrained myself from pumping my fist in the air and shouting "yes", but gave Erin a little smile and a finger as she looked over her shoulder and smirked at me. She moved away from Harry, but in the direction opposite of approaching Silas.

"Any other observations?" Harry asked.

"I'll bet you don't know how the columns were embedded in both the floor and ceiling," Silas challenged Harry.

"I had wanted the class to ponder that puzzle," Harry answered him, "but, as a matter of fact, I do know. The Goblin King told me. Each column was apparated into the very precise spot in which we find it, by a team of a dozen Goblins working in unison. Of course, they had to chisel out the hole to hold the column, before apparating it. The necessary level of precision is astonishing. I don't know a Wizard who could apparate anywhere near that precisely, especially carry tons of stone along with himself and cooperating with a half dozen other Wizards. I've practiced group apparating, and it is extremely hard just to prevent your circle from tilting along the way. To keep the column perfectly vertical, with a precision of a quarter inch in your end location is just unbelievable to me, but that's how it was done. You can still ponder that feat. Any other comments?"

Seeing no hands, he continued, "You can see on the third and fourth columns, over here, that the silver has been melted, actually I think scraped away, where the columns are sealed into the floor. So how do we repair this damage?"

Erin raised her hand again, but from halfway across the cavern from Harry. "Yes, Erin."

"I don't suppose the column would stand up to the forces or that the magical force lines could be evened out if we just cemented the missing chunk of granite back onto the column. I don't think that it can be repaired. We'll just have to compensate for the damage when we tune the circle. I can't think of any way to fix the silver ring, other than remelting the whole surface of the ring to re-level and polish it."

"It might be possible to pour silver into the gouges, smooth off the high spots, and re-polish that portion of the silver disk, but I think your approach may be the quickest," Harry agreed. "You are also correct that there is no satisfactory way to restore the column to its original condition. We'll have to smooth the rough spots, where the chip was broken away, but other than that, we'll have to rely on the retuning."

I took a closer look at Erin. She was shamelessly flirting with a married man, the Deputy Minister, and in front of a dozen witnesses, including his wife. Still, she seemed well read, observant, and highly intelligent. She had long, sleek reddish hair, almost down to her waist, was a couple inches taller than me, thinner, and with more on top than me. She had wide green eyes, a very nice tan, and a beautiful narrow oval face with a very cute nose and bangs almost to her eyes. If I had less confidence than I do and wasn't already married to Harry, I might well consider her to be serious competition. She looked a lot nicer in tight jeans and a tee, now covered with a shirt, than I remembered her looking in robes. I had a vague memory from last term of having regarded her as gawky, with gappy front teeth, which obviously had been corrected. I gave myself a mental slap on the forehead and a strong instruction not to start feeling jealous every time another Witch flirted with Harry. I made another silent vow to give this particular Witch a smack if she tried that flirty thing again with Harry. Not in a jealous way, but simply to correct bad behavior. I picked up and pocketed the granite chip, thinking it could be ground to produce more Yantra sand.

"Why don't you all inspect that next ring, which is made up of calcite crystals, while Ron, Bill, Goblex, Professor Henkel and I confer and finalize the approach that we want to take to repairing this outer ring?"

Harry and that crew went off in a corner to confer, while the rest of us explored the calcite ring. I made a point of staying next to Hermione and well away from Erin. I noticed that the silver wires had only been hacked away from the gap between two of the crystals in this ring and that the silver seal ring was intact and still polished smooth. One of the crystals, from which the wires had been hacked, had a small chip dinged out of it. I search the ground for that chip and pocketed it. Having completed our observation, Hermione and I drifted away from the circle, to join George and Luna who were sitting on one of the stone benches in front of the circle. "I've been watching Erin," Hermione said. "Very much more of that and I'm going to ask Professor Henkel to send her back to Hogwarts."

The planning meeting had concluded and Harry clapped his hands, to get everyone's attention. "Alright," he shouted, "we've agreed on our approach. We're going to use these stone-working tools and this diamond cloth to smooth the rough spots on the damaged columns, and then we're going to all have to use our wands and concentrate to remelt the silver. Only a few of us can work on the columns at the same time. Let's see, Goblex and his crew can start on the calcite column, while Professor Henkel, Erin, and, umm, Silas can handle the granite column. Meanwhile, the rest of us can sweep all of the loose silver threads on top of the disk. It'll speed things along, later, if we pile them in the area of the gouge. We may not have to melt the entire disk".

Harry came over to join Hermione and me as the others got to work. I noticed that Silas was smiling, but Erin was not.

The crew patrolling for pieces of silver completed their work in about a half hour. Bill, Ron, and Harry then agreed that it would be best to remove the damaged silver threads that were still woven around some of the columns and to add them to the pile. Several of the Goblins produced short ladders to facilitate this task and the crew got back to work. Meanwhile, Hermione and I were keeping an eye on Silas and Erin, who were hard at work under Professor Henkel's direction, with occasional suggestions from Goblex, the Goblin foreman. I had to admit to Hermione that whereas Silas seemed a little awkward working with the chisel, and had to be demoted to using the file and diamond cloth, Erin was proving what Professor Slughorn would have called a 'dab hand' with the mini-chisel and mallet. She finished her work in another half hour, sitting down to drink some of her water, while leaving Silas to file and polish. Silas was at it for another two hours and still not finished. When he took a break, sitting down beside Erin to drink some water and try to chat her up, Harry, Ron, and Bill went over to inspect the progress being made to repair the column.

I noticed that Erin had returned a few words to Silas, 'politely' remained seated for about a minute and a half after he had joined her, and then found somewhere else to be. This turned out to be the need to address an urgent question to Professor Henkel. Her demeanor with him was totally appropriate, but then he is multiple decades older than Harry.

Tapping into Harry's thoughts, which I found I could accomplish pretty much at will lately, I 'heard' him thinking and speaking to Ron, "the students are making very good progress on this column and I can't fault the quality of the work, but I think it's going to be the greater part of tomorrow until the job is complete. I think this spot here could use a little more chiseling and perhaps just a touch-up with the chisel over here. Then it's just filing and polishing. I'm thinking we should save that for tomorrow and spend the rest of today melting and smoothing the silver. That way we can let it cool overnight." I saw Professor Henkel nod in agreement. I lost a little reception, but could tell from Harry's sense of conclusion that Ron and Bill also had agreed with his suggestion.

Harry announced the plan, and it was all hands to their wands to get the silver melted. This took an hour of concentration. Harry, Bill, Ron, and Goblex 'helped' the molten silver cool to a mirror flat surface. After a half hour of their concentrated effort, we left the silver to cool for the night and headed back to the rail cars and the trip to the surface. King Goblanze met us in the lobby and announced that we would be dining in his conference room before our return to the Ministry to spend the night.

The King sat at the head of the long table and directed Harry to the foot. I was surprised to see that the Deputy Chairman was sufficiently back in favor to be joining us for dinner and to be placed at Harry's left. I sat on Harry's right and Erin beat Hermione to the seat beside me. Hermione sat next to Erin, so Ron sat on our other side. I hope I succeeded in hiding a smirk as I observed Silas elbowing Luna aside to sit directly across from Erin. He did not get to stay there long, as George took offense to his shoving of Luna. I couldn't tell exactly what was said, but after a couple unsmiling sentences from George, an obviously apologetic Silas vacated the seat and moved off to the middle of the table on the same side as me. Erin did not contain her smirk at this scene.

"I wanted to sit next to you in order to apologize," Erin said, as soon as Silas had exited. "I was annoyed that you suggested to Hermione that I cover up my tee. I shouldn't have flirted with your husband. That was juvenile of me. I'm not after Harry. I'm trying to get Fenton to notice me. I know Harry and you are upset, and that is why Harry is making me work with Silas. Silas has a huge crush on me and I can't stand him. If I promise to be good, can you convince your husband to let me work with Fenton, rather than Silas, tomorrow?

"You probably also already know that Mr. Henkel isn't happy and suggested to me that he was considering sending me back to Hogwarts. That would be terrible! I really want to be a magical engineer and this is great practical experience for me. I don't want to be sitting back at Hogwarts, while the other students get to practice with the experts on a real Circle. Since most of the magical engineers will be employed by the Ministry, angering the Deputy Minister and the Minister's daughter also aren't going to help my employment chances. I was counting on making a good impression during this expedition. I just got angry for a moment and over-reacted. I agree that I wasn't dressed appropriately and the worst thing is I don't even think Fenton noticed. Silas has convinced himself that I was trying to attract his attention. Please say that you forgive me. I really am not in the habit of flirting with married Wizards."

"I'll happily accept your apology, even though I view your behavior as too unsubtle to qualify as flirting," I replied. "I also feel that I behaved inappropriately by giving you the finger. That also was juvenile. I don't apologize for pointing out to Hermione that you needed to cover up. Silas was so constantly staring at your chest that he was stumbling over every little obstacle on the floor. You and he were a danger. I'll ask Harry if he can pair you with Fenton. I know Fenton a bit, having played Quidditch against him for three years. He's very shy. I think seeing you flirting with Harry and having Silas drooling after you will chase him away. He needs more subtle encouragement that is unambiguously directed at him."

"If you know Fenton that well, perhaps you could casually mention that you think I'm really interested in him."

"I'll see if the moment presents itself, but you'll have a chance to approach him yourself, when you work together, tomorrow".

I looked up from my conversation to notice that sherry and an appetizer of coconut-coated shrimp had appeared in front of me and that Harry was halfway through consuming his shrimp. I lifted my glass in a toast to Harry, which he returned, and went about consuming the delicious shrimp.

{[amused] I'm glad to see that you and Erin are friends. I'm certainly willing to assign Fenton to work with her tomorrow, although I didn't observe him taking a lot of interest in her.}

As we awaited the second course, King Goblanze said he had some remarks to make. "I want to thank my Wizard brothers and sisters for helping to repair the Circle of the Goblins. I also want to thank Goblex for agreeing to lead the Goblin work team. Like many of the Wizards present today, Goblex was trained in magical engineering by the Light Guardian, so he has learned some additional ancient tricks, in addition to the current Goblin skills. It is fortunate also to have Professor Henkel, with his knowledge of the Durmstrang methods. This is a most unusal assemblage of magical engineering talent at my table. To the regular Hogwarts students: welcome, thanks for your help, and please appreciate the unique opportunity presented to you to study under the finest magical engineers and to work on our magnificent Circle. As you know, I am entering the final months of my reign, which makes it doubly important to me that the Circle of the Goblins be promptly restored to top working condition. I wouldn't want to have one of the great magical circles permanently damaged during my reign. Now, please, enjoy your dinners."

Erin nudged me. "You see why I just can't be sent back to Hogwarts. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. And, I'm having dinner with a King."

"I really don't think you'll be sent back," I reassured her. I was going to turn toward Harry, but Erin suddenly seemed possessed of a need to talk.

"Fenton was my boyfriend in fifth and the first half of sixth year. I had spent two years trying to increase his interest in me prior to that. We would talk in the common room and we were potions partners, but he never showed any interest in anything more than being chums until early in our fifth year. I thought that we were really good together and by sixth year, I was convinced that we would be married shortly after graduation. I'm sure that Fenton felt that way, too. He went home with me to meet my parents, during Christmas break of my sixth year. For some reason, my mother took a disliking to him and decided that I could do better. I think it's just that he was shy around her and not comfortable with all her probing questions. Anyway, when we got back to Hogwarts, I mentioned what my mother had said, in a tone that Fenton interpreted as meaning that I agreed with her that he wasn't good enough for me. We had a big fight and we broke up and then the school started to really fall apart and my parents made me come home a couple weeks later, before I had a chance to patch things up with Fenton. I love him and I really miss him, but he just doesn't seem interested anymore.

"He is polite enough when I speak to him, but he got a different partner for herbology and potions and he avoids me. That's hard to do successfully when you share a common room, but Fenton never sits in the common room. He used to love hanging out there, but now he goes straight up to the boys' dorm. He is always surrounded by his Quidditch chums when we take meals in the Great Hall. I can't get closer than two seats away from him. I've tried to explain to him that I don't agree with my mother and I don't care what my mother thinks of him, but whenever I get started, he just says I need to change the subject. It really might help if you spoke to him."

I turned away from her to find that my favorite spicy squash soup had appeared in front of me. This gave me an excellent excuse to ignore her for a while.

{[still amused] Have a heart. Tell her that you or Hermione will speak to Fenton. Hermione loves matchmaking.}

Having finished half my soup, I turned to Erin and told her that either Hermione or I would try to have a chat with Fenton.

"Please, you. Hermione comes off as bossier than Fenton is comfortable with and you already know him from Quidditch."

I promised to speak with Fenton, if she couldn't effect an apology and explanation herself, while they were working on the granite column. That seemed to satisfy her and she began to happily consume her squash soup, as I finished mine.

I could tell how importantly King Goblanze viewed our repair efforts, as we were served port before the main course, followed by the very nice Goblin crab cakes, which I love so much, then candied cinnamon almonds, and rich chocolate mousse with heavy cream and vanilla on top. I was feeling very mellow as we returned to the Ministry.

The Ministry put us up in what Harry described as 'overflow auror quarters, for when we mobilize the whole force, round the clock'. The quarters were decent sized rooms for two, with twin beds. Harry and I had a room to ourselves.

Before we could even undress for the night, I told Harry "there's something I need to tell you. You should know why I behaved so strangely this morning."

I told Harry the whole story. His first comment was "you've already discussed this with Hermione, haven't you?"

I admitted that I had told both Hermione and Luna. Harry wasn't at all pleased.

"That's just wonderful. I assumed that what was between us stayed between us, or that at the very least you talked about it with me, before you talked to Hermione… and Luna."

"I'm sorry. I needed their guidance. I really was lost and frightened. I didn't understand what happened well enough to talk to you yet. It would have only frightened you. Hermione and Luna also talk about, umm, their times in bed – sometimes not actually in their bed, sometimes outdoors. I mean Luna told me…"

"Hermione may also chatter, but I'm sure that if Ron knew, he'd find it every bit as wonderful as I do."

"I don't believe you and Ron don't talk about Hermione and me."

"No. We really don't. At least not like that. It would seem like a very serious invasion of your privacy and of our marriage."

Oops!

We were too tired and a little too upset to do anything other than fall right to sleep in our separate beds.

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five – Working and Plotting**

We all had breakfast at the Ministry cafeteria. Harry and I sat at a table with Ron and Hermione. I had just touched my fork to my eggs, when I was ambushed.

"You know that they talk about us, about what we say and do in bed," Harry told Ron, in a tone suggesting the revelation of a great conspiracy.

"No, they wouldn't really do that, would they?" Ron replied, "That would be terrible. I'd hate to have to watch myself, before I say something to Hermione. I wouldn't like that at all."

"'Fraid so," Harry replied. "I was a little surprised, also, but Ginny has admitted that it's true."

"Oh!"

"Discussing things with Hermione helps me," I admitted. "I think it can only improve our time together. I'd never reveal anything that was super-personal".

"Really, we just say supportive things to each other," Hermione explained. "We certainly wouldn't say anything to hurt either of you. I love Ron and Harry is my best friend."

"They talked to Luna, too," Harry delivered the final indictment.

"Not Luna!" My brother sounded truly shocked. "Luna has no self-control. She'll blab anything to anyone. Nothing is embarrassing to Luna. I can't believe Hermione would talk about us to Luna."

"I must admit that I did. Luna is very helpful and a lot more responsible than you give her credit for. She is George's girlfriend, so she's practically family."

"I don't talk to George about us. I don't want George to know the details about us. I really don't like this at all."

Ron was clearly upset. I was getting more than a little upset that Harry had ambushed me like this. I didn't understand why he would bring my easily excitable and very immature brother into the first serious argument between us, since our marriage. I decided to move the conversation in a safer direction.

"I'm sorry that I've upset both of you. Can we change the topic. Something important happened at dinner yesterday, which we should discuss, before we return to the circle."

"I think what we've been talking about is important," Harry objected. "Ron and I aren't happy with the way the two of you talk about us."

"I understand that. Believe me, I got that message, but we still need to talk about this other thing, before we go back to the circle. It is important to our safety."

"Go ahead and talk about it," Hermione encouraged me.

There were unhappy looks from Harry and Ron, but neither of them challenged me not to change the subject. Hermione gave me another nudge: "our Erin was certainly bending your ear at dinner. She raced to sit next to you, although she wasn't nearly as rude as Silas".

I had just finished my explanation of my dinner conversation, when Professor Henkel pulled up a chair, buttered scone in hand, to inquire whether Harry thought he should send Erin back to Hogwarts. "I wouldn't hurry to do that," Harry replied. "I have a hunch that she'll be on her best behavior for the remainder of this project."

"Very well," the professor responded, as he ambled off to join Pavel and Silas at another table. I saw that Erin was sitting with George and Luna. We were scheduled to set off for Gringotts Bank at 8:00 A.M., the Ministry having provided each of us with a bagged lunch. It promised to be a long day of work. We had about ten minutes to relax in our chairs before it was time to leave. Barb walked over and filled the seat that Professor Henkel had vacated. "Bill and I aren't comfortable yet interpreting our new hostile intent detection skills that the Light Guardian bestowed upon us", Barb began, "but we're each getting a bad feeling about that Erin girl and Silas. It's nothing definite yet, but please be careful around them. Bill has gone off to instruct two aurors to gather some information on them and their families. One of the gate aurors will check with your Headmaster McGonagall. Bill has phoned her on his cell phone and asked for whatever information she and her professors can provide."

I quickly filled Barb in on my dinner conversation with Erin.

"I'll pass that on to Bill," Barb said, getting up from the table. "It would be a good thing if you all loitered here for a few minutes until Bill gets back and the two of us can walk with you all the way to the bank. It's probably nothing, but protection detail aurors sometimes get a strange feeling about a situation or person, and we're trained not to ignore it. We'll also do some checking on Fenton."

As she left Hermione said "stranger and stranger. The girl certainly went out of her way to insert herself in both your and Harry's lives. If she had bad intent, I'd expect a bit more subtlety, but perhaps subtlety is beyond her. We'll all keep our wands handy and the two of you shouldn't turn your back on either of them. Or Fenton, for that matter."

When we got to the bank, we made sure that the four of us rode in a rail car with just Barb and Bill. On the ride down the tunnels, Hermione said she would also make a point, as the official safety officer, to keep a constant eye on our lunch bags, lest somebody add some potion that it would be best not to consume. I noticed Ron keeping an eye on Harry and me as the tools were handed out and the crew prepared to resume work. His look seemed protective, but perhaps he was still angry with me and worried for Harry.

Harry obligingly announced, "Fenton and Erin can finish the granite column, which we started repairs on yesterday. Silas, Adam and Pansy can work on fixing the ding in the calcite crystal in the second circle. The Goblin team did the major part of the work yesterday. Goblex will show you what they did and will explain what you need to do to finish the job. I think it is mainly file and diamond cloth work."

"I'd rather finish the job I began yesterday," Silas complained. "Continuity is important, after all. I had the whole job planned out in my mind."

"It's excellent that you've planned ahead," Harry responded. "That's important in doing any job properly, especially a job as unforgiving as removing stone from a column, where you can't put any stone back if you find you've removed it by mistake. Still, you've proven your mettle with the file and diamond cloth. Now I think you deserve the opportunity to show us what you can do with a chisel. I believe a small amount of chisel work remains on the calcite column and none on the granite."

"I'm really quite happy to.."

"The calcite crystal, right now, Mr. Stowe," Professor Henkel's crisp command cut him off in mid-sentence and he reluctantly moved into the middle circle, allowing Erin to work with Fenton. I saw Erin mouth "thank you" in Harry's direction as Fenton replaced Silas by her side.

Harry, Barb, Professor Henkel, and I walked up to Erin and Fenton. Harry spoke to Erin saying, "I just wanted to point out two small spots where a further gentle application of your chisel will make the filing and diamond sanding go much quicker. You can feel this rough point here and this little ridge over here."

Erin ran her fingers over the spots that Harry had mentioned and nodded that she felt where she needed to remove a little more stone. I explained to Fenton what was required to finish smoothing the surface after Erin had chiseled off the necessary two small flecks of granite. I assured him that Erin would help him with the labor intensive task of smoothing the stone. We left them to their work, taking care not to turn our backs as we moved away from them, but doing so in a way that I hoped was not so obvious as to give away our new suspicions.

With these two work crews started on their tasks, Harry led the rest of us into the inner circle, to examine the condition of the quartz crystals. We moved about the circle looking for flaws. As we did so, Harry and I did our inspection from the side of the crystals away from our suspects. I saw right away that the silver ring had been gouged in multiple places. Harry nodded as I pointed at the damage spots.

{[piqued interest] Another Stowe. I'd be surprised if he didn't turn out to be Tom's younger brother. We'll have to assign a high probability to my aurors' suspicions. To finish this morning's and last night's discussion – even though we're married, I'd have thought you'd realize how sensitive Ron is about what I do with his little sister. If Hermione blabbed to him, it would cause a problem.}

{{Hermione won't, and I didn't say anything that would upset Ron. Can we just drop that? As for our new Stowe - I was thinking the same thing. We'll definitely need to keep a close eye on all three of them. I see the wires are intact on the quartz circle, except between crystals one and two. I don't see any damage to any of the crystal or to their contact points in the floor or ceiling.}}

Looking over I saw that although Erin was appropriately attired with a bra today, she was leaning upward against the granite pillar in a way that caused the tee to ride up almost to the bottom of her bra, showing off a large expanse of tanned midriff. It wasn't much of a display, compared to yesterday, but for a young Wizard who had seen the opposite sex only in body-concealing robes, it must have been quite a display. Then again, I had no idea how much of Erin had been seen by Fenton while they were dating. Erin saw me looking in her direction and returned a smile and a wink, nodding her head toward Fenton, who appeared to be focusing more on her mid-section than on the column he was filing.

{That's good. We should be able to just rewire between those two crystals and make fairly short work of this circle. We'll save the silver ring until the last item of the day.}

"Okay, team," Harry announced, "we'll need to re-melt the silver ring and rewire between crystals one and two, but I don't see any other damage. Does anyone else see any other work that is needed?"

One of the Goblins pointed at a single wire that had been knocked loose, between crystals four and five. "Great eye," Harry congratulated him. "We'll need to replace that wire, as well. Let's continue inward and inspect the lodestone and the aligned crystals."

Two Goblins obligingly fetched ladders, so that we could inspect the top of the lodestone. Harry and I had been circling the massive rock, and finding no apparent damage. An entirely different story greeted us when we mounted the ladders. Two of the six tourmaline crystals and the large spodumene crystal had been removed. Harry saw this at the same time that I did and shouted "big trouble, guys, several of the central crystals have gone walk about."

Goblex came rushing over to see for himself. I relinquished my ladder and as Goblex quickly clammered up it, Harry pointed to the spot where the three crystals had been roughly gouged out of their sockets at the top of the lodestone. "Very, very bad," Goblex exclaimed. "Crystals gone and lodestone damaged."

Climbing down from the ladder, Harry ordered the crew to search the Cavern and the reception room 'from top to bottom' to see if the crystals had been hidden there.

{[determined] We need to go back up to the bank to see if the crystals can be found among the effects or bodies of those rebels who were killed or captured here. Since Ruppasta's crew moved on to Hogwarts from here, we'll also need to organize a search of the Reception Hall and Sacred Cavern, if the crystals aren't found here.}

{Agreed. Let's collect Barb, let Ron and Hermione know what's happening and head to the rail cars.}

We collected Barb and spoke to Ron and Hermione. I had a thought and asked Hermione to grab her bag and come with us. As we were exiting the Cavern, I said to Hermione "the third lunch bag on the right is Erin's. Accio bag. The backpack next to it is also hers.

"Accio pack." We were standing out of sight of the workers, as I instructed Hermione, "I suspect you have some Veritaserum. You can spike her milk, while I inspect her back pack." Hermione reached into her carry-all bag and withdrew a container that was more of a bottle than a vial, commenting, "I didn't know how long we'd be away from Hogwarts or how many suspects we'd want to dose. You can never be too well prepared. I calculate that I brought six doses, if measured carefully – four to five if you splurge. Hermione poured a carefully measured, by eye of course, dose into Erin's milk. I carefully searched the backpack, not wanting the search to be apparent. I found nothing suspicious and, checking around the corner into the Cavern to be sure none of our suspects was looking, levitated the bags back to their original position.

"Before we rejoin the boys, there is one thing I have to know," Hermione worriedly told me. "Did you mention anything to Harry about my saying Ron was, umm, very predictable in bed? That would really embarrass Ron if Harry mentioned that to him."

"No, of course not! I'd never mention that to Harry. That was just between us, to help us be a better wife and girlfriend."

"Good! As soon as I mentioned that, I was very sorry that I did. Ron is right about not feeling totally safe about what Luna will see fit to tell another person. She is shocked by nothing, doesn't mind being an open book, so the thought would never cross her mind that she shouldn't tell a funny Ron story to George. I really am worried. George has no limits about twitting Ron about anything. You know that if he finds out, he'll tease Ron. I am just so angry with myself. I have to be much more careful what I say."

"I'll talk to Luna," I promised.

We caught up to Harry, who was talking with Goblex at the rail car. "Goblex would like to join us in reporting to his King,", was all that Harry said as the five of us clamored into the lead rail car and headed back to the bank lobby. Goblex led the way right to the elevator and up to the chairman's office. His receptionist, recognizing the five of us, suspected that something bad was afoot and ushered us immediately into the chairman's office, where the chairman and his deputy were talking animatedly across the big desk.

"Since I wasn't expecting any of you, I assume we have a serious problem," King Goblanze greeted us.

Goblex explained the exact nature of the problem and the King visibly slumped in his chair.

"This is not good. I will order the cooperating prisoners to be questioned at once, and the effects of the dead rebels to be carefully searched. We already searched the prisoners, the dead, and all their possessions for weapons, but it's possible, although highly improbable, that we missed a crystal. More likely, Ruppasta made a stop between here and Hogwarts to hide the crystals. I agree that the Sacred Cavern and Reception Hall must be searched. I'll assign some Goblins to assist your aurors. Beyond that, I'm going to ask my contacts to buy new crystals."

As we were about to leave, the chairman switched from English to Goblinspeak. I'm not sure if he had forgotten that we now knew his language. The chairman's remarks were addressed to Goblex and were rather curt. "Why didn't you know of this? You were with Ruppasta. You were his expert. You were in the Cavern of the Goblins yesterday before we arrived. Can I trust you?"

"Yes, my King! I supported Ruppasta out of duty. He made me chief engineer, even though I wasn't of his family or family of his number one wife or top aide. That is unusual on the Continent, and I was grateful. I would not participate in the destruction of a Circle. They are my life and I view all of them as sacred. I was not with Ruppasta in this Circle. I was sent off on an errand and didn't rejoin him until he was already in the Sacred Cavern."

"So how did you miss this damage? You surveyed the Circle. At least that is what I ordered you to do."

"I feel shame that I did not check the crystals on top of the lodestone. I focused on the areas where we would make our first repairs. I was derelict. If you wish to assign this job to another whom you trust, I understand. I will work for that Goblin or I will return to Durmstrang Circle, if that is your wish."

"So… we can't tell when the crystals were stolen. It could have been last night, or it could have been when Ruppasta seized the Cavern. He did not possess it for long and my forces always held a small portion of it. I will ask them if Ruppasta or his Goblins went atop the central stone. You may stay on the job… for now. The Master vouched for you. That is good enough."

"Thank you, my King."

"This errand you ran – what was it?"

"I went back to Durmstrang to subtly sabotage the repairs."

The chairman looked over and seemed surprised to see that we were still in his office. Switching back to English, he assured Harry, "I'll handle things from this end. If any Goblin knows what happened to the crystals, I will learn of it, very soon. You can get back to your business." I think he had remembered that we now spoke Goblinspeak.

"Thank you," Harry replied. "We'll duck back to the Ministry to organize things from our end. If you are buying new crystals, the ideal would be slightly bigger than the old ones - their mounting holes in the lodestone were somewhat damaged when they were gouged out."

Barb called ahead to the Ministry for a squad of aurors to meet us in the bank lobby. Harry phoned Dad and filled him in on the morning's developments.

Reading Harry's thoughts, I heard Dad say, "I don't like these security lapses. How does a student named Stowe end up going on an expedition with you and my daughter, without being most thoroughly vetted in advance? You just can't keep assuming that all students are honest and what they appear to be. Not being assigned to Slytherin by the Sorting Hat is not what I would consider a sufficiently thorough vetting of a student. Give the phone to Barb, if you please, and stop by my office as soon as you reach the Ministry."

I couldn't read Barb's thoughts to tell exactly what Dad was saying to her, but it was clear that she was getting an earful, from my unhappy father. She looked totally shaken. I assume that she normally received any unpleasant messages from Dad or Shacklebolt in filtered second-hand form from Bill. Being the direct recipient was clearly not pleasant.

As Barb gave the phone back to Harry, he said, "sorry about that. Ginny's Dad worries about us a lot. I know that you and Bill have been doing a great job protecting us. If it weren't for your instincts, we wouldn't have even suspected those three."

Three aurors met us in the lobby. They preceded us out of the bank, checking the bank steps and Diagon Alley before waving us out the doors. We took the elevator from the Ministry Entry Hall to the executive floor and then walked with all of the aurors to the Dad's office. Barb looked like she wanted to wait outside the office, so Harry said, "It's probably best if the four of you wait out here."

I took a deep inhale and exhale as Harry pushed open the door and I got to see for myself exactly what sort of mood my father was in.

"I got your report that there is trouble with the effort to repair the Gringotts Circle. Please explain in detail."

Harry gave a very detailed explanation, at which point Dad replied, "that is a serious problem, but I imagine those crystals are replaceable. I'll task Wood to find suitable replacements and steal them from a Muggle museum. We can send the museum replacements, when we acquire them. Now, tell me about these suspicious students."

Harry and I took turns telling the tale of Erin and saying what we knew about the two boys, which wasn't a lot. Hermione told Dad about spiking Erin's milk.

"That's sounds like a plan of questionable legality," Dad commented, "but one that I favor under the circumstances. Just don't spread around what you've done. You describe her as a very smart, good student, with excellent career prospects, attractive enough to easily catch a boyfriend, and yet she was behaving like a rather desperate and brazen tart. That doesn't add up at all. Bill is right to find out all he can about that girl. I'm not at all sure that it wouldn't be best to send her back to Hogwarts, while we investigate. I'm also concerned that her father, as head librarian, has the run of much of the Ministry. He's been in my presence many times. I'll ask my aurors to check on him."

"Let us pursue the matter a little farther, before we consider sending Erin back to Hogwarts," Harry pleaded. "I'd really like to address some well-chosen questions to her, after she's had her milk. I'd be perfectly happy if you sent back an extra auror or two, under the pretext of leading the search of the Cavern of the Goblins. That's what they call the Gringotts Cavern."

"I'm really not in the mood for a lesson in terminology," Dad replied. "I want to quickly get to the bottom of these problems. I also want to know why Bill didn't know more about these students, before they accompanied you on this expedition."

"We only knew that they were coming a couple hours before we made the trip," Harry explained. "We borrowed Professor Henkel to help with the repairs and Professor McGonagall didn't want to disrupt the education of his most promising students, so we brought them along to provide instruction and let them do some of the manual work."

"You are still too quick to accede to that Witch's requests, when Ministry business is involved. Just because I've returned her as headmaster, doesn't mean that I've totally forgotten her prior turf fighting. On a related matter, I really think students going into sensitive subjects like magical engineering and advanced fighting skills should be prescreened. We don't want to train Thicknesse's soldiers for him. Yes, Thicknesse and young Barty are still very much on my mind. We've resolved our Ruppasta and Bruce problems, but there are still Death Eaters abroad, and I assure you that they haven't given up on trying to kill us or topple this administration. You would be well advised to be constantly vigilant. I know you've just come through a harrowing fight and it's natural to want to take a deep breath and relax for a few weeks, but Thicknesse realizes that also, so now is when he is most likely to strike."

"Point taken, Sir. We also came back to the Ministry because we need to get a squad of aurors and other Ministry employees, whom you can trust, to begin searching the Reception Hall and Sacred Cavern for the crystals. It needs to be done, even though I tend to agree with King Goblanze that Ruppasta almost certainly made a stop to stash the crystals between the Gringotts and Hogwarts attacks. He might have even transported them to the Paris catacombs. That is likely the spot he is most familiar with and last in control of. The crystals might even be in the Durmstrang Cavern, wherever Ruppasta's old Continental headquarters was located."

"Now you're back to thinking like the old suspicious, take-nothing-for-granted Harry that I need at my side. A team has already been dispatched to Hogwarts and I'll alert the French and German Ministries. Check in with Shacklebolt before you leave to see what he's learned about your students. I realize you need to get back to the Gringotts Cavern. Just please be very careful and keep my daughter safe."

{[not even a little perturbed] I think we've been dismissed. Let's go see Shacklebolt.}

Shacklebolt told us, "the investigation is in its very early stages, but there are a few things I can tell you. Your Silas is indeed Tom Stowe's younger brother. That is suspicious on its face, but there is no suggestion, thus far, that he shared his brother's politics or had any association with Death Eaters, or Bruce's gang. Still, it is reasonable that he might harbor some resentment for the death of his brother, although strictly speaking it was Bron Turner who killed him.

"It was never clear exactly how deeply Tom was in with the bad guys. We've made inquiries with McGonagall and after her typical turf-defending stalling, she did fairly quickly get back to us that Erin was indeed withdrawn from Hogwarts by her parents, a few weeks after Christmas break last year. Neville and Molly made some discrete inquiries for us, and nobody whom they asked remembered Erin and Fenton being an item. One Gryffindor said she couldn't be certain, but she thought she remembered seeing Erin and Silas snogging under a tree two years ago. We've turned up nothing untoward on either Erin or Fenton, thus far, and there have been no concerns about the political affiliations of their families.

"Erin's Dad is the head librarian here at the Ministry and has never given any cause for concern. In fact, I trust him. He held his post before Voldemort had any sway at the Ministry. He also is not known to be one of Lucius Malfoy's or Delores Umbridge's favor-doers here at the Ministry. That's all I have for you. Please be safe. And Barbara, tell Bill that I expect better prescreening of the Deputy Minister's travel companions. The Minister told me to say that. From me, kudos to both of you for directing suspicion on Erin so quickly and with so little to prompt attention."

We made it back to the Cavern about fifteen minutes prior to the break for lunch. Ron told Harry, "the work on the outer two circles is going very well, but I discovered another problem in the area of the lodestone." Ron led us to the center of the Circle. He and Harry each climbed a ladder and I saw Ron pointing at the ceiling. Tuning in to Harry's thoughts, I heard Ron describe a deep scratch on the face of the quartz cylinder, which was embedded in the ceiling of the cavern and required to carry the concentrated magical force lines out of the Cavern. There were other points where the force lines emerged from the Cavern, but the quarter or so of the force that went up through this crystal was what was used to tune the overall Circle, interacting with the vaults and metal- or crystal-lined tunnels above us. With a deep scratch in this crystal, the Circle would be almost impossible to tune.

Harry announced to the group, "It's time for lunch, but before you eat, I want to show you another problem that Ron has discovered. There is a deep scratch in the quartz cylinder which carries the most concentrated beam of magical force lines out of the Cavern. That must be fixed if the Circle is to operate properly. We'll have to take turns polishing out the scratch with the diamond cloths. It is overhead work, so it will be very tiring.

"I don't want anyone working to the point of muscle exhaustion so that they can't polish smoothly. The face of the cylinder has to be both flat and smooth. I want each of you to take a look at the scratch and then grab your lunch. We'll start polishing the scratch this afternoon. Ten to fifteen minutes of polishing per person at each stretch. I think each of us can do a morning and an afternoon stint of polishing."

We grabbed our lunches and sat on one of the benches to eat them. After Erin had examined the scratch and descended the ladder, Harry waved her over to join her, shouting "get your lunch first" as she approached us. A minute later, she sat down next to Harry, her lunch bag in hand. Harry was eating his sandwich. He took a swig of his milk to encourage Erin to do the same. She didn't. We had to wait until she had eaten her sandwich and moved on to her cookies, before she broke out the milk. We had been chatting about her work on the granite column and what she thought of the scratch, as we all ate.

As she moved on to her cookies and milk, she replied, "quartz is very hard, it would take a diamond to scratch it, don't you think?" Harry said he certainly agreed with her and that a diamond tool wasn't the sort of thing Ruppasta would just automatically bring with him to the Cavern, unless he had been planning just this sort of sabotage.

"I hadn't considered that, but I think you're correct," Erin responded. "The destruction seems designed to not permanently disable the Circle, but rather to require a long repair time. I saw where the crystals were removed from the top of the lodestone. It will also take a lot of time to find replacement crystals and repair the holes they go into. The new tourmaline will have to be carefully matched to the remaining crystals, won't it?"

"Yes, it will," Harry replied. "It will be a slow process. You may be working here for a good long time."

"That's fine with me," Erin answered. "I have to tell you how pleased and somewhat surprised I am that you and Ginny have forgiven me for my actions of yesterday."

"Love can cause strange behavior," I told her. "By the way, is Fenton showing any interest in you?"

"Well, you saw him staring at my stomach and he was very chatty while we were working. So at some level there is interest there. He hasn't allowed me to bring up the subject of a reconciliation. I think it best that you chat with him tonight and tell him how sorry I am, how sincerely I apologize, and how terribly I want to get back together. He said he enjoys sitting at the fountain in the Entrance Hall. He did it last night and said it is much nicer and more peaceful when the building is closed for the day and he can sit by himself, just observing the room and pondering his future at the Ministry. He plans to go again tonight at 10:00 P.M. If you go then, you'll be able to meet with him alone. He should be less shy if he knows there is no chance of your conversation being overheard."

"We'll meet him there, tonight, a little after 10:00," I promised her.

Erin may have just developed an intolerable itching around the back of her scalp and between her shoulder blades, but she chose this moment to perform an elaborate stretch and scratch routine, which gave all of us a very good look at her tanned midriff. Silas, who had seemed to be covertly watching during our entire meeting with Erin, cracked a really creepy smile.

I launched into a short discourse on the perils of young love to draw Erin's attention back to us. Erin went a little wandery-eyed halfway through my pearls of wisdom, but I raised my voice to regain her attention, concluding with "don't you think that love is just the only important thing left in the whole world?"

"I certainly do," she replied.

{{I think she's definitely under the influence, but it might be a little hard to keep her focused. She seems drunk.}}

{Not a problem.}

"What will your mother say about this reconciliation, if it is successful?" Harry asked.

"I don't care what she says. I'll date whomever I choose to date. She has no way of even knowing what I do, while I'm at Hogwarts. That's the charm of a boarding school. At least a co-ed boarding school."

"So, you must really, really love Fenton, if you are going to such extremes, seeing him behind your mother's back, to get back together."

"Fenton is just too shy for me. I certainly don't want to be his girlfriend."

"How long did you say you and Fenton were dating, before you broke up," I asked.

"I only dated him twice. We didn't get along all that well. He's very shy."

"Then why do you want to win him back?" Harry asked.

"I don't. My boyfriend Silas wants me to do it."

"Yesterday you seemed really bothered by all the attention that Silas was paying to you."

"That was just an act. Silas said that if he was enough of a bounder that the two of you would come to my rescue, provided I did something to attract your attention, like flirting with Harry or the little jiggle display that I put on yesterday. Silas thought if we got to know the two of you that it would be easier for us to get good jobs at the Ministry after we graduate. We want to work together."

"How did you plan on breaking the news to us that it was really Silas and not Fenton that you loved?"

"Fenton is very awkward. It was just a matter of not very many days before he would do something that justified my leaving him in a huff. Then it was just a matter of gradually succumbing to all of Silas's attention. We thought we could make the transition within a month. It's tough not being close to Silas for all that time, but your first good job can determine your whole career, really your whole life."

"You seem to know a lot more about magical engineering than Professor Henkel ever taught us in class. Where did you pick that up?"

"I read our whole textbook and another from the library, but mainly Silas taught me a lot. He knows an awful lot about magical engineering."

"I can see that Silas is very smart," I told her. "You just have to watch him work to realize that. But how could he pick up so much skill at such a young age?"

"He had an interest in magical engineering and, since Hogwarts doesn't teach it, the last two summers he went to a magical engineering camp in France. His older brother arranged it for him. He's dead now, but he was both an auror and a whiz at magical engineering. Silas said none of the other aurors, even the older ones, knew nearly as much about magical engineering as his brother."

"It sounds as though you never got a chance to meet Silas's brother before he died. That's a shame," Harry commiserated with her.

"No, I got to meet him once at his parents' house, when I was visiting Silas. You're right that it's a shame that I didn't get to spend more time with Tom. He could have taught me a lot. Of course, I'm learning a lot here. You can never be too prepared."

"Why is it so important for us to meet Fenton tonight, and why must we come alone?" Harry asked.

"I don't really understand that, completely. Silas wants to see you alone, to demonstrate what truly outstanding magical engineering skills he has. He thinks he can secretly work for you part-time right away, but that it won't happen if anybody, especially McGonagall, finds out. She won't let her students be in any danger. If Silas showed you his special skills while we're working here, Professor Henkel would just report right back to McGonagall and she'd be instantly suspicious and watch him more closely. He wouldn't be able to slip away to work for you. We read about your adventure with the bomb in the Reception Hall and all the alarms that Bill disabled for you. Silas says he could do a much better job than Bill. Don't bring Bill, by the way, it would mess up the whole deal if Bill suspected that Silas wanted to steal all of his most interesting work from him."

"Don't worry," I told her, "if Harry and I have learned anything at Hogwarts, it's been how to sneak out of the dorm and wander the corridors at night. We've had some of our best adventures that way. Bill will never even know that we're gone. By the way, didn't Silas think we would just be angry at the deception and huff off when we got to the Reception Hall and found Silas, rather than Fenton, waiting for us?"

"Silas said he was sure that he could smooth that over. He had what he called 'a little parlour trick' to capture your imagination and make you want to stay and talk with him. I think it involved turning the water of the fountain into a multi-colored motion art display. He did this for me once and it's VERY impressive. Silas is really smart, not like me. He thinks very fast on his feet and would just know the right words to say to make you glad that you were meeting with him, rather than shy, uncomfortable Fenton."

Harry raised his hand to signal that our meeting was over.

"Time to get back to work, gang," Bill the auror shouted. "You all know what you need to do. Ron will assign you times to polish the quartz, otherwise do what you were doing before lunch." Professor Henkel looked more than a little upset that an auror was directing his pupils, but his Germanic deference to authority kept him silent. I felt bad for him, but we could hardly let him in on our plot.

Erin wandered over to Fenton and the column to continue both working and flirting. I commented to Harry, "for a Witch who is so knowledgeable in magical engineering, I'm surprised to learn just how many Knuts short of a galleon she really is." Harry just nodded.

Bill and Barb joined us at the bench. "Well," Bill asked us. "What did you learn from her?"

"Silas is really her boyfriend and he put her up to yesterday's charade, so that she could get friendly with Harry and me. I think she believes it was all to help them get Ministry jobs when they graduate. She seems genuine, but Silas is a threat. He was close to his brother and went to 'magical engineering camp' in France the past two summers. His brother arranged it and encouraged him. Our Tom was apparently quite the expert in magical engineering."

Harry explained their plan to draw us into the Entry Hall at night. Bill said that his and Barb's new facility at detecting danger had apparently been working quite well. Before we started to drift away, Harry said "it goes without saying how important it is that Erin not be allowed near Silas, while she is in her present condition. In fact, it might be best to get her out of here. She can be part of the Sacred Cavern search team."

Harry called back Erin, saying "I have another important assignment for you. I want you and Margaret to go back to the Hogwarts Reception Hall and help search for the missing crystals."

Since we were joined by four additional aurors 'to help in searching for the missing crystals', Bill said he would take a brief leave of us to transport Erin and Margaret to Hogwarts.

Erin protested that she wanted to stay. "There's so much more to learn here, and I want to keep trying to enchant Fenton."

"You'll be back here tomorrow. Right after lunch at the latest. Meanwhile, what you need is a wide range of experiences. Sometimes a magical engineer has to hunt for objects that have been magically hidden. That is what I want you and Margaret to do. Take this instrument with you, so that you can visualize any magical hiding place."

Erin looked unhappy, but departed with Bill and Margaret.

As Erin was leaving, Harry called after her, "Don't worry. I won't forget about tonight."

{Don't you think that was kind of offputtingly unsubtle?}

{Perhaps. I wanted to be certain that Silas got the message.}

{Well, after Erin's little performance yesterday, you now have twenty witnesses that you are a very brazen philanderer.}

It didn't take Bill long to return. "I just wanted to quickly check back in and make sure all is well at this end before I duck off to report what you've learned to Director Shacklebolt and the Minister. I assume you're planning on laying a trap tonight. I'm also sure the Minister won't want you to place Ginny in jeopardy. If the two of you will just stand perfectly still a moment, while I yank out a few of your hairs, I'll go prepare for two aurors to represent you tonight, via the Polyjuice route." He removed two Muggle evidence envelopes from his robes, labeled them and deposited the hairs. "I don't go anywhere without my personal evidence kit. It's amazing what's available in the Muggle shops. I just realized that this past month. On second thought," and he handed the evidence envelopes to Barb, "Barb has borne so much of the Minister's wrath today, that she should have the chance to convey the report on our progress."

Barb looked a little surprised, but bent over to retrieve her lunch bucket, before heading off to the Ministry.

**Original text**

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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six – We're Bait in the Trap**

As we walked back toward the Circle to inspect the work progress, I noticed Hermione advancing on Silas, who was taking time out from his polishing to stare after the departing Barb. "Back to work, buster!" Hermione announced, rather loudly, as she rapped Silas on the wrist with her pen.

"I don't have to take orders from you. You're just a student, same as me."

"You're right," Hermione replied "Professor Henkel, would you please ask Silas to get back to work and stop staring at Barb's bottom."

"Mr. Stowe! You were brought here to work and to learn, not to, umm socialize. Miss Rich is working. She is not here to entertain you. Please get back to work. We're on a tight schedule. The Wizards of London really would like to have their magic back".

Silas shot a nasty look after the departing Hermione, but did get back to work. Hermione smirked all the way back to us.

"Sorry, I just had a wild thought that Silas might be a Polyjuiced Death Eater. The magic Cho pen says he's not. I should have checked out Erin, while I had the chance, but I'm definitely going to investigate Fenton. "

Harry and I each took our turns at polishing the quartz cylinder. Working overhead like that was really strenuous and I felt cramps in my neck and shoulders by the time I stopped. I tapped into Harry's mind after his stint and learned that he wasn't feeling much better than I was. We seemed to drift into a decision to just supervise and use Professor Henkel's magical force detector to explore the Cavern for magical hiding places where the crystals might be lurking. Towards quitting time, we accompanied Hermione over to the granite column to give her some cover, while she surreptitiously tested Fenton. I especially didn't want Silas to notice a repetition of the trick that she had used on him. I was glad that Silas wasn't in Hagrid's class to see King Goblanze demonstrate the pens, but that is the sort of story that could have easily made its way around the school. Harry was saying, "This is really fine work Fenton. I can hardly feel anything other than smoothness when I run my fingers over the damaged area. I think you need just a little more polishing right here, but you can finish that up in about an hour tomorrow morning. You've worked really hard and you're really sweating, even in this cool Cavern. I think you should call it a day and take a rest on one of the benches."

While Harry was talking, he and I were both shielding Fenton and Hermione with our bodies. Hermione very gently touched Fenton's hand with her pen. He was so focused on Harry that didn't even notice the slight, glancing contact. Hermione drifted away, before Harry stopped talking. As we turned to leave, Fenton happily grabbed his water bottle and plopped onto a bench. I couldn't help thinking he was a little soft for a Quidditch beater.

We gathered up our things and hopped into the first rail car. Barb had returned and she told us that her meeting with Dad had gone very well and that Shacklebolt would have a fitting reception waiting for Silas and whomever else turned up in the Entry Hall. Hermione told us that her detector had shown that Fenton was not an imposter.

"It was something that needed to be checked," she informed Ron, whose expression suggested he viewed her experiments as a daft idea. "As Cruikshanks could tell you, one has to check a lot of rodent holes, before you catch your supper, not to mix metaphors to too excruciating an extent."

When we reached the Ministry, Ron and Hermione headed off to their room, while Harry led us straight to Shacklebolt's office, to discuss the plan for the trap which was to be sprung on Silas.

Shacklebolt informed Harry, "all is in readiness. Two of my best fighters will replace you and Ginny. Another highly skilled auror will replace the normal night porter. A whole squad of aurors will be ready to spring out of the elevators. We've created peepholes for them to observe the arrival of your guests. The floo network and apparation points will be shut down as soon as the action starts. Another squad of aurors will be ready to spring out of the rear corridor.

"I strongly suggest that you stay away, but if you insist in showing up under your invisibility cloak, as I'm sure you will, at least leave Ginny back in your bedroom. I think we've all had quite enough of Arthur's wrath for the day. My men will be in place by 8:00 P.M. You and Ginny are likely to be watched, so I'd like you to conspicuously enter your bedroom after dinner and equally conspicuously depart at 9:45. Your path takes you around this fairly blind turn in the corridor, right here," he pointed to a map as he said this.

"Your stand-ins will be waiting there, under an invisibility cloak, to take your places. They will give you the cloak; you will don it and slip away, instantly reporting to me if you discover that anyone has been following you as you double back. Keep your wands handy: the person following you is likely to be quite nasty. You will not go back to your bedroom. Bad guys might expect a double-cross and come looking for you there. You will go to Ron and Hermione's room (why Arthur lets them share a room is beyond me), where two of my aurors will be waiting to protect you. Do you understand and agree the plan?"

"I do," Harry replied with so much solemnity that he might well have just married Shacklebolt.

"That's good, because this could be considered one of the key job interviews in your quest to become an auror. With all of your past adventures and your political experience, you could well slip right into my shoes, without the necessity of years of midnight guard duty at the Ministry. However, the ability to keep your word and stick to a plan is an essential requirement for being an auror. Without that, you will never be accepted into the Auror Corps. So if you want to really sell me on your interview, you will go right back to Ron's room and stay there until the action is over. Do you understand me?"

"I certainly do. I will stay in Ron's room."

"And you, Mrs. Potter. Are you going to behave yourself, or are you going to do something rash that will put my job, or my aurors' jobs, in jeopardy?'

"I solemnly promise that I will be good."

"Excellent. The Minister wants to see both of you in his office, before you go down to dinner. I'm told dinner is in the cafeteria, tonight. Your crew will have the place pretty much to yourselves. There will be very few workers staying on at the Ministry tonight, which is likely why our friends chose this evening for your little rendezvous. You shouldn't look surprised, tomorrow is a legal holiday, the anniversary of the signing of the charter for the Ministry of Magic. That may prove a great blessing if anything goes wrong tonight. The Wizengamot will be out of town for the next several days and your friend Ernie will likely be the only reporter required to work tonight and tomorrow morning… No, I'm not feeling pessimistic, just the reverse, actually, but a good auror is always fully aware of the situation and ready to use it to his advantage, if need be. Now, go see Arthur. He's still not in a very good mood, by the way."

Prudence showed us right into Dad's office. He was alone and reviewing a big pile of reports. As soon as we got both feet inside his door, he looked up and motioned us into guest chairs. "Your situation is starting to look a little more under control. I'm demanding and assuming that each of you will stay out of the action tonight. I understand the need to act in extremis, when nobody else can get the job done, but the aurors have the current situation well in hand and the wisest, really the only sane, thing for you to do is play your very minor roles in Shacklebolt's drama and quickly retire to Ron's room. By the way, it has just come to my attention that Ron's room is also Hermione's room. You might pass on to your brother that I am not entirely pleased by this situation."

"Yes, Dad," I replied as meekly as I could manage.

"On the other matter, I've located some suitable crystals at two museums in America. After the current excitement is concluded, I'll dispatch a team of aurors to do some midnight shopping. I understand that you've encountered other difficulties with the repairs."

"Yes," Harry replied. We're having to hand-polish the quartz cylinder in the ceiling above the lodestone. It's an extremely slow process, even with as many different hands as we have to rotate through the job. I've sent Erin and Margaret off to Hogwarts, by the way. I didn't want Erin to be able to talk to anyone while she was still obviously under the influence of the Veritaserum. She seems to be one of those highly susceptible individuals who is not only forced to be truthful, but who babbles everything she knows. Also, I promised Margaret's father to keep her out of danger. He wasn't at all pleased by her Joan of Arc performance."

"I can only hope that you will show as much future consideration to this concerned father as you are showing to Mr. Wright. By the way, let me correct a misapprehension that you appear to be suffering from. Veritaserum does not destroy memory. Erin will remember that you questioned her and put two and two together, so it is very good that you shipped her to Hogwarts. Veritaserum also cannot compel someone to answer your questions, although it does have the same effect as alcohol in loosening inhibitions and damping down logical and critical thinking skills. That seems to have put Erin in a chatty mood for your questioning, but under the influence or not, she is perfectly capable of reporting everything that you or she said to Silas. I don't mean to talk down to you, but you didn't seem to realize that.

"By the way, that's the reason that overly protective Wizard parents allow their underage children to consume sherry. It provides the opportunity to become used to controlling your mind when it is in the same tipsy state that Veritaserum produces. I've seen experienced Wizards give true but intentionally misleading answers, parse questions to avoid revealing secrets, outright refuse to answer specific questions, insult their questioner, steal a wand and slay their inquisitor, or simply cause themselves to nap off. Then there are those who aren't able to control the tipsy state at all who announce to one and all out of the clear blue that the Goblin King has declared her to be a fierce warrior. Young Erin seems to be in this latter category. Wizards or Witches in that category would be well advised to practice self-control."

"I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't fully appreciate that," Harry admitted.

{[concerned] don't be upset, I think I've broken his train of thought.}

"We both promised Director Shacklebolt that we will be well behaved, tonight," Harry assured Dad.

"That's as it should be," Dad responded. "Go off and enjoy your dinners. Let me just ask you one thing. Everyone is mumbling that I've been in a very bad mood. Do you think I've been in a foul mood?"

"Let's just say you need careful handling, Sir," Harry replied. "Actually, I've been worried that something that you are not speaking of must really be worrying you."

"It's a lot of things. Like I said earlier, I can't stop thinking that now is the likeliest time for Thicknesse to attack us. Then I've been doing nothing but responding to complaints from merchants, the general Wizarding public, the press, and even the Muggle Prime Minister about all the problems that the continued magical failure in London is causing. Diagon Alley is once again largely camouflaged, but two Bobbies wandered into it yesterday afternoon and arrested one of the merchants for selling dangerous goods. It didn't help at all that Lee was the merchant in question. I'm still recovering from the death of Fred and I am not reacting at all well to the knowledge of how much peril Ginevra was in when she was pushed into the Sacred Chamber. The weight of the job and fatherhood is just very heavy at the moment. Go and eat, I don't want to unload my problems onto the two of you. Just please don't add to them."

As Harry, Bill, Barb, and I headed down to the cafeteria for food, I said "Wow, I didn't realize that the pressure was getting to Dad quite this badly. Do you think he would be willing to talk to Hermione's Mom, again?"

{[worried] It's certainly worth a try, but an extremely ticklish subject for either of us to raise. You'll have to encourage your mother to make that suggestion. Perhaps Professor Celine can charm him out of his funk.}

{{Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have just popped out with that in front of the aurors. I'll talk to Mom.}}

Ron and Hermione joined us at our table for dinner. The six of us were restrained in our discussion, because we were hemmed in on both sides by other tables of workers. We didn't want anyone to overhear anything about our plans for the evening, and didn't want to talk about Dad. We were basically waiting for the hours and minutes to pass until we would have a report on tonight's action. We spent a little time discussing Quidditch. Harry said that when Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff finally played the last game of the season, that one of them would surely have beaten Gryffindor on points. The Quidditch talk bored Hermione and she spent the rest of supper in an unaccustomed silence, even when we ended up planning the next steps in the repair of the Gringotts Circle and chuckling over Dad's planned gem heist. I was beginning to suspect that she and Ron had been having a spat. The knowledge that I was the cause of the spat, did not improve my mood. At least there was no possible way that Ron could have spoken to George, since Hermione spoke in front of Luna.

We were nearly finished with our meal, I don't even remember what we ate, when Ron mentioned that on the way back to their room, they had crossed paths with Silas, who had been so rude and then threatening toward Hermione, that Ron had drawn his wand and shoved Silas up against the wall.

"Silas took a really good look at my wand. It was as if he staged the encounter just to find out what I was carrying. You'd have thought he hadn't heard that the Ministry had taken my wand. Perhaps he just wanted to assure himself that I didn't have a Peverell wand."

"It's hard to guess what Silas is thinking," I replied. "By the way, Dad asked me to inform you that he is 'not entirely pleased by this situation', by which he meant your and Hermione's current housing arrangements. He is very worried about everything and in a pretty bad mood, so that may just have been a momentary irritation. He's gotten a lot of criticism about the continued failure of magic in London."

"Oh," Ron replied. "Just the same, thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to avoid Dad and to ask Mom if she can calm him down a little on that subject. Do you think we need to change rooms?"

"I wouldn't bother," I told Ron. "Whatever the damage is, it's done. I think Dad's just in a bad mood. What do you think Hermione? You haven't said a word all dinner."

"I'm just tired from all the work I've done today. I'll avoid your father, also."

"I think most Wizards are relieved to finally have a Minister of Magic who is honest and willing to forthrightly address the big problems of the day," Ron mused "but, doesn't it sometimes seem that Dad is just too, I don't know, gentle for that job?"

"It's certainly an adjustment for him," I replied "and these are certainly very difficult times. Professor McGonagall warned us about periods of transition."

"It might improve your father's disposition if Hermione could persuade Cruikshanks to catch his supper," Harry suggested.

"What a silly thing to say," Hermione replied "Cruikshanks is very well fed."

"I was of course referring to Cruikshanks' habit of guarding holes to exterminate vermin," Harry reassured her. "We all know you wouldn't starve Cruikshanks and have probably delegated his feeding to another student."

"My mother will feed him. Sorry, Harry, I guess I'm just not with it tonight."

"It has been a hard day," I reassured Hermione. "As an athlete, I wouldn't have thought I'd ache this much after the little amount of polishing I did. My neck is still really stiff and my right shoulder aches. It must be even worse for you… As a non-athlete, I mean."

I got a stare from Hermione over that last remark. I had really meant to be sympathetic, not call her upper body strength into question. I knew that was a sore topic after her problems on the whale flights. Not knowing how to undo what I said, I merely said, "sorry, Hermione."

The conversation meandered back to Quidditch and the obviously biased decision that had effectively eliminated Gryffindor from the championship.

"It's as if McGonagall was just looking for a way to hurt our chances," Ron concluded. "You may have heard that Jimmy appealed our loss on the very reasonable grounds that Jimmy Jones obviously didn't catch the snitch until a good fifteen seconds after Madam Hooch had blown the whistle to suspend the match. McGonagall just told him that she had heard quite enough Quidditch appeals for one term and Gryffindor would just have to live with the ruling on the field. Jimmy told her that Madam Hooch hadn't actually made a ruling or declared that we had lost, but that everyone seemed to have simply assumed that this was the case. McGonagall said that if an official ruling was all that was lacking, then she would declare right there that Jimmy Jones had made the catch right before the whistle had blown. She emphasized that 'the young lad almost lost his life making that play. I'm certainly not going to strip him of his glory'. Not even a pretense that the ruling was factually correct. Can you believe it?"

"I can well believe it," I told Ron. "You seem to have forgotten the identity of our Seeker. I assure you McGonagall hasn't."

I do remember grabbing a piece of pumpkin pie with vanilla bean ice cream and enjoying the luscious blending of strong flavors. The ice cream is Wizard-made, with vanilla beans grown in the greenhouse on the estate that Shacklebolt is continuing to borrow. It is really excellent, and I was glad that the Director was sharing the bounty of his greenhouse and gardens. We rose, said goodnight to George and Luna, who were still consuming their entrees at the adjacent table, and headed back to our rooms.

We should have spent longer chatting over dinner. We had almost an hour to wait until we got to play our roles in Shacklebolt's charade. After having dreamt for years of Harry and I having a private room all to ourselves, I'd now found myself in that wonderful situation for little over a week and now, quite appallingly, found us sitting in our room with virtually nothing to say to each other. The silences were killing me. In my heart I knew that Harry wanted to accuse me of being the cause of Ron's spat with Hermione, but was unwilling to continue our fight, with the present high level of danger. One thing that Harry and I have in common is that we both put a chance to battle baddies above just about anything.

As if he were reading my mind, which he may well have been, Harry said "Don't worry. We normally have a lot of shared interesting things to talk about. I don't want to continue our fight of this morning. We've each made our positions clear. I trust that you won't share so much personal information with Hermione and especially Luna in the future.

"It's the stress and the anticipation regarding what will or won't happen tonight that is causing the problem. We both just want to know how this story ends and neither of us is entirely happy that we were forced to promise not to be participants, apart from our very brief cameo roles at the start. We really do have to stay out of it. Your father is clearly on the edge and it's our responsibility to soothe him as best we can, not to push him over the edge. We also already talked out over dinner the only current events that we can stand to speak of, until this night is over. I don't think Ron and Hermione are still fighting."

"I've been thinking," I told Harry, figuring that perhaps it wasn't as bad as we feared it would be to talk about tonight's events, "that you uncomplicated events in a way, by sending Erin back to Hogwarts, but that you've taken away the chance of learning for sure if she's part of whatever plot against us in unfolding. It still seems unreal to me that two Hogwarts students would pick this moment to strike at us. We were less defended much of the time back at school. When you think about it, a plot to draw us down to a vacant Entry Hall late at night, whether to conduct a job interview or to assist the lovelorn, is terribly lame. How could they think we wouldn't smell a trap? Even without Bill and Barb's new sixth sense, this meeting would have sent red flags flying."

"Perhaps Shacklebolt and your Dad are right about us. Perhaps Thicknesse assumed we would smell a trap, but that the situation would be too irresistible for the four of us to secretly deal with on our own. The opposition may be quite sure that they will encounter you and me with Ron and Hermione under my invisibility cloak. We've played that lone wolf game enough times in the past. If we hadn't just given your parents such a huge fright, that's exactly what we might be planning to do tonight."

"They'd at least expect Bill and Barb to be lurking in the background."

"So, they'll come in enough force to deal with six armed Wizards. They might even assume we'd sneak away from my aurors. I've done that before, also."

"What if they assume that we have been scared into following Shacklebolt's lead? They'll expect us to be in our rooms, or to be returning under our cloaks from a switcheroo in the corridors. We ought to at least prepare for the possibility that the real action will be back here at our room."

"Alright, I agree that you may have a point," Harry admitted. "Let's at least alert Bill, Barb, and Ron and Hermione."

Harry checked his watch and we still had twenty minutes to wait. We slipped on Harry's invisibility cloak, pulled out our wands, checked to make sure we still had Weasley novelties in the pockets of our robes, and snuck down the hallway toward Ron and Hermione's room. Before I opened the door, Harry ducked back to the bed and pulled out the equipment bag he had stashed beneath it. He rummaged inside in and rejoined me holding the magical force detector in his left hand. "I'm hoping this will allow me to detect anyone lurking under an invisibility cloak that is less good than this one."

Harry ducked back under the cloak and we slipped out the door. Neither I nor the device-enhanced Harry saw anyone except Barb in the hallway. We snuck past the chair where Barb was sitting on guard duty. "It's us," Harry said "we got to thinking that the real attack might occur back here, so we thought we'd pick up Ron and Hermione. If you would be so kind as to precede us and knock on their door. Where's Bill by the way?"

"He's on guard in the corridor around the corner on the other side of Ron's room." Barb did as Harry asked and knocked on Ron's door. When she entered, we slipped in behind her.

I quickly explained our fears to Ron and Hermione and they readily agreed to the slight change in plan that they would shadow behind Harry and me under their invisibility cloak. While Harry was explaining the plan in detail to Ron and Barb, I whispered to Hermione to test the aurors with her pen 'just in case'.

Hermione quickly took the initiative, because I saw her approaching Barb with her special pen as Ron was removing the invisibility cloak from the pocket of his robes. It seemed strange to see him in robes after two days in a tee and jeans. I called out to Barb from under our cloak, "Barb, can you adjust this cloak so that our feet aren't showing." I had my wand pointed at her nose the whole time.

As Barb bent to adjust the robe around our legs, Hermione casually grazed her neck with the pen. Hermione held the pen up behind Barb's back to let us know that she was still the real deal. Ron and Hermione got under their cloak and Harry asked Barb to lead us back out of the bedroom and down the hall to where Bill was seated. "Same trick, wands at the ready," Harry said to Hermione.

We reached Bill and I spoke to him from under the cloak, "Hi Bill, it's us with Barb. We feared that the attack might actually occur here as Harry and I are returning from the switch, so Barb is going to just happen to wander a little farther down this corridor in back of us, so that she is there to protect us when we return. We'd like you to stay here and guard the rooms. By the way could you check how much of our feet are showing and adjust our cloak a little."

{I've scanned the hallway ahead and I see nobody.}

Bill got up to do that and Hermione reached out from under her cloak to touch him with the pen as he did so. "What the?"

"Don't worry, Bill," Harry replied "that was just Hermione under the other cloak. You could check for her feet, as well."

"Petrificus totalis," said the other cloak and Harry and I repeated it. 'Bill' slumped to the floor. Barb looked alarmed but held her hands out wide, studiously not straying toward her wand.

"What is the matter!" she said in a loud whisper. "Why did you do that to Bill?"

"It's not Bill, it's a Polyjuice substitute," Hermione replied from under her cloak. "I've been testing people with my Goblin Polyjuice detector."

"Get out from under your cloak and let's regroup," Harry said to Ron and Hermione. "I think the original plan is shot. A substitute auror Bill here in our own corridor really kills the plan. Thicknesse is two steps ahead of us."

Ron pulled off the cloak and Hermione showed us the Goblin probe, which had turned the color which signified phony.

"Hermione, can you bind up counterfeit Bill with goop from your wand. We still have about five minutes before we have to go and meet our decoys. Does anyone have a substitute plan?"

"I can't think of anything better," Hermione admitted as goopy string poured out of her wand to inundate phony Bill. "You know to be on guard, so it just might be best to continue with your revised plan. We won't be able to count on Bill, but we still have Barb."

"Couldn't you just put on your thinking cap and come up with a revised plan?" Harry pleaded. "You're a lot cleverer than me and I really think that the current plan is a bust."

"I have been thinking, just as hard as I can," Hermione replied. "The current plan is best".

{[revved up] you curse Hermione, I've got Ron and Barb. I know at least Hermione is a fake.}

"Petrificus totalis" rang out three times.

{[urgent] Quick, let's levitate all three of them back into Hermione's room.}

{{I'm doing what you ask, but why did we drop Ron and Hermione. And especially Barb, we know that she tested clean.}}

{Just keep levitating. I've got the door. We'll have to let them fall to be on guard, in case anyone has slipped into the room.}

The thuds sounded painful and I mentally apologized to my brother.

"It's clear. Get them inside quickly. Good, I'll shut the door. Hermione failed to recognize the thinking cap reference to her diadem, and there was also that Cruikshanks nonsense. I'm convinced she's fake. I've got my pen in my robes and we can make sure in a moment. Are you getting all of this, Kingsley?"

"Yes and I'll be there with a squad of aurors in a minute. I'm still leaving the trap set in the Entry Hall, so I'll want you to head down towards the switch off point in a few minutes."

Harry had by now extracted his pen and touched it to 'Bill'. I was shocked when the pen said that Bill was the genuine article. He then checked out 'Hermione'. The pen said she was a fake.

{{I don't understand. We saw the pen read positive, when Hermione tested Bill.}}

{She must have touched herself. I wish that I could test the others. I had strong hunches about Bill and Hermione and tested them in the order that I could do both, if I was right.}

I realized that Cho had never told us how to reset the pens, so we weren't able to test any of the others. Harry began spraying 'Hermione' with goop strings and I did the same with the others. There was a knock at the door and Harry opened it, both of our wands at the ready. I was surprised to see Dad, in addition to Shacklebolt and six aurors.

{Explain what happened to your Dad, while I try to phone Cho.}

I gave a very quick explanation of what had transpired. Shacklebolt said that, given the circumstances we'll forget the theatrics of the switch. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and phoned our substitutes, telling them to head directly to the Entry Hall and to be on their guard, because an attack in the corridors was highly likely.

Harry put down his cell phone, looking a little downcast as he informed us "Cho says that the pens are one positive use only. The Goblins weren't expected a huge number of counterfeit Wizards."

"We'll just have to sit here with these four, while they marinate in the Polyjuice," Shacklebolt said. "In a few hours we'll know who is genuine. But I need your maximum concentration. Delve into your memories of the past two days and tell me when the phony Hermione could have been switched for the real one. Consider that Ron or even Ron and Barb could have been switched at the same time."

I started thinking from a day ago, while Harry said, "we walked back from the bank with them, but then we were separated from them until dinner. They joined us after we had sat down at our table in the cafeteria. I think it was the genuine Hermione back at the Cavern, otherwise why would she draw our attention to Polyjuice substitutes by breaking out her pen to test Fenton and Silas. At dinner, Ron complained that they had crossed paths with Silas back here at the Ministry and that he had been so rude and threatening to Hermione that Ron had drawn his wand. Ron said it seemed as though Silas wanted him to draw the wand, just so he could inspect it."

"Very suggestive," Shacklebolt said. He dialed his phone again, ordering a full lockdown of the Ministry and recalling all off-duty aurors. "Can you send another half dozen aurors to my position?" he concluded. "I want this building searched for Hermione." To two of his aurors he said "Go to Silas's room. If he's there, arrest him."

I had finished my mental trawling and reported, "I'm almost certain that she disappeared between the time we entered the Ministry and the time we all had dinner. We didn't say much at dinner. Hermione was unusually quiet. A duplicate could have gone unnoticed. We were all very anxious about tonight's planned meeting. Ron actually spoke more than Hermione at dinner, which is very strange. Ron and Hermione had a little spat earlier, so the silence wasn't surprising – especially after a hard day's work."

"It might save us some time in searching the Ministry, if we had some more of Cho's pens, "Shacklebolt decided. "How many did she give you and where are they?"

"She only gave us the two, which have already been used. Meanwhile, the quickest source of more pens might well be Gringotts," I told him.

Shacklebolt dispatched an auror to Gringotts. "I'd like to know if this is the real Ron, and if it is, to see what he can tell us," Shacklebolt said.

"He's securely restrained and I've got his wand," Harry objected. "Given the press of time, why don't we talk to him now and verify his identity later?" Shacklebolt nodded yes.

Harry released Ron from the petrificus spell and my brother immediately burst into speech. "I've seen and heard everything that you've said, except when Harry and Ginny were whispering to each other. It really is me and you have to let me go, so I can help you find Hermione."

"Just tell us what you know that could help us," Shacklebolt directed him. "Start with the encounter with Silas at the Ministry. Where was the encounter, and was Hermione ever out of your sight?"

"We encountered him as we were entering these corridors with the rooms that we're all sleeping in. It was right in front of the first room after you turn into the corridor. He was shouting and shaking his finger at Hermione. When he threatened to hit her, I drew my wand and pushed him into the corner. We were nose to nose for close to a minute. He told me that I was a big man with a wand in my hand, but why didn't I put it away and try to take a swing at him. I told him that I was reporting him to the Ministry and that he had better give me his wand. He refused, but took a good long look at my wand, before turning and walking away in the direction from which we had entered. Hermionie rushed right up to me and asked if he had injured me. I said I was fine, so we walked down to dinner. I wasn't looking at Hermione during the confrontation, but she was out of my sight for just a minute, two minutes tops."

"Enough time to drag her into one of those rooms. You two, go search them," Shacklebolt directed two of his three remaining aurors. Seeing the number of our guards depleted, Dad drew his own wand as we waited for reports from the aurors, whom Shacklebolt had dispatched.

There was a knock on the door. We all focused our wands upon the door as the remaining auror opened it. The auror stepped aside and George, Luna, and an auror entered. "I hear Hermione's been kidnapped," George said as a request for more information. The auror that had been dispatched to Gringotts soon returned with a handful of the Goblin pens.

Shacklebolt took a pen and touched it to Ron's forehead. Ron passed the test. He then applied the pen to Barb's nose. She did not pass. "Cut Ron loose," Shacklebolt ordered.

Meanwhile, Ron had a thought. "Unpetrify Barb and Hermione and give them Veritaserum. That's the quickest way to find Hermione. Hermione had a bottle of Veritaserum in her bag. It's what we used to question Erin."

Ron scrambled to his feet and started rooting through Hermione's bag, quickly producing the Veritaserum. There appeared to be at least four doses left. "Let's do phony Hermione first," Ron said. "She is most likely to know what happened to Hermione, since she must have been there when she vanished."

Ron couldn't bring himself to roughly pry 'Hermione's' mouth open and pour some Veritaserum down her throat, so Harry did. While he was doing this, he messaged me.

{Root through your ancient memories and figure out how to revive someone who was petrificused by another Wizard. We can't wait for the spell to decay.}

I got right to work as Harry moved on from phony Hermione to phony Barb. As Harry finished his task, there were further knocks upon the door and the other aurors began to reappear. Silas had not been in his room and the two aurors who had visited the room were sent off to join the general hunt for Hermione.

Harry unpetrified phony Barb and asked me to do the same to phony Hermione, which I promptly did. I knew from experience that, frantic as we were, we would have to allow them to sit a while before they were ready to be questioned. Ron was pacing around the room, nervously and angrily, ignoring repeated requests from Dad to "please just sit down."

Ron replied "I've spent the past half hour lying down and unable to help Hermione. I am not going to just sit quietly now, while time may be running out to find her alive. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't fully forgiven her from a little fight we had earlier today. I can't bear to lose her, especially with bad feelings between us. To think that I was unknowingly chatting with an imposter for over an hour – it's maddening. You think that you would spot your girlfriend anywhere, with a blindfold on, but I missed the switch. And Hermione's mind is the most unique thing about her. Now this imposter is going to have the Polyjuice wear off and I'll find that I mistook a stupid, two hundred pound ape for Hermione."

"She fooled us as well," I told Ron. "She deliberately didn't say much and we all just put it down to anxiety about tonight's planned showdown with Silas and his friends. None of us was exactly thinking clearly."

"Harry was suspicious enough to ask the Cruikshanks question. Even that passed right by me!"

"We were focusing on tonight's trap," I reassured Ron. "Harry didn't ask the Cruikshanks question because he was suspicious. That was just a clever comment to Hermione, but her answer is what later triggered his suspicions."

"We know when the substitution was made for Hermione," Harry restated the obvious, possibly for emphasis. It's a lot tougher to guess when Barb was switched. She seemed fine when she rejoined us in the reception hall, after her trip to the ministry. We had a long discussion and she knew everything she was supposed to know. I don't think she was out of our sight until we entered our room. I guess she could have been jumped while she was on guard duty. I wish we could undo the spells on Bill and ask him what happened, although it's safe to assume he would have done something if he saw anything strange happen with Barb."

"Let's at least remove our spells," I suggested. "Then I'll try to undo the curse that phony Hermione put on him." I removed my 'petrificus' spell as did Harry. I tried what I had quickly found when I searched my Light Guardian knowledge of healing spells, but what I understood well enough to feel confident in using didn't work. There seemed to be other useful material in my mind, but it was disorganized enough that I didn't want to risk Bill's health in order to get a probably inconsequential report from him.

Ron stood over the two prisoners in turn, looking for changes in their eyes, but seeing none and impatiently stomping away to continue his nervous walking. Meanwhile, another of Shacklebolt's aurors returned to say that they had searched all of the rooms in this area, but had not found Hermione. Ron let out a pitiful wail as he heard this report and kicked the imposter Barb, forcing Shacklebolt to shove him towards a corner of the room, where, thankfully, he finally sat down.

Shacklebolt declared that fake Hermione was ready to be questioned. Dad stepped forward and encapsulated everything we wanted to know: "who are you and what have you done with Hermione."

I saw Harry's mouth fall open as she replied, "I'm Pansy Parkinson and I swallowed Polyjuice Potion to transform myself into this ugly form. I hit Hermione with a silent 'petrificus totalis' spell and lowered her falling body into the open doorway of my room, while Silas confronted Ron. It was so easy. I opened my door, her mouth dropped open, I stuck my wand into her stomach and thought the curse. A little levitation, a silent closing of the door to my room and in less than half a minute, I had replaced Hermione. Ron couldn't even tell the difference. I spent weeks studying Hermione's gestures and phrases, even lingering close enough to the little lovebirds to learn her pet phrases for this fool. I wasn't sure I could fool Potter, but I almost did. I thought the game was up when I missed the Cruikshanks reference, but then you were all helpful enough to talk about the Quidditch match. I think I could have taken you back in Ron's room, but my dopey allies demanded that I do nothing but follow their plan. They were convinced that our best chance was at the meeting place in the corridor, where there would be four of us. If they'd trusted my intelligence just a little, the plan would have worked."

Shacklebolt quickly told a pair of his aurors, "arrest the two phony aurors impersonating Harry and Ginny. Don't say a word to them, just drop them as soon as you spot them. Petrificus of course."

"Where is Hermione?" Dad repeated to Pansy.

"They were going to stash her in a place that Silas referred to as the shop."

Shacklebolt immediately dispatched a pair of aurors to search the Muggle machine shop, located near Dad's old office.

"Why would you want to harm Hermione?" Dad asked, in evidently genuine surprise.

"Why wouldn't I? She and all of your gang were working just as hard as you could to destroy our way of life. She may have Great Family blood flowing through her veins, but she grew up a Muggle and in her heart, she will always be a poor, little, picked-upon Mud-blood brat who knows she will never fit in. She was the leader of this 'free the Elves' nonsense that has destroyed my mother's and my plans for my life. She can marry the Minister's son, not that either the Minister or the son are all that much, but she'll never truly fit into Wizard society. This little adventure wasn't aimed at harming your precious Hermione. If it was, she'd already be dead. I could have just as easily used a silent 'Avada Kedavra', but I'm not a killer and she isn't important enough to kill. We wanted to kidnap Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley and trade their release for the release of some of the Great Family prisoners from the Voldemort war and some concessions to restoring our way of life. A lot of us want our house Elves back and the respect that we are due."

I couldn't help blurting "I thought you were happy, being Draco's wife. This was a desperate action. Why would you feel so desperate?"

"You are trying to make my kind useless and soon the whole world will treat us as worthless. I have been sort of happy with Draco, but he has turned out to be not nearly as strong as I had hoped, and then he got all religious and less interested in wealth and power. He wasn't willing to fight for our way of life, like some other Great Family Wizards have done. I thought I could make more of a man out of him, but I just couldn't. His mother had influenced him too much. He was even starting to like Potter and the Weasleys. In the end, he was every bit as weak as his father said he was."

"What role did your mother play in your actions here and the beliefs you've just explained?" Harry asked her. "I was surprised when she replaced Bruce on the Great Family ticket. I hadn't thought she was very political."

"Then you've never known my Mom," Pansy replied. "She is a lot more political than Dad. She's probably the most political person I know. She'd never be a vulgar fighter like Bellatrix, and she didn't exactly share the Death Eater beliefs, viewing Voldemort as a vulgar upstart, but she shared Bruce's Grindelwald beliefs and espoused them a lot more clearly than Bruce ever did. Like all Great Family women, she saw with clear eyes that we trade our youth and sex and ability to inflate the male ego to Wizards whom we wouldn't necessarily want to marry, in return for wealth and status, Elves to do all our housework and childcare for us. My mother is twenty-four years younger than my father and, like the Malfoys, her marriage was arranged by the parents. She got everything her parents bargained for, except the wealth. Up until your lot took over, that is. Now she's stuck with a very bad bargain: no wealth, a loss of status, an old husband, and slaving away doing the work that our two Elves used to do. You stole my mother's life. How is it a good thing to end what Hermione called Elf slavery, if it just turns Witches into slaves, instead?"

Dad looked a bit disgusted as he stared down at Pansy, but he moved on to the next prisoner. "And who are you?" Dad asked.

"You know me very well, Arthur," was the reply. "I'm Lucius Malfoy and you would have been wise to have been a little more ruthless and finished me, when first you had the opportunity. I'm not sure you've acted quickly enough to save the Mudblood. Silas was planning to whisk her away from the Ministry, after he eluded the initial hunt by your aurors."

"What are you and Pansy doing working together?" I asked. "I thought you hated each other."

"And that is exactly what you were all supposed to think. Pansy has been my agent from the day I first met her as a young shoplifter. Our falling out was just a story that I asked her to spread. She has been my spy and then one of my lovers, which is the main reason I didn't want Draco to marry her. Now that she's seen Draco for the weakling that he is, she's decided to get back together with her old champion. Let's call it my last jab at an ungrateful and unworthy son."

"Where is Silas planning to take Hermione?" Ron asked.

"He was going to apparate her to his brother's house. From there, it was up to him what he chose to do with her. I suggested dumping her in the North Sea or a deep mineshaft. That seemed a fitting end for a truly annoying girl."

Lucius was not to have his wish. The aurors returned to say they had found Hermione, bound, gagged, and petrified behind the portable generator in the corner of the shop. She was also wired up, such that the first person to activate the generator would have electrocuted her.

"What have you done with Barb?" Harry asked.

"It was quite simple, really. Pansy approached her as Hermione, while she was doing guard duty outside your room. I had already assumed her form and simply replaced her. Silas disposed of the body."

Shacklebolt winced at that exchange. My worries for Hermione had now shifted over to Barb. I felt ashamed that I had not worried more about her up until now.

There was a knock and another auror appeared at the door, escorting Hermione back to us. After giving Ron a big hug and snog, Hermione turned to Harry and said "it was all so humiliating. The door opened and I was so surprised to see myself that I just froze. Then I was petrified and just levitated along the corridor and dumped like a log onto the cement floor. I'm sore all over."

"That's nothing to be humiliated about," Harry told her. "We are just happy to have you returned to us, alive. By the way, your attackers were Pansy and Lucius Malfoy."

"I had plenty of time to piece that together. It was Silas who dumped me in the machine shop and wired me up to the generator. He spent a lot of time gloating. He said we all took him as this awkward fool, who was unsuccessfully chasing after and stalking Erin, while all the time it was Erin whom had been duped by him. He said that Erin actually believed that he was in love with her and that she was very easy to fool. He claimed she only sounded smart because she was able to pick the correct moments to parrot back certain phrases that he had painstakingly forced her to memorize. He gloated that he once had to hold up three fingers, so she knew which spiel she was supposed to regurgitate. He called Erin 'my little creation, perhaps amateurish, but she certainly fooled you, you're so predictable'. Silas was a Grindelwald ally, who was directed to enroll in magical engineering as a way of burrowing deeply into the Ministry shortly after graduation.

"He said it was by far the fastest way to transform himself into a valuable agent. He said that he had rather looked forward to using his smarts to be a successful mole, but that the 'big boss' had decided this operation was important enough to blow his cover. He laughed at how easy it was for Tom Stowe's brother to be accepted by us."

"Do you think Pansy's mother could be the 'big boss'?" I asked Hermione.

"I don't know," Hermione replied. "He said little to nothing about the boss. I'll have to try to remember any slight hints he may have allowed to slip out. I'll think about it tonight."

Harry turned to our two bound prisoners and asked "who is the big boss?"

"I really thought you were smarter than that," Lucius replied. "The big boss is Thicknesse. You've always known that."

"Just getting confirmation of that," Harry replied in an overly sheepish tone, suggesting he thought Lucius had made him look dumb. "Stupid would be missing the chance to confirm what we are almost certain we know. And you, Pansy, who do you think the big boss is?"

"I don't know."

"Well, looking at the smaller scale, I'll ask each of you who directed and planned this operation. Pansy?"

"I don't know."

"Well, who recruited you and told you what to do?"

"My mother told me that Silas was working on a project, and that I should help him and do what he asked."

"But Silas wasn't the leader and the planner of this."

"I don't know, probably not."

"Same question to you Lucius. Who signed you up for this project, and who was the planner and leader?"

"Nobody signed me up. I didn't like the way you were turning my son away from the family interests or the outlines of your egalitarian new order. I simply unreformed myself, having decided that it was better to improve my situation with a last bold move or to go down trying, than to adapt to the life you had left for me. I was the leader and planner of this venture."

"Who else participated?"

"Erin was our very willing dupe. She is not politically reliable, but she would do anything Silas asked her to do. It was just the four of us."

"By the way, to clear up an old matter, who Imperiused you the evening that you came to Hogwarts? Was it your estate manager, and did he Imperius you at your own request."

"You really have a lot of confidence in Veritaserum to venture that elaborate a compound question. No, it was not my estate manager. He would be the obvious suspect and it wasn't fair to involve him in another questionable visit to Hogwarts. Pansy Imperiused me, after I left Narcissa's apartment. She suggested it. It seemed a neat way to slip around the Unbreakable Vow."

"I think you've seen Thicknesse since then," Harry ventured. "Where did you meet him?"

"Veritaserum doesn't totally remove control of oneself, Potter. Let my final words to you be Avada Kedavra."

I shouted "protégo", knowing I was too late to protect Harry or my father, if Lucius was adept enough to make the 'Avada Kedavra' work without a wand and in the unstable, diminished London magical force. Harry and Dad did not fall and, on closer inspection, appeared fine. I was thinking 'no harm done' when Harry shouted, "Lucius is dead. He must have directed the curse at himself. I'm sorry, Sir, I didn't realize that he could escape the Veritaserum, by just deciding to kill himself."

"Lucius, my love," Pansy wailed, as the reality sunk in that Malfoy was dead.

"Don't beat yourself up, Harry," Shacklebolt replied "I didn't think of that, either, and I have seen it done one time in the distant past."

Harry was pacing the room, looking distraught and apparently feeling very culpable.

{{You shouldn't be this upset. You asked questions that needed to be asked. We didn't know Malfoy had that ability.}}

{[feeling stupid and guilty] I should have stuck to my own job and left the questioning to Shacklebolt and your father.}

{{I think the result would have been the same. It was still you who foiled their plot. You should count the day a success and not be so hard on yourself.}}

{Perhaps, but now I have to go tell Draco that I killed his father.}

{{No, WE have to go tell Draco and Narcissa that Lucius committed another crime and killed himself. Possibly because he knew that the Unbreakable Vow would kill him far more painfully. Possibly because he did have other secrets to protect.}}

{Alright, it sounds a lot better that way.}

"Ginny and I need to get back to Hogwarts," he told Dad. "Somebody needs to break the news to Draco, Narcissa, and Erin, before the story leaks out. I assume you're going to check everyone with the Goblin pens, before they leave the building. If you could clear Ginny and me and set up an area that is temporarily active for apparation, we'll be gone. Since the Ministry will likely be on lockdown most of the day, I won't try to return here until after lunch. Just one last thought. Lucius said a lot before he decided to kill himself. Why not just kill himself, before answering a single question?"

"I don't know," Shacklebolt replied, "but you can be assured that I will be thinking very hard on that subject."

"There's no need to check you, Harry," Dad replied. "You're the one who foiled the plot."

"Yes there is," Harry replied. "You must check everyone, without exception. Check every auror in the building. I'd isolate the two who were impersonating Ginny and me and make certain that when the Polyjuice potion wears off they come back as whom they're supposed to be. Lucius has managed to act against the terms of his Unbreakable Vow and live. Perhaps he can also beat the Polyjuice. I'd give better than even odds that Silas is still in this building, disguised as someone else, probably an auror."

Harry took a pen and touched Dad and then Shacklebolt. "You're both clean. Now, please test Ginny and me and send us on our way."

Shacklebolt tested us and led us away to the most secure room of the Ministry, from which the apparation dampers were controlled and the critical alarms monitored. This was the room from which the Minister would control operations, if the Ministry was under threat. All seemed in order there, but Harry and I kept our wands ready, as Shacklebolt tested the three aurors on duty. Since this room was between Harry's and Dad's office, we walked to Harry's reception room and apparated back to the Hogwarts pocket. Harry tried phoning McGonagall and quickly reached her.

Listening in, I heard her reply to Harry's request for a meeting, "I was just going to bed. Come to our apartment in ten minutes."

Harry quickly summarized events for the Headmaster and she summoned Draco, Narcissa, and Erin to her office. When we were all present in McGonagall's office, Harry started with the stark statement "I rushed back from the Ministry, because I have some very bad news. I wanted you to hear the truth from me and be able to ask questions and make plans, before rumors filter back to Hogwarts or the news appears in the papers, which it likely will tomorrow morning. There is no way to sugar coat this. Lucius is dead, and Pansy is under arrest for assaulting and kidnapping Hermione and plotting to kidnap Ginny and me. Silas has not yet been captured and may well have successfully fled the Ministry. It is Silas who wired a petrified Hermione up to a portable generator, so that she would be killed by whoever turned it on. Pansy said that she has always been Lucius's spy and agent and has also been his lover. While they were being questioned, Lucius used a wandless Avada Kedavra to kill himself. He had already admitted his involvement in the plot and his relationship with Pansy."

On hearing this, a distraught Draco screamed "that can't be true. I won't believe it, my father and Pansy!"

"I'm very sorry," Harry replied. "Most of what I've told you isn't admissible evidence before the Wizengamot, but it is what your father and Pansy said after they were given Veritaserum. She said she joined last night's plot at her mother's request and took instructions from Silas. Erin engaged in an elaborate charade with Silas in order to lure Ginny and me into a trap at the Ministry, last night. However, Pansy and Lucius described her as an innocent dupe, who would do anything that Silas asked. For Narcissa and Draco, I'll try to make arrangements if you want to visit Pansy tomorrow. There's no chance of seeing her tonight. The Ministry's locked down, while they search for Silas. Erin – I'll let you know if Silas is found and will also try to arrange for you to visit him, if you wish."

"Of course I wish!" Erin responded "I love Silas. We certainly weren't luring you into any trap. Silas just wanted to meet you alone to demonstrate his skills and get your help in landing a Ministry job."

"I know that's what you believed," Harry replied, "but it isn't true. Silas's brother Tom recruited him into the ranks of Bruce Montaigne's pro-Grindelwald fanatics years ago and he's been working for them ever since."

"Are you absolutely certain about Pansy?" Draco asked.

"I'm one of about a dozen people who heard her and your father say what they did. I'm as certain as I can be, barring the possibility that she was Imperiused, or something similar. I'm sure St. Mungo's will examine her today."

"Is this why I was sent back to Hogwarts?" Erin asked.

"Yes. We didn't know at the time if you were part of a plot or not, but my aurors thought that you and Silas were behaving strangely. Then we learned that you had lied about dating Fenton for over a year and were, in fact, the girlfriend of the guy you claimed was an unwanted suitor. You were seen snogging Silas at Hogwarts last term. You of course remember telling us that Silas was really your boyfriend and that Silas and not Fenton would be meeting us in the Ministry lobby. We put Veritaserum in your milk at lunch."

"Oh. Isn't that illegal? I thought I might have gotten Silas into trouble – not what you think, just that it would ruin his job chances if you were angry because of his deviousness. I told Silas that it made more sense to take the direct approach if we wanted you to get jobs for us, but he said his approach would work better. Did he really plan to kidnap you?"

"Yes, he did, and he nearly succeeded."

There didn't seem anything else to be said, so Harry and I went back to our apartment to sleep.

We had just entered the apartment, when Dad phoned Harry with news. I heard Dad telling Harry "you were right to suspect the aurors who were to impersonate you and Ginny while we sprung the trap. Shacklebolt had them detained, as you suggested, and when the Polyjuice Potion wore off, he discovered that they weren't whom they were supposed to be. One was Silas and the other was a low-level Death Eater hanger-on, whom Shacklebolt had removed from his Ministry position when he took over. We found our two aurors stupefied in a basement storage area. The good thing about this plot is that its perpetrators don't seem to be hardened killers. Regular Death Eaters would have just killed Hermione and the two aurors. Although, Silas did leave Hermione to be electrocuted. Perhaps his henchman talked Silas out of killing the aurors. Anyway, I expect the lock down of the Ministry to end in a few hours. Shacklebolt is questioning the prisoners now. Unless he learns something as vital as the location of Thicknesse, I'll wait until you come in tomorrow to give you the next update. Although it's been a good night's work for Shacklebolt and his aurors, and of course yourself, I must confess that it has left me feeling disappointed. I was hoping to catch Thicknesse or young Barty. I'm also sorry that Minerva's plan to rehabilitate Pansy and Lucius has come to such an ignominious conclusion."

"Me too. Thanks for calling, Sir," Harry replied as he hung up.

Harry looked like he was about to fill me in on Dad's report and then just smiled and mumbled something that sounded like "but you already know."

The call from Dad left us a little too much on alert to fall right off to sleep, so we exchanged thoughts on the day.

{[deflated] It is amazing after all that we've been through, how gullible we still are. Erin and Silas's plot was terribly transparent, yet we didn't spot it until Bill and Barb tweaked that something wasn't right about them.}

{{We're both so geared to rescuing people, that Erin was the perfect foil. Although she had a scheme that she kept secret throughout her little charade, she didn't think she was doing anything sinister. It was clever to cast Silas as the stalker. We did put him down as a no-good creep, but that was consistent with Erin's story line, so it didn't set off alarms. We certainly were watching Silas closely, even before your aurors alerted us.}}

{[unsettled] You're right about Erin being the perfect person for the plot, but that just means Thicknesse and company have a very good sense of how we think. In short order, we've been fooled into sort of liking and helping Pansy and Erin. They were both bad at the time. We had more than enough clues that Pansy was up to no good.]

{{We all had doubts about Pansy. McGonagall kept sweeping them aside, whenever we raised them. I think we finally swallowed our doubts in our goal of reconciliation with. She also sort of swept us up in her vision, but we were never as taken in by Pansy and Lucius as McGonagall was. We spotted that there was something amiss with Narcissa. And we weren't fooled by the Erin plot. Even without our aurors' suspicions, we would have known instantly that the night time meeting at the fountain was a trap. We did behave opposite of what Thicknesse expected, when we arranged for Shacklebolt rather than ourselves to go to the fountain. You spotted the Hermione switch. I think you and we actually did quite well.}}

{[a little brighter] That's true enough, but we still trust any student who isn't a Slytherin. With Slytherin House closed, I think we took our eye off of Pansy. I'm realizing why Shacklebolt believes we need aurors to protect us.}

{{That's silly. The Deputy Minister always has aurors to protect him. We've foiled many plots and captured or killed many bad guys. I think we've done as well or better than Shacklebolt. He was attacked by his own aurors, after all. Nobody's perfect.}}

{[still self-reproaching] But, Tom Stowe's brother! How blind can we be?}

{{Maybe oblivious is a better word. We never realized what his family name was until Professor Henkel called it out in the Cavern. We just don't know as much as we should know about the students in the other houses. McGonagall could have mentioned that we had another Stowe at Hogwarts and that she was packing him off with us. She knew all about his brother. She is far too wrapped up in her various rehabilitation projects.}}

{[calm and sleepy] Well… we should. It has seemed like pointless snooping, but we should. We'll have to look for more moles at Hogwarts. Your Dad is right. My mistrustful nature has saved me at times, but there are certain very predictable groups of people whom I am just too eager and willing to trust and accept that they are who they say they are. Barty was able to fool me for most of a term, because I was so pleased to have the famous Mad Eye Moody take a personal interest in me.}

{{Don't beat yourself up. He fooled everyone. He fooled Dumbledore! Erin also played her part well. Many a Wizard has been tricked by a pretty damsel in distress. I didn't mean that to have the tinge of jealousy that perhaps it did. I trust you completely. The point is everyone can be tricked. My brother didn't even recognize that Hermione was a substitute, but you did. You were the only one of us that saw through that. Can you please stop being so hard on yourself?}}

I waited for an answer, but received only a snore. I used an ancient melody to calm myself into sleep.

**Original text**

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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven – The Problem with Slytherin Wives**

As we went down for breakfast, a little earlier than might be expected, we were met by a teary-eyed Erin waiting for us at the Gryffindor table.

Harry gave her the information she wanted. "The Minister contacted me {why does she need to know that we use cell phones} and informed me that Silas was captured at the Ministry last night. He was being questioned by the aurors at the time the message was sent to me."

"I do want to see him," Erin replied.

"I'll see what I can arrange," Harry promised.

As Erin left, the Malfoys dropped over and said that they very much wanted to speak to Pansy. Harry gave them the same reply that he had given Erin.

The owls arrived with our papers and I saw that Ernie had scooped the Quibbler about the attack.

**MINISTRY OF MAGIC SEALED WHILE AURORS SEARCH FOR ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN OF DEPUTY MINISTER POTTER **

**Lucius Malfoy Killed In Plot on Deputy Minister**

Ernie's article was accurate, if sparse on detail. He had no mention of Pansy or Silas, and also did not say anything about the kidnapping and attempted murder of Hermione. Still, it was a plus for Ernie's career to have both a scoop and a return to the front page banner headline.

Xenophilius was focused on the restoration of the Gringotts magical circle. It was quite clear that he must have received much of his information from Luna.

**Progress and Unexpected Snags in Repairing Gringotts Circle **

**Londoners -Magic Will Be In Short Supply for a While**

Harry ducked out of the Great Hall to phone Dad and Shacklebolt to find out if there was any updated news and to see when Pansy and Silas would be allowed visitors. Since I had stayed at the table, talking to Mom and Neville, Draco kept looking our way, seeming to know what Harry was doing. Harry returned and, seeing Draco watching him, waved him back to our table. "Since you are Pansy's closest family, you will be able to visit her at 11:00 A.M. You probably want to see her right at that time, because her mother will be permitted to visit first thing in the afternoon. You may bring a lawyer with you, if you wish. The day porter has been instructed to take you to Shacklebolt's office and his assistant will take you down to Pansy. Narcissa will not be permitted to visit today. Tomorrow is a possibility."

Harry then walked over to Erin's table, telling her that she would be permitted to visit Silas at noon. Harry offered to apparate her to the Ministry and she accepted the offer.

Harry came back to the table to update the rest of us, saying there was no other news, apart from Silas's admission that he received his instructions from Pansy's mother.

"That's a rather stunning admission, don't you think?" I challenged Harry for the nonchalant way he treated this news. "I mean, she has her own daughter receiving her instructions second hand from a one-year younger student. That doesn't convey a lot of faith in her daughter. Also, that is our first real evidence, non-judicial evidence I mean, that Pansy's mother is an active baddy, rather than just a political sympathizer."

"You're absolutely correct," Harry replied. "I guess I share your Dad's focus on not catching Barty or Thicknesse. I was also focusing on Draco's obvious pain.

"As I think about things, this really doesn't seem like a Death Eater plot at all. It seems more a case of the remnants of Bruce's organization operating on their own. The Death Eater involvement in the Diagon Alley attacks and the attacks on Beauxbatons may have been just isolated Death Eaters reduced to being thugs for hire. I find that a little encouraging. I know it doesn't bring us any closer to Thicknesse, but it makes it seem less likely that we're still opposed by a grand evil conspiracy. I want to leave for the Ministry almost right away. I promised we'd apparate Erin. We should stop by McGonagall before we go."

We walked up to the staff table. Narcissa and Trelawney were flanking McGonagall, so Harry spoke to all three of them. He told them that Draco and Erin would be visiting their loved ones this morning, but Narcissa would have to wait at least a day. Harry said we and Erin were leaving for the Ministry right away. McGonagall thanked Harry and we were off.

{{I noticed you didn't mention what we learned about Pansy's mother.}}

{I'm not sure I want Narcissa knowing that just yet. Since we're taking Erin with us, I think it best to apparate from outside the gate.}

Barb apparated Erin, while the rest of us traveled on our own locomotion. We walked with Erin to Shacklebolt's office, telling his assistant that Erin needed to sign in to visit Silas later in the morning. She gave Erin a short form to fill out and then excused herself to duck into Shacklebolt's office. Shacklebolt emerged with her a minute later. He told Erin that although Silas could have a visitor a little later, that since she was at best a witness and at worst a suspected co-conspirator and not an actual relative of Silas, she couldn't visit with a possible co-defendant until she had been interviewed by the aurors.

"You may have a lawyer or a parent present during the interview and you can have the interview anytime in the next few days, but I can't give you the opportunity to make up a story with Silas, before you are interviewed."

"They can interview me at any time. I didn't do anything wrong. I don't think I need a lawyer."

"That's fine. If you change your mind, just tell your interviewer, and the interview will stop until your lawyer or parent can arrive. If you want to do it now, I'll assign Barb here as your interviewer. You can use my office, while I bring Harry up to date on the investigation. Then you can go and visit Silas."

Erin replied "that's what I want to do. I don't want my parents to know about this." Barb led her into the office and Shacklebolt guided us back to Harry's office.

Shacklebolt launched right into his summary. "Silas is very angry about his brother's death and convinced that Bruce would have been the best leader Wizards have had since Grindelwald was sent off to prison. I pointed out to him that his brother was killed by Bron. That didn't deflect his anger. He said my opposition to Bruce is what caused the problem.

"We learned that Silas has been strongly committed to the cause for several years. His whole family has. They are not a Death Eater-type aristocratic family feeling that the other Wizards haven't been giving them their rightful authority. They've been what counts as lower middle class, by Wizard standards, for several generations. They are what I call the 'Wizard pride' crowd. Their anger is directed at the Muggle-born, whom they see outstripping them economically, and Muggles, whom they see as holding their family and most Wizards back. Their anger is fueled by a sense of desperation and a feeling that the world has passed them by. We're lucky to have gotten Hermione back alive.

"Silas hated her. She is alive only because he thought it appropriate that she had to lie there stupefied for a few hours, wondering when someone would turn on the generator and electrocute her. Silas is too sheltered to realize how deluded he is. He seriously believes that had Bruce won the election, we'd be ruling the Muggles by now and he'd be in line as Governor of Kent or something similar. He kept telling me how he had made a point of training in magical engineering, so that he could be a leader of the rebuilding efforts, after the Muggles were subjugated. That's the word he kept using, or the phrase 'subjugated like the Elves'.

"When I asked him how so few Wizards would defeat so many Muggles with powerful military forces, it became clear that he had never encountered anything more fearful than an old Muggle with a shotgun and hunting dog or an unarmed Bobby with a whistle. He said 'we have magic and Bruce had a plan. Voldemort was stupid, but he showed how easy it is to frighten Muggles with magic'. I told him that the Muggles have weapons that could destroy an area as big as London in an instant, and that magical barriers, like those at Hogwarts and Diagon Alley, would just be blown away, like so many dandelion seeds. I don't think he believed me."

"That surprises me a little. He struck me as very intelligent and educated, with a broader view than Hogwarts provides," Harry responded.

"Broader is some ways, very narrow in others. He's soaked up some knowledge from the French Wizards, but Bruce's followers would have kept him isolated among their own gang, just stoking his grievances and narrowing his outlook. It's an old trick. He was being groomed to be a mole and that requires extreme dedication to the mission, but also skills and resources that your opponents will value and the ability to hide your feelings and mingle with your enemies.

"Based on what Silas told us, we've arrested Mrs. Parkinson. She's being interviewed now and her husband in under surveillance. We've already had complaints from opposition Gamots, claiming that the arrest of Mrs. Parkinson is political harassment. I don't think they know that we're holding Pansy. We can't keep that secret beyond this evening, however. Likely Draco will make a public issue of the arrest sooner than that. I don't know how your buddy Ernie found out about Malfoy's death so quickly."

"I didn't tell him. I did tell Narcissa, Draco, Erin, and Professor McGonagall. Erin had no way of getting a message out of Hogwarts that quickly, but McGonagall, and likely the others, have cell phones. I doubt the Malfoys would pick Ernie to talk to and Professor McGonagall had no reason to get the news out."

"Well, be that as it may, I'd prefer to have kept that news bottled up at least until this afternoon. It would have helped to have time to get an official press release prepared."

"Point taken," Harry responded.

"I'm not rebuking you," Shacklebolt hastened to add. "You told Arthur that you planned to inform the affected parties back at Hogwarts and he didn't object. It was his call, but I would have preferred his asking you to wait. I'd like to have as much information as possible before any of us have to answer pointed questions from the press or Wizengamot. I'm thankful that they're out of town and haven't been able to do more than send a few informal complaints and inquiries my way. We have a good case against Silas and Pansy, but I'm not even sure that Madam Bones thinks she has enough to hold Mrs. Parkinson for more than a day."

"Does it strike you as strange that Thicknesse and Barty, Jr. seem to have had no involvement in this plot, or really in much of anything that has happened since the Battle of Hogwarts?" asked Harry. "It struck me that Rowle was working more as a mercenary than acting under Death Eater orders. I could say the same about the Death Eaters at Beauxbatons. Lucius was involved here and the Death Eaters are after him, unless that's just pretend. The other thing that really surprised Ginny and me was that Mrs. Parkinson would pass not a message, but orders, from herself to her daughter by way of a younger student, in a way that permitted that younger student to boss around her daughter. Pansy seemed committed, but not exactly fully read in on the plot."

"That's a lot of different questions and observations. Let me start by saying that unlike the Minister, I am not at all surprised that Thicknesse hasn't attacked us yet. His forces got clobbered at Hogwarts. They're depleted, but more importantly they are no longer viewed as being so scary and invincible. We look pretty good right now. It's not just the defeat of Voldemort. Our side won at Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons, and we captured LeDoux, and LeDoux, Bruce, Hyack, and Ruppasta are all dead or exiled to some unknown place, from which they are unlikely to return.

"Meanwhile, you and Arthur have gotten some very impressive bills through the Wizengamot. There is hope among the younger Wizards of starting their own businesses. You stopped the Diagon Alley bombings very quickly. In short, we look competent, we're riding high, and we've got public support. Thicknesse is smart and practical. He knows he can't win now, but he also knows that eventually every administration will make a big mistake or confront a big problem that they can't fix fast enough to satisfy most Wizards. When that happens to us, expect Thicknesse to strike. He is quite capable of playing the long game.

"As for Malfoy, my sources say that most of the remaining Death Eaters wanted revenge on him. Certainly Rowle and Barty. I'm not so sure about Thicknesse. He would recognize Malfoy's value. In taking down Malfoy and the Montaignes, we've separated the opposition from much of the financial resources they needed to oppose us. I think you may be right that some of the Death Eaters have been forced to become mercenaries. Thicknesse has enough resources squirreled away to get by. Barty not as much, but probably still enough. The rest of them were dependent on handouts from the Malfoys. All those little errands that Lucius did for us moved a lot of illicit money off the table. The Death Eaters likely are starving for galleons.

"I've also wondered why Silas seems to outrank Pansy in Mrs. Parkinson's organization. One possible answer is that he also outranks Mrs. Parkinson, although our interviews suggest otherwise. Other possibilities, which I'm sure you've thought of, include Mrs. Parkinson viewing Pansy as stupid or insufficiently committed to the cause, fearing information would leak from Pansy to Draco to you-name-the-person, or that Mrs. Parkinson's boss insisted for whatever reason that Silas was in charge of the operation."

"Why did Lucius kill himself when I asked about Thicknesse?"

"Maybe he had met Thicknesse. Maybe he was afraid of who you'd inquire about next, which would point to an opponent other than the Death Eaters. It's all speculation.

"I agree that Malfoy's involvement in this plot is strange. It doesn't have the smell of Lucius's work and Silas's action with Hermione and the generator shows more initiative than most Death Eater foot soldiers are allowed. We hadn't linked Malfoy with Bruce's crowd, but I suppose he could have formed some new recent alliances, as he tries to reestablish his wealth and power. Both Malfoy parents seem to go crazy where Draco is involved, so it could be that simple."

Callista, Harry's assistant, told us that Barb and Erin had returned. Shacklebolt turned to Bill, saying "If you would send in Barb and take over the babysitting duty…"

A moment later, Barb was summarizing her interview with Erin. "I'm convinced she is an innocent dupe and not as smart as Harry first thought. Silas really did give her about a dozen riffs to regurgitate. At one point yesterday, she says he actually held up three fingers, to tell her to give riff number three. Her understanding of magical engineering is what you would expect from a middling student with a little over a month studying under Professor Henkel, along with some reading before start of term. She's not Hermione. Maybe more than a middling student, simply because her boyfriend told her to focus on this one course. She even let me give her Veritaserum and stuck to the exact same story. She was just helping Silas to position himself for the job of his dreams. She had nothing against Harry. She wasn't more than momentarily a little upset with Ginny and Hermione. She still can't believe that Silas had any bad intent and wants to talk to him right away."

"Okay, send Bill back in, and escort Erin to Silas. I don't want a long meeting. Tell her she has ten minutes."

"Is it alright if we take Erin back to Gringotts to work on the repair team, after she's seen Silas?" Harry asked.

"I don't see why not. We'll know where to find her if we need her. In the meantime, maybe you'll be able to coax some more details out of her."

"I don't mean to sound disloyal," I ventured, "but my brother suggested that Dad might be too gentle to be Minister of Magic. I know you think he was too concerned about making sure that Draco and Erin heard the bad news sympathetically, but I have to ask you that question: is Dad too gentle?"

"I couldn't say so, even if he was. That would be very disloyal and the Director of the Auror Department owes absolute loyalty, unless the Minister is pushing a grossly illegal plan. But no, I can honestly say that your father is exactly what we need as Minister. Your brother has picked up an opposition slogan and you would all be best served not to repeat it. When a new government takes over in as big a switch as from Voldemort to us, it needs to earn the support of the people. To do that it must provide both safety and the change it promised. Harry and I are exactly what Arthur needs to provide the safety.

"The inkling of truth in Ron's comment is that Arthur would have failed by now without Harry and me. But Arthur is the essential man. He's known to be honest and sincere, so he's trusted enough to buy us some time to make things right. He was a student of the Ministry and knows its ins and outs every bit as well as Percy. He knows far more Ministry employees than I ever did and he's been sidelining the incompetent and the venal and elevating the honest, energetic employees who want to work hard and make things better. I was essential to weeding out the Voldemort supporters, but in the end, the awful employees will hurt us just as badly.

"One of the reasons we have so much support is that the average Wizard sees that Harry and Arthur are succeeding in making things better. I'm not as far from the positions of Arthur, McGonagall, and Harry as you think. I am fully aware that we ultimately succeed or fail based on whether or not the majority of Wizards see their lives improving and their children with a better future. I realize that we can't succeed against a huge pile of enemies and ill-wishers. Every Draco, Narcissa, or Cissy that we convert to our cause is a great plus. In some important circles, they carry more weight in selling our ideas than we do.

"Where Arthur and I differ is that I know that if we don't establish a sense of safety, then nothing else matters. I'm just a little more risk averse than the rest of you, until I think order has been fully restored. I'm very pleased with the way things are going, but I'll feel far better with Thicknesse and young Barty in hand."

"Dumbledore left a final note for all of us, as you know," I commented. "He told Harry that if we failed to kill Voldemort, but survived the fight, that we should flee to America and await a better time to resume the fight. Do you think that is what Thicknesse has done?"

"I'd guess America, Eire, or Australia. I think we'd have at least some sightings of him if he were still in Britain. We know he chased Hermione's parents to Australia, so he could be there. He will want to regroup and steal a lot of money from the Muggles to support his cause. I think the number of British Wizards with the stomach for another Voldemort war is very small, but he'll find naïve communities of other Wizards in other lands. That's what I would do, if I were him. We will have to search those areas for him, and I have some spies working on that, but for now we have to keep our efforts focused on Britain and Eire. On the latter, your circle really should follow through on your plans to find Weasley Castle and scout out Eire. The Ministry is nominally in charge of Eire and nearly five thousand Wizards live there, but we really don't have that much influence. I'm sure you've noticed that there aren't a lot of kids at Hogwarts who come from Eire. I think Cotto can help you a lot in your explorations. He spent a good deal of time there and I know there are close to a hundred Elves still living there."

We were interrupted by the return of Barb. "There is a very tearful Erin in your reception room," she told us. "We were a little late getting back in order to give Erin time to try to compose herself. I didn't let the meeting go longer than you asked; in fact it was over in about five minutes. Apparently she asked Silas to confirm that their farce of yesterday wasn't just a trick to lure Harry to a remote spot, where he could be attacked, that it really was about finding Silas a job. Apparently Silas said first things first, that he had a message that she must memorize and take to his parents.

"He said memorization always worked better than thinking with her, so they had best spend all their time making sure she got it straight. He repeated to her three times, making her repeat back the same words: 'mission failed, announcement in place, package still where Tom taught me to apparate, the banker taught me to stay quiet'. After the third time, Erin grew frustrated and pushed him for answers. He replied: 'I'd never want to work for the Ministry with Arthur Weasley in charge. He accepts our subservience to the Muggles'. She said she couldn't believe he had actually tried to murder Hermione. He apparently replied: 'I wanted to knock away some of the superiority of that arrogant Mudblood. I knew you were stupid, but I just didn't realize just how stupid you really are. It was so easy to convince you to play your role in my plot and to string you along. It's best if you let me do the thinking for both of us. We can still have a future together, but for now the best thing you can do is take that message to my parents.' Erin says she needs to talk to Harry."

"Fine, I'll leave her to Harry and Ginny," agreed Shacklebolt. "I need to get Madam Bones to figure out how we can prevent Silas from speaking to anyone else before I find out where Tom taught him to apparate and what the package is. I have a bad feeling that the 'announcement' may be another bomb. I'll organize another search and I'm going to try to get Madam Bones' permission to use Veritaserum on Silas. This seems a valid case of imminent threat. Perhaps Harry can coax some information from Erin. Don't rush off to your repairs. I want Erin here, in case I need her to testify to Madam Bones."

Shacklebolt got up and left. Harry invited Erin to join us in his office. As soon as Harry closed the door, Erin threw herself against him, sobbing into his shoulder. "I fear that Silas never loved me. He just thought I was a silly, stupid girl that he could use for his plots. I feel so foolish. What am I going to do?"

I wasn't happy leaving Miss Jiggly Boobs hanging all over my husband, but I had just had a nasty thought and went racing after Shacklebolt. "Go stay with Harry", I shouted at Callista as I raced past her, charging after Shacklebolt so swiftly, and I guess noticeably, that he swung around with his wand pointing towards me as I neared him. I dove head first to the side, to avoid either running over him or getting myself killed. I could tell that I had hit the granite hard and was going to be feeling it for days.

"What is it, Ginny? I could easily have killed you!"

I took a few seconds to draw enough breath to be able to semi-speak and then said, "Silas is going to kill himself, like Lucius did." I had spoken in such a debilitated fashion that Shacklebolt paused for a few seconds, not comprehending, until I repeated "Silas is going to kill himself…"

Shacklebolt was off like a shot, not even lingering to help me up from the floor. For a young athlete, standing was surprisingly slow and painful. I had to roll, get up on hands and knees, then brace against the wall and push up with my hands to get upright. I walked slowly back to Harry's office, noticing from the wetness on my mouth that my nose was bleeding. Harry looked shocked as he saw me, releasing Erin to steer me into a chair. He sent his assistant to summon a healer and used his robes to wipe my face, kissing the top of my head. Seeing my bloody face seemed to be the impetus Erin needed to finish pulling herself together. She sat down in a guest chair, wiping her face with her tee. She was at least wearing her bra today.

Harry asked what had happened to me. I told him that I had realized that Silas was telling Erin that he was going to kill himself, as Lucius had. As I paused for a breath, my nose still not working terribly well, Harry responded "and that realization destroyed your nose?"

I had finished the story by the time the healer arrived. There appeared to be barely enough integrity of the magic for him to do his work. Harry slipped his Keeper ring onto the healer's wand and I was soon approaching as good as new. The healer treated cuts and bruises on both knees, an injured elbow, and abrasions on my stomach. Erin wasn't the only student with an attractive midriff to show off, although mine was the appropriate pearly white hue of the beautiful young Witch. Harry and I thanked the healer and he was about to bid us farewell, when he decided that Erin might also need some attention. My statement that Silas would kill himself had produced further weeping.

Shacklebolt showed up, while the healer was still examining Erin. "I accused you of recklessly sprinting after me, but the fact is you were less than a minute slow. I just barely failed to prevent Silas from killing himself. I'm going to speak to Madam Bones about her overzealous interference with my duties. If she hadn't prevented me from using Veritaserum last night, we'd know a lot more from Silas."

We left a grumbling Shacklebolt to make our way back to the Gringotts Cavern, where another day of hard work awaited us. As I stowed the bags with some spare clothes, water, and lunch in the corner of the room and was shoving them further against the wall, while turning to hear what Harry was saying, I felt something furred attacking my arm. The first thought of my idling mind was 'rat!' and I lashed out with my arm, hurling the creature into the air. I turned to see a very indignant Cruikshanks landing awkwardly on three paws. Before I knew it, Hermione was approaching, cooing 'poor Cruikshanks' and picking him up and cuddling him against her chest. Seconds later, Ron appeared at our side, giving a hands wide shoulder shrug.

As Hermione carried Cruikshanks to a bench Ron explained, "She's been in a terrible state since you left us last night. We got to our room and she started weeping inconsolably. I tried to comfort her, but she kept crying.

"She said 'I just had to lie there, paralyzed, waiting to die. I couldn't bear to be electrocuted. I was so helpless. He said such hateful things when he dumped me there. I didn't realize anyone still hated me that much. Awful.' After an hour, I told her I wanted to help her, but couldn't think of what else to say or do. She said she needed to see her mother, so we apparated back to Gryffindor. We were walking through the common room, when she decided she wanted Cruikshanks. The three of us sat on the sofa for an hour, with Cruikshanks on Hermione's lap, my arm around her shoulder, and Hermione just quietly sobbing. Then we went to her parents' apartment, and Hermione talked to her Mom in the bedroom for an hour, while her father made coffee for me and I explained the past days.

"Hermione seemed a little better, when she came out of the bedroom, so we went to your office and tried to sleep on the couch. I was cuddling Hermione on one side and Cruikshanks was on top of her. She did more whimpering than sleeping and I didn't sleep at all.

"In the morning, Hermione said we had a job to do and that I had to apparate back to Gringotts, but that she had to have Cruikshanks with her. She didn't even let us stop for breakfast. I don't think she's eaten since we had lunch together, yesterday."

"That we can fix," I told my brother, grabbing my lunch bag and joining Hermione on the bench. "I'm sorry that I tossed Cruikshanks," I told her as I sat down. "I thought he was a rat and that frightened me." Hermione mumbled that it was alright, so I told her, "I've brought food. You really need to eat something. You're in no condition to be working today."

Between expressions of how bad she felt and how embarrassed she was, Hermione ate everything in my bag. I told her that her reaction was perfectly natural and that she needed to give herself time to recover from her ordeal. With a lot of persuading, she finally agreed that she and Ron should go back to Hogwarts, with Cruikshanks. I gave her the key to our apartment, even though I'm allergic to cat hairs.

Harry and Ron joined us, both patting Hermione on the back and shoulder and telling her she needed to relax and rest, rather than working today. Harry persuaded Bill to accompany Ron and Hermione. Hermione was still clutching Cruikshanks fiercely as Ron led her out of the Cavern. She passed a confused and embarrassed Erin on the way out, yelling 'bitch!' in passing. This produced additional tears from Erin.

Harry called for attention and addressed the group, explaining the reasons for the morning's excitement. The group was shocked to hear that Silas was dead and Hermione had been kidnapped and nearly murdered. He said Pansy had been part of the conspiracy and was in jail. This caused a lot of murmuring among the students, but the Goblins took this in stride. Their little ears perked up when Harry mentioned that Silas may have secreted a bomb in the Cavern. Harry concluded by suggesting that this might not be the best day to work and that the students might want to spend the day in Diagon Alley, while the Cavern and reception hall were inspected for bombs.

When Harry finished addressing the group and turned back to us Erin sobbed, 'I had no idea what Silas was planning to do. I was angry at Hermione for like five seconds - I never wanted anything bad to happen to her. I never even told Silas that I had been angry at her. I know I seem selfish being all concerned that this murderer didn't really love me, while your friend was terrified and almost killed. I can't help feeling bad about Silas, even though part of me is starting to hate him. I know you must all hate me."

"You only saw part of Silas and it's natural for you to grieve for the loss of a boyfriend whom you saw as good and loving," I told her. "Knowledge that he had a really bad side and was just using you doesn't change the emotional impact of what you've experienced. You shouldn't feel bad about how you reacted. We don't hate you and I'm sure Hermione doesn't either."

Harry went off to talk to Goblex, returning a minute later with the remaining Wizards. "Goblex is going to lead the search for the bomb", Harry told us. "We'll all come back tomorrow. Professor Henkel is going to supervise the students in Diagon Alley. I think we'll take Erin to that tea house a few doors from your brother's shop."

Cissy joined us and the four of us settled into a table beside the front window of the nearly empty shop. It was mid-morning, but that didn't fully explain the lack of business. Diagon Alley had not fully recovered from the bombings and the Prophet's report of trouble at the Ministry likely spooked potential customers. Harry ordered what the menu described as 'the richest, creamiest, hot chocolate, you've ever tasted' and three chocolate chip cookies. Cissy asked for Earl Grey tea and a buttered raisin scone. I elected a large dark chocolate-topped éclair and the hot chocolate. It looked like Erin didn't plan to order. "You should eat something," I instructed her "It will lift your spirits and energy."

"I didn't bring any money," she whispered to me.

"I did," Harry replied. "It's my treat."

Erin decided on the hot chocolate and a single chocolate chip cookie. As we settled back to wait for our snacks to arrive, Erin said earnestly, "please apologize to Hermione for me. I am truly sorry that I had anything at all to do with Silas hurting her. I would have warned you if I had any clue at all that he was planning anything nasty."

"I know you would have," Harry assured her. "I told you yesterday that we put Veritaserum in your milk. I apologize for doing that. It could certainly be viewed as an invasion of your privacy and possibly even illegal. My excuse is that it seemed both necessary to foil whatever you and Silas were plotting as well as the only way to prove your innocence in the plot. You are probably already aware of our questioning, if you think back closely to yesterday. We thought your request to meet Fenton in the Entry Hall, after the building had closed down, was very strange. Our protection aurors felt Silas was suspicious, especially when we found out that he was the brother of the auror who tried to murder Minister Shacklebolt. They did some checking and found that Silas was your boyfriend. That's why we slipped the Veritaserum into your milk, while you were working yesterday. You told us the whole story from your point of view. Do you remember telling us?"

"Not really. I remember rambling on as I ate and talked about myself. I remember feeling all fluttery and excited, but I don't have a clear memory of most of what I said. It's good that you know I didn't mean to harm any of you, but that really was a dirty and probably illegal trick you played on me. I forgive you. I don't know how I got myself involved in such a crazy plan. I knew it was a very strange way for Silas to get to talk to you, but he was so insistent, and I didn't want to disappoint him or make him angry with me. I also really just wanted him to have a good job, so that he could support me and the baby. I'm two months pregnant – you can't let McGonagall know who the father is. That has to be our secret. I'd like to at least stay in school until Christmas break. I know that I'll be huge by the time I'm supposed to graduate. I'm really not as stupid as Silas said I was. I do have two O.W.L.s to my credit. I just don't think quickly on my feet and I'm too trusting of people I care about, like Silas.

"I get flustered when I try to think around Silas – he picks on every little error and that just causes more errors. I'm going to need to be able to get a good job and I thought magical engineering was the answer. I just don't know what to do. I'm going to have to tell my parents over break. Do you think there's any way that I can graduate? It's going to be very bad if I don't. I don't see my father being supportive. He met Silas once and told me afterward 'that boy is a bum. He thinks he's very smart, but he has the smell of something that's not right. I don't want you to see him again.' That was six months ago. I promised Dad that I'd break up with Silas and never see him again, but I just couldn't. Now how do I tell Dad that I've seen Silas again, that Silas is an attempted murderer who killed himself, and that I got pregnant four months after I supposedly broke up forever. Mom will try to help, but Dad is stubborn. He'll say that I'm going to have to get married, but to whom? He'll probably pick a Wizard thirty years older than me."

"I can understand how your problems would make you more dependent on Silas, and he took advantage of that, persuading you to participate in his plot," Harry reasoned.

"Yes, except it didn't seem so much wrong as merely a harmless prank that was really on the stupid side. I didn't think he was going to do anything illegal."

"I think I told you that Pansy Parkinson and Draco's father were his accomplices," Harry continued. "Did you see him with either of them often?"

Our treats arrived and Erin had a spoonful of the hot chocolate and a nibble of cookie, before answering "I saw him talking to Pansy a few times, but that was as they were leaving a class they had together. I only saw Mr. Malfoy the night he came to Hogwarts this term. I know he never spoke to Silas. Pansy and Silas did speak a couple times during the project at the circle, but there isn't anything suspicious about that. We all talked to each other."

Discussion paused, while we each consumed some of our snack. The menu had been correct: the hot chocolate was made with cream added to the milk and it was very, very rich and not too sweet. I like my chocolate bittersweet and this filled the bill. The eclair was also very nice. I was daintily wiping my mouth with the fancy cloth napkin, when I realized Harry was asking Erin another question "… practice apparating."

"It was near their house. In a quarry, I think. He lived in Kent, not far from Sissinghurst. He said it wasn't fair that good people, like his family, lived in what he called 'basically a shack', while some non-magical Muggles got to live at Sissinghurst. He thought Sissinghurst was the best place in the world to live. He even said that I would think him silly, but that he and I would one day live there. I probably should have noticed at the time how much he convinced himself to believe impossible things. I thought he was just being silly to amuse me. I certainly should have realized that it was a little nasty how much he disliked those Muggles. I convinced myself that he was just passionate in his beliefs. I didn't agree with his views, but I liked his passion."

{{I'll bet she did!}}

{Don't be snide. I think she's more a victim than anything.}

"I don't want to push you to make a decision," Harry said to Erin, "but I imagine you might prefer to go back to Hogwarts, than to stay here on the project."

"No, I definitely want to stay here. It will help keep my mind off my problems, and I'm happy to postpone explanations in the common room. It also may help me get the job I need."

"Would you excuse me a moment?" Harry asked as he headed off to the gents.

Harry wasn't away long. In the meantime, Cissy had told Erin, "If you need a place to stay, you can stay with me at the Castle. I think we'll all be willing to talk to the Headmaster and try to persuade her that you have to stay to graduate. Maybe you can pop home before we go back to Hogwarts and tell your parents that you're going to spend Christmas as my guest at the Castle."

"That would be great!" Erin exclaimed. "It nicely postpones the talk with my parents and gives me longer to work out a solution."

I saw Harry walking back toward our table {I phoned Shacklebolt to ask him to alert the Prime Minister that there was a small chance of a bomb at Sissinghurst. Shacklebolt said that I should tell him myself, so I did. I also asked Shacklebolt to look for the 'package' at some sort of quarry near the Stowe home in Kent.}

Harry grabbed another cookie and a sip of his hot chocolate, as I waved at George and Luna passing outside the shop. Luna waved back, but they kept walking.

"If Professor McGonagall doesn't let me stay at Hogwarts after the Christmas break, do you think there is some way that I could continue my studies and graduate?" Erin pressed Harry.

"I'm sure we could work something out for at least a few courses," Harry promised. "What are you most interested in?"

"I earned the O.W.L.s in Divination and Herbology. I'd like to try for NEWTs in those. And I want to earn an O.W.L. in Magical Engineering. I joined Professor Celine's art class a couple weeks after the start of term. I heard the other girls talking about how much help it was, not just to develop art ability, but to develop themselves. I joined her after-classes art club and that was such a huge help to me and I enjoyed it so much that I begged her to let me into her formal class. It really was my only escape from feeling controlled by Silas. I loved him, but he didn't like me to think for myself. For a Hufflepuff, he seemed very determined to have a Slytherin wife."

"You have the textbooks and, if the exams can be arranged, we can tutor you in Divination and magical engineering. We could probably persuade Professor Longbottom to help you in Herbology. He is very understanding," I replied. "Perhaps Professor Celine would be willing to continue working with you, after classes."

"I'll talk to Professor Celine for you, and I can help you in Muggle studies," Cissy offered. "I understand more about the Muggles than almost any Wizard, not that I can match Mr. Granger. But you're jumping ahead in seeking solutions. Professor McGonagall may well let you finish at Hogwarts."

"I'm not jumping ahead. When is the last time any of you have seen an obviously pregnant student at Hogwarts?"

None of us could think of an example.

"That's why I'm jumping ahead," she replied, with the hint of a tear showing at the corner of her right eye. "Let's talk about something less depressing," she suggested.

We talked about plans for completing the repairs to the circle. "It's hard to plan," Harry explained "not knowing when we'll get replacement crystals or what their exact size will be. We'll do the silver wiring tomorrow and there's a lot more polishing to do on the quartz cylinder, but unless we get the replacement crystals within the next few days, that will hold up completion."

Finishing our snack, we spent about an hour strolling through George's shop, chatting with Lee, and checking out some new products that Lee was developing. Harry was particularly interested in a little bomb that would render stone floors perilously slippery and a spray that could determine if a particular wand had been used within the past hour. He took a handful of each.

"If you like those, I've got something really novel, which may appeal to you," George added. "I got the idea from the failure of magic. It's just the thing to sabotage a rival in class or before the NEWTs. Here, take this demonstration wand and try to levitate me."

Harry easily levitated Lee five feet off the ground and slowly put him back down. "Now give that wand back to me. I spray it with 'Weasley's Failure Spray', give it about a minute to dry, and then it's ready for you to test."

Harry tried to levitate George, but he wouldn't budge. "That's really neat," Harry congratulated Lee. Can I take a sample of that?"

"It's yours," Lee replied, handing the little spray can to Harry.

Harry checked his watch and said that it was time to return to the Ministry. "I want to be there after Draco visits Pansy, both to buck him up if he's feeling gloomy and to find out if he learned anything of value to us. I really don't know what is to be done with Pansy or what is to become of Draco, without her. I doubt he realizes what a low opinion of him she currently holds."

We made it back to the Ministry a little after noon. Harry wanted to stop by his office and then check with Shacklebolt to see if Draco had visited Pansy. Draco was waiting for us in Harry's reception room. "If you'll excuse us," Harry said to Erin, Cissy, and me as he motioned to Draco to join him in his office. We sat in the waiting chairs, although I was not to be denied a quick report on Draco's visit. I said a few words to prime a conversation between Erin and Cissy and then focused on tunneling into Harry's mind, through the wall of his office. Although Harry always claimed to be a dud at Occlumancy, I usually couldn't just tune into him, unless he wanted me to. I assumed that he wanted me to, since I was picking up the conversation.

"How was your meeting with Pansy?"

"Mixed, but not good. I think she told me the truth and she apologized and said I had every right to hate her. I told her that I couldn't decide whether I was more upset by her going off to London to engage in a criminal plot against my friends or sleeping with my father."

"She said she was sorry, but that she had not found me to be as strong a Wizard as she had hoped for. She said she expected a defender of the way of life that she was raised to expect, and she wanted a husband who could provide a certain lifestyle. She said that with my father unlikely to give me a Knut or to let me into the family business, I seemed to have a very ordinary future."

"I said that sounded like she had been sleeping with my father more recently than I thought."

"She said that they had gotten together for the first time since his last visit to Hogwarts on the first day that Pansy was in London to work on your cavern repairs. You probably guessed that she had no interest in the work. She was in town for the plot and to meet my father. She said my father had asked her to leave me and go hide in the Muggle world with him. He promised adventure and a very pampered life. She said she turned him down, but that it hardly mattered, now that he was dead. She said she'd stay with me, as my wife."

"I said that hardly mattered as she would certainly be going off to Azkaban for a considerable time and that I had no interest in a wife who slept with my father and plotted against my friends. We did not part amicably. I believe that a spouse being convicted of a crime and sent off to Azkaban is grounds for immediate divorce."

"I'll check, but I believe you're right."

"I asked her why she would throw away a promising life for such a stupid plot.

"She said her mother asked her to do it, and that I, more than anyone, should understand the desire to follow a mother's request. She said her mother's life was not the same without her house Elves and she didn't see how she could live a life she would be comfortable with, without an Elf. She said when she announced that she never intended to have a job, that this most certainly included cooking, cleaning a house, and running after little brats, wiping snot off their noses. She said her life was meant to be managing the Elves and socializing with the other aristocratic Witches.

"I told her that I certainly would have hired Elves to do her household chores. I also said that the life she was describing had vanished. All the interesting young Witches planned on having jobs and wouldn't be around for her to chat with during the day."

"She said it wouldn't be at all the same to have Elves that you didn't own. You could not trust them as a member of the family. She then said that if I thought young Witches with jobs were so interesting, that I should have married Cho or Hermione. She said that proper Slytherin girls would not have jobs.

"You know, within a few years I think they will. Even Mother wants to get out and accomplish something. Well, speaking of which, I'm off to Hogwarts to deal with Mother. From there… I'll let you know. Tough that the only marriage you've officiated turned into such a bust. I'll think about Pansy, but it seems over. Can't have a wife you can't trust. I'd have a spy in my own house. Even without the stuff with my father and participation in this plot, I'm not sure I want a wife who is determined to be as useless as Pansy appears determined to be. I'm not really sure what I was thinking. You know, Pansy even ended with a little dig that if I hadn't been quite so concerned with pleasing my mother, that perhaps my Dad would have held no appeal for her. She said she couldn't imagine Lucius being so concerned with and tied to his mother. I told her that my mother needed my help and that I couldn't imagine my father understanding that or helping anyone without the promise of personal gain flowing back to him. In fact, I told her that apart from greed and hatred that I wasn't at all sure that my father was capable of human emotion.

"She just said that she found him pleasingly capable of lust and passion. It was all I could do not to hit her. I could pretend that I was being noble and wouldn't hit a girl, but you know I hit Ginny. I think I didn't hit her because there were two aurors there, and she wasn't worth the aggravation of all the legal hassles that would result. She said what she really admired about my father was that he always knew what he wanted and was never afraid to simply take it. She said I had gone all sensitive and religious on her, and that she much preferred the old strutting Draco, who had an edge of meanness to his being. I can tell I'm upset when I speak of myself in the third person. This has been an awful day. I don't expect a meeting with mother to improve my mood, but it is not to be postponed."

As that conversation seemed to be at an end, I broke my link with Harry and was startled that Erin and Cissy's conversation had switched to the wonderfulness of Professor Celine. I had realized that Cissy was a true believer in Professor Celine, but had thought that art class would be viewed as a bit impractical by Erin. Still, I was hearing Erin say "… Celine just gives me a whole new outlook on how I can think and what I can become."

Cissy replied "I've always handled my father's accounting and been a better than average student, but even all the things that I learned from the Light Guardian didn't give as much of a sense that I could create a vision of something new and wonderful, using just my mind, and then magically transform it into physical reality. I had no prior experience with oil painting or metal or stone sculpting, but she has guided me to see how I can produce art of great beauty and personal meaning. I admit that the magical engineering skills that the Light Guardian poured into my head gave me a big head start on the technical aspects of working stone, but they didn't give me the ability to imagine what I wanted to work the stone to become. Now I can conceptualize my thoughts and outlook in a beautiful shape that conveys my dreams and inner self in a way that language just cannot.

"I've accomplished this in less than half a term of classes and her after school art club. More important, she makes me feel better about myself. Harry Potter and his friends have certainly helped with my confidence, but I don't think I could have taken the final step without Professor Celine. I spent so much time with my father denigrating the ability of Witches and my brother piling on, and then the whole Slytherin common room reinforced that view. Even the Witches like Pansy, and I assure you she was very much like all of the others, believed they couldn't and shouldn't achieve anything in their lives, except managing house Elves and looking pretty. Professor Celine has a vision of what Witches can accomplish. She has even made a life for herself in the Muggle world. She said she had no choice if she were to escape the power and narrow mindedness of Wizards. She was hesitant when the headmaster asked her to come to Hogwarts, but now believes it is more important to mold young Witches than wood or stone."

"That's one of the reasons I need to stay at Hogwarts as long as I possibly can. I NEED Professor Celine. Without her, I think I'd just sink. Do you think she'd be willing to keep working with me, if I had to leave Hogwarts, but was living at your castle, with Harry and his friends tutoring me? There are just things that they can't give me."

"I just know that Professor Celine would never let a young Witch of your potential just sink. Not if there was any way at all that she could prevent it," Cissy quickly replied.

I liked Professor Celine quite a lot and found her to be an enormously talented Witch who had taken Transfiguration in a wholly unique personal direction. Still, sitting and listening to this level of heroine worship brought me near to gagging. I was happy to see the door to Harry's office open, so that I had a graceful escape from Cissy's enthusiasm.

I told Harry that I needed to stop by Ollivander's to talk to Seamus. He said he needed to meet with Percy and Cotto, but that he would give me Bill to escort me to the shop. I happily accepted the offer and set off upon my mission.

Checking back in with Shacklebolt at the end of the day, we learned that a bomb, of the plastic explosive in a shiny brass object with a clock timer sort, which we had taken to calling 'Muggle bombs', had been discovered at Sissinghurst and disarmed. The Muggles had requested fingerprint samples for comparison, and the Ministry sent those of Silas, Pansy, and Lucius. The Muggle PM reported back that some of the fingerprints on the bomb were Silas's, but that there were others and that they did not match Lucius or Pansy. We were tasked with covertly obtaining Erin's prints. A team of aurors had discovered a small, one-foot cube magical storage cabinet hidden under water in an abandoned chalk quarry near the home of Silas's parents outside Swanscombe. They had no idea how to open the box. Attempts to open it with Silas's wand and with a silver pinkie ring that he wore on his left hand did not meet with success.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight – An Ultimatum Is Received**

We stayed at our temporary room at the Ministry, despite the bad memories associated with it. There was no choice - Harry had lent our Hogwarts apartment to Ron and Hermione. I was very worried about Hermione and anxious to do anything possible to help her and Ron. Still – I craved my own bed. I didn't want to fight for my marriage on this narrow bed in the auror's quarters.

Harry looked as worried as I felt. Our fight of the other morning was long dead. We were now a team, trying to solve the problem of our too-tight mind link during sex. I dreaded the thought that I would see and feel myself through Harry's eyes and body and then have Nagini and Voldemort flooding my mind.

"Remember to just focus upon your own body and your own thoughts," Harry guided me. "I'll use occlumency to shield my thoughts from you. I know we can make this work. We HAVE to make this work."

The odor of panic, which flowed off of Harry's body and mind with that last sentence, was not an aphrodisiac. I found my ardor cooling. Perhaps undressing Harry would perk me up. I quickly scrambled out of my clothes to get onto the important business of undressing Harry. I immediately realized that I should have moved more slowly, putting on more of a show for him. I was too concerned about re-igniting my own passion. I was too concerned with my problem to consider that my problem might give Harry a problem.

What was done was done. I pulled the hem of Harry's tee out of his jeans and pulled the tee up over his head. I rubbed my breasts against his bare chest and hugged him to me. The cold metal of his belt buckle was very uncomfortable against my upper belly and I shrunk back. Not wanting Harry to think I had shrunk away from him, I rubbed my hands across his chest, playing with his chest hair, as I moved behind him to snuggle up against his back and away from that damned metal buckle.

I reached around Harry's body and unfastened the belt. Harry was sort of being cooperative, but the vibes I was getting from him were still worried thoughts, rather than excited ones. I pulled his jeans down over his hips and let them lie at his ankles. Harry wasn't sufficiently cooperative to even step out of them. His tighty whities followed the jeans down to his ankles. I was definitely starting to get excited, but I didn't need our special link to tell that Harry definitely wasn't excited, not even a little bit. I chanced a deliberate link with Harry and found that he had started on the occlumency too soon.

"You don't need to shield your thoughts quite yet," I suggested to Harry. "Focus upon what I'm doing. The time for shielded thoughts will come later."

I certainly hoped we would reach that time, although doubt was creeping into my mind.

"If you can tell I'm shielding my thoughts, I'm not doing a very good job at it, am I?"

"That's not true. I'm able to sense an absence of a link. In truth, I sense you trying fiercely to break the link. You're working too hard at it."

"And it's still not working."

I refused to be defeated. I tried whatever I thought might help get Harry excited. I'd say more, but I've had recent reason to know just how much Harry is opposed to too much sharing, beyond the two of us. After all, I can't know who you'll blab to and how much of what I say will make its way back to Harry. Powerful Wizards can be amazingly sensitive about this sort of thing. I've probably already said too much. I'll just say that I used a lot of my Ardath knowledge – special touches and kisses – things that Ardath had used with success on even the coldest of the ancient brothers.

I finally admitted defeat. Harry just wasn't able to perform today. We had overthought our problem and our fears and the big thing we were trying so hard to avoid simply over-rode our passion. I was sorry that I had attempted such an important task, under less than ideal circumstances. I was scared for us. This failure was caused by our first failure. This failure made our next sexy time less likely to be a success.

It was strange. Since our marriage and apartment, things had been so simple. Sexy times twice or thrice a day with no difficulty at all, despite Harry's aversion to being very adventurous. Harry and I both got excited by each other so easily and so often. We were way too young to be having this particular problem. I needed Harry's permission to talk about it with someone, but I would have to handle that conversation carefully. 

Harry and I did cuddle on my little bed. That was pleasant, and we both slept reasonably well, but found ourselves to be quite stiff on awakening. We raced back to Hogwarts for breakfast first thing in the morning, because we wanted to see how Hermione was doing and to check in with Professor McGonagall. Well, really, I think we both wanted to leave the site of last night's debacle far behind us. There was an unspoken agreement that we would speak no further about it and simply get on with the other important matters before us.

McGonagall was at the staff table when we entered the Great Hall, but Ron and Hermione were not in evidence. Professor McGonagall, Mom, and Narcissa came down from the staff table to join us, sending some first years scurrying to the far end of the Gryffindor table. We were also saving two seats for Ron and Hermione. As Neville joined us, Professor McGonagall suggested moving to the unused Slytherin table. We were moving in that direction as Ron and Hermione entered the Hall. They joined us at the new table, both still looking very tired.

Hermione was showing slight evidence of recent tears. Hermione virtually never used makeup, believing that it only served to make the natural beauty of youth appear contrived and less pleasing. Today she wore makeup, but it failed to fully conceal the evidence of a weepy night.

Seeing Ron and Hermione, the Grangers also left the staff table to join us. The table was beginning to fill up with food as the Grangers seated themselves. The owls arrived, but the papers and messages were ignored as we all focused on our table mates, especially Hermione.

"How are you dear?" Mrs. Granger asked her daughter, even before the mutual greetings were completed.

"I'm feeling a bit better. The kidnapping really terrified me and left me doubting the ability of Ron and me to protect each other. It helps that Harry lent us Barb as a bodyguard. I don't know why this has affected me so much, we've all certainly been in tough scrapes before. I was hurt worse when we were prisoners at the Malfoy mansion, but I wasn't as scared that time. It all happened so fast. You can't imagine how much the 'Cruciatus' hurts, if you haven't experienced it, and while I certainly thought of Neville's parents at the time, thankfully it didn't last that long.

"This was such a long period of not being able to move, while waiting to die. I started strong, but then my spirit just broke after the first hour. I just couldn't convince myself that I foresaw a plausible way it could end, short of my death. I kept hoping I was still in Nancy Drew world, but I had seen too much to still believe in that. I'm also no longer a child. Every time I heard someone walking down the outside corridor, I imagined that this was the person who was coming to accidentally electrocute me. Silas was just vile, and in addition to insulting me all the way from Pansy's room to the shop, he stayed there nearly half an hour, taunting me. I feel good knowing that, had he not engaged in that hateful rant, he could have escaped the Ministry. So, my torment caused his demise.

"I'm at least halfway better. I think we'll stay here at Hogwarts, today, however. I'll do some research on the Wizards of Eire and Castle Weasley. That will be more pleasant than the thoughts which have been filling my head. Ron and I talked a lot last night and that did help."

"I agree it's best you stay here today," her mother agreed. "You need calm, routine, and sleep."

"I'm very sorry that my daughter-in-law was greatly responsible for what happened to you," Narcissa apologized. "I thought she was fitting in and that she and Draco would have a good life together. Draco and I talked for a long time yesterday. He slept on the sofa in my apartment last night. He said he didn't want to face his own apartment, just yet. My dead husband continues to cause problems for my family and the rest of you. I can't believe he continued his involvement with Pansy. She made fools of so many of us. I detected no sign that she was so thoroughly infected by the Voldemort and Bruce diseases."

Draco entered the Hall and Harry motioned him to join us.

"I wanted to join you for breakfast, because I also want to apologize," Professor McGonagall said. "I keep being confronted by how much risk I was exposing you to by leaning on you to participate in my project to reclaim Draco, Lucius, and Pansy. I dismissed your objections as petty rebelliousness, but you were right and I was wrong. I can't tell you how awful I felt last night, thinking back on my reaction after foisting Lucius upon Ginny, overreacting to her comments to him, and then just losing my head after Draco attacked Harry and Ginny. Mrs. Granger had already convinced me that I was under more stress than I thought and still not thinking clearly after the Battle of Hogwarts, but it took last night's self-examination to realize just how badly I've behaved toward your group - especially toward Ginny. I still don't fully understand why I react to her the way I do. I even think I decided the first Quidditch appeal to spite her. I stand by the second appeal. Young Master Jones was in the wrong – the whistle had clearly blown and he foolishly ignored an emergency – but seeing how badly he was injured, I couldn't possibly deny him his victory.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt called me last night and we had a very long talk. He says I allowed myself to be overcome by a craving to duplicate Dumbledore's span of authority, and determined after the Battle of Hogwarts to control Harry as Dumbledore had. Kingsley said things were very different today. Dumbledore only had an insurgency to run: today we have a government to run, and the whole community of magical creatures to deal with. He said even Dumbledore couldn't have been the key influence on the Ministry of Magic while running Hogwarts. He had tried that and failed, so why should I think I could succeed?

"He said that I had been unreasonably resenting him, because he controlled the aurors, and resenting Ginny, because I thought Ginny prevented me from controlling Harry. He said I had a very important job at a very important time in remaking Hogwarts and that a sensible person would be content with that challenge. If I happily limited myself to that, Kingsley said I would get along with the rest of you better and would be a huge asset to the new administration.

"He told me that he agreed with Harry that I have been discriminating against Ginny. He said I would never get along with your circle, and that you wouldn't stay at Hogwarts, unless that stopped… I know, I know, I've been told this before. It apparently is a difficult lesson for me to fully accept. He said that Ginny has always been a very intelligent and brave Witch who has done more than her share in the fighting, but that I only saw her as a student trying to be a free rider, first as the girlfriend of the famous Harry Potter, then as the daughter of the Minister and girlfriend of the Deputy Minister. He said I had to recognize that you were an adult married Witch, the Mother of the Future, the wife of the Deputy Minister, and a Keeper and that all of that entitled you to a large measure of respect. He said it was not favoritism to show that proper respect. It really hit me how biased I have been when I commented that Ginny wasn't actually a full Keeper like Harry and Cissy.

"Kingsley challenged me, demanding to know why I considered you a lesser Keeper. I replied that you hadn't been formally named as Keeper and sort of followed on Harry's coat tails. Kingsley said he would first tell me the truth and then wait on the line while I confirmed with Trew that what he said was correct. He said 'Ginny did not slink into the Keeper role. She was the principal subject of two of the major valid prophecies of our generation and was also the only Keeper in at least a millennium who had been personally selected by the Light Guardian. He said Harry and Cissy's appointment by Lord Montaigne was accepted by the Light Guardian, but that the Guardian chose Ginny, itself'. He told me that he and Arthur hadn't realized what a huge deal a Mother of the Future is, until Cotto, King Goblanze, and Bane explained the facts. In the days before Hogwarts and the Ministry, all Witches and Wizards would automatically assume that if a Mother lived amongst them, that she was their leader. All the other magical creatures had always revered the Mother as the Light Guardian's truest representative. Trew said that all of this was absolutely true and that as the daughter of a Priestess of the Light Guardian she could confirm that Ginny was now a Light Guardian Priestess and would be accepted as the leader of the Light Guardian religion. I realized that they were correct.

"I want you to know that I agreed with everything that Kingsley said and I'm going to live up to the challenge that he set for me. Saving and rebuilding Hogwarts is the most important thing in the world to me, and maintaining my old friendships is the second most important. Kingsley also told me that I was very wrong about Lucius and that it was plain from the start that I was wrong. I accept that. I wanted too much to be able to reform Lucius. Finally, he reminded me that I seem to have problems with powerful young Witches who won't let me control them and that I have to guard against the same difficulties with Cissy and Margaret.

"I want you all to stay at Hogwarts for the remainder of the year, and I am determined to make it easier for you to do that. I don't delude myself that I'm the headmaster you'll look back upon with nostalgia. You've seen Dumbledore at his best and me at my worst. I'll have to make my mark on the next group of students, perhaps even upon your children. I have learned from this experience and I expect to be here a good long while."

What McGonagall had said got me thinking. If I was now considered the leader of the Light Guardian religion, then I had best quickly organize and integrate my Light Guardian knowledge and decide what I was going to do about it. Ardath could teach me about more things than sex. I must turn that page. I must also consult the other priestesses, who were buried in my head. I made a personal vow to sit down with Professor Trelawney very soon. Another meeting with Mafalda and Victoria was also in order.

We all accepted McGonagall's apologies and said we would try to stay, but demands on our time were multiplying out of control. Harry said we needed to visit Eire and complete the repairs to the circles, which might even require a trip to Paris. He also reminded Professor McGonagall that much of what we had hoped to learn during our last Hogwarts year had been loaded into our brains by the Light Guardian. Professor McGonagall agreed with both points, but said she still hoped we would stay for the rest of the year. Harry responded that it was certainly our intention to stay, but that he just wanted to warn her that we might have to miss more classes than we had expected to.

She replied, with some reluctance, that she understood that problem. She suggested that we might be able to make up key lectures that we were forced to miss, as Harry did with Professor Firenze. Harry mumbled that this was certainly an option that was worthy of consideration.

I was taken by the notion that the less traditional Hogwarts would be of most benefit to me. There was much that I could learn from Hermione's parents and from Professor Celine. I needed to know the old knowledge neethat Professors Trelawney and Firenze possessed, more than I needed to hear their version of the standard curriculum. I didn't need to attend their lectures, I didn't need to attend their lectures, I needed to sit down with them and pick their brains, preferably with the assistance of Harry and our friends. I knew the history that McGonagall was teaching us. I knew it in at least as much detail as she did. I needed to know what she had learned from living through the early Voldemort years. My parents had shielded me from this and recent history was apparently regarded as too controversial to be taught at Hogwarts.

I explained all of this to Professor McGonagall and was amazed that she agreed with me and that she promised to find a way to make it happen.

"Of course, having fought Voldemort and his Death Eaters, your group wants to know about Voldemort the student and the birth of the Death Eaters. You want to know why your parents joined the Order and what they did. You feel that you've suffered and fought at the head of the army, but that basic secrets and even everyday facts that my generation takes for granted, have been hidden from you. I agree that you must know these things. I promise you, as I promised Harry after the Battle of Hogwarts, if you stay at Hogwarts, you will learn all of this. I admit that I have been overly slow in delivering on that promise to Harry. I have been stupid and selfish. Albus told me that to understand Voldemort, one had to learn as much as possible about Tom Riddle. If you are to defeat Barty and Thicknesse, you must understand all about them, from the days when they were children. It is only fair. They have studied your childhoods."

Since we seemed to have caught her in an unusually introspective and obliging mood, Harry broached the subject of Erin. Professor McGonagall said she would like to help, and Erin could certainly stay at least until the Christmas break, but that she feared now was not the time to change another rigid Hogwarts tradition. A very pregnant student would cause problems with the parents, not to mention setting an entirely wrong example for the other students. She was willing to cooperate in the plan for Erin to get private tutoring and would certainly arrange for her to take her OWL and NEWT exams. She tried to wheedle the identity of the father from us with questions like "surely the baby's father can help Erin."

Harry just gave an 'I don't know' hand motion in response.

This caused McGonagall to concede "I realize you are sworn to secrecy. I also realize this is a terrible time for Erin and I don't want to see her life destroyed. I understand she is still part of the student group helping with repairs to the Gringotts Circle."

"Yes," Harry replied. "She felt that the work would occupy her mind and that her future might lie in magical engineering. I spoke to Professor Henkel and he agreed to work closely with her. We all learned a lot of skills from the Light Guardian and would be willing to tutor her."

"That is acceptable to me. I must say that while Erin was just about average as a student, her behavior in this instance strikes me as shockingly immature. She is quite possibly the silliest child I've encountered this term – to be led on like that by Silas. That story about a secret job interview was, I would have thought, impossible to accept as true, by anyone with half a functioning brain."

"I think she was just very lonely and desperate," Harry replied. "I don't think she looked forward to going home to live with her parents and being set up in an arranged marriage after she graduated. Silas was wily and seems to have had a nose for weaknesses that he could exploit."

"You may be correct, and I'll do what I can to help the child. This and Draco's problem with Pansy just reinforces my feeling that the school needs to restrict inappropriately intense relationships between students. Allowing married students was certainly a mistake."

"You married us, yourself," Harry told her, with more than a hint of indignation in his voice.

"Yes I did, but in truth I did not expect you to live out that day and felt that the marriage was the best approach, given the unique circumstances. As it is, I'm not at all sure that your marriage sets a good example for the other students."

"You also went above and beyond the call of being reasonably supportive of Narcissa and Draco in throwing Pansy and Draco together and ignoring their behavior," Harry continued.

"I realize that has been your complaint from the start and, seeing how that turned out, I now realize just how right you were. I need to go back to my Victorian ways. Don't tell me I've upset you again?"

"Well, yes actually", Harry replied. "If you think Ginny and I are a bad example for our fellow students, we'll be gone tomorrow."

"You know that's not what I meant. I was just expressing some frustration. I don't want you to leave. I just would have preferred that you hadn't married."

"Unless, of course, I had died."

"Now you're just trying to build up your own anger. I'm not going to stay here and help you do that."

With that, Professor McGonagall headed back to the staff table, gently shaking her head in what I interpreted as disbelief in the direction the discussion had suddenly taken.

"What was that about?" Draco asked the table at large. "Did I just come in on an apology turning into an attack on us for getting married?'

"Sometimes the headmaster just seems incapable of getting out of her own way," his mother told him. "I don't know how she just flipped from apology to insult. I think it's the stress and the realization that she will soon have a very pregnant Erin to contend with. I really don't think she meant to offend Harry. Sometimes the attitude just slips out. It appears that she certainly regrets her efforts to get you and Pansy together."

"Well, I regret them as well, although in all honesty it was a pretty good summer. It just didn't end well. I'm not sure it would have ended any better had we not gotten married. The problems began when she let father back into the school and gave him free rein."

"I think if you're honest with yourself, you'll realize that the problems started long before that. You matured and Pansy didn't. She is still the daughter that her mother raised her to be, while I tried to guide you to want more than the prototypical Slytherin wife. I was wrong in thinking Pansy was capable of becoming that."

"I hope you'll ignore some of what the headmaster said," Professor Trelawney said. "The news on Erin knocked her off her stride and changed what she had planned to say which, as you know, was completely conciliatory. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go speak to the headmaster."

"Before you go," Harry interrupted her, "please tell the Headmaster that I am not angry with her, but merely caught off guard on what seemed an attack upon my marriage. I realize it was a comment born out of frustration and directed at Silas and Pansy, rather than Ginny, Draco, and me. We're all on edge and too quick to take personal offense at over-generalized comments that might apply to us. Please tell her that I understand that she has a difficult job, is under a lot of stress, and that she is sincerely trying to patch things up. I promise that I'll also keep trying. You may tell her that I think part of the reason I react verbally to her comments is that I'm not able to react to similar comments from the Minister.

The rest of us murmured our agreement with Harry's sentiments.

"You can tell her yourself," Professor Trelawney responded. "It would mean more coming directly from you."

"Hopefully soon," Harry cryptically replied. "For now, I think it best if you simply relay our feelings so that she is aware of what we are thinking in our calmer moments. There's just too great a chance that one or the other of us will inadvertently say something that stirs things up. Going from where we were in the recent turmoil to where we all want to be is not going to be an easy or a quick process."

Professor Trelawney said she thought she understood and would relay our thoughts as best she could.

"Before we open our papers, does anyone want to hear the official version of the latest news," Harry asked.

They did and Harry supplied a very detailed summary, concluding with the puzzle of Silas's magical box.

I didn't read much of the day's papers, but the dueling headlines were as interesting as ever. In the Daily Prophet:

**Deaths of Lucius Malfoy and Silas Stowe While In Custody Suspicious **

**A Son Killed, Grieving Parents Arrested **

**No Clamor to Buy Stock in Potter's New Loan Agency **

**Mrs. Parkinson Protests Daughter's Arrest – And Her Own**

Ernie was given most of page two to state his reasonable explanation of the plot, the way in which it was foiled, and the influences that drove Silas and Pansy to act.

In The Quibbler:

**Auror's Foil Plot to Kidnap Deputy Minister and Exchange Him for Renewed Elf Slavery **

**How Did Tom Stowe's Brother Avoid Scrutiny? **

**Dead Grindelwald Terrorist Planted Bomb at Sissinghurst **

**Daughter of Former Deputy Minister Candidate Arrested In Plot. **

**Pansy Confessed Her Crime and Affair with My Father, Says Husband Draco Malfoy**

"Regarding Erin - I'd be willing to help," Draco commented on the subject for the first time. "It's the least I can do, seeing how responsible my wife was for Erin's problems. I may even be able to counsel her a little. I am fully aware how it feels to be betrayed by those you trusted."

"How are you doing this morning?" Harry asked Draco.

"A little better and a lot more determined. I'm through with Pansy. I am now doubly determined to make something special of my life, both because I always wanted to do that, but also to spite Pansy, who pronounced me too average in my prospects to be her husband. The recent events gave me a push to really look at the wedding gift that you gave me. I'm going to focus my energies on unraveling my father's business and financial affairs and seeing if there is enough left for me and my mother to make a new start in life. What you gave me is both a super place to start and a real eye opener about my father's business practices and associates. Once I pick up the pieces, I'm going to run a clean business. Before I start that project though, what I feel the need to do is go back with you to Gringotts and polish that quartz, until both my arms fall off. I'll be back to attend some more classes at Hogwarts. I'm not sure what my mother is going to do."

"I'll be fine," Narcissa said. "I'll stay here at least until Christmas break and continue teaching my arithmancy class. I also have a great deal of sorting of possessions and unraveling of financial affairs to work through. I'm not grieving the loss of Lucius at all. In fact, it's like a weight has been lifted. I've lost the insanity of continually scheming to keep him from leading Draco into harm. I have a lot of my life still to be lived and I intend to make the most of it. I also intend to stop being such a clingy mother. It's not at all healthy for an adult son."

We were about to leave when Professor McGonagall reappeared. "I apologize again and please ignore my last remarks. I realize anyone is likely to be upset when it seems their marriage is being attacked and they are being told they are setting a bad example by being married. That's not what I meant. I just…. I think I'll just leave it at that." She was gone before Harry could voice a response.

We hadn't actually left the breakfast table when Harry's phone rang. Harry very quickly developed a very serious, grim expression. Harry's only response was "I'll stay away for the morning, if you think that will help." He put his phone away and turned to the rest of us.

"I'm afraid George's shop has been bombed again. The bomb went off about fifteen minutes ago. Lee hadn't come down from the apartment yet, and nobody was injured. The windows of the shop were blown in again and the merchandise on the front tables was thrown about and some of it likely broken, but overall damage is much less than last time. The bomb seems to have been deliberately small, so that it did not damage the message, which was left for us. I think I memorized what Shacklebolt said:

'You haven't been as victorious as you think. We can still hit you whenever we choose. Don't expect the next attack to be in Diagon Alley. We can strike anywhere and at any time. This is what we want:

Full amnesty for the supporters of Voldemort

Rehiring of Ministry employees who supported Voldemort

The removal of McGonagall from Hogwarts and the reopening of Slytherin

The death of the Malfoy traitors

The return of Thicknesse as Minister, and

The return of our Elves

Know that this is not negotiable. Since you cannot protect them, the Wizard community will drive you from the Ministry. Only we can provide security. You have been warned. We have killed before and will not hesitate to kill again. You have one week to agree to our demands'.

"Not a trivial list of demands, would you say?"

The most visibly affected by this message was Narcissa. She had gone completely white and was trembling. I could see only one of her hands and it was clenched in a tight fist. Draco, on the other hand, seemed roused to an intensity of anger and alertness.

"If they want war, I'll give them war," was all he said, before stomping away from the table.

"What do you make of this?" Neville asked Harry.

"I think it's false bravado. They've taken some blows and want to show that they're still relevant. It's not a list of demands that they could ever expect to be accepted. Shacklebolt is searching for evidence, but says it was a careful, cautious attack and he doesn't expect to find much. I think Arthur and Shacklebolt are afraid of what I might say to the press, and want me to stay away from the Ministry. Probably the best thing is to continue guiding the repair work on the Gringotts cavern. We can apparate there without ever setting foot in Diagon Alley, so the Minister should be pleased with that."

Before going off to Gringotts, as I thought we immediately would, Harry first alerted Professor McGonagall to the bombing and ultimatum, and then drew Neville, Ron, Hermione, and me aside, suggesting that we first stretch our legs by the lake.

When we were alone, with the omnipresent aurors still close at hand, Harry announced, "I was thinking that rather than patting Hermione on the back and serving her rich cocoa, as we did with Erin, that the way to help her recover from the extreme terror that she has just lived through is to give her a sense that she is more in control of her own safety. We can all be safer if we take advantage of the magical engineering skills and additional spells that the Light Guardian taught us. We just need to incorporate them into our instinctual responses. I've thought of a few things that would help Hermione, and the rest of us, as well. I don't want to spread the knowledge around, at least for now.

"I've been thinking about how Hermione could have protected herself when she was paralyzed and hooked up to the generator. Sorry, Hermione …" Harry was quick to add as that last statement caused an involuntary shudder. "Two things we can work on. First, I had a thought how we could all wear port keys, like the belts that Professor McGonagall gave us. But, instead of going off at a specific time, we could trigger them at any time of our choosing, using a silent, wandless spell. We've all gotten fairly good at silent spells. The port keys could only take us to a specific spot, but we could choose a very safe spot, like the Sacred Chamber or the Burrow, or the top of the landing outside Gryffindor. This would not be that difficult to build and it would have saved Hermione.

"The second thing I thought of was that while running through the new spells in my mind, I found a set of healing spells, including some to treat curses. I haven't figured out exactly what is needed yet, but we should be able to work out a silent wandless spell that can reverse a 'petrificus totalis' spell applied to us or anyone else. We have an awful lot of knowledge. We just need to take some time to explore and organize it and make it part of our everyday tools. There is also a 'shield' spell that can be used to protect one's own mind from curses. We should make this one an automatic response against personal attack. It appears to block just about any spell. Those three things are a place to start. I thought Ron and Hermione might research some others."

"I'll work on that," Hermione promised. "You're right, Harry, what I need most is a sense that I'm back in control again. If I feel Ron and I can protect ourselves, I think my fear will pass."

"Good," Harry replied. "While Ginny and I are supervising the repairs at Gringotts, we'll work on the port keys."

We made a lot of progress on the repairs that day and chose our destinations for the port keys. Harry came back from lunch at the Ministry with a dozen leather belts, with big silver buckles. Two small quartz crystals had been sewn onto the sides of each belt and Harry had also added a teaspoon of the crushed crystallites that Firenze had used to draw his Yantra. As soon as Harry showed me this, I commented, "So you also recognized that the granules that Seamus found in the Peverell wand was Yantra sand."

Harry revealed a surprised expression, saying "no, I must admit that I hadn't taken it quite that far yet. I chose the sand as an anchor to the top of the pyramid, which is one of the preset destinations. I think you're right about the wand - we'll have to tell Seamus. Also McGonagall … in time."

"I told Seamus the other day and gave him a small quantity of sand to work with. He said he was going to begin experimentation immediately. He said he had already completed most of the parts for a very superior wand, and that with my sand he would soon have a close facsimile of the Peverell wand. He said that I had given him enough sand to make about fifty wands. We're promised free versions of the special new Ollivander wands, whenever we want them. I told him that Ron was likely to be first in line."

"You definitely are a step ahead of me," Harry told me.

"Well, I have to do something useful, while you're busy at the Ministry."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine – Eire**

We were asked to stay at the Ministry, because Harry had an early morning meeting with Dad. If there were a way to rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron, without arousing Dad's curiosity and surfacing my recent problems with Harry, I would have pushed for that. As that didn't seem possible, I simply told Harry "we'll stay in our own little beds. I am not going to attempt sexy times in THIS place. I think one problem is that this is too much Dad's domain. It inhibits both of us. We don't need that. We'll just get a good night's sleep."

I thought Harry would object, but he seemed very relieved. We had a nice snog, sitting on my little bed. It was good for what it was and no pressure, since both of us were certain it wasn't going anywhere. After five minutes of snogging, I stood up, gave Harry a chaste hug and kiss and said good night. It may have been the cowardly approach, but it was surprisingly stress free and I slept very well.

We were up and down to breakfast early, so Harry would be well stoked for his meeting. The papers were available earlier in the day at the Ministry than they were at Hogwarts. I was both looking forward to and dreading the day's headlines. To buoy my spirits, I began with The Quibbler:

**These Cowards Dare to Make Demands? **

**Thicknesse Tied to Diagon Alley Bombings **

**I'm Not Turning To YOU For Safety – We've All Been There And It Stank!**

That last article included a chronological listing of murders, tortures, disappearances, and general acts of terrorism from the date that Voldemort and Thickness took charge of the Ministry to the fall of "that wretched regime" after the Battle of Hogwarts. The story ended with the line "sorry guys, you can't scare your way back into power. You did far more damage when you were running things."

The Daily Prophet, which had less and less reason to continue calling itself a newspaper, sounded the dire alarm:

**WE'RE NOT SAFE**

**DON'T TURN TO WEASLEY FOR PROTECTION**

**BOMBERS LIST THEIR DEMANDS**

**WILL WIZARDS OUST WEASLEY TO PRESERVE PEACE?**

This last article could best be described as a plaintive plea to simply surrender to the bombers and "put these horrors behind us, as we return to a more traditional Wizard way of life."

Harry came back from his meeting with Dad to report that Dad was feeling the strain of the bad press. "It's kind of amazing how fast the glow of success from foiling the latest plot has worn off. Your father is obsessed with catching Thicknesse and Barty. It's as if no other success matters. He is also scared for his family. He asked me twice 'what if George had been in that shop?' and three times 'you are keeping my daughter safe, aren't you?' I'm a little worried about him."

We spent the next two days finishing all that we could on the repairs. Ron and Hermione rejoined us shortly after breakfast on the second day. Hermione seemed in much improved spirits and told us, "I've discovered some wandless protections that will benefit all of us. My mother was a big help when I was feeling bad, but now that I'm doing better, I just had to get away from her and the Headmaster for a while. At a certain point their sympathy switched from lifting me up to keeping me down."

Hermione reward me with a bright smile, when I reported "I spoke to Luna. She said 'of course I didn't tell George or anyone what you and Hermione told me. I'm far more responsible than the two of you think."

Since Hermione was amused by that, I filled her in on the rest of my conversation with Luna. Luna thought that my problems with Harry and the snake could be solved by diverting my mind during sex. She said that Harry and I 'absolutely need to join the thousand foot club. You're naturals. You both love flying. What better way for two Quidditch stars to get it on and properly celebrate their marriage."

Hermione first just mouthed 'Wow!", then commented that after further reflection the suggestion made a lot of sense. Then the cautious Hermione came out.

"Don't do it over the Quidditch field or anywhere at Hogwarts. If one of you fell off the broom, apparation is your best safe escape. You can't apparate inside Hogwarts. Wouldn't it be more exciting to do it over Hogsmeade or London, anyway?"

Well, yes it would.

Harry had been talking to Ron, but now appeared at my elbow, wondering how Hermione was doing and what the two of us were so excited about. We told him that Hermione was much better and that I was considering a special broom flight.

"I'd love to go flying with you. We've spent too much time underground," Harry enthused, having no idea what he had just agreed to.

We all reviewed the progress that the students and Goblins had made in our absence. The progress was substantial. Goblex and Professor Henkel were doing an excellent job. I noticed that Erin was hard at work and seemingly in a very good mood. She was working with Cissy and Draco, with Professor Henkel providing suggestions, as they put the finishing polish onto the repair of the calcite column. Other than sanding the quartz, which nobody could stand to do for more than half an hour a day, broken up into about three stints, there wasn't much remaining work that could be done.

Everyone was completing minor odds and ends as we awaited the replacement gems and several more days of polishing the quartz cylinder. That made for a relaxed atmosphere, in which the students and Goblins appeared to be forming friendships. I know that I was feeling a lot more relaxed around Goblex.

Harry decided to leave the polishing to the others and take up the suggestion that we really needed to travel to Eire now, try to find Castle Weasley, and see if Thicknesse and Barty were hiding out there. Harry suggested, "I think we'll take Cotto as a guide. I've got the magical force detector from Dumbledore, and have borrowed the Flamel device. They should aid our search. We'll start with a briefing at the Ministry, Hermione can review the results of her research, and we can be off before lunch.

Hermione, who had gradually returned to almost her old self, explained that she had found a reference to an underground throne room at Castle Weasley, and that this should be our target. "The castle reportedly was very strongly bewitched and 'shielded by magic, such as no human eye could pick it out, unless its owner be a wanted guest'. If we are carrying the Weasley key, then the castle may show itself to us. As we suspected, the above-ground part of the castle wasn't nearly as impressive as we've come to expect from Durmstrang or Hogwarts. There are narrow, circular stone stairs, designed to be defended by swordsmen and to exclude anything larger than a fair sized Wizard. Godric Gryffindor would have had great difficulty traversing it, but the stairway went down, not up. The castle is a little smaller than Durmstrang, from what I've been able to find, but it is almost entirely below ground."

"That fits with what I've heard from the local Elves," Cotto confirmed. "The above-ground part wasn't much more than a ring fort backed up against a hill. As Hermione says, it was enchanted. They must have had troubles with spotty magic, because there are legends of the castle occasionally appearing, just to vanish again. The local Elves say there were Goblins there after the Weasley's abandoned it, but they gave up about five hundred years ago. I know an Elf who says he knows the location and he's willing to lead us to it."

We stopped in to Dad's office for a final briefing on Ministry affairs before we departed. Percy and Callista joined us. Dad said that the public subscription to Harry's Young Wizard's Loan Agency was falling well short of the planned 10,000 gold galleons. Members of the public had purchased 1,730 galleons worth of shares at 1 galleon per share. The Wizengamot had agreed to buy 500 shares and Gringotts had bought 1,000 shares, leaving nearly 7,000 that we would need to purchase ourselves if interest didn't pick up over the next week.

Shacklebolt reported little progress on investigation of the plot. With all of us safe and the bomb defused, Madam Bones wasn't buying the imminent danger argument for Veritaserum. The searches of the plotters homes' had turned up little more than particularly nasty anti-Mudblood, anti-Muggle, and anti-Goblin tracts. The minor plot member who had been impersonating one of the aurors who were supposed to be impersonating us said he had received his instructions from Mrs. Parkinson, which was at least enough to keep her in jail. Silas's parents were obviously involved in the plotting and the local Grindelwald group, but there wasn't any evidence to warrant even arresting them. They even demanded the return of 'our poor murdered son's storage box'. Madam Bones at least denied that request.

Madam Bones had searched both Narcissa's and Draco's apartments at Hogwarts. Pansy had secreted a supply of Polyjuice in the apartment she shared with Draco and also had a small bottle of Veritaserum, but neither discovery shed any light on her goals. Shacklebolt thought the 'revenge for I don't own my Elf anymore' motive was bunkum, but hadn't discovered a more plausible one. Both Pansy and her mother were promising to tell all and name names, if they were let off very lightly, "perhaps with a fine, and allowed to go about our lives. Locking us away at Azkaban really won't accomplish anything. We've done a lot less than Bruce or Lucius, and look at the sweet deal they got," in the words of Pansy.

"I asked her how well she supposed those light sentences had worked out for us, and whether she really thought she could talk me into repeating the experience," Shacklebolt told us. "I told her that our investigations had advanced quite rapidly, and suggested that she and her mother didn't appear to have anything much to offer. Unless she could convince me otherwise, I told her that sending her and Mrs. Parkinson to Azkaban seemed the best result, since Silas and Lucius had removed themselves from the justice process. A serious plot required serious prison time and, unless she could provide a conviction of someone who would outweigh the two of them, I wasn't interested. I reminded her that her mother greatly elevated her status by running for Deputy Minister."

Shacklebolt worried that we could encounter trouble in Eire and insisted upon providing two additional aurors to ensure our safety. Dad asked where we would stay and I replied that we planned to take the tent and camp out. Dad didn't like that idea. Shacklebolt said that he had a contact in the Wizard community, whom he could strongly vouch for, who would allow us to camp in his yard. That's what we decided to do.

As Shacklebolt transported our party to his friend's backyard, we were all wearing new leather belts, with fancy buckles and side ornamentation of silver, which would serve as port keys to Harry's reception room, the top of the pyramid, or the lawn of Shell Cottage, next to Dobby's grave. Harry and I had worked very hard to complete the seven belts and I was very proud of our work. He had managed to largely finish belts for Barb and Bill, which would take them to the top of the pyramid.

Hermione and Ron had refined the new spell, which they gave the mnemonic 'undo', to reverse a 'petrificus' spell. They had taught it to the rest of us, the prior night. It would be fair to say that our mastery of this nonverbal spell was quite mixed, and that we had tired of being petrified in order to test it. Really, only Hermione, Ron and Harry were able to make it work reliably, but they had been thinking about this spell longer than the rest of us, and Hermione was the most emotionally invested in mastering it. Hermione had also found more information and perfected Harry's spell for warding off curses. We gave this one the mnemonic 'shield' and practiced it enough to become fairly adept with it. This spell had the disadvantage that it only protected the user. However, it had the great advantage that you could install it as a semi-permanent, slowly decaying mental armor that had to be replenished every hour. It really was the only protection from a surprise attack. As such, it did a lot to lessen our unease. Hermione was thrilled to have added it to her standard arsenal.

Harry suggested, or more accurately ordered, us to install this shield and keep it updated regularly, with an extra update before entering a dangerous situation. I was proud that Hermione had consulted me. I had searched and reordered my memories alongside her, and it was our combined effort that resulted in mastering the 'shield'. I finally felt that Hermione and I were doing our assigned part in sharing the ancient mysteries with our companions.

We disapparated onto a well-manicured lawn, perhaps fifty feet by a hundred feet and backing onto a narrow patio of pink and grey pavers that ran the whole length of the single-level home. We were alone in the yard. While Shacklebolt went to rap on the back door of the house, the rest of us shed our packs, including the large pack on Ron's back, which was the tent we would be living in for the next several days. Harry and I wandered to the perimeter of the lawn, noting that the other three sides were edged in six foot wide strips of hostas and a few yellow daylilies in a bed of brown mulch. Beyond were trees. The trees were spaced closely enough, and extended far enough back, that we could not see anything beyond them in any direction. Our tent would not be spotted in the yard but, unless we erected magical barriers, enemies could sneak up on us through the forest.

I turned to see that Shacklebolt was leaving the patio with his friend. We walked back toward them and Shacklebolt introduced us to his friend. The friend was a very elderly Wizard, looking a decade older than the pre-withered-hand Dumbledore. He introduced himself as "Erasmus McLeod, yes, my family originated in Scotland and moved over to Eire at the same time as the Malfoys. More recently, my family's politics have been aligned with the Order of the Phoenix. I've been Dumbledore's eyes and ears in western Eire since we were at Hogwarts together. He was four years ahead of me, but we were still great friends, especially when he was my Prefect. My attending Hogwarts is actually quite unique. You'll find very few Wizards around here have been to Hogwarts. They're mostly home-schooled, although there is a two-year Wizard academy in Dublin. Less than half the Wizard children go to the academy, so it's not as if I missed out on a lot of socializing only attending that school for one term. The locals didn't hold my Hogwarts days against me; I was the Headmaster of the Dublin Wizard Academy for several decades.

"Kingsley says you need a place to stay while you're hunting for Castle Weasley and Thicknesse. You should be safe here. I don't have a lot of nearby neighbors and none of them are magical. Come inside and share some stew, and I'll tell you what I know about this area and its magical residents. Just leave your things in the yard, they'll be perfectly safe. I'll let the dog out and he'll bark if we get any visitors." He opened the door and the border collie, which for some reason he must have felt was suited by the name 'Fang', was sniffing us and racing around our ankles in a manner that made walking into the house somewhat treacherous. Fang was super friendly and seemed so delighted to have visitors. Although he did keep up a constant yipping as he circled us, I doubted he would be much of a guard dog for our possessions.

Both Fang and his master paid great attention to Cotto, as if they had never seen an Elf before. This thought was immediately dispelled as our host commented, "it is a great honor to once again have the Elf King at my table." So, Fang was really just greeting an old friend.

"I'm glad you are so comfortable around Elves," Harry commented to Erasmus, "because we have another traveling companion, who will be arriving a little later. I wanted to see how you reacted to an Elf, before confronting you with a Goblin."

"We don't get many Goblins in this land," Erasmus replied, "but the Goblin King has also taken supper in my cottage. I last saw King Goblanze the day after the Battle of Hogwarts. He wanted to make sure that everything was all right with us Wizards of Eire. I told him we were well able to handle any problems that might arise."

Erasmus led us into the great room of his cottage. The room was dominated by a long, rough-hewn wooden table, with benches on either side. Seeing the direction of my glance, Erasmus commented "yes, that table is way too large for my own use, since the children moved to Dublin and my wife died. It saw a lot of use up until a year ago, when it was the meeting place for the Order of Eire, an offshoot of the Order of the Phoenix, which was led by me. Besides myself, there were four other Wizards, three Witches, and three Elves, apart from my own family. We saw a little action during the Voldemort wars. A group of Death Eaters tried to set up a base in the Burren, but we drove them out. We killed two of them and the rest gave up and left.

"We haven't gotten together for several months, but Dumbledore showed us your trick with the galleons, and we adopted it. I thought I might summon the Order during your visit. It will do them good to know that the fight is continuing. If you think Thicknesse or Barty Crouch might have come to Eire, then we still have work to do. Don't just stand around on ceremony, sit yourselves down."

We sat, and Erasmus levitated large bowls from a corner cabinet, placing them down in front of us with a clatter. They were joined by heavy spoons from a drawer beside the antique sink. I say antique, because it had a hand water pump. There was a large iron pot boiling steadily on a black iron peat stove. This pot was carefully levitated over top of our table, and the large ladle inside the pot dispensed stew into each of our bowls.

I was surprised to see that this tricky enterprise, involving both brute force and great balance and finesse, was accomplished by Erasmus without resort to a wand. Our host seemed able to read my thoughts. "You'll find that wands are not as commonplace in Eire as in Britain. Most of us treat them as training wheels, to be discarded when we leave our teen years. That's why so few Eire Wizards go to Hogwarts. We feel that focus upon the wand sets back the natural development of magical skill. I still have my wand, and I assure you that I carried it during the Voldemort wars, but for household chores, I get along fine without it. When I'm an old man, I'll likely have to use the wand for this sort of thing." I was thinking he already was an old man, and as if again reading my thoughts, he smiled right at me and continued, "I don't consider myself old yet. I'm younger than Dumbledore, although I know you think I look older and perhaps I do. Dumbledore was good for another couple decades, at least, if he hadn't had such a death wish.

"The Wizards of Eire live longer and age slower. I may be weather-beaten but I've led a calm life. Not many Eire Wizards die by the wand. That's been the leading cause of death in England for two decades. That causes stress, which causes more death. I was interested that Harry found a different way to do away with old Frakes. Scare 'em to death. Then I thought the death too convenient for certain parties and suspected the old ways. Wizards didn't always murder with wands. The potion used to be the weapon of choice. You wouldn't want to enter a Wizarding war without a great potioner on your side. A good potioner could kill you in a way that a healer would never detect. Unlike wands, potions don't have a registered owner. These things go in cycles. A hundred years ago, the potioner was king. Before that, it was cursing at a distance. Merlin didn't pick off soldiers one by one with an Avada Kedavra. No, he cursed whole armies – made them unlucky, slow, dim-witted, and ripe for slaughter. It only made sense, in a big battle even a great Wizard can be killed by a stray arrow from a Muggle. Even making yourself invisible won't protect you against that."

"If they were so powerful, why don't we hear of cursing at a distance and murder by potion today," Hermione asked.

"A protective spell was developed to ward off the curse at a distance, so that it was only good against Muggles. I don't remember what that spell was, but then nobody else remembers how to do the cursing at a distance, although I told Dumbledore that I believed Voldemort must know. How else could he keep most Wizards frightened and passive, while he came to power? I'm sure it was the old Merlin trick! Wands were trained to detect deadly potions in your food and drink. It was a battle for the average Wizard to keep his wand up to date on the latest deadly potions. I think in the end, murder by potion was looked down upon as a girly way to kill. Still, I'd bet you a handful of galleons that old Frakes was potioned."

"I was sure I had killed him," Harry sounded very relieved "St. Mungo's said he died of a heart attack. He had problems with his heart for years."

"Heart attack was often the explanation the healers. If the potioner is good enough, they just can't tell, especially if the Wizard has been dead for more than a few hours. They say they can tell an 'Avada Kedavra' but I don't trust them on that either, if the body is more than a couple hours dead."

That happy note having exhausted that particular topic, Ron asked "why did you say that Dumbledore had a death wish?"

"Sad Wizard, weren't he. Clung to childhood as a defense, but he were unhappy. Spent his last years twisted by his hunt for Voldemort. Saw him when he were there and when he weren't. I don't think he could bear to see how Potter's confrontation with Voldemort ended. I think he had doubts about the plan that he didn't share with the rest of your Order. He visited me a few times – the two Orders had to coordinate actions – and on one occasion, his doubts were quite plain to me. Old Dumbledore and I were great friends. I was far enough away that he didn't have to appear more certain than he was or always put on the brave front. He shared his torments about his family and his hopes for your lot.

"I had spent just enough time as a professor and headmaster at our own Wizarding Academy, that the two of us could chat as co-conspirators… yes, being headmaster is something of a conspiracy, shaping the students' thinking in subtle ways and recruiting the most loyal and worthy for the fight ahead. It is said that future headmasters are selected whilst they are still students in their second or third year. That was certainly the case with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and young Neville here."

The stew had cooled sufficiently that the conversation took a pause to allow us to savor it. It was a mutton stew, with tomatoes, onions, carrots, parsley and something else, which I couldn't quite identify. I was starting to get mildly alarmed and gathering my knowledge of Occlumancy after Erasmus looked up from his meal to comment, "it's stout, I like to add a bit of stout to my stews."

Erasmus passed around loaves of freshly baked bread, which he named as 'brown soda'. It was different, but good, and I consumed it with too much butter. The beverage of the day was hearty, unchilled ale. "Some of the younger Brit Wizards like their ale chilled, but I feel it ruins it," Erasmus commented, with a little wink in my direction. I reached for Harry's thigh, beneath the table, but pulled my hand back, expecting that our secret channel would instantly become a party line. I was calmed as Erasmus shifted his comments in a direction not spawned from my own brain.

"We think that the Death Eaters who came to Eire were also looking for Castle Weasley, although we didn't understand why. Although they set up their camp in the Burren, they did not hunt there, but farther to the north. It's clear that they did not find what they sought before we drove them away. Had it been of great import to them, I doubt they would have allowed themselves to be so easily defeated. Voldemort did not suffer failures happily. I suspect that they visited us as something of a lark, to check out an old legend. Unlike the Death Eaters, I'm convinced that Castle Weasley lies within the Burren. Many say Caherconnell stone fort is the Castle, but that the interesting parts are below ground."

"I doubt that it is Caherconnell," Cotto answered him. Castle Weasley likely would appear as a ring fort, but it would have to be backed up against a fairly substantial rock ledge."

"Plus, Caherconnell is a tourist trap," Hermione announced. "It'd be hard to hide a castle from that many tourists for that many years."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Erasmus replied. "How many Muggles walk past the Ministry or Diagon Alley every day? Would you believe Gringotts bank and all its secret tunnels and vaults could be magically hidden inside of London? Hiding Castle Weasley is an easier job than that. The place was extremely magical in its time and a lot of magic must still remain. Still, I agree that Caherconnell is a most unlikely choice. Still, you should visit it. You might find something that everyone else has missed all these years."

"King Goblanze thinks he knows the location," Harry told him.

"And well he might. The Goblins tended to the magical circle for many generations after the castle was abandoned. Either out of respect to the Weasleys, or because the magic prevented them, it is said that they never entered the castle itself after the last Weasley departed. Still, they must be able to find the circle."

"They can't apparate into it," Cotto replied. "That magical protection was added, when the Goblins abandoned the circle. That was perhaps four hundred years ago. I'm not sure a Goblin has returned to the cavern since that time. It will be interesting to see how specific Goblanze's knowledge actually is. He probably has an old Goblin map showing the entrance, but the terrain has certainly changed in four hundred years. I, on the other hand, know a local Elf who promises to lead us to the very spot. I want to get a better lay of the land before popping in on him. With all the revolts in the Goblin and Wizard world, a King must take proper precautions."

Erasmus supplied us with a pudding-like dessert, which was flavored with vanilla and brandy. It was something called Cairgean, which I had not previously tasted, or even heard of. As if again reading my mind, he commented "cairgean is an ancient food made from sea moss. I gathered the moss myself and just finished processing it an hour before you arrived. I make it about once a month and it lasts me a week. This is the most local fare that you've sampled at my table. When you've finished that, we can move on to some of the brandy from which it was made. This is very fine brandy made by an old Witch, who lives twenty miles down the road."

As we sipped our brandy, we peppered Erasmus with questions about the differing practices of the Wizards of Eire. Among various topics, he was asked where they got their wands (the O'Donnell family shop in Dublin's equivalent of Diagon Alley, which was called The Suq), how they were governed (they basically weren't, although there was a barely active council of 5 Wizards and 2 Witches, who were chartered by our Ministry), how they banked (there was a branch of Gringotts in The Suq and it did pay a very little interest on deposits and make very small personal loans), whether there was a prohibition on underage magic (there isn't),whether they had house Elves (only one family owned two house Elves and did not view them as having been freed by our Ministry's actions), how they dealt with criminals (crime wasn't common and normally the Muggle police and courts dealt with it, although a Wizard suspected of planning to reveal Wizard secrets would meet an unfortunate death), how they supported themselves (they farmed, some worked in Muggle factories, offices, or even the University or church – they had more of a Muggle than a Wizard education and blended in more freely than the Wizards of Britain), where they learned Quidditch if they didn't have more than a two-year Wizarding school (they learned the rudiments of Quidditch at the school and then at two Quidditch clubs), whether they wanted closer ties with our Ministry (they most certainly did not), what they thought of the Weasleys (good people who would always be welcome), how they stood on Voldemort and Grindelwald (both were outside philosophies of little interest to the Wizards of Eire, who chose to be left alone), and how the Malfoys happened to leave Eire (they learned they weren't welcome, and little sabotages made their continued presence less than ideal, from the standpoint of both economics and personal safety).

Erasmus's only question to us was: "when are you Brits going to give up your wands and silly robes and make half an effort to fit in, before you become so noticeable that you cause another Witch hunt and get us all killed?" We didn't really have a good answer for that one. As Erasmus reminded us, "the robes were adopted at a time in which they blended into society. If Wizards were setting their community standards today, we would all wear jeans, tees, and backpacks. Even at the time he became headmaster, Dumbledore's 'hide in plain sight' mantra was looking more and more like hiding a paper amongst an ocean of papers in an office, but dying it red first. A better mantra would be that you don't have to conceal your house with magic if you live in a normal-looking house. This house isn't magicked, by the way. It also has electricity, television, and the internet. I keep the great room a little primitive, because many of my guests like it that way, but you'll notice that it does have electric lighting and that I let the electricity toast my bread for me. I' m glad to learn that Hogwarts is now teaching its students about electricity." He was looking straight at me as he spoke of what he had learned. I had the sneaking suspicion that my brain had been the source of his learning.

Before bed, Hermione wanted to do a fly-by of Caherconnell and the surrounding countryside, to see if the Flamel device or the Dumbledore magic detector could spy out any sign of magical engineering in the dark of night. We had all brought our brooms, so we divided into two teams. Harry, Neville, Bill, Barb, and I would approach Caherconnell from the south, while Ron, Hermione, George, Luna, and our new aurors Ellen and Phoebe would fly in from the north. That had us flying parallel paths five miles apart, until we closed on our destination. Cotto initially said he would just pop into Caherconnell, but then decided that since he had some ability to see magical force lines with his naked eyes, that he would come with us and perch on the front of Harry's broom. He looked almost as silly as Mrs. Norris did, when Mr. Filch patrolled the Hogwarts corridors, but of course I didn't tell him that. Or, given how much my mind leaked, perhaps I did tell him that. I didn't want to bother Harry before the flight, but I definitely had to discuss with him whether an especially leaky mind could be a negative side effect of our whisper skill.

It was great to be making another long night flight and the weather was perfect, with only the slightest breeze, clear skies, the barest sliver of a moon, and many stars visible above us. As we were about to kick our brooms off the ground, Bill party pooped and warned us all that this was unfamiliar territory that might be hiding Thicknesse and Barty. One of us, in our party it was Harry, would be surveying the ground through the magic-detecting lens, but the rest of us must have our wands ready and always be prepared to respond to an attack. Bill reminded us that we had radios and that Shacklebolt and the other two extra aurors would be waiting with Erasmus, in case we encountered trouble. Harry reminded us "fly with shield up."

"I probably should have moved Barb to the other flight and taken Ellen with us," Bill confessed as he flew parallel to Harry and me. "Her ability to sense danger could help them a lot." I agreed with him and Harry, who couldn't look up from his ground scan, grunted something that sounded like assent and that I picked up as {[concentrating] I agree with Bill, although I really don't expect any danger. This is really tedious searching the ground, first to the right, then back to the left, and so on, and so on. I think I could spot a major magical engineering project.}

Although I had the definite sense of helping to protect Harry while his attention was focused elsewhere, I basically enjoyed the flight. I couldn't see anything but the headlights of cars as we crossed roads, and the house lights of housing developments. The first warning of an attacker would be the green flare of curses fired up at us. Our flight to Caherconnell was about fifty miles. Flying a little slowly to permit the ground scan made this a flight of two and a half hours. Since Cotto was also watching for lines of magical force from his perch on the leading edge of Harry's broom, Harry and Cotto maintained a running chatter, leaving me out of the loop, unless I chose to eavesdrop. Frankly that was too much effort and I just focused upon flying.

{[excitement] I think I see something, although we're nowhere near to Caherconnell. It is clearly a fairly large spot of rose glow. Cotto also sees it. There's quite strong magical engineering ahead of us.}

I passed the word to Bill that Harry had spotted something and he indicated that we should land a quarter mile short of the target. I communicated this to Harry, who led us lower and in for a landing. We had only been flying an hour and were less than halfway to Caherconnell.

"The target is about a quarter mile straight ahead of us," Harry informed us all. We clustered about him in a tight, outward facing circle. "It was a strong source, not as strong as I saw approaching Hogwarts at night, but very intense and perhaps five hundred feet on a side, roughly square."

"Okay," Bill alerted us, "stifle your enthusisasm that this may be Castle Weasley. Far more likely, we've stumbled on a Death Eater or Grindelwald Gang hideout. Keep your wands handy and assume a defensive position. I'm going to phone the Director to bring some more aurors. We're going to treat this as though we're preparing to do battle with Thicknesse, Barty, and their bodyguards. If there is a problem at any time, apparate back to the tent."

{{Do you think this really is that dangerous?}}

{[excited] I don't know, it was a strong signal. Erasmus knew that we planned to scan the ground as we flew to Caherconnell. I think he would have alerted us to any significant magically-protected sites along our flight path. He suggested that the local Wizards aren't as big on magical camouflage as we are and what I saw was a substantial undertaking.}

Barb arranged us along a highly defensive perimeter, using some trees with thick trunks to shield us from any attackers.

"Don't try to be overly brave, you have aurors to protect you," Cotto chastened us. We apparently had a cross-species reputation for reckless action.

Neville whispered to Harry from the side opposite me, "If this is a Death Eater hideout, we should try to surround it when Shacklebolt arrives. An attack by broom might be just the thing to take them by surprise. There likely are alarm spells not too far ahead of us. Perhaps you should scan for them while we wait."

"Good idea. I don't see anything. Wait! There is a spell anchored across the lane about thirty feet ahead of us. It's certainly a good thing that I didn't land us any closer than I did. I don't see anything else, but I doubt I could see an alarm spell much farther than forty feet away."

"Check behind us," Neville warned. "If there is an alarm spell that close in front of us, we may already have blundered across one."

That caused me to become even more alert than I already was, trying to reach out through the night with extra senses. I didn't detect a thing, but then if I had extra senses in the bag of tricks the Light Guardian had provided to me, I had not yet unpacked them. "Fortunately, I don't see anything behind us," Harry reported. "I think I should call Hermione on the cell phone".

Harry did that and was in the process of apprising Hermione of our discovery, when Shacklebolt and his party arrived. I quickly warned them "alarm spell thirty feet ahead of us, don't let your men spread out too far."

Shacklebolt had brought a dozen aurors and six magical engineers. The engineers were bearing foot and a half long crystals, which looked really heavy, judging by the way they carried them, and spools of silver wire. "Here's the plan." Recognizing the voice, I looked up, realizing that Shacklebolt had assumed command of this operation. "We're going to move closer, surrounding them and using the crystals and wire to set up a magical barrier to prevent them from apparating to safety. We'll have to move slowly, in order to detect and disarm any alarm, or worse, spells. Keep on the lookout for Muggle bombs."

Harry, Neville, and I used our magical engineering skills to disarm the previously identified alarm spell and to search for others. The magical engineers did the same, but as we got closer to our target, concentrated on creating their own magical barrier. We found and disarmed three more alarm spells, an anti-tamper spell, and what seemed to be a truly nasty attack spell, before we were close enough to our target for the engineers to begin installing the crystals. We moved counterclockwise around the target, dismantling two more alarm spells as we went, until Bill motioned us to a halt. "Sentry up ahead! Wait here. We'll flank him and take him from two sides."

The aurors must have used silent curses, because I heard the very soft sound of an arrested body falling and then, a minute later, Bill had returned to motion us forward. We passed an inert body, which was in the process of being cocooned in goop threads, as we continued on our path around the target. It was two hours later when we returned to the starting point of our circuit, having left five groups of two aurors and an engineer at various points around the circle.

"You stay here in defensive posture," Shacklebolt instructed. "Bill, Alan, Mark, and I will lead the attack. I'm leaving Barb here with you. Remember, stay outside the circular barrier. That way, you'll be able to apparate to safety, if the need arises."

The attack party, having borrowed the Flamel device, fairly quickly dismantled the magical protections along about a dozen foot section of the periphery. They moved through the hedgerow and out of sight. A half minute later, Shacklebolt stuck his head back through the hedge, reporting "it's a fairly large house on a big lawn, with thick hedges shielding the whole property. There seems to be just one magical barrier line up against the house. We'll slip past that and infiltrate the house to begin the attack. Once we're secure in a part of the house, I'll signal the other teams to attack."

"Wouldn't it help if we were overhead on our brooms?" Harry asked.

"It might, but it would put you in danger, and we should avoid that."

Shacklebolt disappeared back into the hedge, without awaiting a response from any of us. We were left to wait for events to unfold, a passivity which Barb was clearly under orders to enforce. We sat outside our own circular barrier, backs together and guarding both the hedge and the route by which we had approached it. Our captive was laid out beside us. "It would be nice to have some Veritaserum and question this guy," Harry suggested to Barb.

"That would just make him tell the truth. It wouldn't stop him screaming his head off and warning his pals," Barb responded.

"There is that," Harry conceded as the phone in the pocket of his robes rang very softly. I heard Harry telling Hermione, "Shacklebolt wants us to sit safely outside our magical perimeter and let his aurors handle the attack. We're at almost the exact north point on the perimeter. You should land at our spot, about ten feet beyond the magical ring. Watch moving around, there may be more alarm spells. No… you really shouldn't do that, Shacklebolt doesn't want any of us to be exposed to any more danger than necessary. I'm giving you an order as your Deputy Minister…. Well, then, I'm relaying Shacklebolt's order…. Well at least remember to update your 'shield' spells. She says they're going to patrol the air, just outside our perimeter," Harry informed us, seeming quite surprised at Hermione's decision to ignore Shacklebolt's instructions.

It seemed like a long wait, but Shacklebolt later said it was only ten minutes. Harry's phone rang again, and I heard Shacklebolt report that the ground floor of the house was secure and a sentry on the upstairs balcony had been stupefied. He ordered all of the auror teams to attack. Almost immediately we heard alarms sounding from the house as well as some shouts from the other side of the hedge. A few minutes later, the phone rang again, I could 'hear' through Harry that Hermione was reporting a figure launching on a broom from the second floor balcony. Hermione reported that her team would attack him. Harry told Barb 'the other team may run into trouble, we have to get into the air!" Barb seemed torn between her orders from Shacklebolt and possible danger to Ron and Hermione. She nodded okay and, as Harry yelled 'be careful and renew 'shield', we launched into the air and climbed above the hedge. "We're coming to help," Harry told Hermione over the phone. We saw our friends pursuing a lone broom rider and heading towards us. We were only about twenty feet above the ground, when I spotted a curse from just inside the hedge to our right. It was screaming up toward our friends. {Attacker on the ground to our right!}. "We've got your attacker," Harry assured Hermione.

Use the 'off' curse; I'll use 'protego' around us.

I could tell that Harry had built a very effective protective field around us. We dove together toward the attacker, achieving total surprise. I yelled "off!" and saw a body fall as we all swooped in to land on top of his position. Neville started cocooning our captive as soon as he touched down, while Barb assumed a protective stance. Up ahead of us, we saw the fleeing villain topple from his broom and plunge about fifty feet to the lawn. As our friends approached, I could see one of them slumped over a broom and being supported by a rider on either side. The rider fell as they almost passed directly over our heads. {{Arrest his fall, Harry! Hurry, he's too high!}}

{I've got him.}

Harry, Neville, Barb, and I all focused on our falling ally and his rate of descent slowed markedly.

Whoever the injured party was, a smooth touchdown was achieved. Then we were running to help. I saw that the victim was Luna and quickly booted up my healing skills. I could tell she looked pale and wasn't breathing. I used a resuscitation spell, while Harry gave her a super lip-lock snog, after pounding his fist onto her chest. {I saw this technique demonstrated at a meeting at Dudley's school. I'm breathing air into her lungs, now I'm supposed to squeeze her chest to circulate some blood.} Harry switched from snogging to pressing on Luna's chest, while I visualized her heart and touching it with my mind, urged it to get back to its work. Whether it was Harry's efforts or mine, we met with success and Luna was breathing again.

"We'll have to get her to St. Mungo's," Barb insisted. "Do you think you can apparate to the Ministry from here, if we levitate her outside our magical perimeter?"

Harry replied "of course we can." We began gently to levitate Luna, who seemed conscious but kind of out of it, and to not so gently to levitate our two prisoners back to the point outside our magical circle, where we had stashed our initial prisoner. This took several minutes: we had to blast away a section of hedge to get the bodies through, but our apparating passengers were soon nicely laid out in a row.

"You should go ahead to the Ministry and St. Mungo's, Ellen will go with you. I have to stay to report to Director Shacklebolt," Barb told us. You had better hurry, she still doesn't look all that good."

Seeing Shacklebolt striding toward us and not looking at all happy, I signaled the others to join hands. Shacklebolt had just reached us and opened his mouth to speak as we vanished. I was very surprised to find Percy waiting for us in Harry's reception room – surprised and pleased to realize that he had the self-discipline to stay clear of our standard apparating target. "We need medical help for Luna," George told Percy, before I had even reoriented myself. I saw Percy rise and take two steps toward us and then vanish.

"We should clear the apparating circle," Harry instructed us. We moved the prisoners into Harry's office, leaving Luna just outside the imaginary circle in the middle of the carpet of the reception room. Hermione and I stayed to continue tending to Luna, with George hovering over our shoulders. Luna was trying to talk, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. She showed strong signs of continuing in this life. Meanwhile, Harry and the others made sure all of the prisoners were very secure and under the 'petrificus totalis' spell as well as half a ton of goop. Harry suddenly called out excitedly "the broom guy is starting to change form - he must have been on Polyjuice Potion."

I overcame my temptation to see for myself, and continued ministering to Luna, who was rapidly improving. Hermione and I had our rings on our wands and were attempting to slowly transfer magical energy to Luna. I had convinced myself that this was working, when Percy returned with Dr. White and he shooed us to the side in order to get a good look at his patient. I gave him a quick rat-a-tat summary of what had happened to her and what curative spells Hermione and I had employed. I even mentioned Harry's Muggle-style intervention.

"You all acted very appropriately and certainly saved her life. I'll transport her back to St. Mungo's to continue her care, but I am very confident that she'll pull through."

"I'll come with you," Ellen informed him. "We'll need to send back another doctor for a badly injured prisoner, who fell from his broom during the fight." Dr. White nodded agreement, grabbed both Ellen's and Luna's hands and then they all vanished.

I could now legitimately go see Harry's prisoner and check on his medical condition. Hermione joined me in this effort. It was immediately apparent that a Polyjuice reversal was underway, but the end product was still in doubt. The prisoner was clearly alive, although barely. We worked on fixing some bones, including a rib that had punctured a lung and also flowed some energy into him. I was so intent upon keeping him alive that I was taken by surprise as Harry shouted, "It's Barty Crouch! I'd better phone Shacklebolt."

Harry phoned as Hermione and I worked to keep Barty alive. Doctor White returned with another doctor before Harry finished his call. Harry hung up, welcomed the doctors, and said to the rest of us "Shacklebolt is in the building and on his way here. Barty is not to be moved." Dr. White looked less than happy, but nodded assent to that last comment.

We did not have to wait long for Shacklebolt to arrive in a huff. "I'm happy that we've got Barty," he began, his expression belying his professed happiness. "But, I demand an explanation for why I find you involved in the heat of the search for Death Eaters and a major battle with them. I understand one of your group has been transported to St. Mungo's. I specifically told Harry to keep safely away from that fight."

Harry was looking very defensive as he launched into a detailed description of events, from what started as a harmless night flight to scout out Caherconnell at night, to our decision to be protection at a distance for Hermione and her flight. Harry was nearly finished, when Hermione stepped in. "Harry did instruct me to land my flight, but I could see that the sky around the house was undefended. We would have had to fly all the way around the perimeter to get to Harry's position anyway, with the fight already underway, so I decided it was no more dangerous and possibly much more helpful to loiter on the opposite side of the perimeter from Harry. I know Luna got cursed by an opponent whom we never saw in the dark, and that was awful, but we would have had to fly right over that guy to land next to Harry, anyway."

Shacklebolt seemed so stunned to find that the rule breaker was Hermione that he was initially at a loss for words. He seemed to think a moment, taking in the crowd in Harry's office and visibly changing gears to address Dr. White. "I know you'll want to get Barty back to St. Mungo's as quickly as possible, but I'm going to summon an auror squad to go with you, so you'll have to wait a few minutes." Saying that, he dialed his phone and strolled away from us to converse with his troops.

He returned quickly and approached Hermione, who visibly turtled as she saw he was targeting her. He smiled which given his mood, turned out a little creepy and didn't help Hermione at all. I could just barely make out from the back and forth whispers that, at least for the moment, he was just borrowing some Veritaserum, rather than chewing her out. She passed him the bottle from the inner pocket of her robe and he rather surreptitiously palmed it, strolling around a little, before the hand snuck into his own robes. By then, six aurors arrived and Barty departed under guard with the two doctors.

The crowd was still apparently a little large for his liking. Shacklebolt ordered "the Minister's office, I think – Potter, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. I'm sure George wants to be off to St. Mungo's, and Ellen will go with him. Bill will lead the rest of you off to the Minister's office, while I have a private word with Barb."

We followed Bill out of Harry's office, leaving a guilty-looking Barb behind to face the unhappiness of Shacklebolt. I was at least pleased that in our telling of the tale of our involvement in tonight's fight, that none of us had indicated that Harry received permission from Barb to join the fight. Shacklebolt seemed to have glommed onto that point, however."

Dad was waiting for us in his office, with the door open. "I'm glad you're all alive. You certainly do get into an awful lot of fights, even when you start out to do something peaceful. I'm very pleased that you captured Barty Crouch, by the way. That makes me feel more secure about all of us.

"You've probably noticed that Shacklebolt is upset. I think he is mainly embarrassed that Barty almost flew away from the trap he had set. That's a serious lapse on the part of his aurors or his tactical decision. I think he also expects me to be angry that he didn't do a better job of keeping you safe. Frankly, I'm beginning to think that is impossible. Anyway, I was starved for some good news and Barty's capture certainly qualifies, so all in all I find myself feeling quite upbeat."

"I'm very glad to hear that, Sir," was all that Harry could come up with as a response.

"I'm sorry that I broke the rules," Hermione told Dad. "I should have listened to Harry and simply landed, but after I was nearly electrocuted, I was beating myself up for being overly passive and I was happy to find a battle that I could join. It has made me feel a lot better. I'm really sorry that Luna was injured, however."

"Yes, I was able to reach Mr. Lovegood and he has gone to St. Mungo's to visit his daughter. He wants to interview us in about an hour. Under the circumstances, I felt I had no choice but to agree. I won't hold a formal press conference until tomorrow. I want Madam Bones to be present and Shacklebolt said she'll have a big day tomorrow and we shouldn't bring her back to the Ministry in the middle of the night."

{[intrigued] I'm quite sure he doesn't want Madam Bones hustling down here and interrupting his plans for Barty.}

Shacklebolt and Barb joined us. Shacklebolt looked as though the chance to kick a young auror was every bit as therapeutic as my brother described his prior intimidation of first years to be. Barb, on the other hand, looked mentally slightly the worse for wear.

"I just wanted to discuss how the Deputy Minister and his student associates managed to insert themselves into yet another battle," Shacklebolt commented. "It appears that the Deputy Minister did receive permission from one of my aurors to enter the fray. On the whole, I think Barbara's decision turned out well, although I might wish for closer adherence to my instructions in future. I am surprised that Hermione instigated the rule breaking; there is no evidence that any of the other students or the auror accompanying them realized that she was proceeding contrary to instructions from Harry and me. I can put that down as an over-reaction to her recent trauma, and say that in the end no harm was done, however …"

"However," Dad cut him off "if she had not acted as she did, you certainly would have failed to capture Barty. Your plan of attack appears to have had some major holes in it. Your men missed a sentry, left nobody to guard the perimeter, other than where Harry and his group were positioned, tripped over an alarm spell, and left a wide-open avenue for escape by air. I know you were concerned with stopping our adversaries from apparating to freedom, but you left the perimeter open."

"Yes, I admit that I could have used another squad of aurors. I took as many as I felt were necessary and could be spared. I was expecting more of an element of surprise. One of my auror teams missed an alarm spell and alerted Barty. He escaped before we could secure the second floor of the house. Perhaps it is best if I simply smile and declare a much needed victory."

"Certainly what I plan to do," Dad replied. "We were losing momentum and Barty's capture puts us back on track. We have a press meeting with Mr. Lovegood in an hour, and I'll address the reporters in the morning. I am hoping for excellent coverage and a chance to establish a restored sense of safety and confidence in the government. You should be thinking what you want to say to the press."

"I think I'll save my comments for your morning press conference. If you'll excuse me, I need to interview Barty and see what he knows about Thicknesse's current whereabouts."

"May I ask a question before you leave?" Harry interjected. "I realize you may need some time to think about this, but since we'll be returning to Eire later tomorrow, your best-considered answer is vital. How much do you trust your friend Erasmus? I've been thinking it strange that such a well-defended Death Eater hideout was only a little over twenty miles from Erasmus's house and he knew nothing about it. He struck me as a good guy when we dined with him last night, but I was just surprised that such an obvious locus of strong magical engineering escaped his attention. He said he runs his own Order in Eire, so he apparently has the resources to be on top of this sort of thing."

"I'll think about that. I've certainly never had any reason to distrust Erasmus, and I know that he was held in high esteem by Dumbledore. In truth, I have very few resources in Eire, apart from Erasmus and his network. I have a friend in Dublin, whom I'll casually visit and ask about Death Eater activity and the effectiveness of the Eire Order. My best advice is to be on your guard, but consider Erasmus a likely friend. I really must go." Dad motioned that he should be on his way.

"I kept thinking that Erasmus was reading my mind, during dinner," I blurted out at Shacklebolt's back. This stopped him in his tracks and he turned to reply. "Dumbledore did mention that Erasmus had some skill in that regard. I'll look into that, as well. It's clear that I need some independent resources in Eire."

"I was thinking," Harry said to Dad, "that we shouldn't mention how we spotted Barty's hideaway. The place had so many magical barriers and alarms that it was a very bright dot on the nighttime terrain when viewed through the Flamel device. If we reasonably assume that the last bomb attack on Diagon Alley was carried out by Death Eaters who were hiding a lot closer to London than Barty was, then we might well find them with the Flamel device. I think we should pause our search for Castle Weasley and focus upon some aerial surveys of England and Wales. We could start with London and work outwards. We might have a week or so, before the opposition figures out how we found Barty."

"That's an excellent suggestion," Dad replied. "I want you to get started on it tomorrow night. The only change of plan that I would suggest is that you start in Wales and work your way inward. I'm still intrigued by all the leads we turned up linking Thicknesse to the Cardiff area. Please begin there. This time, if you find anything, Shacklebolt will show up with at least two dozen aurors and every possible exit covered."

"Will do," Harry replied. "One other thing – am I the only one who finds it very odd that Barty was loaded with Polyjuice that late at night and inside his own hideout. That makes no sense. Continuous use of Polyjuice can be debilitating. Barty didn't use it at night when he was impersonating Mad-eye Moody. I think we interrupted him as he was about to set off on some mischief. I only wish I had a better memory of what he looked like, before his features began to change back. I'll ask the others if they recognized whom he was impersonating."

"I take your point."

We rejoined the others before the meeting with Mr. Lovegood, in order to bring them up to date and let them know what was to be kept secret for now. Unfortunately, nobody could give a good description of the person Barty had been impersonating. All said they had seen the face before we apparated Barty, but hadn't recognized it. Hermione suggested "we should do what the Muggle police do. We can all describe what we saw to an artist and she can draw a picture for us to approve. If we need to provide more detail, then Mom can hypnotize us. I think Harry is right that this is important. It likely points to the next Death Eater attack, or, if it is just a random Muggle face, perhaps where Barty was when he snagged a hair."

Mr. Lovegood informed us that Luna was making a rapid recovery, but would have to spend the next day in St. Mungo's. George had decided to stay by her side. Mr. Lovegood said that he had done all that he could to assist Luna and that she had urged him to get back to work and to leave her alone with George. "So, here I am to hear what you have to tell me. Since it will be a more detailed description than Luna was able to provide of how she came to be in her present condition, I'll be extremely interested." As we were about to begin the press briefing, I saw that Ernie had also arrived. If news kept breaking in the middle of the night like this, soon the two senior reporters would be fighting Ernie for the right to work deep into the night.

Dad led off the meeting. "Let me start off by telling you that this was not a planned mission to hunt for Death Eaters, but that by good fortune and quickly connecting the available clues, the night ended in the capture of Barty Crouch, Jr. He was badly injured when he fell from his broom, as he tried to escape. We also captured six of Barty's associates. I'll let the others fill in the details and answer your questions."

The rest of the details were provided by Harry. Not mentioned were the starting point for our flight, why we were flying about Eire, how we happened to discover the hideout, or why the attack involved our circle plus twenty members of Shacklebolt's department. "Let's just say we had some intelligence resources in Eire, and my friends and I connected the dots and figured out where the hideout was. We were taking a mini-vacation in Eire to do a bit of exploring from the air as a break from spending so much time underground at Gringotts." There was a lot of back and forthing, but the only other substantive information that Xenophilius departed with was the mystery about why Barty was disguised with Polyjuice in his own hideout and a description of some of the magical defenses that Shacklebolt's men had to fight their way through. "This was a very heavily defended position, with three sentries deployed in addition to the alarms. It was a good-sized house and grounds, which was practically invisible from the ground," Harry concluded. Mr. Lovegood was a little upset to learn that his daughter and the rest of us had been flying air support to prevent just the sort of escape by broom that Barty had attempted. Shacklebolt, who had rejoined us, grudgingly admitted "it undoubtedly was one of the students, maybe even your daughter, who shot Barty out of the sky."

Because of the morning press conference, we slept at the Ministry. we stayed in our separate beds. Before I drifted off to sleep, Harry provided me with one final insight for the day. {[quite proud of himself] I think I've figured out some of Professor McGonagall's reactions, like the last upset over breakfast. I think she is even more of a planner than Hermione. She creates very good plans but is not quick on her feet. She likes to work from a script and has difficulty when someone interrupts or deviates from the script. Not only does it throw her, but it angers her a little and she lashes out against that person. We saw that going all the way back to when the delay of the Hogwarts Express interrupted her welcoming speech. I'm trying to think back and remember if I noticed this behavior in past years. I don't think I did. It may be the aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts or the added pressure of becoming headmaster and wanting things to go perfectly, while also wanting to control our circle and become the next Dumbledore. Then there's the whole issue of Narcissa and her family. McGonagall has been under an awful lot of stress.}

{{I think you're onto something Harry. If I promise to think about this tomorrow, will you let me just fall asleep?}}

{Of course. Good night, I love you Ginny.}


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN - STOLEN GEMS**

We hustled into our clothes to grab a quick breakfast before heading to Dad's press conference, but Bill intercepted us as soon as we opened our door and led us to Dad's office, where a hearty breakfast was spread out on his desk. Ron and Hermione were already present, as was Shacklebolt, who was looking inordinately pleased with himself. A grumpy looking Madam Bones was sitting bolt upright in the corner of the room, sipping tea while holding a half-eaten croissant with some sort of jam on it. I noticed that a little jam had dripped onto her robes, but she seemed unaware of this accident.

"I think you'll see from the papers that the basic news is out," Dad informed us, "but we need to decide what details can be disclosed this morning."

I looked at the Daily Prophet and read the banner headline on page one:

**BARTY CAPTURED!**

I glanced just far enough ahead to see that Ernie's story ran a full three pages.

"I'll give you a quick summary," I looked up to see Dad staring directly at me, "so that I can have your undivided attention for this rather urgent meeting. Now, the papers do mention that it was someone in your circle who shot down and captured Barty. Luna is depicted very heroically and my daughter, whose attention keeps wandering, is credited for saving Luna's life. The article also says that Barty was badly injured and that your circle and the aurors worked unceasingly to keep him alive until the doctors of St. Mungo's could take over.

"There is no mention of finding the hideout by using the viewing devices or why you were really in Eire. Barty's six captured associates are not identified in either paper. The Quibbler is much the same, although Xenophilius lays it on rather thickly in praising his daughter. I'm not sure that is the safest thing in the world for her. You'll all have to see that she is very well protected over the next several weeks. That brings us to current events… Kingsley."

"Yes Sir. I interviewed young Barty at the hospital last night and learned that, as we speculated, he and one of his bodyguards were about to depart on a mission when we interrupted them. He admitted that they were headed to Wales to meet with Thicknesse. The meeting was set for a tavern about seven miles outside Cardiff. We sent aurors, but Thicknesse was long gone. Barty said the plan was that if either of them failed to arrive within twenty minutes of the appointed time, the other would depart for a safe house known only to him. Thicknesse was also to be disguised by Polyjuice. Barty said he was to be a beautiful, blonde-haired Muggle in a clingy red dress. What I hope was a sufficiently casual discussion with a bar patron confirmed that the woman was there, but left an hour before we arrived. The aurors surreptitiously tested that patron, the bartender, and several others, using a Goblin pen, but found nobody on the juice. Young Barty says his organization had nothing to do with the plot to kidnap Harry and Ginny at the Ministry and that neither Silas nor either of the Parkinsons belongs to their group.

"He did happily claim credit for the latest bombing at George's shop. He said he regretted not leveling the place, but wanted to make certain that the message was not damaged. Thicknesse had demanded minimum damage, so as not to dilute the message that they were menacing, but peaceful at heart. He identified the associates, whom we captured. The woman was a French Witch who was his mistress. Four of the others were minor Death Eater supporters, whom the Minister purged from the Ministry. The other guy was a mercenary, who had previously supported Bruce's gang. Subtracting those now in custody, Barty said that Thicknesse is down to nine Death Eaters, including himself, and a few mercenaries. He said if Thicknesse followed the agreed master plan, that he would gather what resources he could and flee to Australia or the New World within a week. We've alerted Gringotts and the Muggle government to be on the alert for any unusual movement of funds. Barty also said that Gamot Zabini, the leader of the opposition in the Wizengamot, is somewhere between a member and a strong supporter, and was frequently in contact with Thicknesse. He said Thicknesse had another very high level contact, one who has been a very great help acting behind the scenes and passing information, but that he never revealed his or her identity to Barty. Barty suspected that this other individual might be the actual head of the organization."

"Wow!" was all that Harry had as a response.

"What the Director failed to mention," Madam Bones practically snarled, "was the extra-legal means by which this information was obtained. As you may already have known, and could certainly guess from the detailed nature of what Kingsley revealed, Veritaserum was illegally employed in Barty's interrogation. This happened while I was left to sleep in my bed in ignorant bliss. I protest these tactics, which are very reminiscent of the way the Death Eaters operated when they controlled the Ministry."

"You're not going to make me feel defensive," Shacklebolt responded. "As one who had a good look at the Thicknesse administration, I can assure you that this was a very pale shadow of the tactics of the prior administration. I don't see Wizards being hauled before special courts to prove the circumstances of their birth, or Wizards being arrested on no evidence, or tortured, or simply murdered in their beds by Thicknesse's own 'special aurors'. I don't see anyone on our side being the first to use prohibited curses in a fight, or to attack from ambush. I don't see students who support the other side having Dementors sent after them and then banged up before the full Wizengamot on trumped up underage magic charges at a hearing for which the time and place are changed. I recall you played a role in that particular hearing. You've seemed from the start to be more interested in pursuing trivial misdeeds on our side than working to eliminate the remaining Death Eaters."

"And you sound like a Wizard who is all too eager to shove aside the legal underpinnings of our society and the legal safeguards upon which we all depend for our liberty in order to pursue a holy crusade that in your mind trumps the niceties that keep us civilized. You are a good man, Kingsley, but you are running headlong down the path that has corrupted many a good man.

"You and the Minister also persist in using these students as extra-legal law enforcement agents, when they have not sworn to uphold the necessary legalities, or been trained in what is and is not proper. That, rather than any malice or desire to hinder your search for the remaining Death Eaters, is why I investigated Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley after the fight in Diagon Alley. It is all well and good that they saved the lives of your aurors, but that does not make their actions legal."

"We're in a war, woman. Would you have the Death Eaters back in power? You know what would result."

"No. The war is over. We won. What remains is a law enforcement action to capture what, by your own evidence, are fewer than a dozen outlaws. Would you really destroy our legal system to catch a dozen bad guys?"

"I don't intend to destroy your legal system, but I certainly plan to catch the remaining bad guys. Thicknesse will be a severe threat, as long as he is free. You saw the warning they left after the last bombing."

"And you yourself said that they plan to leave Britain, within a week."

"To raise money and rebuild their forces with gullible foreign Wizards."

"I'm sorry, Minister, if I've spoken intemperately, but I feel that sometimes the Director is an embarrassment to your administration and an impediment to the peaceful Wizarding community which you are trying to create. I don't suppose you need me to warn you of all the problems that may follow if the Director appears before the press and slanders the opposition leader in the Wizengamot, based only upon illegally obtained evidence. If you'll excuse me, I need to interview the prisoner. I don't think you should want me at your press conference. I might say something… umm, shall we say, inconvenient."

"Yes, by all means, go see to your prisoner."

"Now then, getting back to my instructions to all of you. Shacklebolt and I will do most of the talking, although you'll likely be asked specific questions. Under no circumstances are any of us to mention the use of the magical force viewers in identifying Barty's hangout or the search for Castle Weasley. I think the Director will talk a little about the opposition leader. In addition to fingering him, Barty provided a lot of very specific information on dealings between him and Thicknesse during the time Voldemort was in power and even a very recent financial dealing, for which we've been able to uncover documentation, thanks to assistance from the Muggle government. I've asked Kingsley to leave some of his best documented ammunition in reserve, but that still leaves plenty of spice. Now, if you've all finished stuffing your faces, let's go out there and make a good impression."

The press conference was most interesting. In addition to what we already knew, Shacklebolt revealed documentation from the hideout showing that the hideout had been covertly purchased by none other than Gamot Zabini, himself. If this wasn't the best documented spice in Shacklebolt's possession, I was very intrigued as to what might fit that description. He also mentioned that Zabini had assisted Thicknesse "as recently as ten days ago in acquiring and transferring Muggle currency and purchasing bomb-making materials." As this point, I began to suspect that Shacklebolt had ignored Dad's instructions to hold back some of his best evidence.

Harry was asked how our group had happened to find its way to the doorstep of a fortified Death Eater hideout in Eire. Harry innocently replied that "we were taking some time off to explore Eire and decided on a night broom ride to see the countryside and the Caherconnell stone fort, when we happened to overfly the hideout, quite by accident. One of the sentries fired on our party and then we fought back." This was a thin tale, unlikely to stand up to close questioning and Dad quickly brought the conference to an end.

After the press conference, we joined George, who had returned from the hospital to report that Luna was up and walking about and demanding her release. He said the doctors were determined to detain her another day and that she had ordered him to "go find out what is happening and check on your shop."

We followed her advice and all headed to Diagon Alley to see how Lee was doing in putting the shop back into working order.

"I feel guilty leaving all the responsibility on Lee," George admitted to us. "I've got the Hogsmeade shop set to open for the first Hogwarts invasion this weekend, but I've not done nearly as much as Lee to keep our enterprise going."

We encountered Lee as soon as we entered the shop. Only one shopper was present, and she was in the far end of the store. "Business is light since the bombing. I've had plenty of time to clean up, but as you can see we are fully ready for a mob of nonexistent customers. It's very good to see you all again. Sit down here in the corner, by the cash box, and fill me in on what's been happening. I hear you caught the guys responsible for the bomb."

"Same organization, different guys," Harry told him, "but it's still good to have Barty locked up again."

There was a lot of further reporting on events and then my brother Ron added a little kindling to the slow fire. "Do you reckon that Shacklebolt is right and Madam Bones is playing for the other side? She certainly has hounded us over the years and has put up a lot of roadblocks in Shacklebolt's path."

"I don't think so," Hermione replied in a tone that seemed deliberately chosen to indicate that Ron's comment, while not wholly unreasonable or inappropriate, was nevertheless, wrong. "She is just a stickler for correct legal procedures and a protector of everyone's legal rights. There is a Muggle saying 'better that a thousand guilty men go free, than that one innocent man be imprisoned', or something like that. I've been away from the Muggle world for a year and a half."

"Except," Ron bravely persisted, missing the nuances of Hermione's tone, "she didn't exactly look out for Harry's rights when Umbridge wanted to pack him off for underage magic against Dementors that she dispatched herself. She hasn't exactly been gentle in pursuing Harry or me for the fight in Diagon Alley. She certainly violated our rights. I think Shacklebolt has a very valid point."

"Ron! Your father trusts her and works with her every day."

"He seemed happy enough to have her miss the press conference, though, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did, but I think he wanted to avoid a public squabble between Shacklebolt and her."

"You know," Harry said, "I was watching Madam Bones during her confrontation with Shacklebolt and she seemed very nervous and on edge when Shacklebolt raised the issue of high ranked personages secretly being in alliance with the remaining Death Eaters. When Shacklebolt said that Barty didn't know the top individual, Madam Bones seemed to relax. I agree with Ron that she bears closer scrutiny."

"You see," Ron exclaimed, looking at Hermione "Harry agrees with me."

"Well, it can't hurt to pursue the theory, as long as the two of you go about it with more discretion than you normally do. It would serve us well to recall how we thought about and acted toward Professor Snape."

Ron grimaced at that comment and I decided it was time to save young love by switching to a different topic. I chose one that I was certain would be an attention grabber. "Harry told me a theory last night about why McGonagall has been behaving the way she has."

This of course prompted demands for Harry to reveal his theory, which he did, to considerable interest.

"That's quite plausible," Hermione adjudicated, "and the causes could be even more complex. I'll have to talk to my mother. A disease that strikes the minds of old Muggles starts out this way, or of course it could be just stress. At least this gives us a working theory on how to approach and deal with McGonagall. She is in a position where she needs to persuade people in order to fend of threats to Hogwarts. We now know that she has a big vulnerability. We'll have to decide whether or not it is best to explain this to her. Please don't say anything until I can talk to Mom.

"I want to change the subject again, however. Ron and I have decided to get married over Christmas break, along with Harry and Ginny. I've also ferreted out another secret. You remember when Percy suggested that he also had something that he could tell Mr. Weasley. Well, this morning I was a little behind the rest of you as we were walking through the corridors at the Ministry and I spotted Percy snogging Callista. What do you think of that news?"

"I'm flaberrgasted," Harry gulped. "A major romance blossoming within my office and I was totally unaware of it. I guess Percy is quite capable of keeping his secrets secret. I thought Callista would have let something slip, however."

As we were ruminating over Hermione's news, Harry got a call from Dad. "Your father's aurors have stolen the crystals, which we need to complete the Gringotts Circle repairs, from a museum in America. They'll be here this afternoon, so we'll be able to progress to the next stage of repairs."

We headed to Gringotts to let everyone know that the crystals would soon be in hand and to check out the progress on the repairs.

Back in the cavern, to which we still had to travel by rail, magic being as spotty as it was, Harry met with Professor Henkel and Goblex to discuss the plan of attack for completing repairs. I mused to myself that it was very strange how apparation worked. We could apparate to the Gringotts cavern from Hogwarts, but not from London. I'd have to ask Hermione ot explain how that could be possible.

As they separated, Goblex gathered all the workers together and announced, "We have very great news, which I wanted to share with all of you, even before I inform my King. The Wizard Minister has found the crystals that we need to complete our repairs. They will be here this afternoon. For now, we just continue doing what we were doing, but in a few hours we will switch to examination and detailed measurement of the crystals. We may need to smooth or reshape some of the crystals and we certainly will need to rework the mounting holes in the lodestone. You have already measured all of the mounting holes and mapped them in great detail, but perhaps you restudy these notes between working on the sanding. This is a great day, but we have yet much work to be done."

We each took a turn polishing the quartz, which built up a sweat , even in the coolness of the Cavern. As I was sanding, I saw Harry talking to Draco. I missed Harry's initial comments, but 'heard' Draco responding.

"I'm fine. The work is helpful and I've been exploring the Cavern. After meeting the Light Guardian, this means a lot more to me. I understand how it's put together and how it's supposed to operate. Erin and I have been working together and I've been explaining some of the engineering concepts that weren't clear to her. Silas treated her as stupid and just forced her to memorize rote responses, which kept her from really understanding what she was doing. She actually learns reasonably quickly.

"I understand you caught Barty Crouch, which makes one less Death Eater chasing after my mother and me. I've found some interesting things in my father's financial records that you gave me as a wedding gift. That is one gift I won't be giving back. I've been spending the evenings back at Hogwarts and Cissy has helped me decipher my father's affairs. It is very interesting and evidences some bad dealings, which I'll sit down and discuss with you, once I fully understand them myself. I think I'm going to go into Dad's office next week, after we finish here. Cissy has agreed to come and help."

"That's fine," Harry replied, "but your father's office is the spot that the Death Eaters will be expecting you to make an appearance. There has been an auror at the office, since your father killed himself, but you should take a team of aurors with you, when you go to the office. An ambush is likely. Since several aurors have been rotating the duty at the office, one of them will be able to apparate you there, so you don't have to show yourself on the street. Just let me know when you plan to go to the office, and I'll arrange the protection."

{{With Pansy out of the picture, Draco certainly seems popular with the young ladies, doesn't he? I wonder if that means that Cissy's mysterious boyfriend has failed to put in an appearance since he was last frightened away.}}

{I think Erin has decided that her choices come down to Draco, Fenton, or an old geezer selected by her Dad. Hermione told me that although life in the Muggle world is tough for a single mother, that Erin wouldn't face that few choices if she were a Muggle. I've spent as much time in the Muggle world as Hermione, but I didn't realize that. Hermione also said that pregnant Muggle girls can finish school. I really need to spend some time out and about in the Muggle world. It will be a good thing when Dudley finds us a house. I also think we should get an apartment in a Muggle city of your choosing. I've got Grimmauld place, but I doubt London is representative of all Muggle cities and I think we'll need a city residence that we can invite Muggles to. Professor Celine has learned a lot living among the Muggles.

"Anyway, I don't think Cissy has any interest in Draco, she's just trying to be helpful and do her part in Professor McGonagall's Malfoy rehabilitation project. She still has a lot of years left as a student under McGonagall and wants to be in her good graces. She doesn't dislike Draco as much as she once did, but is still not at all attracted to him. She says she met her mystery Wizard when she was last back at Hogwarts. She was walking beside the lake and said that suddenly he was just walking up to her. They spent a half hour chatting and even had the briefest of snogs, before he said he had to leave and walked into the Castle. She said she was dying of curiosity and wanted to follow him and see which dorm he went to, but that she realized he would regard that as an act of extreme bad faith.}

{{I see you've had quite a long chat with Cissy.}}

{[taken aback] No, not really. I talked to her for about five minutes, when we were back at Hogwarts.}

The crystals arrived at 3:30 and were transported to the Cavern by Shacklebolt and a squad of a half dozen aurors, physical testimony to the value that the Ministry assigned to the crystals and the prompt restoration of magic to England.

"We had to make sure than the crystals weren't seen by any Muggles, since they're rather hot stolen property," Shacklebolt informed us.

"The other reason that I came was to talk to you about the plans for this evening. I know that the Minister asked you to begin nightly flights over Wales to search for other Death Eater hideouts. I also know that you have an awful lot on your plates already, especially with the arrival of the crystals. The restoration of the magic really is the top priority. I suggest that my aurors do the nighttime forays, freeing you for other activities. That also makes coordination easier, since the aurors will then be on hand to deal with any Death Eaters who are found. The Minister is very particular about not putting any of you into the line of fire, and I doubt he has realized how much the assignment that he gave you does exactly that. I hope you won't be offended if I take over that task. I'd need to borrow the force detectors at the end of your daily work shift, but would return them before breakfast."

"That's alright with me," Harry replied. "The flight over Eire was a great deal of fun, but we have more of that in store for us, in any case. We might want to take one of the surveillance flights this week, but all in all, I'm quite content to leave the bulk of that task to your aurors."

As he spoke, Harry was leading Shacklebolt away from the others and toward the rail cars in the reception hall. Hermione, Ron and I tagged along. Draco looked as though he wanted to join our group, but stayed behind.

"I've been thinking about your confrontation with Madam Bones," Harry told the Director. "If we're looking for a Mr. or Ms. Big who is either directing Thicknesse or serving as his eyes and ears on the inside, then Madam Bones is actually a quite logical choice. Her niggling attention to legalisms, which she ignored when I was on the receiving end, and her demands for immediate briefings on anything relating to our opponents, does put her in a perfect position both to balk our efforts and keep the opposition knowledgeable about our plans. I don't think she should be told about the night flights over Wales."

"I don't want you to get carried away, Harry," Shacklebolt replied. "I know how prone you are to see villains in your vicinity. Madam Bones and I both said things we shouldn't have said, but I don't think either of us wants a split in the administration. The Minister certainly does not. You'd be doing Arthur no favors to spread your suspicions about Madam Bones. I think it extremely unlikely that she is Mr. Big. She just has a very different view of magical law enforcement than mine. That sort of friction always exists between the aurors and the rest of the judicial system. Frankly, Harry, I'm not even sure a Mr. Big, apart from Thicknesse, even exists."

"I think he does exist," Harry forcefully declared. "There has been way too much cooperation and coordination between the Voldemort and Grindelwald factions for there not to be a Mr. Big influencing both organizations. You say that Madam Bones simply has a passion for the legal niceties, but I say she hasn't shown that passion for legalities in the past. For instance, remember when I was tried by the full Wizengamot at what was supposed to be a secret trial."

"I think it fairer to say that Madam Bones has always cared about legalities, but that Arthur is the first Minister to allow her to pursue her interest in proper legal procedure. Even before Thicknesse, as you personally experienced, the administration of justice was more than a little political. You and Arthur are trying to make economic reforms and improve relations with other magical creatures. Perhaps Madam Bones is trying to clean up and improve the legal system. For that to succeed, she needs the administration, and me in particular, to stay within the lines. Please don't assume her behavior represents anything more sinister than that.

"In an extreme abundance of caution, as your headmaster would say, I'll take your suggestion and keep the Wales' flights secret from her. I'll suggest that Arthur not mention them either. That suits my purpose. I don't want Madam Bones preventing me from using Veritaserum on Thicknesse, if we find him. Not that I think there is a Mr. Big that he can tell us about, but just to clean up any remaining loose Death Eaters and find any money they've hidden. There is also the question of some missing bodies from the Voldemort war, which the families would like to give a proper burial."

"Well, okay, but I still think it important to find Mr. Big. Do you have a better candidate?"

"I would have said that Lucius Malfoy and Lord Montaigne were the prime candidates. I will explore that possibility."

I felt bold enough to interrupt this governmental debate, suggesting, "there are other candidates that fit the bill for Mr. Big. Just off the top of my head, I could nominate the publisher of the Daily Prophet, King Goblanze, his Deputy, Mrs. Parkinson, the Director's friend, Erasmus, and Professor Slughorn."

"The two of you do keep coming back to Erasmus, don't you? I'll visit my other Eire friend tomorrow and make discrete inquiries about Erasmus. However, I strongly believe that he is not your man. Then again, I'm the Minister who was almost murdered by his own aurors, so my opinion is less than ironclad."

"About Erasmus," Harry raised a topic that appeared to have just popped into his mind, "he was expecting us back today. Can you let him know that we're tied up here with the replacement crystals? I hope he doesn't mind that we left our tent and things in his yard."

"Not a problem. My aurors are camping out in your tent as their base of operations, while they sift through the contents of Barty's hideaway. That is probably a week's work, since I also have them checking for anything buried on the property or hidden in the walls or foundation."

"I want to have the students look at the crystals through the magic force line visualizers. After that you may borrow them for the evening. It should only take about half an hour, if you want to hang around and wait for the tools. Did your aurors find anything of importance in Barty's hideout?"

"We found nothing that could bring us closer to your imagined Mr. Big, or to Thicknesse, who is a more real concern. We did recover a dozen bombs, a bag of gold galleons, a tidy pile of Muggle money, and quite detailed floor plans of the Ministry, which must have been moved off premises while Thicknesse was Minister. Despite all that stuff lying around in the open, we also found a magical lock box that is the twin of the one that Silas hid in the quarry. We've had no luck opening either of them. The magical engineers are certain that if we do anything too overt, the boxes will destroy their contents. You will be interested to learn that the unidentified set of fingerprints on the Sissinghurst bomb did not belong to Pansy, her mother, Erin, Barty, or any of the accomplices that we captured at Barty's hideout. I've tasked an auror to surreptitiously collect something with Silas's parents' fingerprints on it. This fingerprint business is making me feel too dependent upon the Muggle police. Well, it looks like the crystals are unpacked. I'll let you get on with your business, so that I can get on with mine."

Harry gathered everyone around the crystals. "We'll have to measure them very carefully and check for imperfections, but first, I thought we could examine them for any residual magical force. It's possible they were part of a magical circle at some past time. So, please line up in three lines and take turns using the force detectors. If you want to try out a second or third detector, go to the end of the appropriate line after you have taken your turn in your current line. I think Erin, Draco, and Fenton should be at the head of the three lines. Let me know if you see anything."

There was a lot of maneuvering for position as the students jockeyed to examine the three tourmalines and the green spodumene. It wasn't long before Draco declared, "the spodumene crystal definitely contains residual magical force lines, fairly strong ones, in fact." Harry rushed to Draco's side and took a look through the Flamel device, which Draco handed him. "Yes, this crystal has very definitely served as part of a magical circle at some time in its history. The Minister got us an extra tourmaline. We can either choose among them based on magical powers or we can choose based on dimensions and the presence of any flaws in the crystal structure."

The students finished examining the other crystals. Then everyone else took a turn. None of the tourmalines showed any activity, whatsoever. All of the students, as well as several Goblins and Barb, wanted a look through a second or third instrument. Shacklebolt had to wait close to an hour, before Harry gave him the instruments and he departed with his aurors. That left the rest of us to continue with the careful examination and measurement of the crystals. We had an extended work period to complete this effort, as Goblex returned and informed us that the King had ordered a celebration banquet at 9:00 P.M., in honor of the newly arrived crystals. Goblex happily informed us that the Minister and Cotto would be attending the banquet.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN – AN INTELLECTUAL GAME OF DEDUCTION**

After getting the group started on the examination process, Harry retired to the bench to converse with Ron, Hermione, and me. Before he spoke aloud to the others, Harry messaged me as I was about to sit on the bench.

{[amused] I was pleased to see that you were polite enough not to include Shacklebolt in your list of possible suspects.}

{{Of course not - I wouldn't want to tip him off, and it would have been rude. He is an excellent suspect and he is the only person who actually knows what Barty admitted to under the influence of Veritaserum.}}

{You're forgetting that the opposition very nearly killed him and that he already controlled the Ministry, so if he was Mr. Big, he had already won. Why continue fighting?}

{{You're forgetting that Mr. Big is a shadowy figure who only speaks to one or perhaps two members of each organization. If Shacklebolt is to be believed, even Barty doesn't know his identity. It's quite possible that one of his lieutenants nearly murdered his own boss, without even realizing what he was doing. And in many ways, Shacklebolt has more power and less visibility and accountability as Director of Aurors than he had as Minister of Magic. As you are aware, Dad tells him everything and defers to him a great deal.}}

{[puzzled, but impressed] you're right about that, but …}

"Hey guys, we're here. Don't you think it's rude to keep doing that thing around others?"

"Sorry, Ron, I was just going to make a quick comment to Ginny, but then she made an interesting point and I was off on a tangent."

"Do share."

Harry reprised our discussion about Shacklebolt, prompting a comment of "that's bonkers" from Ron.

Hermione waited longer to reply "and you just let him walk off with the only three magical force visualizers that we have access to?"

"I wasn't entirely happy with that, but he's the Director. I really didn't have much of a choice. I don't really think Shacklebolt is Mr. Big, but if he runs off with the instruments, that might be a cheap price to pay for finding out the truth."

"Still, since Shacklebolt gave tacit approval to our group doing the flying one night, I don't think it would hurt to do a quick redo of the area where Shacklebolt is starting tonight's search. He may not have wanted us to see that area, and he would only need three loyal, or disloyal depending upon your viewpoint, aurors to man the instruments and conveniently avoid seeing anything. That would allow Thicknesse to remain in his current hideout for a while longer. We should be on our guard. Shacklebolt went out of his way to convey the image of a Thicknesse who is in the process of packing his bags before he slinks away to Australia, where he hunted my poor parents. My own view is that there is likely to be another attack, and that it will come in the next few days. It may come in this Cavern, since failure to restore the magic would be a big blow to the administration. At least that's my opinion," Hermione concluded.

We rejoined the others to check on the progress of measuring and evaluating the crystals. "The crystals are very sound," Draco informed Harry, probably violating protocol as Goblex and Professor Henkel looked slightly affronted.

"The spodumene is bigger than the one we lost," Goblex hastily added, before Draco could get in another word. "It will require considerable reworking of the lodestone mounting hole, but we have ample space to do that without impinging on the tourmalines, and the integrity of the lodestone looks excellent in that region. It is multiple days of painstaking work, but it will be a success."

"The tourmalines are just slightly larger and a little different in configuration than their predecessors. The reworking of the lodestone in those areas should not be difficult," Professor Henkel chimed in. "The tourmalines themselves, they are beauties. One could use smoothing by the diamond cloth on one of its facets, but other than that, they are almost perfection."

"That's great news," Harry responded. "We're closer to having magic restored than I could possibly have hoped. So I guess the priorities are to get somebody started enlarging the spodumene's hole with a chisel and another team started on polishing the tourmaline. There probably isn't enough space up there to work on the tourmaline mounting holes at the same time as the central spodumene hole."

"That is correct," Professor Henkel declared.

"Which two of the tourmalines would be best for us to use?"

"I'm not happy that I'm not thinking of that from beginning," Professor Henkel apologized. "Perhaps we don't have to smooth the flawed tourmaline, if we not be using it. Let me think on this."

"I thought I'd start on the spodumene hole," Goblex declared. "One of you who have had training from the Light Guardian should relieve me when I start to tire. We should agree on how we cut the stone."

"Right," Professor Henkel announced. "While they're doing that job, the students should gather around me and we'll decide which two tourmalines we want and maybe start work on the rough facet of this tourmaline crystal".

There were now four ladders inside the inner circle, so Goblex, Harry, Ron, Draco and I took turns on the ladders, deciding where the chisel cuts would be made and marking the spots on the lodestone. Hermione handed the spodumene up to us to do a more exacting comparison than was possible using just its recorded measurements. There was a lot of rock to remove, but we all agreed that is should be removed in very small pieces. Ron had a bright Muggle laser flashlight, which we used to carefully inspect the mounting hole for any cracks in the rock. We found two small cracks and decided to initiate our rock removal around them.

It was a little past 7:00 P.M. when Goblex struck his chisel with a mallet for the first time. He showed great stamina, remaining on task for nearly an hour. Harry was his replacement, and after a short, but intense, consultation Harry began to work with the chisel. There was about twenty minutes left before dinner, when Harry tired. Draco replaced him and put in about fifteen minutes of work. I think we were all very pleased with a good day's work as we headed to the rail cars.

Draco got into the rail car with Harry, Bill, Barb, and me. We had barely pulled out of the reception hall when Draco said, "I guess I was a little too outspoken back there for the Professor's taste, but that isn't why I wanted to ride with you. I couldn't help being curious of what you and Shacklebolt were discussing so intensely. Is there anything that you're willing to share with me?"

"Well," Harry replied, "Barty said something, as did Silas, which suggested that there might be an overall mastermind guiding the workings of both what's left of the Death Eaters and the Grindelwald gang. Someone that both Thicknesse and Mrs. Parkinson are reporting to. We were debating whether that could possibly be true. Do you have any thoughts on that matter?"

"Well… you're catching me off guard and I have to pause to gather my thoughts. Umm… what has struck me for some time now is that we have experienced a shocking number of take-over-the-world conspiracies at just about the same time. There's Voldemort/Thicknesse, with Barty and my Dad thrown in, then there's Bruce's Grindelwald conspirators, and now we've seen Ruppasta's rebel Goblins, even the activist Giants. Most of those people are dead or in prison and yet the fight continues. Most of these groups are 'known' not to get along, and yet there are signs of shared personnel in some of the operations. It does seem a very strange coincidence, don't you think?"

"Yes, I do," Hermione answered him. "That makes a shadowy Mr. Big a distinct possibility. Any thoughts on who you think that might be?"

"Well, I don't want to upset you. I know you greatly prefer to suspect those, like Snape, whom you don't get along with, and I really haven't had time to give the situation much thought. Still, if you were to press me for a couple of names, the ones that would come rolling off my tongue would be Shacklebolt and your friend Viktor Krum."

The aurors perked up a bit, without trying to show increased alertness. Harry merely asked, in a very even tone, which expressed no surprise at the names Draco had offered, "and what makes those two individuals stand out in your mind, Draco? They've both been very loyal to the current administration and have assisted us in some scrapes. I think either could have killed me by now, had they chosen to do so."

"Well, having grown up with my father, I think a bit more deviously than even you or Hermione. Remember, you caught me off guard and those names were just off the top of my head. I'll think further about it. But to answer your question, first the person must have a power base to have any chance of first getting in that position and second making a success of the effort, once there. Shacklebolt was Minister, now he's head of the aurors, which gives him even more raw power. From what you say of Viktor, he's as much running a small army as a school and he has taken charge of the German Ministry. Against all odds, his school is the only one not badly damaged in the attacks, and we really have just his word and that of his favorite students that he was attacked at all. Now he has Cho, who gives him a lot of insight into your gang, as well as into Gringotts. Both Shacklebolt and Krum are very smart and quite ambitious. I really thought, who is a good enough thinker and leader to pull off a task like your Mr. Big's?

"Then I thought, who is ambitious enough to see the risk as worth taking? Someone who is already in an enviable position, but still willing to risk it all for even more power or wealth or to achieve a long-sought goal. Then I thought, who would have access to a wide enough range of information to pull this off? Shacklebolt knows everything that you or the Minister knows, as well as possibly some things that his aurors learn that he neglects to inform you about.

"You've shared a lot of information with Viktor and so have the French. He had to have captured a lot of documents and information when Ruppasta left the Continent. He just always struck me as very competent and very ambitious, but perhaps Hermione understands him better than I do.

"I'll aIso speak to your objection. I don't think you can rule an individual out, simply because they passed up a chance to kill you. That seems to be making a very complicated situation strictly personal. A lot of Death Eaters passed up the chance to kill you. You were very important, even vital, to the issue of whether or not Voldemort lived and achieved his aims. I doubt you carry anything approaching that level of significance to the current Mr. Big. I'll ask you in return; who you think has the qualifications to be Mr. Big?"

"Lord Montaigne was the first name that popped into my head," Harry instantly replied. "If your father had still been alive, he would have been my first choice. He was more independent than any of Voldemort's inner circle. The sort of well-placed aristocrat, whom I could easily see planning to take over in the post-Voldemort era."

"Yes, father was certainly capable of that. Of course, he couldn't have known that the end of the Voldemort era was close enough to be worth considering and you've seen his dead body, yourself. From what I've seen of his papers, he certainly was prepared for a life of power and wealth apart from Voldemort. I think we would have been a quite wealthy family again. My father did have a plan for regaining our estate, even after all the reparations that he paid to the new administration.

"Even I had no idea how many reserve plans he had in place. Given all that, it is far more than passing strange that he died in as simple and as thoroughly bungled a plot as the plan to kidnap you. Frankly, there is very much about my father's final days which make no sense to me. My parents spend years fighting over who is going to control me and, in the end; my father just walks away, when he has his first chance in years to displace my mother in my life? My father, who truly believed that all beautiful young witches are fungible, chooses my wife as his lover? He picks Pansy and Silas as his trusted accomplices? Does that even begin to make sense to you?"

"No, actually it doesn't," Harry readily conceded. "But what other explanation of the circumstances do you have?"

"Well, on that question you haven't caught me by surprise. I think the key to the matter is that my father was Imperiused. Take that as a starting point and then consider that he might have been Imperiused up to the very end. That puts a whole different light on the matter. I think your fertile imaginations can lead you to a lot of interesting places from that starting point. For me, I see my wife's hand as central in those events. I understand my father said under Veritaserum that it was Pansy who Imperiused him?"

"Yes, that is true. I can't see Pansy as Mr. Big and she testified under Veritaserum that she didn't know who Mr. Big was."

"I certainly agree that Pansy is neither bright nor well positioned enough to be Mr. Big. It's barely possible that her mother is, but I think her mother was just a top aide of the real leader. They certainly could have implemented the plot against my father, however."

"But that would require the involvement of the St. Mungo's doctors, who pronounced your father as free of the Imperius."

"Yes, it might. Then again, we know that my father saw Pansy before the attack on Hermione. If she Imperiused him once, she could have done so a second time. I'm not saying Pansy is brilliant or anything, but she is smarter than she pretends to be. You've seen plenty of examples that show how bold and risk-taking she can be."

Our conversation was interrupted as the rail car bumped to a stop in the Gringotts lobby. King Goblanze was there to greet us and to usher us into the elevator for the trip to his conference room. We were the first rail car and the King took us straight up. I noticed that he did a slight double take when Draco stepped out of the car. I don't think the King expected us to be traveling together. After a several second pause he looked at Draco, saying "it's good to see you again Draco. I'm sorry about your father and I want to thank you for helping to repair our Circle. I confess, I was surprised to see how friendly you and Harry Potter appear to be."

As we rode up the elevator, the King continued, "It will be a great achievement to get the Circle of the Goblins back in operation. I'm confident it will be better than before Ruppasta's attack, Goblex tells me the new crystals are better than the ones that were stolen by Ruppasta, and that his new skills and the ones that you and Professor Henkel add are better than we've had in the past. You must work quickly, but carefully. Getting the Circle operating within the next few days is crucial. Might I suggest round the clock work? You have enough experts to guide three shifts of workers. I can add more Goblins and I'm sure the Ministry will contribute some magical engineers.

"Professor Henkel told Goblex that he has some more students back at Hogwarts who could be of service for the polishing work. I'm thankful that you've put aside your differences with Goblex, by the way. He really is a changed Goblin. I did remember that you speak Goblinspeak, by the way, and I know how bad it seemed that I asked you to trust the Goblin who tried to kill you, when it sounded as if I didn't trust him myself. I assure you that I do trust Goblex. The Master trusts him so I trust him. In the end, he decided not to kill you. He abandoned Ruppasta. I just had to say that to remove your distrust.

"The round-the-clock effort is important. Would you please consider this? London is limping along, but that is only because the Circle of the Goblins is totally shut down, with the original Gringotts Circle blasting out its power basically un-tuned, with no consideration to the area outside greater London. There is great interference with the circle in the Sacred Cavern and much of England is completely without magic. You'd know if you tried to fly a broom from here to Scotland. We're fine in south England and much of Wales, but beyond that …. It's no wonder your Minister has received so many complaints from the Wizards living in the countryside. I understand that without the crystals, multiple shifts made no sense, but now things have changed. That is why I invited the Minister and the McGonagall to join us for dinner. This is a celebration, but also an important meeting for deciding how we proceed."

By this point, we had walked past the receptionist and into the King's chairman office. I saw that Dad and Professor McGonagall, as well as Cissy, were already present. They had glasses of sherry in their hands and the Deputy Chairman was explaining the King's drawings to them, with special attention to the elaborate map of the cosmos, which had been installed in place of what must now be viewed as the tainted reproduction. I said hello to the others, giving Dad a hug. Professor McGonagall inexplicably seemed to be seeking a hug, so I gave her one as well.

As a Wizard waiter appeared with glasses of sherry for the new arrivals, we each took a glass, as the King explained "we've just completed a special meeting of the Directors of the Bank. The loan program has been launched. It will be up and running before Harry's agency issues its first loan, so we will be full partners in addressing the expansion of the Wizard economy. You will also be pleased to know that we also decided to once again rent vaults, under provisions of enhanced privacy, to Goblins. We will also be prepared to accept deposits for loan and issue loans to Goblins."

"That certainly is very good news," Harry responded, "and a fitting capstone to your reign as King. I'm a little surprised that you reversed the long-standing view of the Goblin kings in prohibiting the rental of vaults to most Goblins."

"In truth, I'm not at all anxious to have the new king rooting through my vault, plus I see that until we serve the whole magical community, Wizards will resent our intrusion into their finances. If these programs get off to a fine start and you get the Circle working within the next few days, I think the period of my reign may be well remembered."

Dad asked Harry, "is it realistic to restart the Circle within the next few days, as the King suggests?"

"I think so," Harry responded. "King Goblanze is correct that we have enough supervisors to run two additional shifts. You should send over a couple of magical engineers to support us. Additional students would also be a plus, perhaps the next four of Professor Henkel's more promising students."

"I think I can permit that," Professor McGonagall agreed. "This is a rare opportunity for the students to observe high level magical engineering, and I fully understand the urgency of restoring the magic. Things have been much happier at Hogwarts, since the Hogwarts Circle was restored."

"Then, may I hope that it is settled?" King Goblanze urged. We all nodded yes. Harry volunteered that he and I would be willing to head the next shift. Draco said he was up for a double shift and a switch to the night shift."

By then, the rest of the repair crew had arrived, and King Goblanze led us into his dining room. This time Dad held down the foot of the table, with Harry and me flanking him. Professor McGonagall sat next to me and I was amused to see that Erin commandeered the chair to the other side of Draco. It would seem that Fenton had lost his front-runner status. It was also interesting to observe the degree to which the Deputy Chairman seemed fully restored to the King's good graces. He sat on his King's right and the two of them conversed happily, other than when the King was talking to Mom, who had materialized from I don't know where. I certainly would have given her a big hug, had I noticed her earlier. As it was, I simply waved to her.

King Goblanze offered a toast and an elaborate greeting, in which he thanked everyone for their work on the Circle. He deviated from his script to announce the decision to move to three shifts to speed the restoration work. While he apologized that this might not be the appropriate audience, he also spent several minutes describing the decisions reached by the bank's Directors and why he thought they would be important to all of our futures. He concluded by returning to the restoration work and complimenting Dad on the "very high quality of the crystals that you have been able to acquire for us – they are of inestimable value to us and you can be assured that I am maintaining a large Goblin guard force to protect them."

Dad thanked the King for his remarks and indicated that he had assigned a number of aurors to participate in the guard duty.

A fish broth soup was placed in front of us and as I sipped my sherry and began to consume my soup, Professor McGonagall spoke to me. "I don't suppose you've heard, Ginny, but while you were away working on the Circle of the Goblins, the last Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff was played. Ravenclaw won. As you probably suspected, although each house won one match, Gryffindor did not do well on the basis of total points scored. Hufflepuff came in first and Ravenclaw was second. I'm sorry that Gryffindor lost, but admit that the victory will be good for Hufflepuff."

"I assumed that would be the case," I told her. "I knew we had no chance to win on points".

"I am truly sorry how I have treated Gryffindor, and especially you, with regard to Quidditch this term. I fear I should have let your win stand and not have forced a rematch. I also should have allowed you to Captain the team, so that your House could have had a better Captain and a far better Keeper. I expected better of Mr. Peakes. As you implied, he was not ready for the responsibility. I am not proud of my actions. I have also been hearing general grumbling from the students that this term's Quidditch schedule was too short. Because of those concerns, I've been thinking of doing something different. Something that I hope will meet with your approval and in which you will be eager to participate. I've talked to Madam Maxine, Viktor Krum, and Eamon O'Brien, who is the Captain of one of the Eire Quidditch clubs and the headmaster of the Eire Wizarding Academy, and they've agreed to participate in the first interscholastic Quidditch tournament this spring. I was hoping that you would agree to Captain the Hogwarts senior team. That team will include fifth through seventh years. There will also be a junior team of first through fourth years."

"I'd be proud to Captain the Hogwarts team. And thank you for making this happen." I told her. This seemed both to please and to relieve her, and I realized that she viewed this as the agreeing of a formal peace treaty between the two of us. Hermione, who was sitting on the other side of Professor McGonagall, gave me a thumbs up signal behind Professor McGonagall's back. It was just then that I noticed that Professor Trelawney was seated on the other side of Hermione. I leaned forward in my chair to say hello to her.

"Hello Ginny," she replied "I'm here both to see where Minerva performs her bank duties and to receive a tour of the Cavern after dinner. The King also promised to give me a tour of the Sacred Cavern. This is all very exciting."

I begged Professor McGonagall's pardon, as I had been leaning into her to hear Professor Trelawney. She was taking it all in good stride. We were interrupted by the arrival of steamed clams and drawn brown butter. I was pleased to find that the butter carried a fairly strong hint of garlic. The rest of the meal, while very enjoyable, passed uneventfully. I spoke to Harry and Professor McGonagall and even across the table to Draco. Draco was severely divided in his attention, as Erin was determinedly chatting him up, while he was trying to listen in to what Dad and Harry were saying to each other, and even to what Professor McGonagall had been telling me about the Quidditch tournament.

As those of us who would be working the second shift piled back into the rail cars, I was a little surprised to see that Draco had once again joined us, but not at all surprised that Erin tried to join us in the car. She was heading for Barb's seat and Barb told her that since it was required that she ride with Harry, that Erin would have to relocate to the second car. As soon as the train got underway, Draco told us, "Have you had a chance to give further thought to my candidate for Mr. Big?"

Hermione told him, with a roll of her eyes toward the aurors, that "out of politeness, we've avoided entertaining thoughts in that direction." Harry mumbled something about "other things on my mind."

Undaunted Draco pressed on, "well, I understand the need to be polite in these matters. Otherwise, I would have mentioned the likeliest candidate. A bold and brilliant number two, who has happily picked up other titles and responsibilities and may yet be itching to be number one and rule over all of us. The person most certain that Voldemort would be leaving the scene, I give you – Harry Potter as Mr. Big."

Hermione gasped, but Harry merely said, "I admit that I am a reasonable choice. I've fought a lot of baddies, but that also served to thin out the major competition. I realize that accepting the Keeper title and at least temporarily chairing the Young Wizards Loan Agency could be interpreted as a grab for more clout."

"Well, I'm gratified that you find my suggestion amusing," Draco replied. "I'm also pleased to have a little respite from Erin. I'm not saying she doesn't have considerable appeal, but she certainly tries way too hard. If anything, she's pushier than Pansy."

"I take it that is not a good thing," I replied, before I could stop myself.

"No, it really isn't," Draco agreed as our rail car pulled into the reception hall. "At least she hasn't called me weak or ordinary or too willing to let my mother run my life. I don't know when trying to protect a fragile mother from the very real threat of murder became equated with being controlled by your mother. I can hardly allow her to just trot off and get murdered by Thicknesse. I know that she sometimes wants and tries to control me, but I really don't think I've allowed that to happen. Do you?"

"You wouldn't have left Hogwarts if that was the case," Harry reassured him.

Harry, Draco, Erin, and I were soon standing on the four ladders, leaning over the lodestone, and debating what needed to be done next to enlarge and prepare the central hole, to accommodate the new spodumene. We were still in the coarse removal stage, although the tricky areas around the two cracks were nearly finished. It was decided that Harry would finish work on the area around the second crack and then Erin would take her turn, slowly initiating the bulk removal of the excess rock. I surrendered my spot on the ladder to Ron, who watched Harry work as Harry explained the updated plan to him. Draco and Ron would supervise Erin and then Draco and Ron would take their turns removing rock.

I joined the tour group being conducted by the King. I saw that although Professor McGonagall was still wearing her former robes, Professor Trelawney had worn jeans, with a tan sweater over a blue blouse for the occasion, causing me to wonder if she intended to actually participate in the repairs. The King described the Circle and its functioning to Professors McGonagall and Trelawney, while I made side comments describing the repair work that we had already completed. The professors were very impressed by what we had done to create the flat mirror finish on the silver disks and the elaborate webbing of silver wires, which again connected the crystals. I particularly pointed out the work that Erin had done on chiseling and diamond cloth polishing of the ding in the granite column. I extracted from my pocket the piece of granite that had been gouged from the column by Ruppasta's vandals and let he professors hold it up against the repaired column. Since Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows as I returned the chip to my pocket, I explained "Professor Firenze or I can use it to make sand for future Yantras. I also have instructed that the chips that are chiseled from any of the stones or crystals be preserved for that same purpose." Having said this, I withdrew vials of lodestone and granite chips from another pocket and displayed them to the professors. A thought burst into my mind as a firm conviction that I would fashion my own Keeper ring using this chip of granite as its stone.

King Goblanze also seemed to take an interest in the samples and my description of their future use. I next showed them the new crystals, pointing out the rough facet of the one tourmaline crystal and indicating how much progress the students had already made in smoothing it. I didn't mention that although this was useful training, it was also totally unnecessary work, unless we happened to drop and break the better tourmaline. I hastened to firmer ground.

"Erin and Fenton were largely responsible for this work," I informed her. "They have both been very hard workers and the quality of their work has been excellent. I think they have learned quite a lot as well. Harry has made a point of letting them use the various magical engineering tools, especially the devices for visualizing the magical force lines."

Professor McGonagall seemed very pleased to hear this, while Professor Trelawney inquired "if I might view the magical force lines." I had to beg off, telling her that Shacklebolt had taken the visualizers into safekeeping for the night, not realizing we would be back at work and not wanting to risk theft.

As she frowned, I assured her, "if you care to sleep over at the Ministry tonight, we'll have the instruments back in time for tomorrow's day shift, and I'd be happy to demonstrate the instruments for you."

Professor Trelawney turned to the headmaster with what can only be described as a 'please may I stay' look and the headmaster nodded that this would be satisfactory.

By the time the tour was finished, Harry had finished his stint and Erin was hard at work. I motioned to get Harry's attention.

{{The professors would like to see the top of the lodestone and I think Professor McGonagall would like to observe Erin's work. Could you come down and let her take your place?}}

{[amused] Not a problem, I'll be just as happy to be off this ladder and grab some water. Erin has just started working.}

Professor McGonagall stood at the base of the ladder, kilted her skirt, so that it wouldn't trip her as she climbed the ladder, and then seemed to stop and think better of this approach. She let the bottom of her robes back down and promptly transformed herself into a sleek cat. The cat mounted the ladder and watched the work for perhaps ten minutes. Ron, Draco, and Erin took turns explaining the process to her. She finally climbed down and urged Professor Trelawney to take her place. Professor Trelawney spent a bit less time on the ladder, appearing to be very interested in the work, but not at all happy on the ladder. When she climbed down, King Goblanze climbed up for a personal inspection. He got his explanation mainly from my brother, but Draco and even Erin chimed in.

Meanwhile, Hermione had first given Professor McGonagall an explanation of her role as safety officer and what she had done with regard to Erin and Fenton. When she got to the part about spiking the milk, Professor McGonagall responded "I'm not really certain that I want to be or should be hearing this, but under the circumstances I suppose it was a prudent course of action. Still, drugging students is not something of which I can approve. I'm at least glad that having cleared Erin, you've all taken a hand in helping her right her life. I suppose without the Veritaserum, Erin would still be under a cloud of suspicion and possibly in jail, rather than working here. Still, if I were you, I'd wait a good long while before letting her know about the Veritaserum. I wouldn't tell Draco or Professor Henkel, either. Speaking of Draco, he appears to have taken quite an interest in Erin. Is he aware of her, umm particular, personal problem?"

"He was there while we discussed it at breakfast," I responded. "We also told Erin about the Veritaserum. There seemed no other alternative, if we were to retain her trust, since she would eventually figure out why she was so chatty and gave us such complete and damning to Silas answers to our questions. She is definitely one whom Dad would describe as extremely giddy under the influence of Veritaserum. Having talked to me after three sherries, he also puts me in that category."

"Yes, you will have to keep practicing and gain better control of your mind. Don't worry over much. It took me decades to achieve that control."

When Trew joined us, I followed them as King Goblanze gave them a tour of the reception hall. I explained how we had used our Keeper rings to scrub away the magical barriers which concealed and defended the Cavern. "When you come back tomorrow, this is the spot where you can best observe magical force lines. We scrubbed them to the side of the arch. When you look at the arch through the Flamel Device, it looks like it's outlined in bright, shining rose." King Goblanze decided that it was time to lead the professors back to the surface. I returned to the Cavern to take my turn with the chisel.

Draco was hard at work when I returned and, since there was an empty ladder, I climbed up to see what was happening. Ron asked me if I'd like to go next and I told him that I would. He explained that Erin and now Draco had picked up the task of enlarging the diameter of the hole, but that he and I would make the first pass at increasing its depth. He explained that at the bottom of the hole about three quarters of an inch of rock needed to be removed at the center, with a quarter to half an inch removal required moving toward the edges. "This is very tricky work, because the bottom of the hole has to take the shape of the crystal facets", Ron told me. "You should go fetch the spodumene, so that we have the shape well fixed in our minds, before we start work."

I did as my brother suggested. By the time I returned with the crystal, Draco was close to finishing his work. We used our wands to levitate the chips and sand that the previous workers had created. I collected them in my vial.

Ron gave me a special long-bladed chisel to work with and held the Muggle light so that I had a decent view of the rock surface that I was striking. The whole central crystal was recessed into a collar of rock, so that the bottom of the hole would be almost ten inches deep. I think my long fingers and Witch-sized hands were a benefit in performing this task. The work was painstaking and I was saturated with a dread that the point of the chisel would slip as I was striking it, causing me to remove a different fleck of lodestone than the one that I intended. However, I landed true strike after true strike, making quite good progress. I was halfway through my turn at the chisel, when my heart leapt into my throat as I felt the point of the chisel slide away from the spot where I had left it, just as the mallet was descending and it was too late to hold back. Fortunately, this was my only mis-strike and it was reparable - it was only in the early stages of gouging out the area from the bottom center of the hole out toward the left wall. I quickly visualized a plan to recover from my error.

Still, Ron insisted that I stop a minute to recompose myself and that we plan together how to compensate for the mis-strike. This turned out to be excellent advice. Ron improved slightly upon my corrective plan and my nerves and hand were much steadier when I resumed. I finished my turn without any further errors, having removed a decent quantity of rock. I carefully cleaned the cavity, so that Ron would have an unobstructed view to perform his task. My work had added considerably to my collection of lodestone and I needed to start a second vial. Although my hands were near the cramping point, I held the light for the start of my brother's shift. Halfway through, I decided that this was dumb and asked Bill to take my place. I climbed down the ladder, flexing my hands as I returned to terra firma. I realized that my ankles were also a tad sore. I had only worked for half an hour and spent another half hour up on the ladder, but it felt as if I had completed a whole day of labor.

I joined Harry on the bench. With Bill taking my place on the ladder, Barb stayed very close to us, despite the presence of the three aurors whom Shacklebolt had assigned to guard the crystals. Those three were seated on one of the stone benches, the three tourmalines at their feet, and keeping a beady eye on the spodumene atop the lodestone as well as the entrance from the reception hall.

"As you know, we protective aurors try to remain fairly inconspicuous," Barb assured us "but I couldn't help overhearing your speculations about Mr. Big. I can assure you that we don't repeat that sort of information in our reports to the Director. I also should dissuade you from thinking of the Director as a candidate for Mr. Big. He's very happy doing what he's doing and doesn't want to be Minister again. You should know that there were two aurors present when he questioned Barty. I think I can arrange for you to have a casual discussion with them, if you wish. The aurors are on full alert, so one of those aurors will be in the auror dorm when we return to the Ministry from this shift."

"I'll take you up on that offer," Harry replied. "Since you've ventured onto the topic, who are your favorite and dark horse candidates for Mr. Big?"

"It's probably not appropriate for me to comment, but since I've already stuck my neck out this far … I certainly would not put anything past the former Lord Montaigne, he certainly could have been guiding Bruce, and you know that Lucius Malfoy talked to him about joining the Death Eaters. No Wizard had a broader range of important contacts or access to more money. He likely had friends at the Ministry, whom he bought off, just as Lucius Malfoy did. I also don't underestimate his contacts through Gringotts and what he may have blackmailed the King into doing on his behalf. My dark horse candidate … Draco is correct that Harry is an excellent choice, but I'm going to assume a level of deviousness and chameleon role-playing that the rest of you haven't and pick Narcissa Malfoy. This is the sort of guessing game that aurors delight in playing. If the speculation about a possible Mr. Big gets broad distribution, every auror is going to have a favorite candidate and our conversations with each other will involve little else. That's especially true with us locked up at the Ministry, when we're not actively on duty."

"Your choice of Narcissa is certainly interesting," Harry replied. "I do question whether saving me ever made sense from the standpoint of protecting Draco. If I were killed, there wouldn't have been a final battle, and Voldemort would never have gotten the idea to kill Draco to strengthen his wand. We know absolutely nothing about the information that Narcissa provided to Professor McGonagall over the years, other than Shacklebolt saying McGonagall knew some important things that he couldn't figure out how she knew. Still, the exchange of information must have been two way. I would have thought that Narcissa would have provided a warning that Draco was intent on killing Dumbledore, although I guess Dumbledore knew that, and Narcissa wasn't likely let in on the exact plan by Draco. Narcissa has managed to insinuate herself into the heart of our ranks and has doubtless learned a lot. She may have had more knowledge of and access to her husband's finances than we were aware of, and the big spat between her and Lucius certainly could have been just play acting. That would also make Draco suspect, speaking of which, here he comes, so we had best find a different subject."

Both Draco and Erin walked over to join us, leaving just Bill and Ron on the ladder. Ron had stopped chiseling and was holding the flashlight for Bill. Hermione joined us, asking "Bill's is the final first shift, unless Barb got enough magical engineering skill from the Light Guardian to take a turn. I'm checking if Harry and Erin feel rested enough for a second, shorter turn with the chisel. I don't want you working if your hands and arms are too tired and unsteady. Are you up for it?"

Harry and Barb answered in unison, with Barb saying she felt qualified to take her turn and Harry answering "fifteen minutes worth, I think." Barb said she had to stay with us until Bill was finished, so Harry suggested that the three of us replace Ron on the ladder. Harry climbed the ladder first, to get a progress update from Ron and to take over holding the light. As Ron descended the ladder, Barb and I climbed up.

Bill remarked "I have about another five minutes to go, who's taking over from me?" Barb volunteered.

"We've been speculating about Mr. Big," Barb told Bill. "I told Harry that he really shouldn't consider the Director to be a suspect."

Bill worked his way through a tricky bit of chisel work, before responding. "I tend to agree about the Director, although this whole thing is fairly clearly out of bounds for an auror to discuss with the Deputy Minister. The Director has been adamantly opposed to both the Voldemort and Bruce factions for as long as I've known him, and he is not one to curry favor with the monied aristocrats. I admit he took to living fairly high on some of the money seized from Malfoy and he certainly enjoys the estate of his Muggle Lord friend, but there has never been the slightest hint of cooperation with the Malfoys or Montaignes. I know for a fact that the Director pushed very hard to prosecute Bruce."

All was quiet for a while as Bill peered intently into the hole and lined up a few choice chisel strikes. "That's it for me," he said. "Clean away the detritus and tell Barb what you want her to do."

As we levitated the debris from the hole and I filled my second vial, Harry directed Barb to the far edge of the collar. This was easier work than chiseling at the base of the hole, or even the sides, where the shape had to match the facets of the spodumene. Harry clearly wanted to get a better impression of Barb's skill with a chisel, before giving her anything too tricky to accomplish. I held the light for Barb, while Harry prodded Bill about his guess as to the identity of Mr. Big.

"As I said before, this isn't entirely appropriate," Bill responded, "but, I wouldn't want Barb to feel as though she's crawled way out on a limb and I'm sitting back here safely grinning at her.

"My first choice is the Deputy Chairman of Gringotts. We already know he is capable of acting decisively, and we really have only his word that he was trying to help rather than conspiring with Ruppasta to overthrow his boss. We know he was clever enough both to keep his intentions hidden and to somehow worm his way back into the King's good graces. We also saw how ruthless he can be when he shoved Ginny into the Sacred Chamber and poked her in the back with a sword. We know that Gringotts exchanges funds with its branches in the Muggle world and with Muggle banks, so being Deputy Chairman has to provide him with a lot of contacts. It's inconceivable that he didn't have dealings with the Malfoys and Montaignes. My guess is he had a bigger plan than being second man to Ruppasta – it was just too much risk-taking to stay in the same position. We know that the goal of Ruppasta and his supporters was to rule everything. Not too farfetched to see Ruppasta dying in battle and the Deputy Chairman taking over. He's likely the only Goblin, besides Ruppasta and the chairman, who had a good idea of how everything worked."

"That's brilliant, except," Harry replied, "you haven't considered that the Light Guardian was in his mind and almost certainly would have warned us if the Deputy Chairman was Mr. Big. But I like your logical approach, and am dying to learn your pick for dark horse candidate."

"I'd like to name someone whom nobody has guessed thus far – more glory and a better chance to tell a story, but I need an honest answer as to whether I have to play by the politeness rule."

"Not at all," Harry quickly replied "I want your best shot."

"In that case, I choose Percy Weasley. He was tight with the Ministers who dithered and let Voldemort become strong enough to seize power. He's obviously very intelligent and very ambitious. Nobody knows their way around the Ministry better than Percy. He has nearly as many contacts as the Minister, and spends far more time cultivating them. We know he was willing to stand up to his own family to further his ambitions. He is the sort of ascetic character who is more interested in power or achievement than in wealth or comfort. In my experience, that sort can be dangerous if they latch onto a cause or have a particularly strong grievance. He certainly is at the center of your information flow, but is autonomous enough that I'll bet you have no idea where he is most of the time. Contrary to your objection to my choice of the Deputy Chairman, Percy has not been vetted by the Light Guardian. I hope I haven't offended either of you. I took this in the spirit of an intellectual game and we all realize that 'dark horse' does not imply strong possibility."

"I'm not offended at all," Harry replied. "Your logic is impeccable. Are you offended, Ginny?"

"Not at all. Not only has this been in the spirit of an intellectual exercise to get all of the possibilities onto the table, but I've had to make a considerable effort over the past few months to warm up to Percy as much as I have. There has always been something a little cold and alien about him. Do I get to play the game, also?"

"Please go ahead," Harry assured me publicly, while privately I received {but sanitize your thoughts for what's appropriate in front of the aurors.}

{{I know that, silly!}}

"Well then, again being in the spirit of an intellectual exercise, I want to go with two dark horse candidates and not name a front runner. I might well be forced to pick the sort-of-Wizard-formerly-known-as-Lord-Montaigne, but he's been mentioned too many times already for that to be any fun at all. My first dark horse, and I hate to mention her after just verbally signing off on a treaty of permanent peace, is Professor McGonagall.

"We know that she is wicked smart and also extremely ambitious. She has really been upset that she couldn't wear what she views as the 'full mantle of Dumbledore'. She has a network of contacts with former students. We have only her word that she was unable to open Dumbledore's cabinet until Harry turned the trick – she could have wandered all over the Hogwarts catacombs before or after she was in the museum with Professor Celine. She certainly lied and pretended that we showed her the passage from her office. I wonder how my father and Director Shacklebolt would have handled the knowledge of that lie, had I dropped it, as I was tempted to do, during that hearing at Hogwarts. I feared that I was too angry and willing to take petty revenge, but I really do feel derelict for not speaking. She easily could have done a poor job of securing the Carrows and facilitating their escape. Silas or McGonagall are the obvious choices of accomplice in their getaway. She is Narcissa's former lover and current friend and protector, so if Narcissa is a suspect, then McGonagall must be one also. Then there is the Witch angle.

"I think she feels very strongly that Witches are undervalued and that her life and her lover's life were ruined by the rage and capricious actions of a father who was far beneath the intellect of either of them. I can see her driving philosophy being 'Witches Rule'. The non-lethal nature of the recent attacks does not fit what we know about the Death Eaters, but it does fit McGonagall. By her own admission, she has killed more than a couple Death Eaters, but she prefers to avoid violence if she can. She has the added philosophical driver that 'Hogwarts' headmaster rules'. Is it too extreme to imagine she sees herself as the successor of Ravenclaw, who was Keeper in addition to headmaster?

"She isn't one of the authorized Keepers, but has held onto the Ravenclaw Keeper ring. She also seems to have been just about the only member of the old Order who felt the Order was still in business after our side won the election and controlled the Ministry. As far as I can tell, she simply assumed or appointed herself the new leader of the Order. She had at least one personal spy, whom none of the surviving members of the Order were aware of. We know she has deceived us, going as far as to facilitate Narcissa's invasion of Hogwarts. We know that she wants to control us and has been more than a little devious in doing so. She certainly has been read into most of our plans and knowledge. In the true dark horse spirit, she must be considered."

"Wow!" Harry blurted out, "that's super clear and somewhat brutal logic. I am left wondering how strong a case you would make against McGonagall had you not just agreed to a truce with her. I also hesitate to ask you for your second dark horse candidate. I'm assuming it's not someone who has been previously proposed."

"What would be the fun in that? My second dark horse candidate is the ghost of Voldemort. I think all of us, me especially, know what Voldemort was capable of achieving in a less than fully corporeal form. The ghost spoke to us, so he is fully capable of issuing orders. We know he talked to Draco and Pansy and likely to Narcissa, as well. We know the intelligence, ambition, skill, boldness, and wide-ranging contacts of Voldemort. We know the ghost traveled through the Hogwarts piping. We really don't know how far afield he has ranged. I'm not saying Voldemort could have done this on his own. He could have sought out and given instructions to his former allies. If Hagrid is carrying a part of Voldemot around in his head, the ghost could even be forcing Hagrid to act for him. The ghost has to be a possibility."

"Double wow!" Harry shouted, loudly enough that Hermione looked up to find out what was going on. "You really astound me. That is even more brilliant than the McGonagall suggestion. You have the makings of a very fine auror, or at least a truly devious solver of mysteries."

Barb maintained a surprisingly steady hand throughout this excitement, a tribute to her auror training. She very methodically completed her tour of duty with the chisel with nary a mistake. Harry took over from her and managed to bang away at the chisel in a difficult-to-access corner at the bottom of the hole, where a flat face following the configuration of the crystal facet was required. Harry's work was flawless, but he said he felt unable to continue with the needed precision. Three of us climbed down from the ladders, leaving Harry to instruct Draco and Erin on what was needed from them.

As I reached Hermione, she instantly demanded "what was going on up there?" I explained the Mr. Big game, which we had been playing and gave her a quick reprise of the various candidates and arguments on their behalf.

"Well, although I detect far too much frivolity for such a serious problem, I congratulate all of you on your logic and creativity. I hadn't realized that the case for Professor McGonagall was quite as strong as it is. I could even add that she has close ties to both flavors of ancient priestess. This seems to set her apart from Dumbledore and the other professors, with the exception of Trelawney. It is a strong possible link to the traditionalists who are so common in both the Voldemort and Grindelwald ranks. I agree that one could make a strong case for your proposition of encouraging the demise of the aggressively powerful Wizards to enable a takeover by the Witches. That explanation would allow Professors McGonagall, Trelawney, and Narcissa Malfoy to be conspiring together. Your choice of Voldemort's ghost is truly brilliant and I'm surprised that one didn't come right to my mind. Your experience with Tom Riddle had to prime you for that pick, however. I'm not at all sure that I can outdo your choices and explanations. Let me think on it and bounce a few ideas off of Ron. I'll give you my nominations by lunchtime tomorrow.

"I might even wear the Ravenclaw diadem tonight. For now I wish the others would just finish their stone chipping. I could use some sleep. Are Ron, Draco, and Erin the last shifts?"

"I think I'll make one last effort, but we're keeping these second sessions very short. We'll be finished within forty minutes."

My last session with the chisel went quite well and then I cleaned all of the chips and sand out of the hole. I think I was more confident with Draco, rather than Harry or my brother, watching me and holding the light.

I was as pleased as Hermione when our shift was finally at an end. We rode to the surface with Ron and Hermione, but I begged off on walking back to the Ministry as a group.

"There is something I need to discuss alone with Harry and I want to have the discussion while consuming a mug of that excellent hot chocolate and several chocolate chip cookies. Barb will keep us safe. We'll see the rest of you at breakfast."

I could tell that Harry was confused, but he obediently followed me to my favorite treat shop. All three of us ordered the same thing. I insisted upon discussion the progress we made on our last ship, telling Harry I wanted my chocolate, before delving into the other topic.

We all agreed that the shift had gone very well. We agreed that the 'guess Mr. Big' game made the time pass quickly. We all thought that Draco now seemed to be a decent young Wizard and that he was very interested in Erin. That Erin was doing excellent work, both in restoring the circle and chasing down Draco was not disputed. Our snacks arrived. Our hot chocolate turned to barely cool enough to sip and then to take bigger sips. We each consumed our first cookie. Then I broached THE SUBJECT.

Harry had not heard of the thousand-foot club. Barb remarked that "it sounds, umm, interesting, but I don't know how I can keep the two of you safe. I'm not sure I can even prevent you from being arrested, if you are found out."

I admitted to some danger, but said I knew of two persons who had recently successfully completed the challenge, and that this was inside Hogwarts, where the safety out of apparation wasn't possible.

"I think I know the two persons in question," Harry told me. "I don't think we're quite as adventuresome as they are."

"I think we need to be," I pleaded with Harry. "We need something to reboot our brains. We both love flying. I think this will be exhilarating. Luna said it was awesome, and she doesn't even enjoy flying."

"But she really, really enjoys sex," Harry countered.

I put on my cutest pouty face as I cajoled Harry "We also used to really, really enjoy sex. I'm fairly desperate to return to that point. This is the best solution that I could think of."

Harry agreed. Barb promised to do her best to protect us. By now, our snacks were finished.

We made a quick stop at our room at the Ministry to reclaim our brooms. We made a further quick stop at the shop, to fasten the brooms securely together and to install a little strategic padding. Harry said two brooms would be far safer to support both our bodies and the added width and padding would doubtless improve his comfort, since he couldn't think of a position on a broom in which he wasn't on the bottom.

"I can, but I'd rather not attempt it as our first effort," I responded.

I was pleased that both Harry and Barb had agreed to my plan.

We snuck out of the Ministry and into a small alley near George's shop. Harry and I quickly stripped down and stuffed our clothes into little sacks, which we tied around our necks. I was not about to have our clothes stolen.

As Barb snuck amused looks at us over her shoulder "strictly to make certain no baddies are sneaking up on you", Harry straddled the united brooms and ordered them to rise until he was straddling them.

I now had the potential embarrassment of getting Harry sufficiently excited, while Barb snuck quick peaks at us. A quick glance at my husband assured me that this wouldn't be a problem. I quickly mounted Harry in reverse-dragon-rider position and Harry launched us into a steep ascent above Diagon Alley.

I tried to move a little, while clinging to Harry, so that neither of us slipped off the brooms. This was really difficult, since I didn't have anything but Harry, and a very tenuous contact with the brooms to push or pull myself against. Harry and I simultaneously came up with the solution of rocking the brooms and having them go up and down in altitude. Our mental link was excellent for coordinating this and the effort prevented me from focusing excessive on what Harry was thinking and feeling.

I knew that I was starting to feel very good indeed. We were a little above a thousand feet, so I wasn't too concerned about falling off the broom. I did notice periodic failures of the temperature protection spell. I went from moaning to shivering and back again. It truly was an exhilarating experience for someone who enjoys flying as much as I do.

We looped up and down around the portion of London surrounding Diagon Alley, being careful to avoid the Thames, where magic was weakest. I found that I could really get some bounce out of our brooms.

Suddenly, two thunderbolts of intense ecstasy burst over London. I'm not being totally metaphoric, I'm a very powerful Witch. There really was a giant flash of light. Barb later confirmed what I saw and how clearly she could see us, as we were suddenly bathed in orange light for several seconds.

Not knowing who else may have seen us, we quickly scooted for Diagon Alley. Harry had another sack around his neck. This contained his invisibility shield and he draped this across us.

We landed back in the alley and quickly scampered into our clothes. Fortunately nobody saw us land, but we did run into George as we passed his shop.

"I'm surprised to see the three of you wandering Diagon Alley at this time of night. I'm sure Dad wouldn't regard it as safe, as he's far more protective of the two of you than he is of me. Why is Harry blushing?"

"It's the cold," I told him. 'It get's really cold this time of year, especially when you're flying at a thousand feet."

This got George's attention. "Did you successfully join the club?"

"Indeed we did!" I told my brother.

It was very good to have my Harry back. I was sure that we would have no further problems. And then I thought of one.

"This doesn't have to go into your report to Shacklebolt, does it?" I asked Barb.

"I think this can remain among the three of us, but I may talk to my new friend about it. It did look like fun, and she is very adventurous. By the way, are you still interested in talking to one of the aurors who was present when Shacklebolt interviewed Barty? She should be in the auror quarters now. I doubt she is asleep yet, she's probably just finished her supper."

"Of course I would," Harry couldn't conceal his eagerness. "It's a loose end, which should be tied up."

Meghan's room was on the way back to ours. Since the aurors were on round-the-clock twelve hour shifts, two could share a bunk room, without ever being in the room at the same time. As Barb suspected, Meghan was awake, dressed, and alone In her room. She opened the door, just as Barb was about to rap on it a third time.

"The Deputy Minister would like to have a few words with you about Barty's interview," Barb told her. "You don't have to speak to him, of course, it would just be a courtesy to help him in his inquiries."

"Not really strictly legal, is it?" Meghan responded, but her sly look intimated that she was thinking how she could turn this meeting to her advantage. "I report to the Director, not the Deputy Minister. I guess the Director wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know. That's wise. Still, it doesn't hurt for me to make some friends in high places. Some say Potter will replace Minister Weasley, before the year is out."

Meghan invited us into the room. She sat on the side of her bed and we sat opposite her on the side of the other bed. Barb stood in the corner, playing at being invisible.

"Thank you very much for agreeing to speak to us," Harry began. "I know it's irregular. Your Director is a busy man and I wouldn't want to either waste his time or make him think that I was second guessing him in any way. I'm very interested in Barty, because we found and captured him, and I've heard almost nothing since then."

"That's as it properly should be, but if you keep quiet about what I'm about to tell you, I guess there is no harm in it. You know that you will owe me a big favor, don't you. That or you pay me a galleon and do me a small help-up type of favor if you get the chance sometime. Is that a deal?'

Without even a momentary pause, Harry reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a galleon for Meghan.

"I was on duty in the jail. I have to do that about once a week. The Director came in and said he needed another auror to go to St. Mungo's with us. There were three of us in the jail, so we could spare one. I volunteered to go with him. He already had his personal auror Alfred with him.

"When we got to St. Mungo's, I was a little surprised to find myself in a room with Barty Crouch. He was chained to his bed, with two aurors and a healer watching him. The Director sent the aurors away. One of them was one of Madam Bones' pets, he was. I don't think my Director trusted him like he trusts me.

"My Director tells the healer that he wants to question his prisoner. He pulls out a bottle and orders the healer to give it all to the prisoner – tells him it's Veritaserum. The healer didn't want to, but he didn't dare to defy my Director. When the potion took effect, the Director asks a lot of questions. It's another galleon if you want to know what Barty says."

Harry produced the galleon. "Okay, but first are you sure that Barty was really under the influence when he answered the questions? Are you sure he drank the whole bottle? Could the doctor have faked giving him the potion?"

"No, I saw him pour it down his throat – the whole bottle. The Director and I were the only ones could see. The Director made sure Barty swallowed it all. I saw his eyes. He was under all right. Can I get on with what he said. I need to get me sleep. Two galleons buys only so much of my off time."

Of course she could, and she did. She recited almost exactly the content that Shacklebolt had relayed to us. She spiced her recollections with Barty's boasts, insults, and general declaration of his superiority to one and all and his disgruntlement on being underestimated by Thicknesse. We thanked Meghan and Barb and were off to our room for badly needed rest.

I practically fell into my bed and was instantly asleep. I didn't even have to use my Witchy powers to force myself to sleep. I was that totally beat.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12 - AN ELF IS KILLED**

I don't know how long I slept. It seemed like no time at all. I awoke in a panic to find Bill rousing Harry. "You have to get up! The Minister wants to see you right away. The Death Eaters have murdered an Elf. No, not you Ginny – your father was very specific that I was to fetch only Harry. Barb will stay with you. I don't know how long we'll be gone."

I said goodbye to Harry and gave him a quick peck, as he hustled into his jeans and out the door. I had been so tired that I had slept in my jeans. Tired as I was, I was now so alarmed that a return to bed was not a possibility. "We have to talk to Ron and Hermione," I told Barb, as I led her out the door.

I pounded on Ron's door for a couple minutes, before it opened and I was greeted by a sleepy, yet very upset, Ron. He had his wand pointed at my nose, but quickly lowered it, as he complained "What's the big problem. We're trying to get some sleep in here."

By then, Hermione was standing next to Ron, in what Cissy would describe as ratty pyjamas. I told them what little I knew, suggesting Barb might be able to provide all of us with more information. "Let's go to Harry's office," she suggested.

We waited a few minutes until Ron and Hermione were dressed and then walked to the elevator in silence, as Barb placed her finger before her mouth to shush us. We didn't speak until we had closed the door of Harry's ante-room.

"This is what we know," Barb began. "A little after 2:00 A.M., somebody threw the body of a dead Elf through the front window of The Leaky Cauldron. Apparently the Elf had been dead for at least several hours. There was a noose around the Elf's neck, with a sign attached to it. The threat read;

1. It is very easy for a free elf to become a dead elf

2. If Barty and the Parkinsons aren't free in 12 hours, there will be more dead elfs

3. Our demands are the same. You have two days left

4. We can kill any where and any time

5. This proves we are serious. If you hunt for us, elfs and wizards die

6. We know that Voldemort lives

The Tribe of Death Eater Avengers

The only other information that I can give you is that the Elf who was murdered was a Ministry Elf named Cholly. He was hired after the Elves were granted their freedom. He previously was one of the Parkinson family's two Elves. None of the other Wizard families would hire Cholly. He was quite old. I know that Cotto knew him well. I also know that he was well liked and respected by the other Ministry Elves, and that he almost never left the Ministry. I can also tell you that Harry is meeting with the Minister, Director Shacklebolt, Director Bones, and Cotto."

"I find it a very odd coincidence that right after the Parkinsons were involved in the attack upon me, that their Elf is murdered. Pansy and her mother are still in jail, but her father is free. It is horrible that he would murder his former Elf, because he is angry at us," Hermione fairly snarled. "We must see that he goes to Azkaban!"

Barb seemed a little embarrassed when she answered, "Even if we can convict him, he won't be going to Azkaban. The penalty for murdering and Elf is not nearly that severe. He'll pay a fine and at most spend a year in jail. The law has not been revised and doesn't treat the murder of other magical creatures, with the exception of Unicorns, nearly as seriously as it should. I'm afraid that the punishment for killing an Elf is even less than the penalty for killing a Goblin or a Centaur – even if the Avada Kedavra was used, which Doctor White believes was the case."

"That's…that's just unbelievably awful!" Hermione shouted. "I thought the current administration was doing much better than that in establishing rights for all the magical creatures."

"It takes time to make major changes. Just freeing the Elves happened a lot faster than I would have expected," Barb explained. "Still, if Mister Parkinson is guilty of this murder, I truly believe that we will arrest and prosecute him."

"A year just seems so minimal," Hermione complained.

"The last person convicted of killing an Elf got a fine of fifty galleons and no jail at all," Barb informed Hermione is a near whisper.

Hermione was too angry to reply. After a long silence she told Barb, "I know that isn't your fault, but that really is terrible."

We waited around another hour or so, until the break room opened and we could go for breakfast. We were the first customers to arrive. We had collected our eggs, bangers, toast, and coffee and settled down at a table before Percy and the first of his breakfast pals showed up. Percy spotted me and walked straight over.

"I can't believe my little brother and sister are eating breakfast at 6:00 A.M.," Percy sounded truly shocked. "And where is Harry?"

Before I had finished the explanation, Callista had arrived and joined us. Percy wanted to head straight to Dad's office, but Callista cautioned, "That wouldn't be appropriate. Harry and your father know where to find you, if they want you. You know what your father thinks of you coming uninvited to meetings."

We exchanged dire predictions and expressions of outrage as we ate our food. The Daily Prophet arrived. If Dad had intended to sit on the story, while he developed a response, he was to be disappointed. I thought the headlines were nothing short of treasonous:

**Death Eaters Strike Back Against Weasley Actions**

**Weasley Can Free the Elves, But Can He Protect Them?**

**Body of Dead Elf Thrown Into Pub**

**Time For Weasley To Go**

I had never been so angered by an edition of the Prophet. I read the whole issue, fuming as I went. Ernie did not appear at all. Barnabas personally signed "an appeal to Arthur Weasley to step aside and give Wizards a government that they can respect."

My phone rang. It was Harry. He wanted all of us to come to Dad's conference room. I confirmed that 'all' included Percy and Callista.

When we arrived in the conference room, we found a group of very unhappy government leaders. Copies of the Prophet lay on the table, along with empty coffee cups. Dad and Shacklebolt were huddled together, Harry was with Cotto, Prudence and her notepad were in the corner, and Madam Bones sat alone at the far end of the table.

{{What's the problem? We know about the murdered Elf, but this room appears to be divided into enemy camps.}}

{[anger, helplessness] You'll get the full summary, when Neville and your mother arrive. Suffice it to say that Madam Bones is unwilling to permit any significant legal action in response to what she describes as a relatively minor legal infraction.}

{{Oh my God!}}

Mom arrived and I could see the dread spread across her face as she looked around the room. Her eyes locked on a copy of the Prophet and I saw anger mix with increased dread.

Dad gave a quick summary of what we already knew, but Mom had not yet learned about. He then added what they had learned since Barb talked to us. "The Elf had been dead for eight to ten hours, before its body was thrown into The Leaky Cauldron. We believe that Mr. Parkinson is the perpetrator. The aurors were surveilling him, but he apparated away from his home.

"We know that he entered the Ministry yesterday morning. Three Elves saw him talking to his old Elf, Cholly, outside the Elves' dorm at what was just about the time of the murder. The two of them left the area together. Mr. Parkinson was observed leaving the Entry Hall along with the day shift workers. He was carrying a sack, which was described as both very large and very heavy. He was last seen by a worker and a shopper as he entered Diagon Alley. When Shacklebolt's aurors arrested him at his house, he still had the sack, but it was empty. Elf hair was found inside the sack. A shard of broken glass was imbedded in the sole of his right shoe.

"All of that is quite straight forward. The contention concerns what to do with Mr. Parkinson, and the other Death Eater and Grindelwald members whom we have in custody. I think that in view of the continued violent threats from the Death Eaters, we need to increase security generally and in particular prepare to defend against an attack aimed at freeing the prisoners whom we've captured. I'll let Kingsley describe his proposal, then Madam Bones will detail her objections, and then I'll tell you what I'm asking you to support."

"I'm concerned that the Ministry jail has been repeatedly compromised, stated Shacklebolt, "and that if the prisoners were freed, that they'd be in position to attack the Ministry from the inside. I'm not at all sure that we can trust Azkaban. It struck me that the safest, most secure spot is Gringotts Bank. I've learned that they have five vacant vaults. I propose that we transfer the prisoners at once. We can provide beds and bedding, as well as the basic necessities, to fit five prisoners to a vault. That will take care of all the serious prisoners – the former Lord Montaigne, the Parkinsons, the Death Eaters, and all but a couple of minor members of the Grindelwald crew. We can make the transfer before Diagon Alley opens at 8:30."

"That sounds like a very wise approach," Hermione told Shacklebolt.

"Maybe it does to a Hogwarts student with almost no knowledge of the law," Madam Bones objected. "I object to involving these students. They've shown themselves to be altogether too blood-thirsty."

"That is the first time anyone has accused me of being overly blood-thirsty," Hermione indignantly objected.

"Well, I'm not going to let you divert me. What the Director proposes is contrary to our laws. There is no precedent of Wizard prisoners ever being housed in a Gringotts vault, or guarded by Goblins and a dragon. Those vaults are horribly dank. If something happened and nobody came to service the prisoners, they'd die of suffocation or thirst within a few days. Their families won't be able to visit them. Besides that, these defendants have not even been tried. There isn't even a basis for continuing to hold Mr. Parkinson. He should be released on minimal bond, perhaps fifteen galleons."

"You odious old Witch!" Hermione shouted. "He murdered an innocent Elf. The defendants haven't been tried, because you've shirked your duty in prosecuting them. Exactly why shouldn't Goblins guard Wizard prisoners? I'm embarrassed to be associated with an administration in which you hold such important office. You are a disgrace and I consider you a Death Eater in all but the Dark Mark."

"That is exactly why emotional students have no place in an important meeting like this. If you knew the law, you'd know that we can't charge Mr. Parkinson with a serious crime. The most serious offense he seems to have committed is a violation of the public house sanitation law. Placing a dead person or animal in an establishment where food is served carries a fine of up to 300 galleons and a jail term of up to two years. It is not an offense that can get you sent to Azkaban.

"Even that case is shaky. Elves will not be accepted as fully-qualified witnesses. Their testimony may be totally discounted, if the Wizengamot so chooses. I know that you think Elf murder is very serious, and I certainly do not in any way condone it, but our laws were written when Elves were property. For killing an Elf, especially one which he formerly owned and which more than a third of the Wizengamot feels he should still own, I'd be lucky to get six months in jail and a 200 galleon fine. All the usable evidence I have is that he left the Ministry carrying a sack and that he stepped on broken glass, somewhere. I can't expect half the Wizengamot to trust the evidence of Elf hairs. He claims that he often transported his Elves in that sack. You may not like it, I don't like it, but that's the law. I didn't create the law."

"But as a member of the Wizengamot and as Director of the Office of Magical Law Enforcement, you never suggested that the law be changed," Hermione accused her. I could tell that Hermione was trying very hard to avoid tearing up and was only partially succeeding. "You're just disgusting," she exclaimed as she gave up the effort at control and buried her head in her arms.

All of us said we would be happy to support Kingsley's proposal.

"I've already decided to support it," Dad declared. "I'm also going to support Kingsley's request to search the Parkinson home more thoroughly and to use Veritaserum in questioning the prisoners. I have told Madam Bones that I expect to see her moving ahead with prosecution of the prisoners. The evidence against them is strong and I believe she has delayed unnecessarily.

"I have called you here to warn you that Madam Bones may well criticize these actions to the press and also may well resign her post. As the group who caught or helped to catch many of these prisoners, you should expect questions from the press, especially given the likelihood that Madam Bones will criticize your actions as illegal."

"You shouldn't be worried about her resigning," Ron told his father. "She has been working for the other side for years. Don't let her resign. Fire the bitch."

"I won't be spoken to like that!" Madam Bones shouted. "I have opposed Voldemort my entire life. I was tortured by the Death Eaters. Just because they went outside the law, doesn't mean that I should accept this government doing so."

"Let's not fight about this," Dad implored the room in general. "Madam Bones will resign or she won't. If she makes semi-official statements that I strongly object to, I will fire her. All of that will happen or not. I have other matters to discuss.

"The Elves must be protected. Cotto has arranged for them to never travel alone. I will issue a decree giving Elves the right to use violence against a Wizard in defense of themselves, although Cotto assures me that they will always try to apparate to freedom, rather than fight. None of us wants a repetition of the Elven wars. Madam Bones will have to decide to what extent she wants such a war on her conscience.

"I am also drafting a bill to increase the penalties for attacking other magical beings. I'm sure Percy and Hermione would like to help me with that. I plan to introduce it to the Wizengamot within a day. The Covenant Committee will meet tonight. Not at Hogwarts - I prefer my conference room. I have placed all aurors on alert and asked Kingsley to quickly complete an additional round of vetting. There will be no apparating into Diagon Alley or Hogwarts. All Wizards not on my approved list will surrender their wands before entering the Ministry. I'm asking all of you not to speak to anyone at the Prophet.

"The requirements for aurors mean I'm taking Bill back. Harry and my children will have to rely solely on Barb and themselves. I'm also pulling the aurors from the Cavern of the Goblins. The Hogwarts aurors will guard the Forbidden Forest. King Goblanze has provided extra security at the bank, including putting the second dragon on duty. I have declared a state of emergency. Priority number one is stopping these attacks. Priority one and a half is catching Thicknesse. I still want the students working on the Circle of the Goblins. We need to restore magic. Everything else is not much of a priority at all. I think that covers everything. Did you have anything else to say, Madam Bones?"

"Only that I am not the enemy. I'll not oppose the government during this emergency, but it was my duty to tell you that much of what you are doing is very wrong and of questionable legality. Mr. Parkinson may well have just cause to bring an action against you. For now, I'll be quiet and supportive."

As Kingsley and Madam Bones left to tend to their side of their feud, Dad motioned for the rest of us to stay. "in deference to Harry's fears, I decided not to have this next discussion in Madam Bones's presence. As I hinted a few minutes ago, there are some new enhancements to our magical defenses. I'll allow my new expert to explain."

I was surprised when Prudence escorted Ellie into the room.

"I am supposed to explain the recent defensive changes that I have made," Ellie told us. "I've used the control monolith which you recovered from that church in Edinburgh to prevent apparation in most of Diagon Alley. Apparation over a great distance is iffy in any case, as you understand better than I. That monolith is hidden in George's shop and protects all of Diagon Alley, including the rear entrance to the Ministry, but not the nastier side lanes of the Alley. The second monolith, the one from Frakes' townhouse provides an extra layer of protection inside the Ministry. It will prevent apparation and detect any unauthorized wands on the executive floors and the floor with the Elf dorm. The apparation spot in the Minister's ante-room and those in the other executive offices, apart from Harry's and Kingsley's have been turned off. I have been to Hogwarts and turned off McGonagall's special apparation spot inside the fence. None of you will be able to use Kingsley's apparation spot. Only Harry, Ginny, Callista, Percy, Shacklebolt, Prudence, and the Minister can use Harry's apparation spot. If Ron and Hermione lend me the special wands they are carrying, I'll also key the apparation controls to allow them to apparate to Harry's ante-room."

Ron handed his wand to Ellie, telling her "this is Gryffindor's wand. Madam Bones had Shacklebolt steal mine, quite some time ago in fact, and it has yet to be returned to me."

Hermione told Ellie that she was using her old wand again. As she was handing it over, Ellie explained that she wouldn't need it.

Dad was suddenly very angry and demanded of Prudence, "I want Madam Bones brought here RIGHT NOW. Tell her to bring Ron's wand with her. Take a couple of aurors with you."

Ellie froze in place with a frightened look, finally asking Dad "you probably want me to leave, before Prudence returns."

"Not at all," Dad told her. "I know that you have more to explain."

"I do, I just thought there would be other things said that you wouldn't want a very junior Ministry employee to listen in on."

"Nonsense, you were an auror, so I Know I can count upon your discretion. Besides, you have been very helpful to me. I would prefer, however, that Madam Bones not hear the provisions we've made for your own personal safety.

"Well, it's important that a monolith's controller, that's now me for these particular two monoliths, be able to service them instantly if something goes wrong. They are created such that they can… well, basically they can suck me to them, even if I am trying to apparate from an area where apparation is blocked. They can also message my wand that I am needed. This allows me to escape danger, but also allows somebody to trick me into a trap, by causing the monolith to summon me. The two monoliths always have an auror nearby to protect them and me. I have a cellphone and it's programmed with your number. Here is my number."

She was handing cards to us, just as Prudence and Madam Bones were re-entering the room.

"Why do you still have Ron's wand," Dad asked. "I understand that you illegally questioned Harry in a manner that you don't permit Kingsley to employ on the worst Death Eater scum. You stole Ron's wand, have had ample time to examine it, and since you've said nothing, I assume that it shows that my son did nothing wrong. Why does he still not have his wand back."

"It's actually Peverell's twin to Dumbledore's old wand and his ownership of it is iffy at best. I still have it, because it is still being treated as evidence - evidence in my investigation of allegations from many Wizengamot members concerning Ron's involvement in the death of two Death Eaters in Diagon Alley by the Avada Kedavra."

"And does the wand show any signs of being used for an Avada Kedavra."

"No. It was only used for 'Petrificus Totallis' and 'Protego" in recent weeks."

"Then I demand that you return it this instant. Why haven't you brought it with you?"

"It was stolen from my office. I apologize. I did have it locked up in my desk."

"You wanted it and you stole it to give to your Death Eater pals!" Ron accused her.

"If you are going to allow these students to insult me like this, I really will resign," Madam Bones threatened Dad.

"Be careful what you say," Dad warned. "McGonagall played that particular card once too often and then was upset when I accepted her offer. I promise you, if you resign now, I will accept your resignation."

She was silent for a full thirty seconds, before declaring "I'll not resign, but I do expect to be shown more respect than this. I'm sorry the wand was stolen. Perhaps I should have returned it sooner, but Ron no more owned it than I did. It was taken out of the dead hand of Peverell."

"No, it was taken from a statue of Gryffindor," Ron hotly declared. "So… you thought you were stealing the Peverell wand. How very ambitious of you!"

Madam Bones turned on her heel and departed in a huff.

Dad quietly told us "she was part of the old Order for a very long time and she has suffered a great deal at the hands of the Death Eaters. I don't approve of her actions, but I can't believe she's a Death Eater and I can't bring myself to fire her. We fought Voldemort together."


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN – The Committee Meets Again**

As Harry told Dad that we were off to continue the repairs on the Circle of the Goblins, Madam Bones queried Hermione "Why do you children hate me so much? I'm just doing my job, the way I believe it should be done."

Ron answered for Hermione, "Because you're not doing your job the way a reasonable person thinks it should be done. Because we don't think of ourselves as children, and because you've been illegally persecuting us."

"I certainly haven't persecuted you. I just don't accept that you are exempt from the legal requirements that the rest of us must live by."

"Of course you've persecuted us. You prosecuted Harry on totally rigged charges of under-age magic. You didn't pursue Umbridge for setting the Dementors onto Harry. You interrogated Harry and me, with truth tellers, for use of the 'Avada Kedavra', when you had zero evidence. Even though that investigation showed that we were completely innocent, you've stolen my wand."

"That's not true. I had complaints that one of you was heard to use the 'Avada Kedavra'. St. Mungo's said the victims were killed by that curse. I determined that none of the aurors had used that curse. That left you. I would return it if I could. Unfortunately, it has been stolen."

"Someone complained? Someone you can't name, because apart from lying Death Eaters, they couldn't possibly exist since I never said 'Avada Kedavra' during that fight. So it must be the Death Eaters who say they heard me say it. That's not evidence, that's fiction. If you think you have evidence against me, then I challenge you to bring forward your witness. I know you can't. Just as I know you have tons of evidence to question and prosecute the Death Eaters who most definitely did use the 'Avada' in that fight. But you refuse to do that. So, where is your fairness? And my wand, which you had no right to seize, was stolen. How very convenient, you thief. I demand an official investigation. I have a lot more evidence than you did. I can prove that you had my wand seized and that Director Shacklebolt gave it to you. Your explanation for your investigation is hollow. I want to see your warrant to seize my wand. I want to know who were your witnesses. Did you also question the shopkeepers? They were certainly cursing the Death Eaters, not that I want to get any of them in trouble for a perfectly normal, civic-minded response to Death Eater bombers in front of their shops. Did you even question the Death Eaters, using truth tellers?"

"That's nonsense! The shopkeepers were too far away to be heard, so it wasn't them who could have been heard uttering the 'Avada Kedavra'. It made no sense to question them. It would have violated the rights of the prisoners to use truth tellers to question them. Your wand was stolen from my office. I'm sorry, but I'm not responsible for security. That's Kingsley's responsibility. File a complaint and the Ministry will buy you a new wand."

Dad had moved closer to listen in on the discussion. He had heard enough. "I have had quite enough of your bickering with Director Shacklebolt. I also demand to know why I was not informed, before you interrogated my Deputy Minister in front of truth tellers. I also demand to know on whose testimony you seized my son's wand and subjected him to truth tellers. And, I cannot tell you how much it sickens me to hear a member of my administration refer to the bombers who attacked Diagon Alley as 'victims'. Exactly how are they victims? Have you even questioned the prisoners?"

"I need to insure the independence of my investigations. You had an obvious conflict of interest with regard to the Deputy Minister and your son. Of course I've talked to the prisoners. I apologize for criticizing Director Shacklebolt. I only meant to say that I locked my office. If your son's wand was stolen from my locked office, that cannot reasonably be blamed on me."

"I'll ask you for the last time: who was the witness who prompted your investigation of the Deputy Minister and my son."

"It was the Frakes boy."

"That's your idea of an unbiased witness? That's proof enough to question the Deputy Minister without my knowledge. So you will accept the word of a Death Eater bomber, but not the word of three Elves who are respected Ministry employees. Hermione is correct, your attitude is disgraceful. I shall think whether I wish you to remain in your post. For now, I wish you to be out of my sight. And exactly what is this crap about 'the Ministry will buy you a new wand' regarding the theft of what you thought was an extremely rare and valuable Peverell wand. Where do you propose the Ministry go to buy one of those? And this is not on Kingsley. We have only your word that the wand was stolen from your desk. Perhaps you would like to testify about that theft in front of truth tellers?"

Madam Bones was going to argue back, but left the office in tears. I don't think I had ever seen Dad this angry. I gave him a hug for putting that Witch in her place.

We headed off for another day of hard work in the cavern. The lack of sleep was getting to me. I lacked the energy to continue our attempts to identify Mr. Big. Hermione was given another day to come up with her guesses. She accepted the postponement but bristled at the suggestion that she would be guessing.

"If I planned to guess, I'd give you the names right now. I intend to use logical deduction and reveal the guilty party. That takes a little longer."

Even Ron adopted an attitude of 'yeah, yeah Hermione, just give us your guesses tomorrow'.

Although we did not discuss the deeper mysteries, we could not stop discussing the explosion we had witnessed, or perhaps precipitated, within Dad's cabinet.

Harry assured Ron and Hermione, "You didn't start the fight. Things were not going well before you arrived. You did cause round two, but Madam Bones richly deserved it. I wouldn't be at all upset if she resigned. Ron supplied me with new information, which I will make use of. I had no idea that she relied upon Frakes' word in practically having me arrested. I won't forgive that. I also didn't realize that Ron never got his wand back. She seems to really hate Elves. I think I'll deal with her through Cotto."

Our conclusion was that Dad would fire Madam Bones before tonight's committee meeting.

We learned at dinner that this was not the case. Prudence intercepted us on the way to the cafeteria to inform us that Dad wanted to see us in his office. Dad said in an apologetic tone "I know that your group, as well as Director Shacklebolt, and probably Madam Bones herself, were expecting me to fire her today. I really wish I could, but I can't. In addition to the present unsettled situation, Madam Bones is the only Witch holding a significant position in my government. I don't have a suitable Witch lined up to replace her and I don't want to go with a Wizard. Also, I sympathize with what she went through at the hands of the Death Eaters. I think she is still emotionally fragile and don't want to take her job from her on top of her other problems.

"I received a very impassioned plea from your headmaster to show compassion towards Madam Bones, but I was already leaning in that direction. Kingsley is not happy, and I'm sure you aren't either. Kingsley wanted me to at least demand changes in the way she operates her department. I told her why I was unhappy, but exacted no promises from her.

"I do apologize that my administration hauled you before the Truth Tellers on the complaint of Gamot Zabini and the testimony of the Frakes boy. That should never have happened. If there is a repeat of this, please check with me before submitting to her demands. Kingsley is upset that he seized Ron's wand, thinking Madam Bones had my approval. I suspect that Harry submitted to her questioning under the same assumption. Please know that I had no part in this and am as angry as you are. Madam Bones, rather than the Ministry will pay for it."

"That's fine Dad, but it isn't possible. It's not like she stole an ordinary wand. She must have thought that she would be stealing a Peverell wand. She got Godric Gryffindor's wand, instead. It's irreplaceable."

"I didn't realize that at first. In all the excitement, I guess that thought is just sinking in. That casts a somewhat different light upon the matter. The Peverell and Gryffindor wands are wands that the Death Eaters would be very interested in acquiring. I agree that Madam Bones bears watching. I will be far more cautious about what I say in her presence. I still want you to make her buy you a new wand. I shouldn't need to tell you that you had no business walking around with such a wand. We'll talk later about how you happened to have either of those particular wands. I don't want to switch from apologizing to chastising."

"It's fairly simple. We discovered the wands in the Peverell storeroom at Hogwarts. We didn't think it was safe to leave them there."

"You should have turned them in to the Ministry."

"I was aware that Ron had the wand," Harry admitted. "I guess we should also admit that the reason Madam Bones didn't get the Peverell wand, not the Death Stick - another Peverell wand, is that we allowed Seamus to dissect it so that he and Mr. Ollivander could find out how it worked. They did, by the way. My only excuse is that the last wand that we turned in to the Ministry was also stolen."

"We must talk more about the Peverell storeroom. I know you showed it to me, but its significance escaped me. I'd rather have your group thoroughly catalog the contents of that room than leave the task for your headmaster."

When told that Hermione planned to do this, Dad suggested that she assign greater priority to the project and recruit some assistance. "Luna might enjoy helping and Harry could lend you Baal. I need Ellie for a few more days, but it sounds like an assignment that she would really enjoy. I'll be presumptuous enough to also volunteer my daughter's help.

"Don't go just yet. I saved this for last, because otherwise we would have talked of nothing else. At 3:00 P.M., which is exactly thirteen hours after the first message was sent, there were nearly simultaneous fights between Elves and their employers in two Great Family homes. Neither Elf was injured. The Bulstrode Elf apparated safely to a special room at the Ministry, as Cotto taught it to do. The second Elf, in the home of Gamot Zabini's brother, was caught by surprise and used a curse to throw his employer against a wall, before apparating. Gamot Zabini's brother suffered two broken fingers and a broken nose. The Gamot is demanding the Elf be prosecuted for assaulting his master, which is a very serious offense.

"It took some doing, but Kingsley and I convinced Madam Bones that, since Elves no longer had masters, this particular statute did not apply. Since Mr. Zabini foolishly declared that he had intended to use magic 'to discipline my Elf', Madam Bones has decided to declare that he started the fight and to decline to prosecute the Elf. She has at least gotten that case correct, although I admit it took far more persuasion from me than it should have."

"Just wow!" was all that Hermione said.

As expected, the committee meeting was loud and rancorous. There were demands that Mr. Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode be prosecuted.

Professor McGonagall did not hide her exasperation, as she declared, "Amelia has explained to you that the law grants very little credence to the testimony of Elves. The testimony of a single Elf in a he-said-she-said case will be totally discounted. You have been abusing Amelia for having the temerity to remind you of what you already know about the current state of our legal system. I don't like it any more than you do, but that is the way things are. I encourage you to change the law."

Prime Minister Tony remarked that Wizards could hardly demand better treatment from his society, if they hadn't yet learned to treat their fellow magical creatures appropriately.

Cotto told him "it's unfortunate, but that's how Wizards are. They haven't forgiven the Elves for allowing Wizards to slaughter them, so many centuries ago. Guilt can be a terrible thing. It forces you to demonize your victims."

After everyone had a chance to vent, we did make some progress. We agreed that Dad would introduce bills to the Wizengamot, extending protections from violence by Wizards to the Elves, Goblins, Centaurs, and other magical creatures. We agreed that Aragog's brood could send a representative to the next meeting. Dad agreed to introduce a second bill, honoring the court testimony of other magical creatures. Prime Minister Tony promised to exert whatever influence he could muster to push for an end to the whaling industry. Most significantly, we agreed that until the laws changed, Elves would be discouraged from working singly in Wizard homes. It would not be forbidden, but Cotto would strongly discourage it.

McGonagall failed to secure a motion of apology to Madam Bones. She also failed to secure a motion that we recognized that Madam Bones was doing well at a difficult job. A motion to recommend that the Minister fire her failed by one vote. Dad seemed relieved that all three motions had failed. I had voted for the last motion. Harry had not. Nobody owned my vote, except me.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen – The Muggle Logic of the Diadem**

We slept a little late and didn't arrive in the cafeteria for breakfast until nearly 8:30, but we still beat Hermione and my brother. We grabbed coffee and buttered scones and a poached egg for each of us. We were nearly finished, when Hermione and Ron carried their food to the table. Hermione begged Harry to arrange for our bagged lunches, while she and Ron consumed breakfast.

As soon as Harry left, Hermione confided, "I haven't come up with one, let alone two, possible solutions to our mystery that are as ingenious as the two you provided us with yesterday, but I've got the beginnings of some ideas, and I'm bringing the diadem with me to the Cavern. I didn't want to breathe a word in Harry's presence, but I think I have an appropriately obscure character as my dark horse candidate. While I assemble my case, you may cogitate on the name Barnabas Cuffe. And if you want to really flesh out McGonagall as a dark horse, I suggest you find out everything that you can about Adrienne Celine – you can start with your husband, he met her before any of us when he went shopping with her. Oh, here he comes now, let me just take a final sip of my coffee and we can be on our way."

Hermione led us on foot to Gringotts and into a rail car. When we reached the Cavern, I guess that I should not have been as surprised as I was to find Shacklebolt waiting for us. He pointed to the instruments, which he had returned, apologizing. "I didn't realize you would be working last night and would need them. You would have made better use of them than I did. My men found nothing within a twenty mile radius of Cardiff. I was so certain that we would meet with success there. We'll keep moving out from Cardiff tonight. Are you tied up here, or do you still plan on taking a night of flying duty?"

"I'd still enjoy a flight," I admitted. "Can we do it tomorrow, Harry?"

"I don't see why not," Harry responded. "I can't see working here another consecutive double shift, certainly not after having been awakened in the middle of the night. What we all need most is sleep, but after so much time underground, an exhilarating broom ride will be a close second. I can fully understand why the Goblins are so hot on having their own above ground sanctuary. The caverns are elegant works of engineering, but one tires of them very quickly."

"Very well," the Director replied. I'll send some aurors to pick up the visualizers just after sunset, and I'll have them back here tomorrow morning. You can keep them for your own use tomorrow night. I expect we'll be forty miles outside Cardiff by then, although I'm not at all sure we shouldn't be searching the London area, instead." Shacklebolt gave a slight wave and was gone. He stopped and returned.

Dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, he continued, "I don't know what was said at your committee meeting yesterday, but your father was charged up. This morning he met with Madam Bones and me for five minutes. He said he had an announcement and was not interested in any debate. He told me that I should have my aurors immediately arrest Millicent Bulstrode and Marshall Zabini on charges of treason, conspiracy to overthrow the elected government, and harming an Elf. He told Madam Bones, that since Mr. Parkinson is already under custody, he expected the same charges filed against him, within the hour. Madam Bones started to speak, but Arthur said that if she was planning to defend the terrorists, that he didn't intend to listen to her. He also told her to see that I had full approvals to conduct a detailed search of all their properties within the day.

"He asked her why Gamot Zabini had yet to be questioned about his purchase of Barty's hideout and providing of funds. He said, 'along with my calling the Gamot in for questioning at precisely noon, a warrant to search all of the Gamot's property, including his Wizengamot chambers, had best be on my desk by noon and with no advance warning to the good Gamot.' Madam Bones tried to object again, but Arthur said he was declaring an all-out war on the Death Eater terrorists and just walked away, leaving Madam Bones in possession of his office. I swear it was Arthur's finest hour."

"That is simply amazing," Ron told Shacklebolt. "I'm guessing Dad finally decided that the opposition is not going to be gentled into good behavior. Fine, I'm ready for a fight. I just wish Madam Bones hadn't stolen my wand."

We turned our attention to our work crew. We had the two magical engineers whom Dad had promised us, and Professor McGonagall had sent three students, including Jimmy Peakes. From our original student crew, only Fenton remained on the day shift. We also had Professor Trelawney, eagerly awaiting her demonstration of the magical force viewing devices. She had missed out yesterday, but needed to be at the Ministry for the committee meeting, in any case.

Hermione suggested that, since she was just our safety officer, she would be happy to provide the demonstration for Professor Trelawney, so that the rest of us could work with the new students. I helped Hermione gather up the visualizing instruments and she led Professor Trelawney to the reception hall, in order to view the arch. As they disappeared from view, I headed back to where Harry, Draco and Ron were instructing the students. Erin wouldn't join us until the evening shift, which seemed to make Draco a bit looser with his comments. I had to watch from the floor, since Harry, Draco, and Ron had a student named Sally Marcum up on the ladder and were explaining the proper use of the chisel and mallet.

Draco was taking his turn with the chisel and by the position of the chisel, as well as its length when he withdrew it from the socket in the lodestone, I could tell that he was engaged in tricky work at the bottom of a side facet. Sally was holding a flashlight for him and leaning a little closer than absolutely necessary. She was an attractive, very petite sixth-year Hufflepuff girl with very short red hair – only about an inch long - who had to perch a little precariously on the top step of the ladder. I had met her before, and she was reasonably intelligent and friendly. Her obsession was constantly changing her hair, going from blonde to her waist, to a purple bob with a red streak down the center, to green spikes, to her current look in the five years that I had taken notice of her. I had been drawn to her for a time, because she had a wicked sense of humor and sometimes made me think of Tonks. If she was interested in Draco, she might well give Erin a good competition, which I as their supervisor and a casual observer could sit back and enjoy. I just hoped that there was still some easy work on mass rock removal around the collar for her to work on. I didn't like the idea of sixth-years with chisels with this project at the stage in which I imagined the night shift must have left it. We would need these students, and more, but largely for polishing.

I waited for Draco to finish his turn with the chisel, so that I could get a look at the overnight progress. Unfortunately, he had succumbed to Sally's flirting at least to the extent that he decided to stay on the ladder and hold the flashlight for her. Since Hermione was returning with Professor Trelawney, I walked back to the bench to join them. The Ministry magical engineers were at the bench on the opposite side of the center aisle from our bench and had the crystals arranged in front of them for detailed examination and measurement. They seemed to be triple checking the drawings that we had made and confirming the precision of our measurements. Carl, the older of the engineers, saw Hermione return with the instruments and asked to borrow the Flamel Device to scan the crystals for magical activity. Hermione handed him the tool, pointing to the only crystal that had shown magical activity. Professor Trelawney seemed interested in this exercise, so Hermione gave her a look through the Dumbledore instrument at each of the four crystals. It seemed forever until Hermione sat down beside me.

"This is all very interesting," Professor Trelawney exclaimed. "I think I have about an hour before the King is going to meet me here, for my tour of the other Caverns. Do you think Harry would let me try my hand with the chisel?"

"I certainly hope not!" burst past my lips, before the diplomatic part of my brain had a chance to engage. "The coarse work is all but finished," I hastened to elaborate and smooth things over, "a great deal of skill and experience is needed for what is left. There is only enough rough work to give each of the students the smallest amount of actual experience, and it wouldn't be fair to steal their time."

"No, I suppose it wouldn't. I'd still like to get a look at what progress has been made. Would Harry let me at least climb the ladder?"

"I'm sure he would," I said rushing to the base of the ladder to tell my brother to yield his spot to Professor Trelawney. As he climbed down, I saw that a second student was wielding the chisel, and that Harry and Cissy were both atop ladders. Professor Trelawney climbed the ladder and took a good look, seeming happier with the height than she had two nights ago. To prove me wrong, and horribly mean besides, Harry did allow her several small taps on the chisel. She seemed quite delighted as she descended the ladder. I was going to climb up for my own look, but Carl beat me to the ladder, so I wandered back to the bench with Trelawney. As I walked back, I saw Draco and Sally drinking water together at the rear of the Cavern.

As I sat down next to Hermione, realizing that I had filled both my lodestone vials the night before and would want to start my turn of work by scavenging whatever sand and chips I could, I begged an empty vial from Hermione.

"I think I've used all my vials," she quickly replied. "Wait, I have the Veritaserum bottle that Shacklebolt returned to me. It's really a decent sized bottle, so it should be able to hold the sand and chips from the rest of this project." She passed me the bottle, which contained only a few drops of liquid. "I can't see how a little Veritaserum could harm your precious sand. If you leave the cap off, I think it will mainly evaporate, anyway."

I headed back to the ladders, telling the student that I needed to replace him. He reluctantly yielded his spot and I scrambled up the ladder and leaned toward Harry.

"Sorry to pull rank, but I was very curious to find out how much progress the night shift made and I also didn't want any chips or sand to be lost before I could collect them. I've got a fresh vial from Hermione - she suggested that I just leave the cap off for a little while, so the last drops can evaporate. I see the night shift stuck to our agreement and left me all their chips in a little pile. Can you stop your hammering long enough for me to clean out the hole?" Harry stopped work and Cissy shone the flashlight beam around the cavity as I used my wand to levitate all of the debris and add it to the little pile, setting my bottle beside it. "I can see that the night shift made good progress. There is little rough chisel work left for the students. I had told Professor Trelawney that you wouldn't let her take a turn."

"{[surprised] She didn't cause any harm, I watched her very carefully. If you had sent me a silent message, I would have just let her play with the chisel on the side wall of the cavern. You're right about the night shift. I'm very pleased with their work. The hole is at the proper depth and we are at the stage of finishing the side facets. The students have just a little more chisel work on the collar. [excited alertness] Pass me that bottle… please.}

{{What is it? Here it is.}}

{This is Hermione's bottle of Veritaserum… the one she gave to Shacklebolt. I hadn't realized what a big bottle it was. Do you remember what Meghan told us?}

I tried to think back to our meeting with Meghan and then stopped, aghast, as Harry tilted the bottle and poured the remaining several drops onto his tongue, rolling the liquid around in his mouth.

{[really excited] That's not Veritaserum. That's water. What game is Shacklebolt playing at?}

{{I don't know, but as charged up as you are, you had better give the chisel to Cissy and come talk to Hermione. I don't want you ruining the job with jittery hands.}}

Harry nodded okay and handed the chisel and mallet to Cissy, mumbling "I have a bit of a hand cramp. Could you take over?" Meanwhile, I deposited the pile of detritus into the bottle and followed Harry down the ladder.

We were still walking to the bench as Harry called ahead to Hermione "is the bottle that you just gave to Ginny the same Veritaserum bottle that you gave to Shacklebolt to use on Barty?"

"Yes, I label my bottles. This one says VS and the date that I filled it, and Herm. Why?"

"Something possessed Harry to taste the dregs left in the bottle," I told Hermione, "and it turned out to be just water."

"Well, there could be a very reasonable explanation for that. Perhaps, Shacklebolt is just a good citizen, who rinsed out my empty bottle, before returning it to me."

"How much Veritaserum was in the bottle, when you gave it to Shacklebolt," Harry pressed the issue.

"I'd say about half of a bottle. The bottle held enough for six doses. I put an extra large dose in Erin's milk and then we gave a dose each to Pansy and Lucius. It's very possible that Shacklebolt just used a slightly large dose on Barty, just as I did on Erin."

"But…," Harry concluded, "a witness told us the bottle was full when it was poured into Barty's mouth."

"I think you're making things more suspicious than they are. If Shacklebolt had poured this whole bottle into Barty, it likely would have killed him, especially in his weakened state. The fatal quantity of Veritaserum is only five times the recommended dosage for interrogation. Surely Shacklebolt knows that. I'm guessing he transferred my Veritaserum to another vial, so that he didn't have a bottle with my label on it."

"Oh… that makes a certain amount of sense," Harry agreed. "A doctor administered the dose and he certainly would know what a safe quantity was. He also might notice your particular bottle and label. For a moment there, I thought I had found our Mr. Big, which reminds me – you owe us your guesses."

"And if you'll recall, I have two more hours, which I'm spending right here, with the diadem on my head". I looked closely and saw that her hair was obscuring the diadem.

"If I had a do-over," Harry told us, "my choices would be Madam Bones and Director Shacklebolt. Not a great endorsement for your father's cabinet."

"No, it really isn't," Hermione agreed. "No wonder Arthur has switched to just giving orders and foregoing the debate."

I went off to take my turn at the chisel. As we approached lunchtime, we had put the chisel aside and set the students to work polishing the finished portions of the socket with their diamond cloths. We had completed a very fruitful four hours of work as we sat down with Ron and Hermione to here Hermione's guesses and more importantly, what justification she and the Ravenclaw diadem had been able to devise.

"I think that it would help to sort our possible suspects into categories,, Hermione began, in a manner that hinted more at thinking out loud and buying herself extra time, than to naming her candidates. "People who are willing allies with our enemies can usually be discerned by careful background checks and Veritaserum. Others of you have listed some of these barely-vouched candidates – I'd add Professor Adrienne Celine to that list, simply because we don't know much about her other than that she is another friend of McGonagall's and has spent far more time in the Muggle world than any living Wizard other that the-semi-wizard-formerly-known-as-Lord-Montaigne. If you add in people who are duped into cooperating with the other side, people who are coerced by hostages of some sort, and people who are outright Imperiused, you get a wide range of possible sabotage and information leaks.

"Our putative 'Big', whether it be Mr. Big or Ms. Big, has some additional needs. One of our key observations is that our opposition has ranged among groups who have not cooperated in the past: not only Death Eaters and Grindenwald fanatics, but reactionaries from old Wizard families and the anti-Goblanze Goblins, even the Giants. We may well find other groups in this melange - family vendettas and individual madness are two obvious sources of personnel, and more may turn up. We thus deduce the existence of "Big", who has created alliances among these disparate splinters.

"In order to perform this function, 'Big' must have met with key members or leaders of these sub-groups in order to feel out their feelings and then recruit them. This contact may have been in the past, but it is difficult to imagine that a recruiting drive to an anti-Weasley/Potter/Hogswarts coalition would have been successful prior to the death of Voldemort. 'Big' probably needs current communications with subordinate allies to direct operations and leak information: as we of Dumbledore's Army know, communication can be subtle and covert indeed. More to the point, although Ruppasta Minta could have been recruited at any time, Mrs. Parkinson, Thicknesse, and especially Barty Crouch would not have entertained such ideas before then. If 'Big' coordinated with the Grindelwalds and Giants before Bruce ran for Minister, then he knew the identity of Gunter Gran Martine, or at least how to find Meier Hyack, before we did. He needs to have been able to travel and consult often, unobserved or unnoticed, during the weeks immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts.

"That rules out a lot of people. It seems to me that the aurors have a tight working schedule. They don't even go home anymore – they live in the auror dormitory in the Ministry building. A person with that kind of time commitment might well be a conspirator, but could hardly manage to get away to meet with, much less direct, subordinates like Thicknesse, Mrs. Parkinson, Barty Crouch, and Ruppasta Minta."

"I don't disagree with anything you've said," Harry chided Hermione, "but I'm not hearing a name. Sounds more like stalling to me."

"C'mon Harry," Ron came to Hermione's defense, "the Witch is still recovering from being kidnapped and you know that her mind works a little differently than ours, well than most people, actually. I know she has two names, because she told me last night. She was a fan of Agatha Christie growing up in the Muggle world and has a different idea of the proper method for announcing the solution to a crime."

"Well, if she's actually going to solve the crime, rather than just making an off-the-top-of-the-head guess like the rest of us, then she and her diadem are very welcome to go about it whatever way she thinks is best. I'll just sit here and eat my sandwich."

"Yes, Harry, suspense is important. If I just throw out two names, you'll hardly even pay attention, as I go through my logic. This way, you'll come up with the names yourself, before I even state them. I've read thirty Agatha Christie books and the solutions to her mysteries have some common themes that are pertinent to our problem. There is usually a lot of confusion caused by assuming that you know something to be a fact, because somebody you had no reason to doubt told you it was true. The solution to the mystery often hinges on finding that false fact and the liar who convinced you that it was correct. I think we have to write down what we think we know and put down next to each fact, why we think we know it to be true. We can rely upon what we know from our own experience, the rest we need to verify, as best we can without raising alarms or casting doubts upon those who turn out to have been good allies.

An example of this is the false feud between Erin and Silas. We have Erin's explanation for her role in that farce, but should we believe it? The second thing that I learned from Agatha Christie is that the solution to a mystery often lies in an obscure observation, something that seems out of place when you really think about it, but that everyone else missed. My bottle of Veritaserum is an example of that. Harry was very shrewd to recognize the discrepancy in Shacklebolt's story. He didn't necessarily lie to us, but he didn't tell the whole truth either. A good detective asks why. The third thing Agatha Christie relied upon was intimate knowledge of the workings of a little community. We are dealing with lots of little communities here, from Hogwarts, to Gringotts bank, to the Ministry, to Durmstrang, and of course to St. Mungo's. We've heard a lot from Professor McGonagall of the overriding importance of family in motivating Wizards, and we certainly need to look at that, but I think the working of the little communities and institutions is equally important. Along with understanding of the little community, Agatha Christie relied a lot upon common sense and an understanding of people's behavior and what makes them do what they do. My mother can help us here. I don't think one of the biggest Agatha Christie tools will be much help. At least, I hope it won't. She often has her detective just blunder around, while most of the good suspects are murdered in one way or another. Come to think of it, we have lost a lot of suspects by that route.

"But, to return to the point where I was interrupted, not only does 'Big' need the freedom to move amongst the leaders of all the groups that have opposed us, he needs to be someone whom those groups would willingly accept as a leader. We know that so many of our opponents are Wizard-Firsters, which I think rules out an Elf, Goblin, Centaur, Giant, or Muggle. I guess under the right circumstances, like being assured the right to rule over all magical creatures in the government's name, that the Muggle Prime Minister might gain their support. There's also no way Bruce or Mrs. Parker would take instructions from anyone other than a Witch or Wizard. I rather doubt that they would take instructions from a Witch or Wizard whom they saw as distinctly a social inferior, unless they were being blackmailed or that social inferior were so uniquely positioned as to be indispensable. There's a chance they would both follow a McGonagall, Shacklebolt, or a Dr. Sprout, but I have a hard time believing they'd follow someone like Percy or Silas.

"I think our Mr. Big also needs detailed inside information, both in order to avoid detection by us, but also to assist the various groups in the attacks that they have carried out. Our assumption, made unconsciously but not noticed, is that the intelligence comes from Mr. Big's personal observation. This would put him within our circle of confidantes, but that needn't be the case. Mr. Big could be out in the greater world, receiving intelligence from one – or more – lower level spies in our ranks. It's also possible that if we find the spy, we find the master.

"We know that some of the more obvious bits of intelligence, like the location of Shacklebolt's borrowed estate and the location of the captured French Minister, could have come from Bron Turner. Pansy is the source of the intelligence that allowed Lucius to invade Hogwarts, and McGonagall assisted in the transfer of the wands and Narcissa's attack. We have to think of instances where the source of our opposition's intelligence is less clear. How was the Montaigne's location known? Did the Grindelwald forces just happen to be waiting to ambush visitors at the gates of Durmstrang?

"Our mystery differs from the typical murder mystery significantly in the area of motive. Many of the traditional murder motives, such as love, hatred of a specific person, and fear of disclosure of an embarrassing or illegal action seem less significant in our case. Striving for money, power, the redress of a major grievance, or the chance to implement an ideological goal are more significant. Mr. Big has used the leaders of groups who appear to have been driven by a combination of power lust, ideology, and a sense of grievance. In judging motive, the reward has to exceed the perceived risk, although mental illness seems to have warped that a bit.

Our Mr. Big is different from most of these other second bananas, in that he is determined to operate from the shadows. That suggests that he senses that he has a lot at risk in this endeavor, takes the risk very seriously, and is attempting to minimize it. So, this fearful person must feel he has something very significant to gain to offset that risk. He always faces a strong possibility that he is pulled from the shadows into the light."

Cissy joined us, flexing her hands. In answer to Harry's look, she commented, "I'm okay, just a little hand cramp. Don't worry - I took that as a sign to stop working before I made an error. Bill has the chisel now."

Harry explained the "Mr. Big" background and game to Cissy, and this seemed to perk up her interest despite her tiredness. She was very attentive, waiting for Hermione to continue her logic, but I interrupted.

"I'm not sure that I entirely accept your reasoning, even though I'm aware it's diadem-assisted," I told Hermione. "There are other reasons for secrecy, apart from fear."

"Such as?"

"Well, off the top of my head I can think of several. What if Mr. Big has the support of the captains of the disparate opposition organizations, but realizes he would not be acceptable to the rank and file? You've tried to logically rule candidates out, because they wouldn't appeal to some of the opposition organizations. If Mr. Big were a Goblin, Elf, Muggle, Centaur, or even a Witch, some shared goals with the captains might allow Mr. Big to coordinate the overall opposition, while everyone would recognize the value of secrecy to prevent problems with the rank and file of the opposition groups. Another reason would be if Mr. Big is gaining knowledge of us by direct observation and would lose that advantage if his identity was known. Or, he might lose his freedom of movement and open contact with members of his organization if his identity were known. Barty and Thicknesse were disadvantaged by being known to us. Bruce gave up a lot of his advantage by acting so that we could identify him."

"Alright," Hermione replied "which of our candidates would choose to remain hidden for the reasons you suggest?"

"Certainly Percy, McGonagall, or any of the non-humans. The best non-human candidates are the Goblin King and Deputy Chairman, but I think they are legitimately ruled out by being in the Sacred Cavern with the Light Guardian."

"Now that we've freed ourselves of the not-necessarily-true assumption that Mr. Big is in personal contact with us, who else would have the power and desire to control the Wizard world? Or, in the words of Muggle detective stories, who would simultaneously have motive, means, and opportunity? I'd suggest a person whose opinions we see every day, yet who is himself behind the scenes – Barnabas Cuffe, the publisher/editor of the Daily Prophet. It's obvious that he doesn't like our side and is trying to prevent the improvements that we're trying to make in Wizard society. It's equally obvious that he has a large number of contacts among Thicknesse's people. We know that Rita Skeeter spied upon us and assisted in the theft of the wands from Hogwarts, likely at her boss's direction. The stories that flowed from us to Mr. Lovegood have certainly been a continual irritant to the man, while their compounded effect has been to greatly increase circulation of The Quibbler and likely to reduce circulation of the Daily Prophet. A return of the Thicknesse regime likely restores his monopoly on the news. Oh here comes the delivery that I asked for…"

I looked up to see an auror carrying what looked to be a medium-sized body. From the slackness of its posture, it was either dead or stupefied. Judging by the rough way it was unceremoniously allowed to drop three feet to the stone floor, I was leaning toward dead.

"I give you Rita Skeeter," Hermione triumphantly announced. We all looked down to see a very mangled corpse, bearing a size 96 shoeprint over its face and chest, leaving the body to resemble a well-aged side of beef, which had been dressed in Witch's attire.

"You dug up the body!" Ron gasped in horror.

"No, silly," Hermione replied, "I don't even approach a fourteen year old boy's level of ghoulishness. I simply transfigured the hind end of a dead horse to resemble what I suspect Rita Skeeter looked like, when the Muggle police discovered 'her body'. Somehow, the horse just seemed appropriate. With the big foot print, there wasn't even the need for much attention to fine facial detail. The purpose of this delivery is simply to emphasize how we can't take 'evidence' provided by others as true facts. We have only the word of a dead auror, whom we know to have been an enemy, that Rita is dead. A side of beef could well have been transfigured into 'dead Rita'. It would take a Witch or Wizard who, like me, is both very skilled at transfiguration and knowledgeable about human anatomy. When somebody is murdered in the Muggle world, the police doctors cut the body open to make certain how they were killed. My 'dead Rita', like the one the police discovered, contains all the proper internal organs.

"Importantly, staging this little demonstration reminded me of an obvious factual error. 'Dead Rita's' face and chest bore a giant footprint, with a tread pattern that was matchable to auror boots. Now just think: how big a bug would it take to show a recognizable boot tread? It would have to be the biggest beetle on the planet. Those things have hard shells and wouldn't take a footprint. To me, that is conclusive proof that the original 'dead Rita' was a fake."

"So," I concluded, "You've used your Muggle logic to prove that Barnabas Cuffe is Mr. Big. Your diadem is really powerful."

"Yes, it is. But all I've really proven is that Rita is still alive. I'm absolutely certain of that. I'm also almost certain that the Rita bug is the source of the leaks, which have been driving your father bonkers. The choice of Barnabas Cuffe is just a guess, but one that makes sense and one that relies upon his ace reporter Rita Skeeter. Barnabas is my dark horse, but not actually my first choice."

"I have to admit that certainly was a dramatic presentation and well worth the slow build up," Harry congratulated her. "I hesitate to ask you who your prime candidate is."

"My second candidate is Professor Adrienne Celine. I'm not sure that I'd say she is more than the darkest of dark horses, but some of the things which caused Lucius Malfoy and the former Lord Montaigne to appear high on our lists also apply to her. She has proven that she can live successfully as a part of the Muggle world and move through that world largely invisible to her fellow magical creatures. Her life and origins are a mystery to us, but she has turned up in our midst during a time of crisis, and made a point to insert herself into our lives. She appears to be a confidante of Professor McGonagall. She has formidable transfiguration skills and likely very advanced other magical skills. She is intelligent enough to be Mr. Big. She understands how to interpret why the people around her act as they do and to influence their behaviors. I admit that I have not come up with a good motive for her to risk being Mr. Big, although she seems to have a strong belief in her life philosophy and might well be willing to confront danger to advance it."

"I can't see Professor Celine being evil," Cissy instantly and rather indignantly responded. "Still, if I'm allowed a turn in your game, what Hermione said does tie into one of my selections. It is not really a dark horse, since I think my theory very likely to be true, and it may not be your evil Mr. Big, but rather a friendly organization that you have yet to fully recognize. I'll stop if it isn't my turn."

"Well, it's actually my turn," Ron told her, "but you have me so intrigued that I'll gladly let you go ahead of me."

"Thank you," Cissy replied with a nod to Ron. "What I'll call my white horse is actually another compound entity, which I've chosen to call The Sisterhood. I'm not sure how many members it has, but I'll start with the fairly tight nucleus of McGonagall, Trelawney, Narcissa, Adrienne Celine, and possibly the two Priestesses whom McGonagall introduced us to, and Madam Bones. I think the motivation of this group is to protect Witches by destroying those who would harm them and to restore Witches as a group to our proper place in the magical world. They see how obvious it is that Wizards have messed up our community for generations, and are determined to correct matters and bring back the old magical religions, which the Wizard leaders have fairly much succeeded in eliminating. This white horse differs from all the others, in that I don't think they have evil intent. They seem not so much interested in killing anyone, than maneuvering behind the scenes to expose the bad guys and lure them into positions where they can be destroyed, while helping along your efforts and trying to shape all of us, including the Minister, to be a positive force in what they see as a lawful, democratic, egalitarian new order, in which Witches have the influence they deserve and in which the Wizards in the seats of power are respectful of Witches.

"Professor McGonagall and Professor Celine seem to have worked consistently to undermine the impulses of Shacklebolt, which tend toward revenge and the traditional consolidation of power, and to enlighten and advance new-age Wizards like Harry and the Minister. They've tried to mold Draco and Ron into that sort of Wizard as well, although they've been a little more resistant. They don't want to run the world, but they want the freedom to advance things within their chosen spheres, whether that be education, the justice system, arts and healing, or religion. They've chosen to hide in plain sight from you, but I believe that they are your partners, not your enemies.

"For the bad Mr. Big, I don't have to be original, do I? Good, because I can't give a choice that I really believe, without being repetitive. I think my father is the best choice. There is no reason to assume either that Mr. Big is still active or that my father can't get messages out of Harry's parents' house. To give him his due, my father is definitely smart enough to be Mr. Big. I can testify that he is certainly deceitful and manipulative enough. If he deceived me about desiring that I become the next Keeper, he was certainly capable of hiding large financial resources from me and my accounting. He traveled freely in the Muggle world and likely has financial and people resources there, of which we remain unaware. He could easily have used a stash of cash to bribe one of his auror guards to assist him. He has proven that he hates the Wizarding world and can be ruthless in what he sees as defense of Bruce or his personal position.

"Who better to direct Bruce than his own father? Given Bruce's mental condition and my father's deviousness, I have no doubt that he could have shaped and guided Bruce to his purpose, without Bruce even realizing it. It was father who initially interested Bruce in both Grindelwald and Flamel. I know that Bruce visited our castle, even when he was supposed to be banished from Britain. He always rooted through my father's personal papers. It would have been a simple matter to plant papers that would cause Bruce to get angry at a specific person and to go after him. Father could very easily have guided him to kill my uncle. It would simply be a matter of waiting until Bruce was in a particularly enraged and disoriented state and then leaving the appropriate papers to be 'found'. I also noticed that father was very secretive around me concerning the Foundation, but when Bruce was home, certain Foundation files would be conveniently left in Dad's desk. When Bruce ran for Minister, Dr. Sprout ran with him. He never would have done that without my father's encouragement. I don't think Barnabas Cuffe would have given him as favorable press coverage as he did, without father's blessing. Bruce had no influence in Britain, apart from father. To me, my father is more than a best guess: he almost certainly is Mr. Big. Anyone else would truly astonish me."

"I can't quite match Cissy's sense of certainty," Ron conceded, "but I'm a strong believer that if there is evil afoot, you seldom have to look any farther than the nearest Malfoy. I'm glad Draco isn't here for this discussion, because, in my gut, he is still the best candidate. I'm not sure how to get past the objection that if he were Mr. Big, that the Light Guardian would have surely seen it in his mind and warned the rest of us.

"Which brings me to his mother. We've all seen how devious she can be. It could well have been Narcissa, rather than Pansy, who was responsible for Lucius being Imperiused or confunded, or both. She could have Imperiused and confunded Pansy, especially if she realized that Pansy had once been Lucius's agent and might be again. Narcissa is ignored because she seems so weak and chronically worried, but she seems able to get her way a lot. She certainly was able to convince both McGonagall and Harry to do exactly what she wanted. She seems able to control Draco. We know Kreacher covered for her when she invaded Hogwarts, so we really don't know how many side trips she made from Harry's house.

"Draco said that Harry was Mr. Big, because he was the one person who knew when Voldemort would die. Narcissa caused Voldemort's death as much as Harry or Neville. Does anyone really buy any of the reasons she's given for helping Harry? I don't. It was very convenient for her that Voldemort, most of his top aides, and Snape all died. If you accept Lucius's confession that he really was a totally unreconstructed bad guy, then the only way it makes sense for the Malfoy's to sit out the Battle of Hogwarts is if they were prepared to pick up the pieces and take control after the rest of us killed each other off. No Voldemort, no Order, just Mr. Big, with powerful organizations that we were unaware of, waiting in the wings to take control. Draco was telling the truth about one thing, at least. His father's actions, from not coming to Draco's wedding, up to his participation and death in that final plot, make no sense. The secret to the mystery of Mr. Big lies in explaining Lucius's actions."

Bill had joined us halfway through Ron's analysis. He now agreed with my brother, adding, "The chisel work is finished and the kids are polishing. Draco is directing them. I can't fault Ron's logic. That whole plot to kidnap Harry and Ginny rings false. I realize I've interrupted Ron. Did you already present your dark horse?"

"No, I was just coming to that. I like Professor Slughorn, although it's not nearly as much fun for him to be guilty as for a Malfoy to be. That whole Slug Club thing was really creepy, but it certainly gave him a ton of contacts, including many of the people whom we have on our list of suspects. If they merit a place on the list, Slughorn could be pulling their strings behind the scenes. He thinks really highly of himself. Being a professor is the best of all possible worlds and he is that, plus he pulls the strings behind the scenes with his Slug Club members. He really thinks he is superior to everyone and he deserves more out of life than he has received, thus far. I didn't realize how close he and McGonagall were, before she convinced him to run for Minister. He took such obvious delight in that farce that it makes me wonder if he doesn't have a keen desire to be Minister, for real. He helped Harry and Dad get elected, but he makes no secret how upset he is about what's been done with Slytherin. Having most of the Slytherins not return to Hogwarts has got to make him even more upset. I don't think it would hurt at all to find out for sure how much time he's spent away from Durmstrang this term. He's totally off our radar screen, which gives him complete freedom of action. He also was very responsible for both the creation and destruction of Voldemort. Perhaps Voldemort was a tool he created to blast away enough of the government for him to take over. Mr. Big has come close to succeeding a couple of times."

"I'm impressed, Ron," Hermione told my brother. "You make two very strong cases. My mother would tell you that Slughorn is what the Muggles call a narcissist. They can be very dangerous, in part because they feel entitled to create their own morality. You're right. If we can suspect a Slug Clubber like Barnabas Cuffe, then we can certainly suspect the leader of the club."

We all took turns polishing, which kept fresh hands speeding through the work at such a rate that an hour before the end of our shift Harry announced that we were ready to mount the green spodumene crystal. I carefully levitated all of the sand and dust out of the cavity, while the others set about melting a quantity of silver wire in a large quartz crucible. As soon as the silver was melted, Harry, Ron, and Draco climbed three ladders and began the dangerous task of levitating the red hot crucible onto the top of the lodestone. I was on the fourth ladder, guiding them and ready to use my wand to direct any spills or splashes away from our bodies. The crucible was heavy and lifting it with three wands caused the vertical progress to be a little less steady than the action of a single wand might achieve, but none of the lifters had the strength to hold a wand steady at the top of a tall ladder, while levitating such a heavy load. Draco was visibly straining and his hand jogged to the side once, sending a shower of molten silver to shoot out from the side of the crucible. Calling "steady, calm" I directed the stream harmlessly against the near side of the lodestone, with a gentle sweep of my wand. The boys halted their progress momentarily to steady their nerves and then began the slow progress of the crucible to a height a few inches above the top of the lodestone.

The trickiest part was ahead of them as the crucible was now at eye level and had to be moved backward, across the top of the lodestone, without striking any of the tourmalines and then gently lowered to the surface without splashing. The crucible moved slowly and fairly steadily back towards its desired position, just missing the tourmaline on its right, and then was lowered a tad too rapidly. As the crucible touched down with a resounding thud, I saw a jet of hot liquid silver arcing upward and curving toward my brother. I hastily guided it back into the crucible as we all breathed a sigh of relief. There had been twin gasps as the jet shot upward and now we had a minute of silence, before Harry called for the spodumene.

"This is the tricky part," Harry instructed us, "and I say that realizing how close we just came to being coated in hot silver. We need to heat the lodestone cavity with our wands and then coat the walls and bottom with the molten silver. At the same time, the crystal needs to be fitted into position. I think the best approach is for us all to heat the rock and then the three of you can add the silver, while I get ready to move the crystal into position."

We heated the cavity until it just started to show a dull red glow. I joined Ron and Draco in using my wand to scoop a glowing ball of molten silver out of the crucible and carefully levitate it toward the cavity. Draco's ball was the first to reach the cavity and he smeared the silver along the bottom of the cavity. I was second and added my silver to the side facets farthest from me, just before Ron did the same with the facets closest to me. We were using our wands to prevent all the silver from rolling down the steep sides of the smooth facets, when I saw Harry levitating the crystal into position. I had to stop work as Harry lowered the spodumene past my wand and snuggly into its mounting cavity.

"We have to use our wands to urge any bubbles out of the silver," Harry instructed, but we each knew the procedure from the Light Guardian's instruction. "We need just a little more silver around the collar, if Ginny and Ron could fetch it and then keep smoothing the surface as it cools."

I did as Harry instructed. When I thought I had completed the task to the necessary precision, I looked up to see my companions resting and smiling. The spodumene was in place and properly sealed to the lodestone by the silver. The trickiest part of repairing the circle was now behind us. I descended the ladder on limp legs, the adrenaline and concentration of the moment having sapped my reserves of energy. Hermione seemed to have anticipated the problem and handed me a bar of dark chocolate with almonds as soon as I touched ground, also instructing that I should "drink plenty of water, you have to rebuild your strength."

I had been first down the ladder, because the lads were a little wobblier than I was. We sat together on the stone bench, drinking and eating our dark chocolate bars in silence for at least several minutes. Harry looked at me and smiled, "now that we've collected ourselves, is anybody ready for a night flight over Wales?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen – Night Flight to Cardiff**

In the excitement of emplacing the spodumene, our evening excursion had been driven from my mind, but the suggestion perked me up instantly.

{[cunning] I find myself with the desire to double-check the first night's patrol close in to Cardiff, where we expected to find Thicknesse. It's not that I distrust Shacklebolt or his aurors, but as someone said several days ago – he did seem anxious to persuade us not to make that particular patrol ourselves. The aurors will insist on staying with you and me, and likely Ron and Hermione will also draw protection. That leaves Draco to lead the third flight over Cardiff, while the rest of us stick to the assigned territory. Do you trust him?}

{{I think so, and we can send George and Luna with him. Erin will likely want to go as well. I think we can let Luna be the eyes of that particular flight.}}

{[satisfied] Alright, you've convinced me. I'll explain the public version of the plan and we'll set out just as soon as George and Luna show up for the next shift.}

The evening shift arrived on schedule. Harry detailed our progress with the spodumene and told them that it was on to the tourmalines. He also explained that we were leaving for a night survey and would need to borrow George and Luna. As the new work crew grabbed chisels and mallets to begin work on the tourmaline sockets, the rest of us divided into three flights and collected our gear. Harry and I would be flying with Barb and Bill. I was to be the eyes on the ground for our team. Ron, Hermione, Cissy, and Ellen, the auror, would fly ten miles south of us, while Draco, Erin, Luna, and George were to fly in the middle of the formation, but several miles behind the rest of us.

The need for this triangle formation, which was actually to allow the third crew to drop back, vanish, and head for Cardiff, was tough to sell to Bill. Harry explained "the third team can double check anything that one of the other teams views as doubtful and is behind us as a backup if we run into trouble." Bill took some time explaining that we could cover the ground more reliably flying three groups abreast at five mile spacing and that we would still be close enough to protect each other, while any doubtful sightings, of which there had been none in the prior three nights, were easily handled by simply doubling back. In the end, Bill seemed to decide that the matter wasn't worth an argument with Harry.

Thirty minutes later, we were taking off on our brooms from the front steps of Gringotts, making a dramatic display for the last shoppers of the day. It was still twilight, but the sky would be dark by the time we reached Wales. We started out very well behaved, flying in a goose-style V-formation, with Bill at the point and another auror bringing up the end of each leg of the vee. It was pleasant to be off on another long flight and I especially enjoyed the steep climb at takeoff to get us high enough that the Muggles would not be able to discern our true identity – it was a tight upward corkscrew spiral, all within the magically protected airspace of Gringotts and Diagon Alley.

By the time we left the enchanted region to overfly London, we were flying at twelve hundred feet altitude. Children on the ground might well point and ask what kind of birds we were. The wind was just a little bit stronger, and the air bracingly cool. We flew in formation for two hours and then split into our three groups as we approached our designated patrol area. I peeled off to the right and waved to Hermione as she leaned her broom away to my left. Harry put on a burst of speed to allow George and his team to disappear far enough to our rear to be unseen as they deviated from their assigned zone to make a dash for Cardiff. George and Harry would be in nearly constant cell phone contact during our little adventure.

We were now at the tedious part of the flight, at least from my perspective, as I was saddled with the responsibility of viewing the ground to either side of our flight through the relatively heavy Dumbledore viewer. I had to be extra alert, knowing that I didn't have Luna sweeping the middle ground between Hermione and me. It was dark enough on the ground that I should have been able to detect any sign of magical engineering, if a large enough protected area were present. I found it least straining on my neck, back, and shoulders to scan back and forth about twenty degrees in front of my flight path. This required that I be first in the flight pattern, a fact that did not please Bill, but to which he really couldn't reasonably object. I had a crude double checker in Cotto, who had enjoyed our last flight so much that he insisted upon coming with us again. He flew on my broom, both because I was using the magical force detector and because he said he didn't want to ride with Harry while Harry engaged in "treachery on phone with George." I had to explain to him as we set out on the flight that while it certainly seemed dishonest to deceive the aurors about the true destination of George's flight, that it would be unfair to ask them to be knowingly involved in what could be viewed as disloyalty toward Director Shacklebolt.

Cotto accepted this saying "I see, it is good treachery."

I felt it best to just let the issue lie at that point. We had been on search for about an hour and a half, when I decided that I was cramping up so badly that I had to call for a time out. Harry volunteered to take over the observation duties, but Barb edged him aside as we hung suspended for our planning session. A minute later, we set off again with Barb in the lead and yoked to the weight of the Dumbledore viewer. I couldn't restrain a frission of pride as Barb pulled up after what seemed like little more than an hour and insisted upon turning the viewer over to Bill. She looked a little embarrassed, but was gingerly massaging the back of her neck with her free right hand as she hovered in place. Bill now took the lead and was only required to patrol for about fifteen minutes, before Harry's cellphone rang. This demanded another pause and hover, to Bill's exasperation, as we were a little behind schedule on our flight.

"Listen Up!" Harry brusquely demanded, "Luna has found an active site. I know you're not going to like this, Bill, but the auror service has been compromised, and we're going to have to handle this on our own. The sighting is just five miles outside Cardiff, in an area that Shacklebolt said was cleared on the first night of patrols, the night he was determined to take over the patrol duties from us. It's a very vivid rose glow - Luna says that it would have been completely impossible to miss. I'm not saying Shacklebolt is bad, but either he or the team of aurors that overflew that area must have deliberately allowed the site to remain hidden. I know your orders are to call back to the Ministry for reinforcements, but that will just lead to 'problems' in the capture, as we had with Barty. I'm hoping you'll accept my authority as Deputy Minister and the logic of my arguments and help us to raid this site on our own."

"I'm really not sure that I should do that," Bill responded. "Our responsibility is to protect you, even above capturing Thicknesse, assuming he's there. It's possible that the site that Luna found is a Ministry installation and that's why it wasn't followed up during the first patrol."

"Do you have any knowledge of a Ministry site in that area?" Harry reasonably asked. Bill shook his head no, but still seemed unwilling not to call in our finding.

I felt I needed to break the impasse "I think there's only one thing to do. Harry has to call Dad and let him make the decision. If we're about to kick over a hornet's nest, Dad needs to get himself and the rest of the family to a very safe place, in any case."

{[not pleased] Thanks a boat load! I had almost convinced Bill. I'm not at all sure I can convince your father. That would have been a great time for you to whisper, before you spoke.}

{{Sorry, but I really think you should call Dad. I'm also supposed to keep you from acting too rashly.}}

{[not entirely good grace] Fine.}

Harry dialed Dad and they talked for quite some time, while I conversed with Ron and then George. While we were waiting for a decision, Ron's group and ours were flying to join up with George and Luna. I could tell from my conversation with Ron that Hermione wasn't having any more luck convincing Ellen to go along with Harry's plan than Harry had had with Bill. I was finally requested to hand the phone to Bill, so that Ellen could talk to him. I did so and took the freedom to insert myself into Harry's conversation with Dad.

{I'd trust Kingsley with my life, Harry. In fact, I have done so many times. He was nearly killed by the Death Eaters. There must be some other explanation.}

"It's possible the problem lies with the aurors that Kingsley sent on patrol that first night. If you can have Percy find out who would have overflown a spot four and a half miles due east of Cardiff, you should have them detained until this is resolved. You should wait about an hour to move on them, so that you don't tip off our quarry. This may well be Thicknesse. I have a really strong feeling that it is."

{Alright, Harry. I'm going to green light your mission. Please do your best to keep my daughter safe. I'm going to see Percy and then gather up the aurors that I feel most sure of and go to the Ministry control room. I have the aurors deployed out of hearing range now, but they'll get suspicious if I don't hang up soon. Call me as soon as you know something. I'm not going to do anything about Shacklebolt until I hear from you. Put Bill on the phone.}

Harry handed the phone to Bill, who listened for a minute, before answering "yes, Sir!" and handing the phone back to Harry. Bill motioned toward Cardiff and led us on a very spirited dash. Barb phoned Ellen while we were in flight, so that her team was also prepared to rendezvous with George and Luna.

Despite the tinge of fear and foreboding in the back of my mind, the full velocity sprint to reach George was nothing short of exhilarating. I wasn't afraid for myself, but worried that Harry might take undue risk, or that if something happened to me, that Dad would never forgive poor Harry. The ground swept by beneath us as we raced ahead, flying just over five hundred feet above the ground. I almost ran into Bill, not noticing quickly enough that he had raised his hand to signal a stop. I had to pull up hard on the tip of my broom and shift my weight back, in order to zoom up and over Bill's head. I remembered just in time that I had a passenger and lifted a hand off my broom to snag Cotto, as he was about to fall off. As I did a lazy return to my spot in the formation, Bill was pointing to George and Luna about fifty feet ahead of and a little below us. It was dark enough that Bill couldn't see my blushes as he gave me abrupt 'calm down' hand signals and then guided us slowly down to join the other team.

"It's a fenced in cottage, about a quarter of a mile ahead of us," Luna reported. "It's not a big area, but it is just loaded with magical protections. It was a big, bright, red dot in the Flamel device. We backed off to call you. I'm sure we haven't been spotted. Ron and Hermione should be here in about ten minutes."

"I take it you're planning to attack?" George asked Harry. "I think we all understand what it means to find this hideout in an area, which was previously searched and supposedly cleared."

"I'm afraid so," Harry answered. "Based on what we've learned, there are likely about ten Death Eaters and their mercenaries holed up here. We should at least have the advantage of surprise. They think this area has already been searched."

Hermione flew up beside Harry, just as Ron sidled up to me on his broom, giving me a 'good doggy' pat on my head. Hermione was holding a piece of Muggle technology "infra-red rifle sight," she told Harry. "Just the thing to use for finding outside guards. We'll have to fly a bit closer, however."

Harry took the device from Hermione and peered through it as he followed Bill about five hundred feet closer to the house. The rest of us were close behind, wands at the ready. I was searching the ground for alarms near the perimeter. As we got closer, the red dot resolved itself into a series of parallel lines surrounding the property on all four sides, while the house was just glowing rose. "I need to go a little closer," Harry urged Bill.

As we flew another several hundred feet closer to the house and lowered our altitude to hover at about three hundred feet, I was noticing that the concentration of spells was thickest along the eastern boundary. "There's a guard on the roof and another just inside the fence on the east," Harry whispered. "I'll take George and get the guy on the roof from the air, while Bill and Barb can capture the guard at the fence."

"Umm, no," Bill answered in a slightly louder whisper. "Barb and I will handle the guy on the roof. We'll take up a position on the roof. The rest of you can attack the guard on the eastern boundary and set up on the ground outside their defensive perimeter. We'll phone you from the roof."

Harry didn't even have time to finish saying "okay", before Bill took off, leaving us no choice but to follow his plan. As Barb darted after Bill's broom, Harry motioned that we would attack from the air in three groups. Harry and I would attack head-on, while the others came in from the sides. "Remember, stay clear of the alarms and everyone uses the "off" curse. Set your protective shields as we dive. If 'protego' is all you know, then use that. Does everyone understand? Good, when I drop my arm, we all swoop in. You want to land short of our target and fire from the air. Too close and the alarms go off. Okay!"

Harry dropped his arm and I bent over my broom, wand pointed in front of me. I aimed my landing for a spot twenty feet in front of the guard as I silently raced downward at him. When I was fifty feet away, I started firing the 'off' curse and slowing to land. I saw my target crumble under my, or someone else's, curses, just as somebody rolled into the back of my knees and sent me flying. I and my unwitting assailant both fortunately landed short of the alarms, which were on both sides of a tall metal fence. We were in the front drive, directly opposite a tall metal gate. My knees, right elbow, and nose ached as I pushed and rolled myself to a sitting position. "I'm really sorry," I heard Erin say. "Did I hurt you?"

"I don't know," I replied "can you help me try to stand?" It took an effort to get me vertical and I found that I could not support any weight on my right leg. I could feel blood rolling down from my nose and across my lips.

"I can't walk," I told her "and I think my nose is broken. Perhaps Hermione can fix me up a little, but I think I'm going to have to stay on my broom for the rest of this adventure."

Hermione hurried over and began working to repair me as Harry, Draco, and Ellen set to work on the spells protecting the gate. I could soon tell that I no longer had blood dripping down my face, although my mouth still had the metallic taste of aging blood. "I've stopped all the bleeding. I don't think I can fix your knee here in the dark," Hermione apologized.

"I'll just ride my broom," I assured her. "Cotto was on my broom. Is he hurt?"

"Not injured Ginny. I apparated higher and to the rear as we crashed."

"Good, that was really quick thinking. I guess I should have done the same."

The phone rang and I answered, because Harry was very busy. It was Bill announcing that the guard on the roof had been subdued and that they were on a second floor balcony, next to a window door that opened into an empty sitting room. There was a simple alarm spell on the window door, which they had easily disarmed. I told Bill that Harry and company were working to disarm the alarm spells at the gate, but that it would be a little while until we were able to enter the property. Bill suggested that we get half our party into the air, while Harry and the others disarmed the gate. Bill was very insistent on the last point "DO NOT OPEN THE GATE! Fly over it. I agree that the spells must be disarmed first. When you get the other part of your group into the air, stay outside the fence until Harry disarms the spells and then fly directly over the gate and take up positions at roof height on all sides of the house. Harry's group should proceed toward the front door. Barb and I are going inside. Phone when you're ready to move."

I waited until Harry, Draco, Ellen, and now Ron were finished with their magical engineering work, before relaying the instructions from Bill.

"It's nice to know that I'm still in charge of this operation," Harry shrugged, "but it's a good plan, nevertheless. Ellen, Draco, and I will hop over the fence and head for the front door. I'll give the rest of you a couple minutes to get into position before we move. I want Ron and Hermione to be an aerial special weapons team at the front door and George and Luna at the rear. I took off with Erin and Cissy and flew toward the south face of the house. I phoned Bill when we arrived and he said that he and Barb were moving into the house, but that all the occupants seemed to be on the first floor. He said to give them several minutes before launching our attack. "You can fire curses through the first floor windows," He reminded me.

I contacted Harry by whisper talk and relayed the instructions. He said his party had just hopped over the gate and was skimming across the lawn. They had one magical obstacle to dismantle.

{{Fine, I'll alert the others to slow down. Whisper me, when you clear the obstacle.}}

I phoned Hermione and Bill to inform them of the brief delay. Bill was not pleased, complaining "we're awfully exposed in here, should anybody decide to come upstairs". He conceded that he would just have to hold his position until Harry gave the all clear. Hermione and Ron said they had a large window on their side of the house and could see people seated for dinner. "One of them looks like Thicknesse," she enthused. "We'll fire through the window when the attack begins."

Erin, Cissy, and I just hovered in place, until I got the whisper from Harry {[very adrenalized] we're moving toward the front. Give us half a minute then attack through the windows.}

I passed the message along and motioned Erin toward the window. Bill said we should fire for no more than a minute and then he and Barb would come downstairs. I said okay and moved Erin and Cissy directly in front of our window as I hung up. I told Erin to use 'expelliarmus' and Cissy to join me in the new 'off' curse. I recharged my 'shield' charm. I didn't see anyone in our room, which was the kitchen. Then all of a sudden there was a lot of commotion inside the house and the air was filled with the sound of a shrill alarm. A man and a woman were rushing into the kitchen and I started firing the 'off' curse at them. I heard Erin yell 'expelliarmus'. Cissy was also shouting 'off'. The woman fell to the floor, while the man ducked back out of the room, leaving his wand behind, where Erin had knocked it out of his hand.

Hearing signs of action at the front of the house, I led Erin in that direction, leaving Cissy to guard the window, although I was not expecting anyone to head back into the kitchen immediately. "Cover our backs," I instructed Erin, as I surveyed the action ahead of us. I was not at all pleased to see Harry locked in a duel with Thicknesse. Their wands were locked up, just as Harry had described his duel with Voldemort in the graveyard. The air was already filled with the smell of thunder storms as lightning pulsed between the two wands. Thicknesse clearly had chosen Voldemort's wand for the fight. We had caught the fight early on, because the spirit images of those killed by the wands had not begun to emerge from Voldemort's wand, although, strangely enough, the image of a pair of Giants had appeared from Harry's wand and were shortly followed by an image of Voldemort, himself. No further spirits appeared. I knew for certain Harry hadn't killed any of the attackers in Diagon Alley.

Four Death Eaters emerged from the house and Thicknesse gloated "now I've got you Potter. While you're tied up here, my men will pick you off." I saw they were preparing to do exactly that and fired an 'off' curse at the Death Eater, who was bringing his wand to bear upon Harry. I desperately turned to confront the other three, deciding that 'protego' was my only chance to save Harry. I shouted 'protego' at the top of my lungs, but the attackers were preparing to fire.

The lead attacker was struck in the chest by an orange lightning bolt from the sky. His two associates also fell to the ground. Ron and Hermione were landing on top of them, and I joined them in attacking the two fallen assailants. That matter seemed well in hand, but then I looked up at Harry and my heart leapt into my throat. I knew what was going to happen before it did and it made me involuntarily close my eyes in terror. I could only hope that Victor Krum was not Mr. Big.

With eyes shut, my head was filled with the whisper {X-term-ee-nate!}, then I felt a blinding flash and headache and the whisper channel went quiet. I forced my eyes open to find Harry flat on his butt, his wand arm still outstretched and what I saw as a semi-maniacal smile on his face. Thicknesse had been thrown back into the house and appeared to be in multiple pieces, with a bloody arm and leg just outside the doorway and dark smoke rising from his chest, where he lay in the entry corridor.

I rushed to Harry's side. {{I'd help you up, but I can't stand. Hurt my knee. Are you okay?}}

{[excited and a little disgusted by the carnage he had wrought] I think so. I didn't know if that was going to work. I may need someone to help me up.}

My brothers were soon at Harry's side and giving him a hand up. He wobbled a little at first, but was soon taking steps on his own power and walking in a tight circle. "I'm okay," he announced. "Now here is the rest of the plan, and this is the way it has to be, Bill…"

I was surprised to see that Harry was crying, a stream of tears running down each cheek. Harry doesn't cry – not when he was tortured by Umbridge and not when he was chained to his chair in Madam Bones's courtroom. I grabbed his hand, both to comfort him and to get a better link.

{[shock and sadness] I killed him. More than that, I butchered him. It's an awful sight and the worst thing is that I chose to kill him. I had been determined not to kill, and now look what I've done!}

{{You did what you had to do. As Viktor told you, either Thicknesse or you were going to die. You were right to choose Thicknesse. You didn't have a choice.}}

{[Pulling himself together] I could have left him for the aurors to capture.}

{{No! You couldn't have. The aurors chose to enter the house. If you hadn't fought Thicknesse, either he would have escaped to bomb more innocents, or you would have forced another student to fight him and either kill or die. You could handle this a lot better than Erin. You couldn't know that Ron, Hermione, and I would pick off the other Death Eaters in time. We made it with just a second to spare. You were very, very close to being defeated by five to one. Thicknesse was gloating. Please don't blame yourself. You did the right thing, the only thing you could possibly do.}}

{[Feeling somewhat better] I know you're right, but it just doesn't feel right. I was too eager to experiment with 'X-term-ee-nate'. I'm calmer now. I have to phone your Dad, while we still have time to pull off the rest of this mission}

Bill and Barb were leaving the house with prisoners – stupefied prisoners. They joined our group, although Barb seemed unable to avert her eyes from the pieces of Thicknesse.

"Cheer up, we won!" Bill told Harry. "Now you have to call the Minister. This was a very risky attack, but it was worth it."

Harry made a quick phone call to Dad, telling him that Thicknesse was dead, his associates had all been captured, and we were ready to attempt to catch Mr. Big. Turning to the rest of us, Harry communicated in rapid fire, "Bill, Arthur says that Meghan was the eyes on the scan of this area, so what we found here doesn't necessarily mean Shacklebolt is bad. The early circumstantial evidence against him came from Meghan. She is in custody. We will arrest and question Shacklebolt, however. Draco, are you sure that you are comfortable with your role is this charade? It could get quite dangerous. Here's my cloak, time for you to be out of here, George."

"This is for my parents. I'm not turning back now," Draco answered Harry with great determination. "This crap tastes awful, by the way."

Harry then phoned Dad again, saying simply "We're ready to go. Pease send Percy and Callista to my ante-room to await our arrival. Remind them to stand well clear of the circle."

I knew that Dad would not be at all pleased to see how beat up Harry and I looked. Erin was also somewhat caked in dried blood. The rest of our crew looked quite good. Although Barb seemed to have injured her left arm, she at least wasn't sporting any blood. All of the good guys were alive and able to talk, which was a very good thing. Harry would be feeling even guiltier if one of us had been killed. I was safe enough, although my knee was killing me.

Ardath came to my rescue. She knew a spell which blocked the pain sensation. She had developed it in self defense, for the few occasions when the Brothers beat her.

Break, break, break

Well, that's the first hundred thousand or so words of the rewrite. I'll post the remaining chapters as quickly as I can edit them.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen – Loyalties Are Challenged**

"The entrances of the other characters have been scheduled. Percy is first, he'll meet us in my office. Have your wands ready. You all know your roles. We'll travel in two waves. Give us a minute to clear the apparating circle."

I linked hands with Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Bill, and Barb, while Bill and Barb each had hold of a prisoner. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, swirling lights, and then I was standing in Harry's office, my wand pointing at the wall. Actually, I was standing only by leaning on Harry. We had apparated together.

I saw Percy and Callista, just as Harry was instructing Percy "get Thicknesse into my office. You and Bill should keep him under guard. The magical goopy threads have his arms fastened to his sides and I've got his wand. It's Voldemort's wand, by the way."

"This sounded like a very dangerous mission," Percy exclaimed. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece."

"Yes, it was quite a fight," Harry answered. "Not everyone made it. Get Thicknesse squared away. Then we can talk."

"Right," Percy replied, grabbing Thicknesse by the arm and propelling him into Harry's inner office. Percy and Bill sat him in a guest chair and Callista cocooned him in more goopy threads. The rest of us busied ourselves dragging gate guard and roof guard out of the apparating circle and into the far corner of Harry's ante-room, behind Callista's desk.

"Bill, can you help us goop these prisoners out here?" Harry called into his office. More goopy threads were discharged from wands, until these prisoners were most definitely secure. Harry kicked shut the door to his inner office. I had just stopped the flow of goo, when I turned around to witness the arrival of the others, with three more living and four dead prisoners, including the largest piece of Thicknesse. Harry looked a little appalled to see Thicknesse's blood congealing on the carpet of his ante-room, but merely commented "we'll have to get that out of here, before somebody spots it. If Hermione and Ron could pack it off to Hogwarts and bring back the Veritaserum, we could progress this little drama."

Ron gingerly grabbed a handful of Thicknesse's belly bulge in his right hand, while holding Hermione's hand with his left, and then the two of them and their burden were gone.

"If anyone questions the blood on the carpet," Harry commented "tell them it's from Ginny's nose."

Harry opened the door to his inner office and called to Callista, "Hermione's gone for the Veritaserum to question Thicknesse, but we need to sort out these other prisoners. Percy can watch Thicknesse, while you give us a hand. I'd stand behind him, if I were you, Percy, he likely knows silent and wandless curses. Best not to stand still in one spot."

When Callista joined us, Harry again kicked his office door shut. It was going to require some fresh paint. "I need pictures of these criminals. The quicker we identify them the better. Is there a camera handy? I want half a dozen pictures of each of these Death Eaters. That's about fifty pictures."

"I'll get a camera from the press office," Callista replied, walking rapidly out of the office, her eyes flashing from the excitement.

We turned over the three dead Death Eaters and lined the five live prisoners up in a seated straight line against the wall of the ante-room. Callista soon returned with the camera, and Harry set her to work photographing the Death Eaters. She was progressing nicely as Ron and Hermione returned with Neville, Mom, and Professor McGonagall. Harry explained what had happened and then sent Bill to relieve Percy as Thicknesse's guard. Barb was guarding the five live prisoners, but they were stupefied, so it didn't require much effort on her part.

As Percy entered the ante-room, Mom was too quick for Harry. "Where's George?" she asked in a voice filled with worry.

"He's alive, but we did suffer injuries and Draco didn't make it back," Harry responded in what I'm sure was meant to be a soothing way of conveying the lie, although it didn't quite come off as intended and Mom still appeared to be in near panic mode.

"Where's George?" she asked again, with a less steady voice.

"Resting in a safe place," Harry replied. "Really, there is no need for you to worry, he isn't badly hurt. You can see him after we get all of this sorted out, but, and I don't want to seem brutal, but now you need to focus on the business at hand. The danger is not fully passed. Keep your wand and your wits about you. We found Thicknesse and I think he is the one person who is certain to know the identity of Mr. Big. Hermione has brought back Veritaserum. Arthur will be here in a few minutes and we can start to get to the bottom of this conspiracy that has plagued us."

"Alright, Harry, if you're certain that George is going to be alright. I couldn't stand to lose a second twin."

"He's going to be fine, Mom," I assured her, placing both my arms around her, as I used Callista's desk to support my weight. "I saw him. He's just a little uncomfortable – no blood, not cursed, just crashed his broom at not much height. I was in the same crash. Believe me, George is in much better shape than Erin or me."

"You're hurt, Ginny," Mom exclaimed, at least taking her mind away from George for a moment.

I exclaimed that it was nothing – my nose had bled again and I had wrenched my knee.

"That doesn't look like nothing," Mom objected, pointing down at my knee, which had swelled up to about the size of my head. "That must have been a fierce battle."

"No, I guess it's not nothing. I'm going to sit down again. We'll get a doctor, soon. I promise. Yes, it was a tough battle, especially between Harry and Thicknesse and, of course, poor Draco. I'd like to be able to say I got this knee injury in battle, but actually Erin ran over me with her broom."

There was a loud rap on the door and Dad entered with Shacklebolt and five aurors. At a nod from Dad, his three protective aurors stupefied Shacklebolt and his two aurors. "I really hope that this is necessary, Harry," Dad grimaced. Shacklebolt has been banged around a lot this year and I hate to just drop an old friend like that."

"We'll solve this as quickly as we can," Harry promised. "Get Shacklebolt secured to that chair and un-stupefy him. I'm going to quickly check how Bill is making out with Thicknesse." Harry scooped up the wands of Shacklebolt and his aurors and ducked into his inner office. I would have helped with Shacklebolt, but judged it best to remain immobile and just watch Cissy and Neville go about their work.

Shacklebolt had revived and was sputtering, "I demand to know the meaning of this. Did you order this, Arthur? I assure you that I have been completely loyal to you."

"The Minister acted at my urging," Harry replied as he exited his inner office. "We have become aware of some discrepancies in the tales that you have been telling us. For one thing, we've just been to a Death Eater safe house that was only five miles outside of Cardiff, in an area that you told us was swept by your aurors on the first night patrol. A patrol you were very anxious that we not make ourselves. It has also come to our attention that your interview of Barty was a bit irregular. Just you and two of your aurors were present, and you left with at least three doses of Veritaserum, but returned an empty bottle to Hermione. I tasted the last drop in that bottle. It was ordinary water. So, although I hate to say it, you are looking like an excellent candidate to be Mr. Big."

"I've done nothing wrong. I trusted the aurors who patrolled around Cardiff. It's possible one was bad. I can't think of another explanation. You say you've caught Thicknesse."

Harry opened his office door and he and Bill levitated Thicknesse and his chair into the far corner of the ante-room, where Shacklebolt could get a good view of him. "Hermione brought some fresh Veritaserum, of the non-watery variety, back from Hogwarts. I think we'll know who Mr. Big is quite soon."

"I'm telling the truth, I'm on your side," Shacklebolt forcefully declared. "You are likely to need my help, quite soon. I understand why you don't trust me, right at the moment. Use the Veritaserum on me first. I have nothing to hide."

"Just to keep Madam Bones happy, let me make sure that you are taking the Veritaserum of your own free will, with the certainty that any incriminating comments will most certainly be used before the Wizengamot," Dad stated. "Is it your free intention to take the serum and answer our questions?"

"Yes, yes, just get on with it. You may have less time than you realize. There is still great danger."

Hermione put the bottle to his lips and he drank a healthy slug – I'd estimate about two and a half doses. It wouldn't kill him, but his tummy would most definitely be bothering him tonight.

As we waited for the Veritaserum to take effect, Harry ordered Thicknesse levitated back into his inner office. "I just can't stand to look at the man," Harry apologized. "Callista, can you guard him for a little while?"

"I'm almost finished with the pictures, Deputy Minister. Do you want me to stop?"

"No, Professor McGonagall – could you watch Thicknesse – just until Callista finishes her camera work. I'd stay behind him and keep moving, if I were you. I don't know if he can do silent, wandless curses or not. You know protective spells, so you should be fine."

Professor McGonagall mumbled assent and walked into Harry's office. The door was again kicked shut.

We were still awaiting a glassy eyed version of Shacklebolt. As we were inching just up to the edge of solving our biggest riddle, it was quite frustrating to have to wait for the serum to take hold. We sat in silence. Dad paced and fidgeted. I tried to ignore how much my knee hurt. At last Harry announced "I'm quite sure that Shacklebolt is ready for questioning."

"Allow me," Dad commanded, as he stepped in front of Harry. "Now, Kingsley, tell me truthfully, have you been directing the opposition or working with them against our interests?"

"No! I am not Harry's Mr. Big, although I've come to agree with Harry that there is someone above Thicknesse. That's why I'm worried that we're still in danger. Believe me, I want to help. I'm as interested in catching Mr. Big as Harry is."

"Why did you persuade Harry not to survey around Cardiff, as I ordered him to do, in your presence, I might add?"

"I knew that Harry needed to work on the circle. Your order was not consistent with your intent to keep Harry and your children out of danger. I felt my aurors could do the job faster and better."

"Well, how do you explain your aurors missing a site that Luna described as a huge, bright, red dot, which was clearly visible from the air at a distance of s mile?"

"I don't have an explanation, other than that at least one of my aurors must be disloyal. I apologize for that. I had convinced myself that they had all been thoroughly vetted. Do you know who the eyes were on that particular patrol?"

"Meghan Fudge, from what Harry tells me. Curiously, she is also one of the two aurors you chose to accompany you when you interviewed Barty. The second auror was at a distance, so as I understand things, you and Meghan are the only two people in the world who know what Barty really said."

"I swear that Barty said exactly what I told you he said. I also swear that I will kill Meghan personally. I hope she is at least in custody. I trusted her completely. I had her tested with Veritaserum."

"Meghan has been arrested. Who tested her with Veritaserum? This is very important."

"I know it's important. I asked the questions, but Dr. White provided and administered the Veritaserum."

"Indeed. Is there anything else you'd like to ask, Harry?"

"Explain the discrepancy in the quantities of Veritaserum and the bottle that you returned to Hermione contained water."

"Hermione's bottle had her name on it. I poured what she gave me into two smaller vials. It seemed irregular to let the doctors see me administering serum from a Hogwarts bottle. I poured as much from Hermione's bottle as I was able to. I have no idea how the last drop could have been water, unless I considerately washed the bottle out, before returning it. I don't remember doing so, but it is the sort of thing that I may well have done, by reflex. My mother raised a very tidy lad."

"It would have been more considerate not to take our last dose. Are you certain that what was administered to Barty was really Veritaserum?"

"I think so, although I suppose Dr. White could have made a switch. I watched him closely. Meghan or I – of course, Meghan! I thought one of us always had a clear view of both the bottle and his hands. I will kill that Witch."

"Are you trying to become Minister again?"

"No, I tried that and it didn't work."

"I think that we should release him, Sir," Harry concluded to Dad.

Dad gave a hand wave in agreement and Ron and Hermione set to work freeing Shacklebolt. He took his wand back from Harry and pointed it at his two aurors. "What are we to do with them? I trust them and we might need their help."

"I grant you both complete immunity for anything that you may say under the influence of this Veritaserum," Dad said to the two of them and then motioned to Hermione. She extracted a smaller vial from her robes, to which she transferred individual doses for each auror. They were each asked "are you loyal to my government?" and "have you been conspiring with or helping any Death Eaters, supporters of Lucius Malfoy, Mrs. Parkinson, Bruce or Lord Montaigne, or the Grindelwald faction?" They each gave satisfactory answers and were released.

{[annoyed] That was a major waste of time. We're falling behind schedule and in danger of the plan falling apart. You can carry on a farce for only so long. This seemed like such a good idea.]

{{Don't be so negative. We've eliminated Shacklebolt, Percy, and I think McGonagall. We know Meghan is involved. I think the success of your duel cleared Viktor.]]

{[mollified] I don't think any of us really thought Percy could be Mr. Big, did we?}

{{Don't underestimate my brother. He certainly has the intelligence, information sources and planning and organizing skills to be Mr. Big, I just don't think Mom did that poor a job bringing him up.}}

{[surprise] I didn't mean to denigrate Percy at all. I think he is a very gifted aide. I just think he lacks the boldness that I expect Mr. Big possesses.}

{{I think Percy's boldness might surprise you. Practically shunning Mom and Dad to become a top aide to Fudge and Scrimgoeur seems fairly daring to me.}}

{[amused] Yes, I suppose it is. Old Percy has been riding close to the top for quite a few years now. Maybe I won't tell him that he passed the test, just yet.}

Shacklebolt was feeling sufficiently back in charge to demand the same procedure be performed with Dad's three aurors and Ellen. They all passed. Meanwhile, he had sent his two aurors to bring back Meghan. Harry, rather boldly I thought, snapped out of our joint mental meander and countermanded that order, sending Bill and Barb, instead. They returned almost immediately with a very defiant looking Meghan. She stood in front of Shacklebolt, legs slightly spread and hands on her hips as she looked straight into his eyes.

"I certainly fooled you for long enough, you old fool. Potter, too. He and Ginny are young fools. Far too foolish to succeed against Thicknesse."

Meghan was quickly stupefied, bound in goop, forced to swallow Veritaserum, de-stupefied and then left to marinate.

"I have a treat for you, Meghan," Harry promised. He went to his inner office and asked Professor McGonagall to help him levitate Thicknesse's chair to directly in front of Meghan's. "See who we caught. I guess I'm not quite as much of a young fool as you thought." Harry motioned for Ron to help him transport Thicknesse back into his inner office. He closed the door again, but returned before Meghan had finished marinating. She had not finished talking, however.

She gave a defeated wail when she first saw Thicknesse and was cursing us and mumbling to herself, when Harry returned.

"My Thicky is twice the man that you are," Meghan shouted at Harry. "He should still be Minister. He took good care of me." She lapsed into silence and a close inspection of her eyes revealed that the Veritaserum was taking hold. Harry pointed to her glassy eyes and Dad stepped forward to question her.

"Please! Allow me," Shacklebolt pleaded with Dad. "I'm the one she betrayed." Dad motioned for Shacklebolt to go ahead and ask his questions.

"Are you working in opposition to the present Minister of Magic?"

"Yes, and especially in opposition to you."

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"No, I've always loved and supported Thicky. He ran with Voldemort's crew, but was always his own man. He is far smarter and more refined than Voldemort could ever hope to be. He is the only one of that crew fit to run a government."

"How did you conceal the presence of Thicknesse's hideout during the night patrols around Cardiff?"

"I knew where it was and made sure I had the viewer at the proper time."

"Who else was involved in the aurors not finding the hideout?"

"My partner helped me, as a favor, without realizing what he was doing. I persuaded him to be looking elsewhere at the critical time, claimed my neck was stiff and I needed him to cover for me, looking to my left. Otherwise, he'd of seen it for sure. I would have regretted killing him, but I had to protect Thicky."

"What are your present orders and who gave them to you?"

"I have jail duty in two days and I am to kill the Parkinsons. After I did that, I was allowed to flee and join Thicky. I got that order from Thicky, himself. I have a secret cell phone."

"Do you know of any other aurors who are disloyal to me?"

"I don't know any who are disloyal to the government, although quite a few hate your guts and wouldn't mind at all if you stumbled down a peg or two. One or two might even push you themselves if they didn't think they would be caught. You're not as popular with the troops as you imagine yourself to be."

As Shacklebolt turned away, shaking his head, Harry asked, "Why does Thickness want the Parkinsons killed?"

"He thinks they might know who the leader is."

"Have you killed any people from our side?"

"Now that's the question, isn't it? You might not have guessed it, but you're looking at the Witch who set up and killed the last Minister – Scrimgoeur. Caught him completely by surprise. He thought I was going to evacuate him to safety, but he quickly learned he was just another old fool."

"How did you fake the dosing of Barty Crouch with Veritaserum?"

"I didn't. I was watching the doc and he gave him the real stuff that Shacklebolt handed him. Barty looked truly under the influence. Didn't seem faked to me."

"How did you pass the Veritaserum screening of your loyalty?"

"I knew the time that I was to be tested. I swallowed a big dose of a potion that counteracts the Veritaserum. I just acted dazed while I was questioned. I pretended to be terrified of the serum, saying I heard it could scramble your mind. I carried on enough that my partner tipped me off right before I was to be tested, assuring me that it wasn't so bad and that I just needed to be brave and tell the truth. I excused myself to the loo, downed the potion I had been carrying for a week and threw the bottle in the trash. The serum had zero effect upon me. I admitted to minor malingering to convince Shacklebolt that I was under the influence. Conned him totally, the old fool."

Harry had finished with the questions and Shacklebolt instructed Barb "Stupefy her and take her to the lockup. Oh, don't bother." He gave her a roundhouse punch to the jaw, saying "that'll save you the trouble of performing the 'petrificus'. Harry looked a little alarmed and told Barb, "stupefy her anyway."

Barb did as Harry instructed and headed off down the corridor, with Ellen assisting her in steering a levitated Meghan around the bends in the corridor.

"You know what?" Harry asked the room in general. "If Thicknesse was so anxious to see Pansy dead, perhaps she really does know something worth talking to her about. Could you fetch her from lockup for us, Bill? Bring Barb back with you to help with Pansy. Callista will go with you to distribute the pictures she took of our guests. I want a copy of each to go to the French and German Ministries, the Muggle police, the auror squad, and each of the papers, with requests for anyone who recognizes them, to contact us. The press will ask where you got the pictures. I suggest you simply tell them that we ambushed these criminals in the midst of an attempted terrorist bombing. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Yes, I'll get right onto it."

The room was emptying rapidly and enough quiet and calm had descended for Mom to turn to Dad and ask "I'm worried about George. I'm afraid he might be more badly injured than Harry is letting on."

"Don't worry," Dad replied, placing his arm around her shoulders "I've seen George and the worst he is suffering from is great fatigue and cramped muscles and joints. He may not be comfortable for a while, but I promise you that he'll be just fine in a day or so." Mom was smiling as she returned to her seat.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry queried, "is there really a preventive antidote to Veritaserum?"

"Yes, Harry, search your memory. It's called Liar's Milk and it is an old and very rare potion – quite difficult to produce. I'm told the slightest error in preparing the potion and it could look quite normal and yet be quite assuredly fatal."

Harry, Hermione and I must have appeared to be lost in some private rapture as we spent the next several minutes sorting through our Light Guardian memories. Hermione was the first to find the pertinent memories. She started speaking, as if in a trance. "Liar's Milk is a thick charcoal grey liquid, having the consistency of heavy cream. It contains Unicorn milk, octopus ink, powdered chalk, venom of the giant spider, and a pinch of cannabis. The appropriate dose is one and a half drams. It smells foul and tastes worse."

With that prompt, I quickly accessed my own memory, running through the details of the formula for the potion and noting that the whole procedure, including aging required three weeks time and that the potion had a reliable shelf life of only a month, perhaps two if stored extraordinarily well. Chance a three month old potion and you were sure to die.

I snapped out of my reverie to hear Harry telling Percy "those are quite rare ingredients, Percy. Do you think you could track down anybody who has acquired those particular ingredients within the past year?"

"I'm on it, boss" Percy responded over his shoulder, as he too vacated the room.

"Oh, Percy," Harry called after him, and then trotted out of the office to whisper something in his ear.

{{I take it faith in Percy is restored.}}

{Hardly even wavered.}

"We seem to be wasting time," Shacklebolt complained to Harry or Dad, or perhaps to all of us. "Hermione has the Veritaserum and we have Thicknesse. Why not just put the Mr. Big question directly to Mr. Number Two?"

"I wonder if Professor McGonagall could excuse us for a little while and wait in my conference room or the Ministry cafeteria – they serve a very tasty selection of snacks," Dad suggested. The headmaster took the rather strong hint and departed.

"Why not, indeed?" Harry mused. "I assumed we should get a blessing from Madam Bones, before we did anything that would alarm her or mess up her prosecution of Thicknesse. Has she been notified of his capture, by the way?"

"Can't blame me for that one," Shacklebolt quickly replied "I've been your prisoner most of the time. I assumed that if the Minister wanted her to be present, she would already be here. Perhaps this is one of those times when Arthur is willing to take it on his own authority to bend Madam's rules a little in the interest of real justice."

"I'm not really sure why I didn't summon her," Dad replied. "Perhaps I should, or perhaps I feel it more important to learn what Thicknesse can tell us. He certainly qualifies as a proven terrorist and enemy of the government. Anything involving him could be said to involve imminent threat. I agree with Kingsley. I think we should go ahead and question Thicknesse and beg Madam Bones' forgiveness after the fact. She should be able to come up with a legal rationale to cover this. What say you, Harry?"

"I'm afraid that you're all too familiar with my casual approach to rules, Sir. I'm quite content to proceed, although I'd like to hear what Pansy has to say, before questioning Thicknesse. It would add direction to a couple of lines of questioning which I've been considering. If you would allow me that brief diversion, Sir, I think it will permit me to frame a couple of choice questions to Thicknesse, which will cut right to the heart of the matter."

"Okay, Harry. You caught Thicknesse. It's only fair to humor you to that extent. I'll let you unwind this mystery with whatever you deem to be due suspense."

{{You're stalling!}}

{[amused] There is one participant who has yet to arrive. It's not this one.}

I looked up to see Pansy enter the room, with Bill's wand in her back and her arms goop-wrapped to her sides. She didn't look nearly as attractive without her customary makeup and carefully coiffed hair. She was a year older than me and starting to look a little dowdy and run down.

"Welcome Pansy!" Harry called out. "Meghan Fudge has convinced us that you might actually have known some secrets that are worth asking you about."

"I don't think I'm familiar with the woman. How did she convince you?"

"We questioned her with Veritaserum and she admitted that Thicknesse ordered her to kill you and your mother. Meghan is an auror and she was scheduled to guard you two nights from now. Fortunately, we learned of this plot just in time. It seems you might know the identity of "The Leader" after all."

"I know a lot more than you think I do. With the proper deal for mother and me, I may even tell you some of what I know. For example, I know where Thicknesse is likely to be."

"Ah, so do I," Harry replied, opening the door to his inner office and levitating Thicknesse back into his ante-room. "Surprise! I believe you know each other. So, as you can see, that little piece of knowledge is of no use to me. You're going to have to do better than that. Or, a sufficient dose of Veritaserum – see, Hermione's got another bottle ready to hand – and I can get the information for free. Please take a seat." Bill shoved her into a chair and gooped her in place.

"If you do this voluntarily, I can promise the maximum possible leniency for you and your mother, although you are definitely spending some time in jail. It doesn't have to be in Azkaban. Now, apart from where Thicknesse was previously hiding out, along with all these goons you see arrayed around my walls, what can you tell me that is of value to us? If you have something worthwhile, and Thicknesse thought you knew something worth sacrificing his last remaining auror-spy in order to see you dead, I'm willing to bargain. Isn't that right, Minister?"

"Absolutely, Harry. It's definitely time for Pansy to show her cards."

Draco was staring intently at Pansy, waiting to hear what she had to say. She glanced right at him, and then averted her eyes, not being able to betray Thicknesse while looking him in the face. "Mother told me that she figured out who The Leader must be. She said it had to be someone who spent a lot of time around the Ministry and with Thicknesse. Someone who was still here at the Ministry: someone in a position to hurt us badly if we squealed without negotiating protection and a deal before talking. Mother was afraid I couldn't keep the secret or that I would be murdered if anyone suspected that I knew what she knew. Ask mother, she'll tell you who The Leader is."

The door banged open and Madam Bones strode in. "I see you've convinced the Minister and Deputy to permit some more illegal questioning," she challenged Shacklebolt. "And I see Hermione with her ever-present bottle of Veritaserum. Some people just have no respect at all for the law or for justice."

"And some people are all too eager to let terrorists slip through the cracks in the system," Shacklebolt replied in a calm tone that indicated he was not about to be drawn into a fight. "I think Thicknesse here is a prisoner who fully warrants the use of Veritaserum. He's an admitted terrorist, enemy of the state, and having caught him and his friends in the middle of an operation, it seems there is a dire urgency in questioning the man, wouldn't you agree, Madam?"

"You make a strong case. I need a minute alone with the prisoner, to make sure he understands his legal rights. Surely you can't object to that."

"Well,…"

"You are welcome to use my office," Harry piped up. "Just be careful and stand behind him. I'd keep moving around, if I were you, I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn he was capable of using silent, wandless curses to cut your heart out."

"Thank you and don't be melodramatic. I'm sure I'll be quite safe. I'll keep my wand at the ready and a 'protego' hovering upon my lips."

Ron helped Harry levitate Thicknesse for yet another trip back to the inner office.

Harry kicked the door shut, yet again, and I caught Shacklebolt catching Harry winking at Dad. Shacklebolt's face betrayed his realization that the moment of truth was at hand. Even Pansy seemed to sense that something strange was afoot.

Harry broke the mood by asking Pansy, "Well, do you consent to the Veritaserum treatment. Full immunity for anything that you say under its influence."

Pansy had been staring at Harry's door so intently that her head bobbed noticeably as she snapped back to attention "umm, what? Yes, alright, I suppose that I haven't anything to lose at this point."

Hermione placed the vial to her lips and she swallowed its contents, sitting back, along with the rest of us as we waited for the potion to take command of her.

We were watching Pansy intently and she seemed to wither inwardly under our stares, when the opening of the door to Harry's office drew all of our attentions back to Madam Bones. "I find it very hard to believe, but Thicknesse insists that he is willing to take the Veritaserum, without a lawyer present and without a grant of immunity for anything that he might say under questioning. He does insist that certain, um avenues of questioning be off limits. I will enforce that agreement."

Harry and Shacklebolt spoke simultaneously. Harry said "well then, let's get the old boy out here…" as Shacklebolt indignantly half shouted at Madam Bones, "and do you care to enlighten us Madam, as to which topics are off limits, or are you planning to surprise us question by question?"

"Well, it's a little complicated, it might be easier to simply let you know when you have entered the restricted zone, rather than to try to explain all of the nuances of what is off limits."

"Really? Well, please try. I find it difficult to believe that Thicknesse was willing to get involved in such a high level of sensitive nuance with his future prosecutor."

"I don't appreciate at all, what I believe you are insinuating. I was as surprised as you that he agreed to be questioned at all. Setting a few limits is not unusual in the least. He is unwilling to discuss anyone whose death might be construed to be related to his own actions, not at all unreasonable under the circumstances. He also is unwilling to name his boss, absent a grant of immunity."

"That wasn't all that hard to explain, was it? If he gives us Mr. Big, I'm willing to take Azkaban off the table and let him serve half a dozen years in jail."

"That isn't your decision to make, it's mine."

"Actually, I believe it's my decision to make," Dad spoke up for the first time.

I had been following this exchange with great amusement and didn't realize that Harry had returned, until I heard him address Pansy, "here's your old friend, back to watch you testify, Pansy. Don't you want to say hello to him?"

Madam Bones again vehemently inserted herself into the conversation, "don't tell me that you've taken the opportunity of my absence in the other office to put another prisoner under the influence of Veritaserum, without apprising her of her legal rights. And you've done this right in front of the Minister."

"Relax, Amelia," Dad tried to calm her down, "Pansy was fully informed of her rights and is perfectly willing to speak to us under the influence of Veritaserum, aren't you Pansy."

"I don't see that I really have anything to lose by answering your questions. It's not as if you don't have enough witnesses to convict me of kidnapping Hermione. I am not at all happy in jail and mother warns me that I will be much less happy in Azkaban, so I'm eager to do anything that will buy me a little leniency or hopefully a lot of leniency. I'm still a student after all, it's not like I'm some kind of hardened criminal."

"Very well, my dear," Madam Bones waved her hand in surrender "but just remember, any special deals need my approval."

"Again, that is not strictly correct," Dad gently reminded her. "Ah, I sense that Pansy is ready to be questioned. I strongly suspect that my Deputy Minister has some question that he'd like to put to her."

"Thank you, Sir. Pansy… have you learned more about the identity of The Leader since you were arrested. Tell us everything you know or suspect and tell us how you learned of this information."

"My mother overheard Silas's parents talking to an auror named Meghan Fudge. They knew Silas had died, but wanted to get his property back. Meghan gave them a little brass key, which she took from inside the heel of his boot. Meghan also told them that The Leader had learned that you had a means of identifying magically protected dwellings from the air, but that Thicknesse would be safe, because she had arranged not to see his house during her survey flight that evening. Silas's mother told my mother that The Leader would make sure that we got off easy when our case came to the Wizengamot. She said that Shacklebolt would fight it but that The Leader had influence over the Minister and that you wouldn't want to see us in Azkaban, either. She said you were soft – sentimental and soft, and a young fool, and..."

"Yes, I think I get the concept," Harry cut her off in annoyance. "Did you or your mother decide who The Leader is?"

"That calls for rank speculation," Madam Bones declared, before Pansy had a chance to open her mouth.

"And this is not testimony before the Wizengamot, let her answer, or you're welcome to go back to your own office," Dad admonished her.

"Mother said she had figured it out and that she would trade the information for a very light sentence. I wasn't sure, but I suspected that she was referring to Madam Bones."

"That is ridiculous! I think I will go back to my office."

Harry whispered to Bill and Bill left with Ellen.

"Why do you think Madam Bones is The Leader?"

"She is at the Ministry, she has a lot of influence over the Minister, she is the one person most likely to make sure we get off lightly. It's also just so obvious that she's always putting on a big act. She's all la-di-dah about the law, but I think she's out for herself. Mother said she lives in a really big and fancy townhouse in London – 'a far nicer dwelling than Delores Umbridge's', is what mother said. She also said that Madam Bones was 'the most powerful Witch in the world, bar none', or something very similar."

"Did she tell you this after she told you that she knew who The Leader was?"

"Only the part about her being the most powerful Witch. Mother also said she was wealthy enough to keep a much younger lover… a lover who wasn't a Wizard, if you get my meaning."

"I think I probably do," Harry replied "does this younger lover have a name?"

"I'm sure she does, I just don't know it."

"All right, moving on. Prior to today, when was the last time you saw, spoke to, or received a message from Thicknesse?"

"He sent a message to us while we were in jail. Meghan gave the note to my mother. It said 'Keep your mouths shut and all will end well. This isn't over yet. You won't go to Azkaban. I have friends in high places. Trust me and do whatever Megan asks you to do. Th' – at least that's what I remember. Mother swallowed the note."

"In the plot to kidnap Ginny and me, why did your mother give you instructions through a younger student and make you subservient to that younger student?"

"I don't know. I think it was to puff up Silas and make him more willing to take the necessary risks. He took more risk than I did. Silas's father outranks my mother, so she was probably just a safer way for him to pass a message to his son. I asked mother about that, while we were in jail and she just said that she wasn't as important a part of the conspiracy as I may have imagined. The first real thing she did was running for Deputy Minister. My mother is a true believer, but she is easily frightened."

"Whose idea was it for you to latch onto Draco and even to marry him? You don't seem to have had that high a regard for him."

Thicknesse looked a bit upset as he watched Pansy intently from his chair.

"I told you most of this before. Lucius asked me to watch him and be his friend. He was on and off about my being Draco's girlfriend. First I was supposed to be, then I wasn't, then he decided Draco needed a broader range of experience and I could be hired to supply that. In the end, Lucius was determined that I spy on Narcissa, and that being close to Draco was the way to accomplish that. He also wanted me to spy on you and to keep Draco angry at you. I once liked Draco – the strutting, smart-alecky, ruler of the Slytherin Common Room Draco. He wasn't the same without Goyle and with his mother, and then being your friend, and getting religion. My mother says religion is just a myth to keep the little people in order and that we are most definitely not among the little people. I guess I always found Lucius to be more exciting and more of a challenge than Draco. He exuded power and danger and he was always very sure exactly what he wanted. I'll miss him."

"Why didn't Lucius come to your wedding?"

"I thought it was because he was jealous, but the night that we were to kidnap you, he told me that he wanted very much to be there, but that he knew it would be far too dangerous for Draco. He said he worried that he could never adequately explain to Draco that he had to stay away from him in order to keep him safe. He said something very strange… 'I quite fear that I cannot trust my own mind not to destroy my son. I carry the trap within me, but I don't control the spring.' I couldn't tell you what that means."

"Don't be insulted, but your little conspiracy seemed so ill-planned that I have a hard time believing Lucius was willing to participate in it. It didn't seem at all his style, nor did being second in command to Silas. Can you explain?"

"Not really, I never understood that either. He said it was an adventure that we would share and a way of buying our future together. He said it was stupid, but not too high a price to pay for the resources he would be gaining."

"If Lucius was just participating in exchange for resources, why should he kill himself, when I asked about him and Thicknesse?"

"Nobody was more surprised than I was, when Lucius killed himself. I know he didn't want to die. Perhaps he became very sad when I said I wouldn't run away to Muggle-land with him. I didn't want to hurt him, but I don't think I'm cut out for life in Muggle-land, even if Lucius could make us safe and find a big pile of galleons. He definitely was a little down after I rejected him."

"Did Lucius ever mention The Leader to you?"

"Once, the day before we were to kidnap you. He had just learned the identity of The Leader for the first time. He seemed shocked not to have realized that there was one person guiding all the little plots and rebellions. He was in a strange mood – happy to be out of jail, thrilled to see me and ever so passionate, yet strangely dented, as if he had just met a force bigger than himself. I felt for the first time since I had met him in the Muggle store that he wasn't completely in charge - that he was going to run away to Muggle-land forever, because he was forced to flee. He said that was the only way Draco could be safe."

"The last time that we questioned you, you told me that you Imperiused Lucius the night that he picked a fight with me. Yet I distinctly remember that you tried to prevent that fight. Exactly how did you Imperius Lucius, and what did you tell him to do?"

"I met Lucius outside McGonagall's office, as we had arranged at dinner. He told me he had something dangerous and possibly a little nasty that he must do and that I must help him, in order to free Draco from his mother. He said at the first opportunity, I must convince Draco to leave his mother and Hogwarts and go back to their estate. He said we should hide in a secret room that Draco knew about and wait there until he could join us to take us to a safe hideout in Muggle Edinburgh. He said that he knew that my mother had taught me how to Imperius and that I must do it to him right then, or he would surely die of the Unbreakable Vow. I put my wand against the front of his head and said, just like mother taught me: "I Imperius you to follow the assigned path. You have no self-will and are not responsible for breaking your vow. Do as you were told. Imperiamus!"

"So, you never told him to do anything in particular? What was the assigned path?"

"That's all that I said. I asked my mother what the assigned path was, but she said she didn't know and certainly didn't want to know. She looked frightened. I also don't know what he was told to do."

"When did your mother teach you this? Did she tell you that Lucius was your intended target?"

"The last day of school, when I stayed for the summer. Mother taught me in a corner of the Slytherin common room. She didn't say whom I was to Imperius, just that I would know at the appropriate time. I thought she meant you or Hermione."

"I'm out of questions," Harry admitted, spreading his hands to yield the stage to whoever wanted to proceed. Thicknesse was looking so upset that Harry changed his mind declaring "I'm sorry, I realize that I do have one more question. It's not about the conspiracies, but having said all that you have said about Draco, why did you express a willingness to him to still be his wife?"

"We did have some very good times together. Really, what else am I going to do with my life?"

There were only two other questions. Hermione asked, "What did your mother tell you not to say at this meeting?" Thicknesse asked, "Have you always been this much of a bitch, and why didn't I notice before?"

To the first question, Pansy responded, "she told me not to tell you that we saw Mr. Bullstrode talking to Barty Crouch the day before the Death Eaters took over the Ministry." To the second question she answered, "I'm just a poor girl who knows she has to secure her own future. I make no apology for that and I assure that I am as I always have been. I can't help it if I haven't lived up to whatever icky old man fantasy you had about me. You certainly don't measure up to Lucius. Now, if you are all finished with me, I'd prefer to get back to mother and let her know that I've kept us out of Azkaban."

"Do you think we should call Madam Bones back, so she can safeguard Thicknesse's rights while we question him?" Harry asked.

"That was her express wish," Shacklebolt replied. "I'll send a couple of aurors to fetch her. They can take Pansy back to the lockup on the way. He said a few words to the two aurors whom he had arrived with, and then directed Hermione, "why don't you go ahead and give Thicknesse his potion, so it can take effect by the time Amelia arrives." Harry motioned for the aurors to stay a little longer. They looked hesitant, but Dad reinforced Harry's suggestion.

Hermione took a bottle from her carry-all bag, placed it to Thicknesse's lips, and allowed him to swallow a big slug of the liquid. We were surprised by the strident voice of Pansy.

"I'm not the complete idiot you all obviously think I am. That wasn't Veritaserum, that was Polyjuice. They don't look at all alike! That isn't Thicknesse. Who is it and what silly game are you playing at?"

"Not silly at all, my dear," Thicknesse responded. "I'm Draco and I assure you that this stunt is deadly serious."

"Draco! Forgive me. I know I haven't been the best or most loyal wife. I acted out of necessity, really for both of our sakes. You know how your father can be and you know what I need in life. I didn't mean to hurt you. We had good times for a while. You changed more than me. I'm really, really sorry. Please don't hate me."

Shacklebolt had just noticed that his two aurors and Pansy were still there, despite his instructions, but said, "you won't be taking the prisoner back, just yet, but I'd like you to fetch Madam Bones. Please tell her that we are ready to question Thicknesse and remind her that she had demanded to be present. Tell her that we've already administered the, um potion, and don't plan on waiting for her arrival. Oh, and 'petrificus totalis', if you could shift the prisoner into the Deputy Minister's inner office before you go, it would be a kindness."

Harry burst out, "before your aurors risk their lives fetching Madam Bones, they should wash off their wands and make sure they work." One of the aurors quickly pointed his wand at a paperweight on the desk and tried to levitate it. When the paperweight failed to budge, he looked at Harry in surprise. Harry was holding the spray can he had gotten from Lee.

"Lee's a genius," is all he said. Thinking again, he told Shacklebolt, "you should wash off your wand, too, Sir." The three of them did just that, using water from a large ceramic vase filled with chrysanthemums on Callista's desk. The two aurors made a very neat job of it, but Shacklebolt left the whole contents of the vase on Harry's carpet. Harry just watched and shrugged.

As Pansy was levitated into the other room and dropped with a noticeable thud, surprising given the thick carpet, Draco burst out, "I'm not likely to forgive her anytime soon, but I'm glad I heard her answers. They cast a whole new light on my father's actions. I told you that his participation in the kidnapping and his strange behavior in general were the keys to your mystery. I think you've just seen proof of that."

The aurors carefully closed Harry's door, looking askance at the kick marks on it. As they left and closed the outer office door behind themselves, Draco continued, "I take it you want me to accuse Madam Bones when you question me. I also assume that I should be as vague as possible, but that I can include pertinent details from what Meghan and Pansy told us."

"I think you have a sound understanding of your role," Shacklebolt replied.

Madam Bones was looking a trifle belligerent when she rejoined us. "I don't know what that brat told you, but I can assure you that I am every bit as loyal to this government as the rest of you. I'm just not as willing to bend the legal rules to gain a quick political advantage for the next press briefing."

"Is that really what you think this is all about?" Shacklebolt challenged her, virtually nose to nose. "I don't care about press conferences – avoid them whenever I can. My concern is stopping bombings, assassinations, and possibly the violent overthrow of this administration by another bunch of tyrants like the Voldemort-Thicknesse crowd. To protect our community from that, I'll willingly bend a few rules. If our opponents win, all of your precious rules will be gone."

"I don't want to fight with you, Kingsley. I concede that you do what you do in pursuit of what you believe to be the greater good. I'll even concede that you believe that I would have long since been murdered by people like Thicknesse, were people like you not willing to take the risks and bend the rules to protect me from harm. Let's just say I disagree with your methods. Now, I have an awful headache that my magic hasn't been able to tame, so can you be quick about getting on with your questioning? What did you promise the Parkinson girl?"

"She and her mother won't be going to Azkaban," Dad replied simply. "Yes, please get on with it Kingsley."

"Yes, of course. Alright then, Thicknesse, can you confirm that you were the leader behind the various conspiracies against this administration?"

"I can confirm that as Voldemort's second in command and the person he chose to run the Ministry of Magic under his rule, that I did coordinate the actions of the remaining Death Eaters following the Battle of Hogwarts. I did not lead any of the other conspiracies."

"Is there an overall leader, to whom you, Bruce Montaigne, Meier Hyack, Ruppasta, and the leader of the Giants reported."

"Nothing that formal: we each ran our own operation, but The Leader provided guidance and made sure that the groups weren't working at cross purposes. It was to my advantage to give a certain measure of deference to The Leader, but I remained in command of the Death Eaters."

"Please identify this person you call The Leader".

"She's sitting right there – Madam Bones, the most powerful Witch in the world and quite a bit wealthier than you realize. She carries more secrets out of this Ministry than you've ever realized. She has a whole secret life that you know nothing about – a big house, a much younger lover, not at all the dowdy life you may imagine she leads."

"That's a lie!" Madam Bones shouted. "At least most of it's a lie." She rose and stared deeply into Thicknesse's eyes, trying to convince herself that he had somehow fought off the Veritaserum. Draco was doing his best to appear drugged, and seemed to have convinced her.

Madam Bones took a step back and surprised us all by asking "if you know so much about me, answer me this, who is my lover?"

I feared that Draco had gotten carried away and really stepped in the dog poopy pile, as he boldly and clearly declared: "Adrienne Celine."

Madam Bones collapsed into a chair. "That's correct," she gasped, "although I don't see how you could possibly know that. But you are wrong about my being this person, whom you call 'The Leader'." She paused for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, then suddenly plunged her right hand into her robes. She seemed to be drawing her wand, and six wands were suddenly pointed at her. Harry had even shouted "Petrifi…" before realizing that she held a Goblin pen, rather than a wand. She poked Thicknesse rather roughly in the middle of his forehead, then stared at the tip of the pen, before triumphantly declaring "I knew it. This isn't Thicknesse, this is a fraud. I should have known this was a trick as soon as Kingsley indicated his willingness to let Thicknesse escape Azkaban. He'd never allow that. I feel hurt and very used by this cheap stunt that you've pulled. I thought you were…"

"I apologize," Harry said in a very calm, but firm tone, which halted her flow of words, "but we had to be sure. Pansy suggested that you likely were The Leader and provided evidence that indicated that we weren't seeing you as you actually are. Plus, you seemed to be going out of your way to disrupt our pursuit of bombers and Death Eaters, while you never cared much for legal niceties while you were persecuting me. If it makes you feel any better, you aren't the first person we tested. Shacklebolt was the first, and there was very good reason to suspect him. And yes, I realize that we are on the same side, although you don't always seem to act that way."

"Deputy Minister, I understand your actions better than those of my other associates. Given how I dealt with you when you came before the Wizengamot, and your limited experience with me, I fully understand why you view my current adherence to legal rules as rank hypocrisy. I can't blame you for that. I'll only say you haven't experienced the compromises required to operate within enemy camp on behalf of the Order. I did as much good as I could, and prevented some injustices. Those were not happy times for any of us. You did get off, and it was I who alerted Dumbledore to the changed time and location for your trial, although you had no way of knowing that. As for the rest of you, I am extremely disappointed and not at all sure that I want to go on working with any of you. Now, please tell me what is going on. Who is this person and where is Thicknesse?"

"This is Draco Malfoy, and Thicknesse is dead. I killed him," Harry answered her. "It was a fair duel and I didn't use any prohibited curses. These other people lining the wall were the Death Eaters who were with Thicknesse at the hideout. These three were killed while they were trying to kill me. Again, no prohibited curses were used. Aurors were present, but all of the dead were killed by Hogwarts students. We first suspected Director Shacklebolt, because the hideout was in an area just outside Cardiff which Shacklebolt had told us his aurors had already swept and cleared. We subsequently cleared the Director and discovered another bad auror. I'll let the Director tell you the rest of the tale."

It took a little time, but Shacklebolt told her the entire tale, including the subtle tests to which Percy, Callista, and Professor McGonagall had been subjected, prior to her own test. She said, "That gives me a better appreciation of your level of concern and urgency. I understand that you didn't want to miss a last chance to catch The Leader, before he or she slips away into obscurity to rebuild for a future fight. How did Draco know about Adrienne and why would he just pop out with such personal information, unless he was sure I was The Leader?"

"I thought you were The Leader," Draco replied. "Pansy's story made a lot of sense and I had the direct experience of your working very hard to convince me not to agree to answer their questions. I understood that you had an obligation to advise Thicknesse of his legal rights, but couldn't understand why you would try so hard to persuade him to remain silent, unless you expected him to incriminate you. As to Professor Celine, it just crystallized in my head. I know the Professor from Hogwarts, knew she had an apartment and studio in London and knew she had made a very easy transition from the Wizard to the Muggle world. She had to have help. I also knew that she was very close to our headmaster and the realization just clicked in my head that our headmaster has been running her own rather large and influential organization of Witches for quite some time. I think most of the students had come to that realization. From there, it was a quick jump to recognizing that you and Professor Celine were both members of that organization and that your loyalty within the Order was always greater to Professor McGonagall than to Dumbledore. As for your last question, you demanded that I give you the name of your lover and I answered you. I feared that our little farce would collapse if I refused. I was quite sure that I was right, but…"

"Yes, I guess I did ask you. So, it was just a lucky guess, but now that secret is out. That also makes it tougher to continue doing my job."

"Not really," Dad assured her "it is not as though you are the first high government official to have a significantly younger lover. At least you weren't cheating on a spouse, like Fudge did. Other than your brief embarrassment, I don't see why the end of your secret makes any difference at all. If you want it to remain secret from the general public, I'll not say a word, but I think you'd be well advised not to keep secrets that could leave you open to blackmail. I think we need to sit down with McGonagall and find out about her organization and its membership list and objectives."

"I don't disagree with you in principle, but I have the same problem as the headmaster. Professor Celine has an image to cultivate and a partner of my age doesn't really fit with that image. I promise that I will raise the issue with her. I'm stalling a bit here, because I realize I would set all of your minds at ease, if I just agreed to swallow some Veritaserum and allow you to question me. I understand your position, but I don't think you can realize how repugnant I find the thought of Veritaserum interrogations. It's so intrusive."

Ron excused himself. "I'll go make Pansy more comfortable. She really doesn't need to remain inert on the floor, does she? I'll guard her." Dad nodded assent.

"You use truth tellers during your trials before the Wizengamot," Hermione reminded her "and they are measuring the statements of ordinary witnesses who are not suspected of any wrongdoing at all. You illegally used truth tellers twice on Harry and once on Ron. I don't see the difference."

"The truth teller is outside the witness, not inside their heads, taking control of their brains. I'd be perfectly happy to answer any reasonable questions that the Minister might wish to address to me in the presence of truth tellers."

"Should I be surprised to learn that these truth teller Witches are also a part of McGonagall's organization?" Shacklebolt mused to himself in a quite loud voice. This set her a little aback. I think Harry noticed as well, as he quickly jumped in.

"I don't have a special truth telling skill, or at least I haven't unpacked it yet, but I have the very strong sense that she is telling the truth," Harry suggested. "However, I do know a truth teller whose independence I accept without question. Cissy should be able to tell whether or not Madam Bones is speaking the truth. Also, Percy should know or be able to find out whether Madam Bones really did alert Dumbledore about the changes to my hearing. If that story pans out, I'm willing to extend her the benefit of the doubt. Where is Percy, by the way?"

"You sent him to research purchasers of the ingredients to 'Liars' Milk'," I reminded Harry. "Perhaps the most direct thing to do is just to question Mrs. Parkinson and ask her why she is convinced that Madam Bones is Mr. Big."

"Assuming she hasn't already been murdered in her cell," Madam Bones said, rather snidely, I thought.

"Already taken care of," Shacklebolt happily replied. "When you stomped out of here before, we feared that you might be going to initiate a little accident, so we ordered up increased protection for Mrs. Parkinson. She should be fine. I'll have her brought here." He spoke some words into his cell phone and turned back to catch Madam Bones's reaction.

"Do you really trust me that little, Kingsley?" was all she said. Shacklebolt probably should have kept quiet, but he didn't.

"It has seemed as though you've been playing for a different team for quite some time now. We catch and kill terrorist bombers in the very act of planting a bomb and murdering aurors and your reaction is to go after the good citizens who helped my aurors stop the attack. You dispatch me to Hogwarts to confiscate the wand of Ron Weasley. Now to me, that is what I would call truly repugnant."

After that, we sat in silence, waiting for Mrs. Parkinson to arrive. Madam Bones and Shacklebolt occasionally glanced at each other, got an unpleasant look on their faces, and turned away to stare at a wall or the floor and rearrange their legs.

{[sad] I imagine you have a good guess how much fun this place is going to be for the next month.}

{{I didn't realize they disliked each other quite that much. They really do play for different teams.}}

{I think they're both good people and we can cast our suspicions elsewhere. Still, it is more than a little galling that she has more concern for Thicknesse's rights than for Ron's or mine. One thing I will tell you for certain: she is very prompt and faithful in responding to any complaint from the conservative, for which you should read Death Eater, wing of the Wizengamot. It's like she is the leader of the opposition. Perhaps I won't write her off completely as a suspect.}

{{Do you think she'll really resign?}}

{I don't know. That certainly wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen. One of the great things about being a Hogwarts student and supervising one of the repair teams for the Circle of the Goblins, is that I can legitimately stay away from the Ministry for the next week.}

Bill and Barb entered the office, pushing Mrs. Parkinson in front of them. They pointed her at a seat, she sat, goop was applied, and we waited expectantly.

"Mrs. Parkinson, I am told that you believe Madam Bones is The Leader," Shacklebolt got right to the point, as did Mrs. Parkinson, who replied. "I'm not going to share my thoughts for free."

"The price of your thoughts depends upon their value," Shacklebolt shot back. Mrs. Parkinson was equally quick.

"And once I share them with you, they have no further value."

Harry decided to take a stab at breaking the stalemate. "Pansy already told us quite a lot and we already agreed that neither of you will be going to Azkaban or spending the rest of your lives in jail. We just want you to fill in the details and describe the logic that led you to your conclusion about Madam Bones."

"My daughter did well by us. Now it's up to me to win our early freedom. I know where Thicknesse is and I have a very clear view as to why Madam Bones is The Leader."

"Thicknesse is dead. I killed him. Please tell us what you can. I don't think you have much to add to what we already know, but I want to clear up the details. I promise you it will push us to greater leniency to you and Pansy, if you cooperate. We also know that had we not killed Thicknesse and begun this inquiry, that Meghan Fudge would have murdered you and Pansy in two days' time. Thicknesse gave that order."

"You do know a lot if you've found Meghan. Would she really have killed us? He should have known we wouldn't have given them away. Thicky would never have killed me - if the order came, he was just the go-between, and Madam Bones is the one who wanted us dead. She couldn't have counted on our silence.

"Here's what I want. You'll find I'm not unreasonable, but I expect to be treated as fairly as others, who most definitely are not my betters. I want the same deal that you gave the Montaignes. Shut us up together in a house, with an Elf, and agree that Pansy will be released within six years and me within twelve. If your side is ever going to succeed, things will have calmed down by then and we will be of no significance. I'm a realist - we won't try to escape like the Montaignes did. Just make the best of our time in detention and then get on with our lives."

"I would accept that, since neither of you has killed anyone, but it's not my decision. I doubt you have much to say, but I don't need you to spend the rest of your life in jail. Drink the Veritaserum and talk to us and I'm happy with that deal. It's up to the Minister, Shacklebolt, and I guess, Madam Bones."

"I'm not out of office quite yet, Potter, but I admit to being in a compromised situation. Do I refuse partial amnesty to a woman who claims she can exchange proof of my greater guilt for that amnesty? If I say no, the Minister would be required to overrule and fire me. I agree."

"I accept your terms. Drink the Veritaserum," Dad instructed her.

She didn't have a whole lot to tell us, although every clue helps.

"I've known since the start of your administration that our side has such a good flow of intelligence that Thicknesse must have a source well up in the Ministry. I knew we had aurors on the Minister's guard, so I assumed that is where the secrets were coming from, but the death of our only aurors within your inner circle barely slowed the flow of information. I knew there must be someone else and I've had a lot of time to ponder that question since I was arrested. Madam Bones has been very helpful to us, harassing Potter and getting our side off easy. She had no reason to do that, unless she were a secret ally or a leader. I knew things about her personal life, which were not consistent with the salary of a Ministry employee, even at her level. When I mentioned this to my husband, he did some research to find out whether Madam Bones had a big inheritance, but her parents and grandparents weren't wealthy, and her niece Susan seemed to be growing up in genteel poverty.

"We had known about her townhouse, but in the course of our investigations, we discovered Adrienne, a young Witch, whom she had kept as her lover for years. They've been together since about the time Adrienne left Hogwarts. Amelia was already climbing her way up the Ministry at that time, but surprisingly could already afford that expensive townhouse. On more than one occasion, I've seen your Madam Bones talking to Meghan, in a corner away from the other aurors at the jail. That wouldn't mean anything to most people, unless you knew that Meghan was one of us. When I learned that she had stopped Barty being interviewed with Veritaserum, I knew that I was right. She was The Leader and was protecting herself. Other than Silas's father, Barty is likely the only person still alive who has first hand experience with The Leader as The Leader. I was just smart enough to figure it out."

"But… she didn't prevent Shacklebolt from interviewing Barty with Veritaserum," Hermione jumped in. "That interview had already taken place before she could stop it."

"Not quite so. Shacklebolt was doubly stopped. Somebody was able to slip Liars' Milk to Barty, and Madam Bones substituted water for the Veritaserum in Shacklebolt's bottle, when he set it down on the guard desk in the jail when he came to visit me. I was looking right over his shoulder and saw her do it. She was very sneaky about it too, using a wandless spell to levitate the bottle to the sink, while talking to the duty guard, dumping and refilling it, then levitating it back. None of you have seen how Madam Bones performs magic. She pretends not to use it, but I can testify that she is very, very good at it. She also went out of her way to tell me that the case against me was very weak and that if I kept my mouth shut, I should be out of jail fairly quickly. Unfortunately more evidence turned up after that meeting, but that was Shacklebolt's doing, not hers."

"What was your involvement in the Voldemort and Grindelwald groups?" Shacklebolt asked.

"I kept my head down during the Voldemort years. My general sympathies were known, but I viewed Voldemort as coarse and vulgar. The most I did was identify some Muggle-born who were trying to pass as pure bred and escape Umbridge.

"I was asked by Dr. Sprout to join the election race. He told me that he needed someone to help him fight for the established, traditional ways, and to prevent our remaining Great Family aristocrats from being dragged through the mud by Potter and the Weasleys. I couldn't abide the thought of a little man like Arthur as Minister, so I willingly joined the campaign. I got very determined to win, when I heard that your side was going to free the Elves. That would have shattered my life and the lives of most of my friends. I think Dr. Sprout sensed and fed my increased enthusiasm. As we talked politics into the night on several occasions, I realized that my true spirit was more truly aligned with Grindelwald than I had imagined.

"I also found that I was far stronger than I had thought, so that when Dr. Sprout introduced me to the Frakes' and the Stowes, I happily passed messages for them. I was happy to be accepted as part of their team and thrilled when they trusted me to meet Barty and Thicknesse. I realized that they weren't letting me in on many deep secrets. Mainly I passed messages and bought bomb ingredients for them. Delores Umbridge was my other major contact."

"Why did you give Pansy her instructions through Silas?"

"I don't think Mr. Stowe really trusted Pansy. Silas had reported that she was an unreliable lightweight. They didn't really trust Lucius, either. I was asked to say the bare minimum to Pansy and that is what I did. That was fine with me - I didn't trust Lucius, and Pansy seemed to be as much under his control as my own."

"What was the role of the Stowes in the Death Eater campaigns?"

"Not much, they were casual sympathizers. Mr. Stowe was Bruce's primary assistant from the beginning and his sons were supporters at an early age. I think Voldemort supported the aristocrats too much for Mr. Stowe's taste. He has led the Grindelwald faction since the death of Bruce. After the campaign, Dr. Sprout drifted away a little and I dealt directly with Mr. Stowe. I remember something else about Madam Bones. It was what absolutely convinced me she was The Leader. It's strange that I left this out. After Silas was killed and the parents came to the jail, Madam Bones met with them, and I overheard and could tell that she was speaking to them in code."

"Oh! How is that?" Shacklebolt sprang back to keen attention.

"She said that she was very sorry that Silas had died in custody, which was very suspicious, and that she would investigate, but Shacklebolt likely was involved. She said they could take whatever of their son's possessions they wanted and instructed Meghan to assist them. She told them that she was fighting as hard as she could to prevent Shacklebolt from searching their house or questioning them with Veritaserum. I took that as a hint that they should start consuming the Liars' Milk. Thicknesse once told me that The Leader had supplied him and other key supporters with a supply of that potion. I even had a bottle of my own."

There were a few more questions, of not great import, then mother and daughter were reunited and sent back to their cell, with a promise that a detention house would be identified and that they would be moved as quickly as possible.

"I know her testimony makes me seem very guilty," Madam Bones volunteered. "I am not working for the other side, although if my actions have convinced both sides that I am the leader of the opposition, then it is time for me to resign. I truly was only trying to curtail Shacklebolt's excesses. I saw Minister Weasley's administration as my first chance to install true legal protections and rein in the abuses of the past. Likely I was over zealous. I see no choice left to me, but to take the Veritaserum and assure you of my innocence. I meant well, please, let's get this over with, and with a smaller audience."

Harry, stepped in and reestablished his control of the situation, saying "Hermione, can you search your memory and determine how long the protective effects of Liars' Milk last? I don't want to question Madam Bones until that time has most definitely passed."

"I agree, Harry, and in the mean time we should be quick to…" Shacklebolt reasserted himself, with enough authority that Dad felt compelled to say "I'm still in charge here, and this is what we are going to do. We will wait to interview Madam Bones. I want Minerva here when we do that. Meanwhile, I want auror watches on the Stowes – I'm sure you already have them, Kingsley, but they might well be increased – Dr. Sprout, and Professor Celine. I think we can leave Madam Bones stupefied and gooped in Harry's office, while we go and get some food. I feel a need to dine with Professor McGonagall. We'll need a guard for Madam Bones and Hermione should go and tend to George. I don't want him too cramped up when Molly sees him. I want Molly to dine with us, as well. I think that's all, does anyone have additions or objections? Good, please handle the details, Kingsley, and then join us in my conference room for chow. Either Harry doesn't really know who Mr. Big is, or he has been very much too slow for my taste. I promise you an excellent meal, as well as my solution to our remaining mysteries."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen – Dad Takes Charge**

{{Do you know who Mr. Big is?}}

{Yes, and so do you, if you reflect for a moment. I'm not going to intrude on your Dad's moment, though. I'm smarter than that.}

{{Then Madam Bones isn't Mr. Big?}}

{No, although she and many others have unwittingly enabled Mr. Big. I think it's time to change gender and say Ms. Big; there really is no other possibility. I say that knowing that Percy will join us for dinner and heap a lot of suspicion on a certain professor. I'm confident that we'll eventually prove that professor's only crimes are vanity and greed.}

{{It sounds like you really do know. Well, don't spoil it just yet, I want to see how Dad approaches this.}}

The conference room was full and the table was clogged with our dinner buffet. In the first category were Dad, Mom, Shacklebolt, Professor McGonagall, Cissy, Draco, Neville, George wearing a lot of Mom's lipstick, Luna, Ron, Hermione, Bill, Fleur, Harry, me, Prudence, Callista, and a half dozen aurors. In the second category were fried chicken, hamburgers, chips with malt vinegar, fried fish, potato salad, tossed salad, crab dip and crackers, baked beans, red beets in orange and vinegar, a berry fruit salad with whipped cream, and a raspberry chocolate torte. I loaded my plate and waited for Dad to amaze us all.

"I feel privileged that you've included me in your war council," Professor McGonagall jocularly commented to Dad.

"Not at all, Minerva," Dad replied very seriously "I called this meeting to announce that I have solved our little mystery about the identity of Mr. Big, or if you prefer, The Leader. I find that you are at the very center of that mystery, so your presence here is essential. I know the guilty party, but only you can shed light on the level of guilt and how we happen to find ourselves in this particular mess."

Professor McGonagall gave Dad a puzzled look of innocence, commenting "I'm not sure what you're talking about. Still, it's nice that you've allowed me to graze on your side of the fence."

Percy joined us, announcing heartily as he entered the room "I've found the clue that points to our culprit. Harry's suggestion that I investigate purchases of the ingredients for Liars' Milk proved to be decisive. I see I'm not too late for food."

"I was about to announce the solution," Dad cautioned him, "and I don't think your research on Liars' Milk cuts to the heart of the matter."

"Better let him say what he has to say, so that you can explain it all in one go," Harry suggested to Dad. Dad assented.

"Well," Percy wound himself up "most of the ingredients for Liars' Milk are rare, very expensive, hard to find, and scarcely traded. Unicorn milk and the venom of the giant spider are especially hard to find. I couldn't find a shop that regularly stocks either item. Because of its short shelf life, the finished potion is also hardly stocked. I determined that St. Mungo's keeps a couple doses on hand, but their records show that they have both doses in stock – I saw the bottles myself, and even tasted them – and that the last batch was disposed of a couple months ago and consisted of only two doses. Harry said we were dealing with a larger quantity than that. The Ministry also keeps a couple doses on hand, in case the aurors need it for undercover work. Same story – I tested the current inventory and the records of destruction of the last batch, that was a little over two months ago. As with St. Mungo's, four people signed off on the destruction and swore that all test protocols were followed.

"This is where it gets interesting. I found that Hogwarts had four doses in its inventory and my personal taste test showed that the potion was a fake – just powdered charcoal in light cream. This batch was a little over two months old. The prior batch, three vials worth, was supposedly destroyed by Professor Slughorn. Nobody else witnessed the destruction. Now here's the really interesting part. All of these batches of Liars' Milk – at St. Mungo's, the Ministry, Hogwarts, and a single vial that I found at a healer shop in Diagon Alley – all, of these vials were made by Professor Slughorn. Harry told me that Professor Slughorn had harvested a good quantity of venom from Aragog. Hagrid told me that he had supplied some Unicorn milk to Professor Slughorn, after Slughorn told him the headmaster had ordered up a batch of potion that required the milk. In summary, I can prove that Professor Slughorn has made Liars' Milk, sold it, had the ingredients for at least fifty doses, and that I can find no record whatsoever of anyone else producing the potion or possessing all of the key ingredients, within the past year."

"I must admit, that was very impressive," Dad complimented Percy. "It fleshes out my own solution, but doesn't change it. I think the biggest point from your research is that the Liars' Milk originated from Hogwarts. I think you can all begin to appreciate why I invited Minerva to this dinner."

"I have a hard time imagining that Professor Slughorn is Mr. Big," McGonagall snorted.

"So do I," Dad replied. "He just made some money off it, but this is simply more evidence that Mr. Big is tied to Hogwarts and to your own organization. The inescapable conclusion, Minerva, is that you've been running your own organization for a lot longer than any of us initially realized and that this organization is both larger and more active than we had suspected. You ran, do run, a shadow organization that is larger and far better informed than the Order of the Phoenix, and possibly even the Ministry. A secret society of Witches, whose ultimate objectives I don't fully understand, but which I believe in your mind are benign and even beneficial. I have to confront you with one inescapable conclusion: you have a bad apple among your number and that bad apple is Mr. Big."

"Yes, I have been facilitating an organization of Witches," Professor McGonagall conceded. "I'm pleased that you recognize that this is a well-intentioned organization with aims very similar to your own, although my organization gives more credence to the power of Witches' brains and aims both to make those brains of service to our community and to generally advance the status of Witches, personally and in the aggregate. I know all of these Witches and they are all fully trustworthy idealists. We oppose killing and support progress and equality in our community. I think your Mr. Big lies elsewhere and that the "Mr." title is wholly appropriate. None of my witches is evil. I take it you want a membership list. I'm not so sure I should give you one and expose these fine Witches to Ministry harassment. If you know so much, you give me the list of my membership."

"Well, let's see," Harry replied "there's Trew of course, and Narcissa, Professor Sprout, Professor Celine, Madam Bones, Prudence here, Cho, either Fleur or her mother or both, Madam Hooch, Madam Pomphrey, Parvati Patil, Susan Bones, Margaret White, Lisa Turpin, Neville's gran, my auror Barb, at least one of the court truth tellers, the curator and her assistant Ellie, and the priestesses we met are the ones I'm certain of, but I'm sure there are quite a few others in other classes. I know that you've nearly completed the recruitment of Hermione's Mom and have given up on recruiting Molly, Ginny, and Hermione."

"Maybe the society isn't as secret as I thought. Your list is correct, with the exception that it is Fleur's sister and mother, rather than Fleur, who is a member. There are also scores of other prior Hogwarts graduates and another half dozen current students who are members. You might be surprised to learn that your mother was a founding member. For most of our members, we are a sorority that helps the career advancement of its members and seeks to improve the general position of Witches in this thoroughly Wizard-dominated society, although most members pass on any information that they come across that will help our larger purpose of opposing tyrants and moving toward a more equal and progressive society. I can assure you that none of our members is opposed to Arthur's administration and all support his general goals, although they may oppose specific policies. I know that many members feel that we should even reach out to progressive Wizards, like Neville, Harry and Draco. I most certainly have not given up on recruiting Molly, Ginny, Hermione, or Cissy. My group welcomes any progressive thinkers although, for reasons of security, I've had to steer clear of Dumbledore and Arthur."

"But one of your members has turned into a very great threat," Dad objected. "And Madam Bones has greatly and consistently obstructed our pursuit of Death Eaters, Bruce's gang, and other violent opponents to our elected administration."

"So, you believe Madam Bones has worked against you and is Mr. Big."

"I know she has worked against us, the only question is to what **extent**. She has admitted as much, and has been overheard persuading violent opponents not to cooperate with investigation of these conspiracies. She has taken every opportunity to hobble law enforcement, including persecuting Harry and Ron, and deliberately substituting water for the Director's supply of Veritaserum. We will be questioning her, with the use of Veritaserum, later tonight. But no, I don't think she is Mr. Big."

"You can't do that. The use of Veritaserum is abhorrent to Amelia. That would be an unimaginable violation of her person. If you knew Amelia as well as I do you would realize how truly ghastly your proposal is. She believes in justice and individual rights more than any person I know. She is completely nonviolent and totally loyal to your administration. If not Amelia, which of my members is your Mr. Big?"

"Amelia's long-time lover and confidante, Professor Celine. She has used her relationship with Madam Bones and your organization to gain the knowledge and influence that she needed to coordinate the various opposition groups."

"That's nonsense! Adrienne was a child when the Voldemort wars began. She has no motive to lead multiple insurrections. I know the woman well enough to know that she is not a murderer."

"I suspect she is not a murderer at heart, yet she apparently had no difficulty ordering the murder of Pansy and her mother. She also had no problem causing the death of Lucius Malfoy. Many others have died because of the orders that she gave, much as many died because of Bruce's orders, even though the only individual he personally murdered was his uncle. Unlike Bruce, I doubt very much that Professor Celine personally killed anyone. But the very nonviolent nature of many of the recent attacks, especially the plan to abduct Harry and Ginny, the small size of the after-hours bombs in Diagon Alley, and Narcissa's invasion of Hogwarts are what pointed most strongly at your organization. Avoiding the deaths of multiple innocents wasn't the hallmark of the Death Eaters, Bruce, Ruppasta, or the rebel Giants. This is why I said that you were here to help us understand just how evil or anti-social Mr. Big is."

"Again, what possible motive could Professor Celine have for leading this vast conspiracy?"

"I have several motives for her," Harry responded. "First, it has become progressively clear to me that you have explored the Keeper and Gryffindor passages and rooms inside Hogwarts long before Lord Montaigne showed us the entrance behind the fireplace in your inner office. You showed Professor Celine the art museum and the Ravenclaw, Peverell, and Gryffindor artifacts. Very likely you showed Narcissa these secret treasures of yours, when she was a student. In any case the Ravenclaw spectacles were your gift to Adrienne and responsible for her artistic vision. I'm not sure how you first gained access to these areas, but as I've gained experience at the Ministry, I've realized how naïve our circle has been in assuming we were the first group of students to secretly adventure within Hogwarts. The antiquity of the Marauders' Map should have disabused me of that conceit long ago. You and Dumbledore always said Hogwarts was at the heart of the battle, beginning from the days when Tom Riddle was a student. Our amateur archeology reveals that students have been engaged in secret battles and adventures since the dawn of Hogwarts, and that secret passages have always been a key part of that.

"I don't know how you originally found the art museum, but I do know that you understood about the stone steps down from your office before we explored them. You also were aware of some of the contents of the museum and Peverell storage room before you entered them with us. Which brings us to Professor Celine, whose motto seems to be "Witches rule," and who takes that motto quite literally. I also think she has been on a crusade to correct the past wrong of removing art from Hogwarts and the Wizarding world. Hermione's research has revealed that the Peverell storeroom originally contained the 'Peverell spectacles', which increased creative and artistic vision. This was the key invention or discovery that enabled the rest of the Peverell body of work. By the time we entered that storeroom, those spectacles were gone. They are captured in one of the Peverell portraits. I saw those same spectacles in a portrait of a young Adrienne Celine, inside the museum. So we know that she had the spectacles at the very start of her artistic career and that they are likely responsible for her achievements."

"I don't think those spectacles ever had the magical power that Adrienne imagined they did. They provided a somewhat different view of the world, as any eyeglasses, especially magnifying glasses that narrow and sharpen the vision, will do. Beyond that, they are mainly an excuse to boost the self-esteem of a brilliant and talented, but overly shy student. Their only magical power is to slightly stimulate the creative center of the mind. I could have obtained much the same result by painstakingly boosting Adrienne's self-esteem, but she would have lost precious learning time. I sensed a natural artistic ability and focused her mind and spare time upon that, rather than hours spent in self-doubt. So, you also think that gentle and creative woman is an evil villain?"

"No, I don't," Harry responded, "My bet is on Narcissa. My interest in her began with her claim that she betrayed Voldemort, by saying I was dead, in order to protect Draco. But Draco would have been safer at the time had she announced that I was barely alive and killed me. Only in the broadest sense of removing a great evil from the world in which Draco would have to live, was she protecting him. That's pretty much been the modus operandi of your organization: plotting the deaths of evildoers.

"Draco put his finger on the heart of the mystery when he questioned his father's death and involvement in the plot to kidnap me. That plot was a complete hash, not at all typical of what Lucius would involve himself in, or Bruce's organization, for that matter. It didn't make any sense at all until I thought of other possible reasons for the kidnapping plot and expanded my thinking to include your throwing Lucius in Ginny's face and Lucius inciting Draco to attack me. Then it made sense.

"The purpose of the attack was to cause the death of Lucius under incriminating circumstances that could not point back to Narcissa, as well as the death and unveiling of the key remnants of Bruce's organization. You didn't invite Lucius to Hogwarts and fete him to push a Malfoy family reconciliation or to irritate Ginny. You invited him to his death as the surest way of removing a threat to Narcissa and Draco. He was supposed to die that night, likely killed by my aurors as he barged into Gryffindor with one of the most incriminating wands he could have chosen. Lucius hasn't been in full possession of his mental faculties since he visited Narcissa in her apartment that night. Lucius was not a conspirator and he did not violate his deal with the Ministry. Lucius was murdered. The attack on me and your over-reaction to it were misdirection, to make Lucius look guilty, as was this most recent plot."

"Oh, please! I'll grant you are correct on much of what you say, but it doesn't boil down to murder. We have all been fighting the evildoers long enough that we have some dirt on our hands. Amelia Bones may be just about the only one among us who doesn't. Along with Arthur, I guess. Lucius Malfoy most certainly was not keeping his deal with the Ministry. He had met with Thicknesse, who had figured a way around the Unbreakable Vow, with the help of Dr. Sprout. Lucius planned to kill Narcissa, kidnap Draco, join Thicknesse in the business of separating Muggles from their money to fund a rebirth of a new and somewhat tamer Death Eater organization, and arrange for you to seem to die at Narcissa's hands. Over time I'm sure you'll find ample proof of what I'm telling you in Lucius Malfoy's records and Thicknesse's hideout. The Death Eaters you've captured can likely attest to meetings between Thicknesse and Lucius. If you feel a burning need to use Veritaserum to learn the truth, test Dr. Sprout, Thicknesse and the captured Death Eaters, Barty, Mr. and Mrs. Stowe, even test me. Just leave poor Amelia alone. I assure you she won't raise a stink if you test the people I named. I'll explain the necessity to her. You have to realize, she is as terrified of Veritaserum as Ron is of spiders. Where is she, by the way?"

"Under guard and stupefied in my office. We can't question Thicknesse, by the way. I killed him in a duel at his hideout. What you saw in my office was Draco on Polyjuice. It was a test to see if you would try to kill him."

"That is terribly cruel, Harry. I mean the treatment of Amelia. It's like when Hermione was stupefied and tied to the generator. She fears Veritaserum every bit as much as Hermione feared electrocution and she must be slowly going out of her mind, while we sit here, eating and talking. Send for her and tell her she doesn't have to take the Veritaserum and I'll cooperate with you fully. I promise on my honor as headmaster. Your problem, Harry, is that you take things way too personally. You are unable to see past the facts that Amelia took Ron's wand and pursued a trumped-up underage magic case against you, and has caused you some inconvenience in your investigations. You are incapable of seeing what a truly good and idealistic person she is, or how very vulnerable she is to your bullying."

"Is it alright if we send for Madam Bones?" Harry asked Dad.

"That would be fine," Dad replied.

Professor McGonagall took the lead in ostentatiously consuming her dinner as we awaited the arrival of Madam Bones.

A smiling, but obviously worn down Madam Bones arrived about ten minutes later. The first words out of her mouth were addressed to Harry. "Is it true? Will I not be forced to take the Veritaserum?"

"It's true," Harry replied, "and I'm sorry if we gave you a very great fright. You will be required to answer some questions in the presence of truth tellers who do not belong to your organization, but you said that you don't have a problem with that."

Madam Bones looked very surprised, causing Professor McGonagall to explain, "They know almost everything, Amelia, and we're going to tell them the rest. I think they are losing their craving for retribution against Mr. Big, but you had best do a lot of apologizing. Ron, Harry, and Kingsley are very angry. I think they feel you've personally slighted them and that your motives are not as pure as I know them to be. I'll be taking the Veritaserum in your place."

"Thank you, Minerva. I do freely apologize, although mainly to Ron. I did sacrifice him in an attempt to demonstrate to the Wizengamot opposition that nobody is above the law. I did all that I could to help Harry – did you confirm my story? I admit to getting carried away in my on-going battle with Shacklebolt. We just have very different views on how the justice system should work. I think he does illegal things in his pursuit of what he considers to be justice."

"Percy was going to check on it."

"She did alert Dumbledore to Umbridge's skullduggery."

"That was fast work, Percy. I'm sometimes amazed how much you can learn so quickly."

"Callista helps me a lot, but in this case, I just asked Mom."

"I feel obliged to inform Amelia that, contrary to her knowledge, and sometimes making use of information that she supplied to us, members of the Witches' Club have done things in the course of opposing what we viewed as evil, that Amelia would view as far more illegal than anything that Kingsley, Potter, or Ron Weasley have done."

This also drew a puzzled look from Madam Bones, who leaned a little farther away from Professor McGonagall.

"I'm sorry, dear," McGonagall told her "the executive committee didn't feel you could bear to know about all that needed to be done. The good future wasn't going to happen, unless some rotten eggs were removed. Some needed to be removed rather forcefully. If you feel you must prosecute someone, prosecute me. You really should sit down and eat some dinner. You look awful."

Professor McGonagall announced as we were finishing our desserts that she would just trot off to the powder room, and then submit herself to our Veritaserum questioning. She was upset when Shacklebolt objected, saying "I certainly wouldn't deny you a necessary trip to the powder room, but Barb will have to accompany and keep a very close eye on you. You've been with us for an hour and a half. If you took Liars' Milk right before joining us, it will be another two and a half hours, until you are ready to be questioned. So, go and do what you need to do, and then we can chat about the weather or whatever for a few hours."

I could tell that the headmaster was seething, but she was able to respond in a relatively neutral tone "of course, Kingsley, I would expect nothing else … from you. Come along Barb, it seems you are to be my proctor."

"Oops," Harry exclaimed "I guess you missed the part where she admitted that Barb is a part of her organization. You had best use Ellen as her proctor."

Shacklebolt beamed as he made the substitution, while McGonagall looked none too happy.

As Ellen and McGonagall departed, Draco said to Harry, "Are you suggesting that my mother is the criminal mastermind and the one responsible for father's death."

"I'm sorry, but I believe that to be the case," Harry replied.

"I'm going to want to see a lot of proof. I really can't believe that. Mother has fallen to pieces - she can hardly keep from shaking."

"I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Just listen and draw your own conclusion. There isn't nearly enough proof to prosecute anyone, but I do think I'm right and more proof may turn up."

"I'll listen, but I know and hope that you're wrong. I do know that you, the Minster, and McGonagall can't all be right."

While McGonagall was away, Madam Bones timidly suggested, "if I am going to continue to hold my position, and I'm not saying I will or should, but in any case, unless you have a ready replacement, I really should sit in while you interview Minerva. I know she has consented to the procedure and I won't interfere, unless you go very far afield into personal matters or other possible crimes. I really do think it is important…"

"I haven't decided what is to be done about you, Amelia, but I agree you should be present for the interview," Dad agreed, adding, "just don't take this as a sign that your job is secure or that you share my full trust."

Professor McGonagall was granted immunity from her statements being used as evidence against her, dosed and inspected and then Dad began the questioning.

"Is it true that you head a competing organization that you have operated apart from the Order, and how long has this group existed?"

"You know that I do. I'd say the group has existed for about twenty-three or so years, since the early days of the Voldemort stirrings. It didn't start as a political or military group, simply as a way for Witches to help and protect each other at a time when Voldemort promised to drive Wizarding society backward, to the severe detriment of Witches."

"Was Dumbledore or the Ministry aware of the existence of your group?"

"We certainly never told any Wizard of our existence. I sometimes felt Dumbledore suspected something of what we were doing, but he never objected."

"Has your group been acting in opposition to my administration?"

"I really don't think so. At a minimum we agree on broad principles. Our membership certainly doesn't seek your overthrow and sees you as quite the best administration in recent memory. We have some differences in approach and perhaps specific objectives, and we may have tried to slow your progress in those areas, but on the whole we've endeavored to be cooperative and supportive."

"I phrased that question more narrowly than I had planned. Did you group take any actions in opposition to the Shacklebolt administration?"

"We certainly had nothing to do with the attack on Shacklebolt by his own aurors. I felt, as did Harry, that Kingsley had entirely too much faith in some of his aurors. As it turns out, we were correct. Kingsley surrounded himself with those aurors most loyal to Bruce."

"But, did you take any actions in opposition to the Shacklebolt administration. Start with a yes or a no."

"It's not a yes or a no question.

"You also must realize that Shacklebolt was not an elected Minister. Some in the Order, I don't even know who – I'm sure there wasn't a formal vote within the Order – chose him. He may have even chosen himself. By the time that I was involved in the discussion, Arthur was asking me if I had any problem with Kingsley being Minister, but on just the shortest possible basis, until an election could be scheduled. I said I guessed that would be alright. That isn't really much of a way for the progressive new Order to choose a Minister. My organization was shocked when this very temporary interim Minister announced he would seek the job permanently, with the assumption that the Order needed to fall in line behind him. So, now we were to have a permanent Minister, swept in by the fervor of our victory over Voldemort, without ever having a real choice or a discussion of who would be the best Minister to implement the necessary reforms. Kingsley seemed to be taking on some of the aspects of a tyrant – living at a fancy Muggle estate, isolated by his aurors, spending the dregs of the Malfoy fortune on high living, meddling in the operation of Hogwarts, ignoring the legal rules. We weren't at all sure that Kingsley was the right choice. We feared that his corrupt ways, poor judgment of people, and passion for revenge would lead to counter-revolt, and all that we hoped to achieve would be lost for generations."

"You still haven't given me a yes or no answer, although your evasions and excuses are as good as a yes. What did you do to oppose the Shacklebolt administration?"

"I and the executive committee didn't do anything beyond inspiring a little bad press and embarrassment in an attempt to slow Kingsley down and force him to take a look at himself and see how power had changed and corrupted him."

"That was a nicely parsed answer, which tells me that someone in your organization did do something."

"I didn't learn of it until far after the fact. If the executive committee had known in advance, we would not have allowed it, and would have taken action to reverse it. It was done with the best of intentions, by a member who let her emotions get out of hand, after we as a group had spent some considerable time at a meeting discussing what a disaster Kingsley was becoming."

"Unless you want us to assume the worst of you and your organization, you are eventually going to have to tell me what 'it' is. Exactly what did this unnamed person do?"

"At a crucial time after Kingsley was attacked, she managed to administer a potion that had the effect of changing Kingsley's condition in a way that, although in no way harmful to his health and possibly conducive to a more complete eventual return to health, caused the doctors to decide that it would be unsafe to wake him until after the election, so that Mr. Weasley would become the Minister of Magic. We knew that Arthur was incorruptible and would not seek undue power. The group had frequently mused that it was a shame that Arthur wasn't Minister."

"So I owe my position as Minister to the illegal machinations of your secret organization of Witches. I can't accept that, I'll just resign."

"You have been a very good Minister and your resignation would serve no purpose. There is no way that you can resign Kingsley into office, and I assure you he would be a very poor choice as Minister. All you would accomplish would be to thrust Harry into your seat at a point where he is still too young and inexperienced. That would be a cruel thing to do."

"Who is the anonymous person who administered the potion to Kingsley?"

"Someone acting in good faith, who has done the Wizarding world a favor. I would let you ship me to Azkaban, before I would reveal her name. She is a strong supporter of your administration and no threat to any of us. The Veritaserum can prevent me from lying, but it cannot wrench a name from my mind."

"You act as if incapacitating the Minister was a noble action. It wasn't. It was treason."

"And you act as though Kingsley became Minister in a significantly more democratic fashion than Thicknesse did. He didn't. There wasn't even a fair vote among the surviving members of the Order, let alone the general populace. Potter and his friends played the greatest role in killing Voldemort and deposing Thicknesse. They were of age. Did anyone ask them whom they wanted to be interim Minister? No, a few people just secretly picked Kingsley and asked the rest of us whether we objected, in a way that really didn't brook any objection. By law, the Wizengamot should have selected the interim Minister. Have you forgotten that? Not treason at all, I assure you. I can assure you that I, and much of the rest of the half of the Wizarding community that is female, has no idea who chose Kingsley to be our leader, think he proved to be a bad choice, and viewed him as an illegitimate, corrupt, and power-hungry holder of his office."

Shacklebolt felt compelled to jump in at this point. "I realize that I made mistakes as Minister and that perhaps I lived too high on the Malfoy money, but I never hid what I did, or stole and squirreled away money for my future use as so many prior Ministers did. I tried to do what I felt was best for all Wizards. I never felt there was an understanding that the interim Minister would not run for a full term as Minister. I also didn't think the word was put out that nobody from the Order should challenge me in that election. Are you really telling me that you believe that I railroaded myself into office as interim Minister, that I was corrupt and discredited Dumbledore's movement, and that I was such a poor choice that keeping me unconscious through the election was a public service?"

"Yes, yes, and yes."

"So our movement has been divided since the day Kingsley was chosen, and I never even realized it," Dad said, shaking his head. "Are you saying you honestly don't know how Kingsley was picked and didn't think it was fair?"

"Yes I am, Arthur. You tell me how Kingsley was chosen. Did we decide who was left among the Order, whether Harry and his circle should be included, gather together in one spot all those who should have a vote, asked for nominations, and conducted a secret ballot? Or did a few choose among themselves and ask others whether or not they objected? Don't you think Harry deserved a voice in the selection? Did anyone even ask him if he thought Kingsley would be okay?"

"Yes, I see the selection process was a bit irregular. Kingsley just seemed the obvious choice at the time. You're right that there was no opportunity for other nominations or an official secret ballot. You have to consider the circumstances – we had just barely won the Battle of Hogwarts, Thicknesse was still alive, other Death Eaters were on the loose, the Wizengamot had members added by Thicknesse and wasn't fully representative of the Wizarding community, there was no time to let the Wizengamot argue and pick a weak compromise. That would have been an invitation for the return of Thicknesse, Lucius Malfoy, and the other survivors of the Death Eaters. Umbridge might have ended up temporarily running the Ministry for months and causing mayhem and facilitating the return of the Death Eaters to power. What we did might not have been strictly according to the law, but the Death Eaters had to be kept at bay. So many members of the Order were gone. Kingsley was the senior, ranking, remaining member…"

"No, Arthur, I was the senior, ranking, remaining member, but I suppose even within the supposedly progressive Order, Witches need not apply. I was not consulted as to whom the interim Minister should be, or how that person should be chosen, until it was a fait accompli. For many of us, Shacklebolt was simply imposed; presumably he was the man of arms with an unknown number of other aurors willing to fight to put him on the throne. Ask Madam Bones how much of a say she had in Kingsley's selection."

Madam Bones took the opportunity to speak up. "Arthur asked me if I had a problem with Shacklebolt as acting Minister, until an election could be held. There was no meeting or discussion of alternatives or pros and cons. I didn't want to sow discord by voicing concerns about Kingsley, so I said something positive, but vaguely noncommittal like 'I have nothing against Kingsley'. I guess I just foolishly assumed this was just pre-meeting discussion, not the only voice that I would ever have in the choice of Minister. Given a choice between Kingsley or Minerva, or between Kingsley or Arthur, I would not have voted for Kingsley. 'Do you object' in a personal conversation is not the same as 'would you vote for' or 'is he your first choice', let alone is it the same as actually voting for the person. There was certainly time to sit down for a few hours and decide upon the best way to choose an interim leader or even whether we had the authority to choose an interim Minister. Wizard law does not provide for a selection in any way approaching the way Shacklebolt was chosen."

"I honestly thought I was the consensus choice and that you all agreed," Kingsley replied. "I admit that there was never any indication at the time that I would be the Order candidate in the election. At that point, I was acting Minister and thought I was doing a good job, and it just seemed natural to announce my candidacy. I didn't think that in agreeing to be acting Minister that I had foresworn running in the election. I never told anyone else from the Order that they couldn't or shouldn't also run for the position. I thought that, like the Muggle PM, I had been selected as the leader of our political party, so to speak. I didn't even seek the interim position. I would have preferred to be head of the auror corps. In fact, after the Battle of Hogwarts, I suggested to Arthur that he should be our leader. He declined and suggested that I was better suited to take the job. He said he'd ask around and see what the others thought. I, we, didn't do that as a slight to you, Minerva. I realize that you were Dumbledore's number two. I guess I, we, just assumed that your first choice was to be headmaster of Hogwarts and that you would want to hold down both jobs, but that this simply wasn't possible, if we were to work through the chaos before the Death Eaters could reorganize. I apologize that we didn't formally consult you first. I certainly would have insisted upon a secret vote if there were the slightest hint of an opposing candidate or opposition to my candidacy. I'm truly sorry, if we overstepped."

"As Ms. Weasley explained to me some days ago, while it is possible to pile too much on one's plate and as a consequence not do justice to all of the tasks you've accepted, the person in question should have the right to decide which tasks she wishes to remove from her plate. If you had suggested that I was overburdened and needed to get help or give something up, I certainly would have seriously considered doing exactly that."

"I can see that this is largely my fault," Dad said. "We should have held a formal vote and decided the ground rules for that vote, including who had a vote, and whether the interim Minister would be allowed to stand for election. I spoke to Kingsley, Molly, Slughorn, George, Bill, Percy, Aberforce, Hagrid, Madam Bones, Professor McGonagall, Professor Trelawney, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Mundangus, Bill the auror, and others, although not to any of the students. Everyone said they didn't object to Kingsley and only Professor Trelawney suggested Minerva as an alternative. It just seemed to me that we had a very strong consensus, so I spoke to Kingsley, and we asked the group to concur. I thought that I really had a consensus. I also overstepped, without meaning to. I fear I've caused a lot of unnecessary trouble.

"I'm not totally sure what we should do from here, but I'll not press Professor McGonagall for any further details about the operation of her organization. I'm sorry that our movement or party got into the position where Kingsley and I became the leaders of the party without any formal vote. I'm not sure how to fix that, now that I've been elected. I can only promise that the run-up to the next election will be handled very differently. We don't have as well established democratic procedures as the Muggles do. We all have to talk at greater length soon and bring the hidden discontents into the open. I'd do it now, but it's not fair for Minerva to be the only one on Veritaserum. For now, I'm going to go off and have a discussion with Molly and try to figure out exactly what I have done and if there is a way to make it right."

"Thank you, Minister. That is very kind of you and I also want to thank you again for not subjecting Amelia to the Veritaserum. I'd like to meet with Amelia and the students, while I'm still under the influence. I need to clear the air in a manner in which they are certain to believe me."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen – Professor McGonagall Talks To Our Circle**

"You are welcome to the room. I'm going to my office to discuss the situation with Molly and Kingsley."

"I'll make arrangements to be elsewhere," Percy told Harry as he led the nonstudents to elsewhere.

"Now," McGonagall said, when she was alone with Amelia and her students, "I want Potter to look in my eyes and confirm that I am still under the influence, then I want Hermione to give me another dose, so that I clearly remain under the influence."

"Just a half-dose, more might be dangerous," Hermione replied, pouring the stated amount into a small vial, which Professor McGonagall downed in one swallow. She immediately reached for an éclair to kill the taste of the potion.

"Now then, I have some brief comments, and then you may ask me whatever questions you wish. As you know, I cannot lie, but I reserve the right to decline to answer any particular query. I want to thank all of you. I know you've tried very hard to help me push my plans for betterment of Hogwarts and the Wizarding community toward success. I especially want to thank Harry, whom I realize has been as cooperative as any headmaster or Order of the Phoenix leader could possibly wish.

"Let me assure you that I see Arthur as a very successful Minister of Magic. He would not have been my first choice, but I don't think anyone could have done a better job. Let me also admit that I didn't want Harry to be Deputy Minister, both because I thought it was a little too early for him, and because I strongly felt that if we were truly progressive and interested in breaking with the past that one of the two top positions should be filled by a Witch. I admit that I felt that I should be that Witch, but I'm over that. Harry has done a magnificent job and the current administration has my full confidence.

"I don't regret my organization's role in shunting Shacklebolt aside. In fact, I somewhat fear his power as Director of the Auror Corps. I freely admit that some of my past actions have not been worthy of any of us and were driven in part by my bitterness over the way Kingsley was chosen to be interim Minister, and that these feelings intensified when he announced he was running for the office. If I had been the interim Minister, I would not have stood for election, at least not at the next election.

"I want to assure you that I have not ordered any extra-judicial killings, apart from those slain in the Battle of Hogwarts and when the French pursued Harry back to Hogwarts. My organization, whose future I and many others need to think very hard about, did I fear precipitate some actions, which ended in some unplanned deaths, including Ron's killing of the two Death Eaters. I also admit that on Lucius Malfoy's last visit to Hogwarts, we did plan some extra-curricular activities intended to result in Lucius's banishment or imprisonment. We did so to protect Narcissa, who truly was in danger from her husband. We had enough evidence to know that while Narcissa wanted to buy safety from the Death Eaters by giving them access to special wands, Lucius wanted to make peace with Thicknesse by giving him Narcissa. I suspect, but don't know, that one of my members may have gone a little too far and precipitated the events leading to Mr. Malfoy's death. Or hopefully, for my peace of mind, this was a piece of particularly negative fallout from his dealing with Thicknesse.

"I know that some of you think I've put your lives in danger in furtherance of nothing more than assuaging my own guilty conscience over problems I caused for my former girlfriend. That is not true. I truly believed in the vital necessity and viability of what Kingsley calls my 'Malfoy experiment'. In helping me, you truly were helping the cause. I know that in the back of her mind, at least, Ginny still thinks that I don't like her and am treating her unfairly. I do like Ginny, and have great hope for what she will accomplish in the future. If I have treated her unfairly, it was more the result of clumsiness, thinking I knew a better future for her than the one she had chosen for herself, and not knowing quite how I should act toward her. It certainly wasn't out of malice. She reminded me so much of a young Narcissa and, if anything, that caused me to think more favorably toward her, but also to set possibly impossible expectations.

"I know that you have all kept the secret of my past relationship with Narcissa. I thank you all for that. In my heart, I knew you to be kind, forgiving people, whom I could trust. I would willingly share that secret, were it not for Trew, and may well do so, with her permission, while she is on sabbatical in Tibet. I'm also sure that many of you suspect that I had the same sort of improper relationship with Adrienne, when she was my student. I assure you that I did not. I did make secrets available to her, as Dumbledore made secrets available to Harry. I did it because she was a bright, talented, but painfully shy girl who needed help, and because I felt she could be a useful resource in changing Wizard society. I may have oversold my philosophy to her. You are right that she was my acolyte. I don't know what stupid arrogance caused us to leave that painting in the art museum. I couldn't stop you going there. At first I thought you had missed it and I would have a chance to go back and remove the painting, but then Harry revealed the room. I prayed that you would not recognize that painting for what it was, but as soon as Harry shoved Hermione away from it, I realized that they had both recognized its significance.

"I hope you will all remain at Hogwarts for the rest of the term. I truly believe that you are the brighter future for all of us, and that that future is not far away. Now if you have any questions."

"Did my mother cause my father's death?" Draco challenged her.

"No, I really don't believe she did. Narcissa hoped for a reconciliation and is sorry that your father is dead."

"But you know who was responsible."

"That's not a question, and as a stark statement of fact, it is in error. I don't KNOW what happened to your father and who was responsible. I have a suspicion, but it is nothing more than that and it would be unfair to impugn someone, based on my speculation."

"You have tried to increase the power of yourself and your organization by controlling me, haven't you?" Harry remembered to turn his statement into a question.

"To a certain degree, yes, although my primary goal was to prepare you to be a great future leader. I admit that I did use you to acquire information and that I did prompt you to perform some tasks that it would have been difficult for my organization to perform."

Harry asked, "Did you permit the Carrows to escape?"

"No, I did not. I was devoted, am still devoted, to the defeat of the Death Eaters."

"Your anger at me after the fight with Draco was contrived to cover your organization's manipulation of Lucius, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Harry. Forgive me. Once I had done that, I also needed to feud with Ginny for a while. It was mainly an act, although the two of you can sometimes be far more annoying than you probably realize."

"Okay, here is the big question," Harry began. "Are either Pansy Parkinson or her mother members of your organization, and did you or your organization have any role in guiding Pansy on that plot to kidnap me?"

"Pansy has been a probationary member. She was not read in on the inner workings or plotting of the group. We did ask her to incriminate Lucius in that plot, but I certainly did not intend for him to be killed."

"Did my mother know of this?" Draco asked.

"No, we thought it best to shield her. She could not bring herself to believe that Lucius really planned to turn her over to Thicknesse."

"You knew that Pansy was my father's lover at the time you married us, didn't you?"

"Yes, unfortunately I did. That is why I scheduled the Quidditch match in competition with the wedding, and really did my best to delay it. I thought that if I delayed you a few weeks, you'd no longer wish to marry. It reached the point that I couldn't stall without tipping off your mother."

"When my father decided, after my fight with Potter, that he had to stay away from me for my own safety, was that because he learned of your involvement in manipulating Pansy and him and of the power and scope of your organization?"

"I don't know, Draco. It's very possible that was part of what happened. I think it far likelier that he did not fully trust and feared Thicknesse, and didn't want you near him if his deal with Thicknesse exploded. From what Pansy reported he told her, and I didn't know this until after he was dead, he clearly thought someone controlled his mind by Imperius and that he was a danger to you. Pansy didn't really Imperius your father. She was simply the trigger that activated the earlier Imperius. Your father must have realized that when he heard the nonsensical words that Pansy used, that didn't even tell him what he was compelled to do. She was taught by her mother, so her mother may know who planted the original instructions and exactly what they were."

I asked, "Were you or your organization part of the plot to kidnap Harry and me?"

"I wasn't involved. I believe that a member of the organization learned of the plot from Pansy and tried to nudge things in the direction of the plot not succeeding and Lucius being sent to Azkaban. I'm very sorry about what happened to Hermione. I'm certain my member had no desire for anything like that to happen."

Draco resumed: "Who do you suspect installed the spell that caused my father to kill himself? Both who ordered it and who did it?"

"I don't know the answer to either question. I wish I did. I'm learning that my organization can have a dark side, of which I was not aware. Still, I think that action is likely down to Thicknesse or Silas. From Silas's comment, he certainly knew quite clearly what Lucius had done. He must have known in advance."

"And you couldn't know of that, without a spy inside the inner circle of the Ministry," Harry declared. "Who is your spy? I know you've already admitted to Prudence and Amelia."

"That's probably one of those questions on which I should pass, but I think you already know that the answer is Prudence, or else you wouldn't have listed her as one of my members. I'll allow you to put Percy's mind at ease and assure you that Callista is not a member, although I haven't given up on trying to recruit her."

"You knew about the entrance from your fireplace down to the Reception Hall, before Lord Montaigne showed you the route, didn't you?" Harry asked. "And you had opened Dumbledore's magical file cabinets before I opened them for you, isn't that right. In fact, you've visited the art museum many years ago, haven't you?"

"Yes, yes, and yes."

"You showed the museum to Adrienne Celine and to Narcissa, when they were Hogwarts students."

"Yes and yes. It was part showing off, part establishing my bona fides as their leader, and part education for the roles they needed to play. Narcissa was an extremely capable student, who had begun to rebel against the constricted ways of her family. I felt she needed to know what our community, and particularly its Witches, had once accomplished. I couldn't bear for her to settle for becoming the Slytherin wife, which unfortunately her association with me forced her to be. Adrienne was a very promising student and inclined toward art. But yes, I gave her a jump on her art career, as well as a big boost in her self-confidence."

Ron asked, "There was much more to your supposed failure to recognize Umbridge's key, than you let on. Why did you pretend not to recognize it?"

"I knew that she brought the key either to facilitate an assassination or to remove something very important from Hogwarts. As I said, I didn't want to panic Draco and his mother, who were the obvious targets for assassination. I also wanted to check Umbridge's apartment and other places to find what she might have hidden. I just wanted to be one step ahead of you. I did find some rather incriminating correspondence between Thicknesse and her. Based upon what Hermione told me, I also found a Muggle bomb and a cell phone in her apartment."

Hermione asked, "We know you pushed Professor Slughorn to run for Minister. Is he an agent or member of your organization?"

"No, Slughorn is simply an old friend whom I know well enough to guess the sort of adventure which will appeal to him. He has kept me up to date on what is happening at Durmstrang."

Hermione asked "but your group also persuaded Bruce to run for Minister. That seems a strange choice as the presence of a Grindelwald candidate made it certain that a challenge to Shacklebolt wouldn't arise from within the order. Nobody would risk splitting the vote and handing Bruce the win. So, why did you want Bruce to run?"

"Bruce was a very great danger, and a danger that was already more real than potential. As long as he stayed on the Continent, he could plot and build strength without our being able to touch him. If he were back in Britain, we could fight him and cage him. Gaining control of the Ministry was about the only thing that would appeal to his vanity and ambition sufficiently to entice him to take the risk of returning to Britain. As soon as he returned, we saw that a lot of information on his past became very public and that he had no chance of actually winning. We were trying to avoid the need to do murder. Killing his father and allowing him to inherit the titles and estate were the only other things that would bring him back. That approach also would have given Bruce real power as the Keeper. I think we neutralized him quite nicely.

"But, how could you persuade him?"

"Professor Celine pretended to be his special friend for a time and urged his mind in that direction. We really owe her a great deal for that sacrifice. She was a little old for Bruce's taste, but she has a certain special allure about her, which is hard to resist, and she flattered Bruce that he had great artistic taste."

"Ew," I said, "and I didn't think Professor Celine was even attracted to Wizards."

"I think that is beside the point. Being with Bruce would be an equally great sacrifice for a Witch who was attracted to Wizards. Don't you agree? An insane pig is an insane pig, regardless of gender preference."

Harry asked, "Why didn't you object to the selection of Shacklebolt immediately, when it could have changed things without causing all this trouble?"

"I should have. I don't know why I didn't. I knew Arthur had no bad intent and wasn't trying to deceive me or pull something over on the rest of us, when he asked me and the others if we had any objection to Shacklebolt as interim Minister. By the time I realized that Arthur assigned more import to that question than I did, it seemed too late. I didn't think it would upset me as much as it later did.

"I guess I didn't think Kingsley would be as bad or unilateral a Minister as he turned out to be. I underestimated both his desire for revenge and his yearning for the good life. In more normal times, Kingsley would have been fine as Minister, certainly at least as good as Fudge and Scrimgouer. His little perks to himself would not have drawn the attention of a Wizarding community that had grown fairly inured to minor corruption on the part of its Minister. Now, however, everyone would be looking intently at the new government to determine first if it would really be any better than what they had known in recent years and second whether their families could prosper under the new regime or whether they would have to fight it, for the sake of their families. I felt that Kingsley's thirst for revenge would convince the remaining aristocrats that they had no option but to fight. They need to accept some egalitarian change, but a wave of revenge is something they can't accept. Arthur and Harry are far superior in that regard."

I asked "it was all noble for you to drink the potion instead of Madam Bones, but you did that as much to prevent her from revealing a secret as you did to save her emotional trauma. What were you afraid that Madam Bones would tell us?"

"Yes, you are a bit more perceptive and definitely have more of the killer instinct than your father. Molly wouldn't have let me off that easily either. I think this is one of those questions that I shall be forced to decline to answer."

"It was Madam Bones who drugged Shacklebolt, wasn't it?" I persisted.

"That is just a variant of the previous question, which I…"

"Yes, I did give him the potion," Madam Bones answered. "Whether you keep this knowledge secret or not, is totally up to you. I believe in justice and am willing to answer for my actions. I acted entirely on my own, in that undertaking."

"With that, I fear that I must call a halt to the questioning, as you are going into areas that I don't think it safe to enter," Professor McGonagall announced. "I am off to Hogwarts to explain the events of the day to my faculty. I will tell them that it is possible that Professor Longbottom is about to become headmaster again, but for a somewhat longer period of time. Goodbye. I do trust all of you. Come along, Amelia, before you develop a desire to do any more blabbering."

"No," Harry replied. "Madam Bones doesn't get to leave until she answers at least a few questions. I'll call for the aurors if need be."

Professor McGonagall sat back down. Turning to Madam Bones she said "watch yourself, Amelia, now is not the best time to wash away whatever guilt feelings you may have."

Harry turned to Hermione, requesting, "I want you and Ginny to search the knowledge that the Light Guardian gave you and dredge up what you need to assist Cissy as truth tellers."

To Professor McGonagall he said, "I truly am sorry, but I can't let you leave without naming the executive committee, which made some of these decisions that you have referred to."

"In the spirit of clearing the air, I'll tell you my secret if you'll tell me yours. Dismiss everyone except Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny. Once they've left, we can share our secrets."

The others left the room.

"Not to be melodramatic, but I didn't think your secret was for Cissy's or Draco's ears in particular. If you decide you want to tell Luna and George, I have no objection. I'll tell you the names of the executive committee, if you'll tell me the hold that Lord Montaigne has over you and Arthur. That is another secret that will corrode our unity if it is allowed to remain secret."

"My promise was to Arthur, as well as to the former Lord Montaigne. Montaigne broke his deal with us, so I don't need his permission to reveal the secret. I do need Arthur's permission. The secret isn't quite as dangerous as it was before Bruce was banished, the Light Guardian appeared, and the remaining Death Eaters were captured or killed. If you'll allow me to send for Arthur…"

"That is acceptable. I will merely ask that he not share my secret with others."

Harry called Dad on the cell phone and spoke in hushed tones in the corner of the room. He had mastered enough Occlumency to shield his thoughts from me. Harry finally put the cell phone back in his pocket and told McGonagall, "Arthur says there have been too many lies, secrets, deceptions, and false assumptions. I am allowed to tell you the secret. We can then discuss as a group how widely it can be shared."

"The executive committee of the Sisterhood is myself, Trew, Adrienne Celine, Narcissa Malfoy, Madame Delacour, Cho, and Prudence."

"My secret is much more complicated. It begins with the former Lord Montaigne having genetic tests run in the Muggle world that prove that neither Cissy nor I are descended from the former Lord Montaigne's father. Cissy obviously is the daughter of the former Lord Montaigne's wife. The former Lord Montaigne doesn't know or isn't telling who her father is. I am probably the great grandson of the former Lord Montaigne's mother, and it was proven that my maternal grandfather's father was the suspected squib, who may or may not have been magical. The former Lord Montaigne planned to spring this news when Bruce's prison term was over, and will undoubtedly do so when his term is over. I'm not at all sure what Cissy should be told.

"The former Lord Montaigne also says there is a second large bomb planted to destroy the Hogwarts magical circle and timed for the date of Bruce's release from prison, or rather a week after the date he insists Bruce be released from prison. It was to be disarmed if Bruce was released from prison and allowed to go about the life of a wealthy Wizard. Lord Montaigne said he did not set that bomb himself and does not know its location. He said he gave access to the passages under Hogwarts to his squib servants, including ones that he said we don't know about, supplied them with a bomb larger than the one we defused, and told them to vanish and remain hidden until they received a particular message from the former Lord Montaigne or Bruce. We are convinced that he was telling the truth.

"He also has a bomb, which he described as 'placed to stir up the Muggles like a nest of hornets, thirty days after the first bomb goes off. It will also be disarmed if Bruce is treated well'. He said the deadline for the first bomb was the autumn equinox in nineteen years. When he was told that Bruce's sentence most certainly would not be as short as nineteen years, he said he was only trying to be fair and that this was the absolute longest that Bruce would stay in jail. We have no idea why he picked that particular date. He said he would join Bruce for each of those years. He assumed that we would hunt for the bombs, but he assured us that we would not find them and that in nineteen years he and Bruce would be released with enough money and property to live very well. He said they would go into the Muggle world and with disguises and, having aged, they wouldn't be recognized. He said that he also had another secret, which he would spring on us in nineteen years, if his demands hadn't been met.

"The bombs also had an earlier deadline of a little under four days after his original negotiation with Arthur was to have concluded. When agreement was reached, and the Muggle Prime Minister was a party to the deal, the former Lord Montaigne told us how to word an ad in a particular newspaper in Edinburgh. We did, and the bombs have not gone off. When Arthur insisted on getting me and others to approve the deal, before he finalized it, we were down to two days on the clock. Now you know the secret. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you, Ginny. Arthur made me promise as Deputy Minister."

"That's quite a secret," Professor McGonagall commented. "It makes mine seem trivial. I'm glad to know what I'm living on top of, and I think you should reveal the secret to Cissy. Arthur should tell Molly. Other than that, I think we should keep both secrets among ourselves."

Harry called in Cissy and explained his secret to her. She took it well, saying she was glad that the former Lord Montaigne wasn't really her father. She could now totally shun him with a clear conscience and not feel the need to take on a share of his guilt. She said since she wasn't a Montaigne, she would resign as Keeper.

"I don't think either you or Harry should resign as Keepers," Professor McGonagall told her. "Stability is important, especially now, and the Light Guardian accepted both of you as Keepers. As far as the Wizard world goes, genetic tests are not accepted. Even if the former Lord Montaigne were to release the results of his genetic tests, you and Harry are both legitimate Montaigne heirs. Paternity is automatically imputed to the husband. There are no exceptions."

"That's why Harry is so willing to give away his inherited land and money," I exclaimed.

"It is tainted, but I can do good things with it, as I did with my Triwizard Tournament winnings. You shouldn't assume that the money we put into the Young Wizards' Loan Agency will be lost. I have a lot of faith in the young Hogwarts graduates. Look how well George and Lee have done."

"I'll also see that my share of the inheritance helps all Wizards," Cissy vowed. "Especially as dangerously as we've both been living, we do have to make ABSOLUTELY certain that we always have enough money ready at hand to pay death duties if we were both to die tomorrow. That is the only way to truly protect the magical creatures. You and especially I will have to exhibit at least the minimal lifestyle of a wealthy heir. I'll try to do that on absolutely the fewest galleons and pounds possible. I certainly have no more interest than you do to loaf around and live well off my father's tainted galleons."

"Does that complete your questioning of me? Am I free to go?" Professor McGonagall asked Harry.

"Yes, I have no more questions and you are free to go, although I thought you'd want to stay while we asked our questions of Madam Bones and then hang around to find out what Arthur and Kingsley have concluded."

"Ah, yes, I had hoped that you had given up on questioning Amelia. Please be gentle with her."

I got up and fetched Madam Bones, telling her that Harry had a few questions for her. I instructed her to seat on the far side of the table, directly across from Hermione, Cissy, and me and to face us while answering questions. I told her that Cissy was born with the ability to detect lies and that Hermione and I had received that gift from the Light Guardian. Madam Bones looked a little nervous despite the absence of Veritaserum. Professor McGonagall told her to take a deep breath and relax, then looking directly at Harry, reassured Madam Bones that Harry had only a few simple questions.

"Yes, that's correct," Harry agreed. "First, are you the person who has been leading or coordinating the remaining leaders of the Death Eater or Grindelwald organizations?"

"No, I am not."

"Do you know or suspect that you know who that person is? If yes to either part of that question, name the person that you know or suspect to be that opposition leader whom I described."

"I don't know whom that person is, or even if she exists. I feared it was a friend, but I don't think so anymore. I don't have a good guess."

"If Arthur allows you to keep your job, will you perform it honestly, and do as much as you legally can to assist the Ministry in capturing and convicting any remaining Death Eaters and Grindelwald conspirators against the elected government, leaving the defense lawyer's job to the defense lawyer."

"Yes, I will do that, but the key word was 'legally'. I can't act illegally or fail to try to prevent illegal actions. I'd rather quit than do that. I won't do things like tipping off defendants or replacing Veritaserum anymore. I only did that, by the way, because I couldn't think of any other way to prevent Shacklebolt from using it to break the law."

"Are you responsible for any deaths?"

"No!"

"How did you get the money to pay for your townhouse and to support Professor Celine, especially in the early days?"

"In part, my parents scrimped and saved, so I did have a bit of an inheritance. I adopted their frugal ways. I have a very nice townhouse, but it is really an investment. I spend little on anything else, so my Ministry salary stretches. I also write children's books under an assumed name in the Muggle world. It might be wrong, but I admit that I have written about our world. I haven't said anything so explicit as to give the game away, and have made it all too incredible to be believed. I don't think any Muggles will come hunting us down as a result of my writings. The last few years there has been no need to support Adrienne, she has earned quite a lot from her art. We've been two artists living together and inspiring each other's art. Adrienne has always said I was her muse, and her stories of her adventures at school, which were far fresher in her mind than mine, were what inspired me and gave a starting point for my made up tales. Recently I've picked the brains of my niece Susan."

"So we're in your stories?"

"Yes, although again not so explicitly than anybody could identify any of you. I'll send you a copy of the books, if you're interested."

"I'm interested. You said you acted alone in poisoning Kingsley. Is that actually true?"

"Yes it is."

"You said what you gave him couldn't harm him. How could you know that? You weren't dealing with an ordinary Wizard, you were dealing with a Wizard who had been struck down and nearly killed by a partially blocked 'Avadra Kedavra' and had been unconscious for an extended period of time."

"I just knew."

"You didn't consult with anyone to make sure your potion was safe for a Wizard in Kingsley's precarious condition?"

"No, perhaps I just foolishly assumed that I could get a more accurate picture from books than was really the case."

"I'd think it would take a very experienced healer to know the safe dose to give Kingsley. What potion did you give him?"

"The Draught of the Living Dead."

"And where did you acquire such a potion?"

"I bought it in a shop."

"Can you name the shop?"

"I forget, it was one of the healer shops in Diagon Alley."

"Why did you demand Ron's wand?"

"I already told you."

"I know you did, but I don't believe you. If you are such a stickler for the rules, why would you question me before truth tellers and then send Shacklebolt to seize Ron's wand, when you had no evidence at all, the persons killed were attacking aurors, you waited a very long time before acting, and you acted only based on a complaint from the opposition in the Wizengamot. So, I ask you again, in front of these truth tellers, why did you demand Ron's wand?"

"I did want to demonstrate to the opposition that I would fairly enforce the law. I also knew that you hadn't used the 'Avada Kedavra' and didn't know who did. I knew that Ron didn't have the wand that he used in the alley, and that I could both clear Ron and score points with the opposition."

"How could you know all of that?"

"Different people in the Sisterhood told me bits and pieces. It's very hard for a secret to remain secret."

"Who is the friend whom you previously suspected was 'the Leader'?"

"It wouldn't be fair, since I no longer believe her to be guilty."

"You're the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. You're trained to reason these things out. Your suspicion has value. Combined with what we know, it may lead to enough evidence to convict 'the Leader', before she assembles another band of disgruntled magical creatures willing to overthrow our government. You do want to prevent that, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I'm not going to get a friend in trouble over a momentary suspicion that I no longer believe."

"I have no more questions. You're free to go, although you may want to wait around to find out what decisions Arthur, Molly, and Shacklebolt have come to.

"You also might see to your own safety. Witches who think they might know who 'The Leader' is, but decide to keep their knowledge secret, tend to have 'The Leader' finding a way for them to end up dead. You can't ask Silas or Lucius Malfoy, but the Parkinsons and Meghan Fudge can certainly fill you in on the dangers you are going to be facing, until 'The Leader' is caught. You may or may not have any real knowledge of 'The Leader's identity, but she has proven herself unwilling to take that chance."

"Is that a threat?"

"Not from us. It's just a warning that I give you, because I would not like to read of your death before you tell us what you know."

Harry asked Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall to excuse us for a moment. When they left the room, Harry turned to Hermione, Cissy, and me asking, "Well, were they telling the truth?"

Cissy answered Harry, "Professor McGonagall was very sly, but told the truth. Madam Bones lied when she said she acted alone, when she said she didn't consult anyone about the proper dose of the potion, when she said she bought it in Diagon Alley, and when she said she was sure her friend wasn't 'the Leader'. She doesn't think she's guilty, but she still has doubts." Hermione and I said we agreed with Cissy's opinion.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN – WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?**

We had an additional wait of a little over a half hour before we were rejoined by Mom, Dad, and Shacklebolt. We had already readmitted all of the others to the conference room and begun a general discussion of the road forward. Before the others joined us, Madam Bones had been convinced by Professor McGonagall that resigning and admitting her guilt would achieve little beyond throwing the legitimacy of the current elected government into dispute. She said she would remain in her office "if Arthur will have me and I will think of a suitable way to punish myself for my crime. Perhaps I've been a little harder on Kingsley than was absolutely necessary, because every time I saw him reminded me of my crime and the more that I could picture him as operating outside the law, the more I could forgive myself."

"You were also a little less than honest in answering my questions," Harry told her. "You did have help from someone who at least supplied the potion to you and consulted with you on the proper dosage for someone in Shacklebolt's condition. All three of my truth tellers picked up the lies and evasions. They say that you also still suspect your friend."

"And do they claim that I also lied?" Professor McGonagall challenged Harry.

"No, they say you told the truth, although you were a bit sly and evasive."

It was George who asked, "Is there anything that you can tell us about the part of the meeting that we missed?"

"Neither Madam Bones nor Professor McGonagall did anything that is unforgiveable, given everything else that has happened," Harry told him. "We know who is on McGonagall's executive committee, and it doesn't include any surprising name that points to the answer to any of our mysteries or unsolved crimes. My secret points to a major danger that may arise nineteen years from now and that is best not revealed at present. There's another piece that I'll have to think if it fair to reveal to the rest of you."

"I don't mind if they know," Cissy told me. "It might put a cloud over our Keeper titles, but Ginny is still legit, and our charge from the Light Guardian was to move away from the Keeper system as quickly as we can. This may simply accelerate the process."

"I don't think I'm allowed to tell them, but I can't stop you from telling them."

Cissy told them.

We all sat to silent attention as Dad, Kingsley, and Mom reentered the room and took their seats as we tried to read particular meanings from their very solemn faces.

Dad spoke first, "I think we all recognize that I screwed up very badly in trying to establish an initial government that we could all be happy with. Then I became Minister by default when Kingsley became incapacitated. I know that I don't deserve to be Minister, at least not by the route I followed.

"All of you and many more who participated in the overthrow of the illegitimate Voldemort and Thicknesse government deserved and had every right to expect a real voice and a vote in selecting the interim government. Everyone on our side deserved a voice in choosing who would represent us in the election for the full-term Minister and Deputy. The Witches and students, in particular, had little voice in the selection processes. The students have Harry as a representative in the Deputy Minister position, but the Witches have nobody. Madam Bones is the highest ranking Witch in the government and she has confessed to poisoning the Minister.

"In what should be a very happy time, in which we celebrate our final victory over the Death Eaters and some important legislative accomplishments, we find that we have a real mess on our hands.

"We've all acted too independently, going our individual ways or our subgroups' ways, without consulting and getting agreement from the whole group. Some laws have been broken in doing so. I don't think any of us has completely clean hands. We have to become trusting friends again, make sure we're all pulling together on the same team, patch up the government and heal the rifts. The end product isn't going to be tidy or pretty and some bad behavior and even crimes, fortunately I don't think crimes with enough evidence to be provable in court, are going to have to be swept away. We all need to forget how we've been slighted and ask forgiveness for the deliberate or unintentional slights which we've caused.

"I considered resigning, but am now leaning against that. I throw that question out to all of you. I could resign, make Harry Minister, and urge him to appoint an experienced Witch as Deputy Minister. Kingsley is also willing to step aside, if that will help heal the wounds."

"It would be terrible for you to resign," Professor McGonagall told Dad. "You are the best of us, and the bulk of our legitimacy lies in the large margin by which you and Harry won a fair election. The selection of our side's candidates for that election was a botched internal matter, but it doesn't detract at all from the validity of the election in the eyes of the larger Wizarding community. The continuing popularity that we enjoy is in good part because you are honest and trusted and Harry's derring-do is appreciated. I don't think either Kingsley or I have reaped much support for our side. Amelia hasn't, either. That doesn't mean we haven't been doing good work. So, I don't see any reason for you or Kingsley to fall on your swords," Professor McGonagall replied, "but I do think if all is to be patched up, then all the irregularities in the Ministerial selection need to be forgiven and Madam Bones needs to retain her position and not be charged with a crime, which you acknowledge lacks sufficient evidence for prosecution. As you say, she is the only significant Witch in your government. There also needs to be more openness in candidate selection going forward. Otherwise the initial injustice will simply cascade."

"I recognize all that," Dad replied. "Kingsley is willing to forgive Amelia's actions against him."

Kingsley added "I certainly am. I was not injured and I have the job I've always wanted."

"To give our side a fresh and democratic start, I'm willing to publicly pledge not to seek re-election and to work with all of you, in the meantime, to agree a process for choosing the candidate that our side wants to rally around. I'm going to expand the cabinet that I work and consult with. It will naturally include Harry, Kingsley, and Amelia. I'm suggesting that I add Professor McGonagall and two other persons, whom I would like your help in choosing."

"I think an expanded cabinet is a wise idea and I'm happy that you are willing to consult the rest of us. I don't see any advantage in a public announcement that you won't seek re-election. That just removes what may be our best option in five years' time. That is not at all what I'm seeking. All I want is a fair process to select the candidate from our side, one whom hopefully all, but at least most of us, can wholeheartedly support. That candidate may well be you. I just don't want it assumed that you have the right for it to be you. A commitment to a fair vote for our candidate is all that I ask."

"I certainly can't argue with that."

"Is your group happy with me as Director of the Auror Corps?" Shacklebolt asked.

"I don't know. Everyone has to speak for themselves. From my perspective I would say not entirely, but I certainly don't have sufficient objection to suggest that you step aside. You may even be the best choice. I just don't want the Auror Corps and its leader to be as out of control as it has been. You have to play within the rules.

"I realize that Amelia has been trying to force you to play by what she hopes the rules would be, rather than what they actually are, in some instances. You and she, with the Minister as the deciding vote, need to decide exactly what the current rules are and agree that you will both follow them. If one or both of you want different rules, and you can convince the Minister that the rules should change, then he needs to present the case to the Wizengamot and change the rules.

"You both have to stop sniping at each other. I can see that you still have work to do to vet and professionalize the Auror Corps and I can also see that Amelia can't expect to be the whole justice system. Her job is to advise you and the Minister on the law, prosecute offenders, and make sure that the administration is not a law breaker. She can negotiate or approve pleas, but the Wizengamot is the judge of guilt. She cannot expect to be the legal defender of the accused. They have their own legal representatives for that. I'm sure Amelia is willing to continue on that basis, if you are."

It appeared that each was willing to make another attempt at working together, although I wasn't happy that Madam Bones wasn't speaking for herself. It seemed sly and deniable to have McGonagall voice her commitments for her. It's not like the Witch was normally this silent..

"Well, we seem to have a lot of agreement among the elder members," Dad concluded," but we haven't heard from the students. I don't know what Harry's views are."

"That's because I wasn't included in your planning meeting with Kingsley," Harry replied. "I certainly don't want anyone to resign. It's an invitation to trouble after we've gone to so much effort to stop the trouble that the Death Eaters and Bruce's forces have caused. I was elected along with you, but Deputy Minister is really a made-up position that Kingsley created when he named you to the position. It really has no definition in law and no assigned responsibilities. I guess that's why I haven't been a member of your cabinet, until now.

"I'm not seeking Madam Bones's resignation, but I think her bad behavior is probably the worst among those present. If we are to put slights and misdeeds behind us, then my pre-condition is that Madam Bones stop harassing Ron for the fight in Diagon Alley, and that she stop investigating people on zero evidence because members of the opposition in the Wizengamot complain. I don't think it at all fair that she prevents the questioning of a notorious bad guy, like Barty, with Veritaserum, based on lots of evidence against him, but hauls me before truth tellers, based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever. I'm not even going back to the time I was attacked by Dementors. I'm talking about the fight in Diagon Alley. It makes no sense that only one side of a battle gets to use 'Avada Kedavra'. That doesn't even matter that much to me. We know lots of curses that are as bad as or worse than 'Avada Kedavra' in killing power, but are perfectly legal. I'm just going to stress to all my friends that if they need a killing curse, that they choose one other than 'Avada Kedavra'. The results are the same."

"I really don't think that helps the legal situation," Madam Bones replied. "I've concluded and dropped my investigation of Mr. Weasley. I do know, by the way, that the wand that Ron gave to Shacklebolt was not the one that he used in Diagon Alley."

"And I know that it is almost impossible for you to have known that at the time you took his wand," Harry answered her. "Neither Arthur, nor I, nor I guess Kingsley, knew that Ron had used an 'Avada Kedavra'. Ron tells me he didn't use it. He used one of our new curses.

"Well, umm, I don't think I'm at liberty to reveal my source. I'm not claiming that Ron deliberately hid the wand in question. I know that the particular wand in question was destroyed in an experiment before I requested the wand in question, and at a time when you weren't expecting an investigation."

"In other words, Professor McGonagall told you," Ron interjected.

There was no response.

"I think you are needlessly stirring up a dead issue at a time when we have reached agreement," Professor McGonagall suggested to Harry and Ron in a very moderate tone.

"No, we have not all reached agreement. Our circle certainly has not agreed. I think this is quite significant and quite germane," Harry replied with a little heat. "Our group has done a lot of the fighting against the Voldemort and Grindelwald forces. Wizard, Goblins, and Giants have died at our hands. Some 'Avada Kedavras' have been used. All of the fighting has been in self-defense or defense of others, and at least usually with Ministry knowledge and approval.

"I can't accept a situation in which members of our circle are brought up on charges that can result in spending the rest of their young lives in Azkaban at the whim of Madam Bones, who is really a fairly serious criminal, masquerading as a stickler for legality and justice. We all think it sad and irresponsible that so few Wizards were willing to stand up to Voldemort as he rose to power, but I can tell you that Madam Bones must have been a huge deterrent to ordinary Wizards standing up to Death Eaters. We weren't the only ones firing curses against the attackers in Diagon Alley. Ordinary merchants were, also. I don't know what curses they used, but I know that Madam Bones didn't investigate them. I know that we were singled out because the opposition doesn't like us.

"My point is not that I want the merchants to be investigated. They were merely defending themselves and their shops. We were going through a period of having not nearly enough aurors to do the job against the Death Eaters and the Grindelwald bombers, and not being able to trust all of the aurors in a corps that included Death Eaters. Without students and shop owners willing to come to the aid of aurors under attack, you would have had a whole squad of dead aurors, a big bomb going off in Diagon Alley, and merchants and a lot of shoppers killed. That is the situation that Madam Bones wishes to impose on all of us. I've checked, by the way, and she has yet to charge a single Death Eater or Grindelwald gang member with using prohibited curses.

"Personally, the only 'Avada Kedavras' I heard in Diagon Alley were from the attacking members of the Grindelwald gang. I heard a lot of them. I have members of our circle who are at risk from Madam Bones. I'm more than willing to press charges against Madam Bones for an attempted assassination on the Minister, if that is what it takes to protect the members of our circle."

"Now you're just being needlessly inflammatory," Professor McGonagall complained.

"No, I'm not, and it takes one to know one. You've cowed Arthur and Kingsley with guilt about their selection as interim leaders. I know that a lot of that outrage is faked. If you and Madam Bones had objected strongly, you would have voiced your concerns at the time and certainly before today. It is a transparent ploy to manipulate Arthur's emotions so that he won't investigate the murders and attempted murders by members of your Sisterhood.

"I still know that Sisterhood harbors 'The Leader', who ordered the deaths of the Parkinsons and who is likely responsible for the murder of Lucius Malfoy. I don't think we should just walk away from that. If we do, she'll have a new fully staffed and funded conspiracy underway by the time our term is over.

"Also, I've heard all the members of your generation happily excusing each others' serious misdeeds. I haven't heard a thing about the safety of the students. We are in a position in which we are uniquely exposed to the whims of Madam Bones, and the stakes are extremely high."

"She said she had closed the investigation of Ron and exonerated him," McGonagall answered, this time in an unpleasant tone.

"Other students are at risk," Harry replied.

"I assume Ron and Hermione support Harry, but do the rest of you agree?" asked McGonagall.

"I suspect I'm the student that Harry is most interested in protecting," Cissy replied. "I didn't do anything that I think is wrong or that I am ashamed of, but I certainly don't want the threat hanging over me that Madam Bones can prosecute me anytime she feels like it."

"I can't just pretend that my father wasn't murdered," Draco replied. "I want to know who was responsible and see them punished. I just don't believe my father would turn mother over to Thicknesse. You've got words, but no evidence."

"I can see Dad feeling guilty enough about the interim selection to forgive you and Madam Bones for a lot of misdeeds in order to get the members of the old Order patched up and all friendly again," I told Professor McGonagall, "but I don't see Director Shacklebolt as that much of a forgive-and-forget and let's-all be-friends-again kind of guy, especially after Madam Bones nearly murdered him. He didn't like her before he found that out. You said before that you didn't think he was a fit Minister, because he was too into revenge. He's going to get her and you know it."

"Ginevra, that's outrageous!" Dad exclaimed. "Kingsley would do no such thing. He really is happy as Director of the Auror Corps, and he realizes that we all have to forgive and pull together to make this work. I know you think you understand the situation, but you weren't present for the long discussion that Molly, Kingsley, and I had. We know we unduly excluded the Witches from the government and the candidate selection, and Kingsley and I are both quite contrite. We all have to cooperate and think the best of each other.

"I agree that Harry has a point, however. We enlisted the help of the students and it isn't fair for you to be afraid that Madam Bones will be coming after you."

"I thought it went without saying when I announced that my investigation of Ron Weasley was at an end, that I wouldn't be investigating any of the other Death Eater deaths that occurred during battles. Cissy didn't even kill her brother and the magical strength was so low that she couldn't have expected her curse to be fatal. I'm perfectly willing to stipulate that I won't pursue Cissy. I'll also stipulate that I won't pursue the rest of you for killing bad guys at the Battle of Hogwarts or the Beauxbatons battle. I never had any intention to do that," Madam Bones assured all of us.

"I know Harry and his friends are wary of me because I didn't answer their questions honestly. I just don't want to implicate others who were peripheral helpers in my misdeeds. It's nothing devious, just a matter of simple loyalty."

"I'll tell you what the truth is and fill in what you wouldn't tell us," Harry announced, with a triumphant smile. "You lied when you said that you knew that Ron didn't have the wand that he used in Diagon Alley. When you ordered the wand seized, you didn't even know that he had used an 'Avada Kedavra'. Only Ginny, Hermione, and Ron himself knew that he had killed the two Death Eaters. In fact, Ron did not use an 'Avada Kedavra', he used a substitute curse of our own invention. You just wanted to get hold of his wand, because you were told he had the Peverell death stick. You were collecting the wand at the request of the friend who supplied you the Draught of the Living Death to give to Kingsley and who advised you on the proper quantity. She stole the potion from the Hogwarts inventory for you, just as she stole the Liar's Milk. This is also the same friend you suspected of being "The Leader". I know this, because I know the friend in question, and I know that you were correct when you suspected and still suspect that she is 'The Leader'. Am I right?"

"Yes, you're right. And I guess my life really is in danger unless I tell you all that the friend in question is Narcissa Malfoy. I still have a hard time believing that she'd kill me or the Parkinsons just to shield her identity."

"She has quite a few deaths on her conscience," Harry told her. "She's gotten frightened and moved on from whatever good she was trying to accomplish to merely saving herself. I suppose Pansy's recent behavior gives her a grudge against the Parkinsons, but the Parkinsons are in jail. Draco has moved on from Pansy, and the only threat they pose is to Narcissa's secrecy.

"And you can't just brush off the Peverell wand as a powerless totem. That wand in the hand of the opposition would greatly increase the odds of aurors or members of our circle being killed. Madam Bones was willing to put a lot of us at increased risk, when she tried to steal that wand. Narcissa was also willing to put us at that risk, since she planned to deliver it to Thicknesse. Surely they both did this in full knowledge of how many people Voldemort killed and tortured in his quest to control the twin of that wand. Don't anyone try to convince me that this was any less a betrayal of us and the administration than it was. Professor McGonagall was in on this plot as well and with totally open eyes. So, don't you dare tell me that I am over-reacting. The behavior of the three of you was awful. I'm trying to determine just how awful it was.

"So, the question for Professor McGonagall is this: how evil and dangerous is Narcissa?"

"I admit, that was a very serious action for us to take. At the time, it seemed necessary. I still don't see why you say that Mr. Big is Narcissa. You've really presented no argument apart from her supporting role in Amelia's regrettable actions."

"I think you've suspected a problem with Narcissa from the start. That is one reason you wanted her under your eye at Hogwarts. I'm still not entirely sure why she saved me from Voldemort, but the stress of that encounter made her very fearful for Draco and herself, even when they were hidden at Hogwarts. She couldn't feel safe unless every Death Eater and Grindelwald supporter was dead. I'm sure Lucius's invasion of Hogwarts made her even more fearful for Draco. I'm not entirely sure what to make of the collection of wands as totems to trade to the Death Eaters for Draco's safety. That may have even been primarily a way of establishing enough contact to establish her bona fides and exert influence.

"I do know that while you abetted her quest for the 'special' wands, that you did not always actually turn over the wand in question. That became quite clear when I fought Thicknesse. We locked wands and the persons killed by my wand poured out as ghosts, but nothing was emitted from Thicknesse's wand, because it hadn't yet killed anyone. That wand wouldn't have locked with mine, unless it were an excellent facsimile of the real Voldemort wand. I think we both know that you made that wand yourself. That's why you first wanted to be the one to secure the Voldemort wand, only later passing it on to Shacklebolt. You know even more about wand making than you've told us.

"We are both aware of all the excursions Narcissa made while staying at Grimmauld Place. That allowed her to make the necessary contacts with the Stowes, Mrs. Parkinson, and with Thicknesse. We know that Narcissa spent enough time with Lucius to implant the Imperius curse, which was triggered by Pansy. We know, because Cissy has been thoroughly reviewing the Malfoy family financial records, that Narcissa was more involved in Lucius's financial dealings than we initially realized, and that they were set up that she could take over direction of some of the ventures quite smoothly. Some of the records are in her own hand, so she is not lacking in accounting or financial skills."

"I grant you that you've figured things out, but unless you've left out a lot of pieces. There isn't evidence to convict her."

"There is the testimony of Pansy's mother. I suspect Barty and the Stowe parents could corroborate – we've got enough evidence to move on them and they'll likely make a deal with us, and of course Madam Bones and yourself, if you are willing to testify honestly. You know, better than any of us, how evil Narcissa has become, and whether prosecution is warranted. Did she try to murder her husband? To what extent did she guide the attack on Shacklebolt, and how safe was the quantity of potion given to him? Is she willing to stop fighting, or will she form another opposition group?"

"I don't think Narcissa is evil at all. She has been very beaten down by a very unfortunate marriage, in which she was dominated by her husband and forced by him, as well as her loyalty to the Sisterhood, to associate with Death Eaters, whom she loathed. She was a very strong and resilient girl in her Hogwarts days, but the constant fear and tension wore her down. A double agent's life is not a happy one, always suspecting that you are just about to be found out or murdered. Narcissa was not unready to die for the cause, but she knew that if she were discovered, Draco would also die. She couldn't bear that.

"The strain changed her. Look how it affected Snape. When it became apparent that Lucius would steal Draco and turn him into a Death Eater, I think she just snapped. Her extreme case of nerves is not an act. I assure you that is how she acts around the Sisterhood as well. We even considered removing her from our executive committee. She is able to steel herself up for a little more than an hour at a stretch, and believe me, that takes a lot of work. I am very protective of her, because I realize how much I damaged her.

"Not strictly through my improper relationship with her – she would have ended up as a Slytherin wife in any case. My crime was showing her other possibilities and convincing her that she could be so much more than the typical Slytherin Witch. Having built up expectations, my indiscretion with that stupid, childish note took all of that away from her. Seeing and anticipating a bright life of intellectual accomplishment made it very much harder for her to be the do-nothing Slytherin wife. I think that's why she had something of a role in her husband's financial schemes. Even he was perceptive and kind enough to realize that she needed something fruitful to do. Narcissa was my first acolyte and I think I charged her up too much. Like you and Ginny, she has a hard time knowing when it's time to stop fighting. I was very good at sounding charge to my troops, but not so good at ordering the cease fire.

"In answer to your larger question, Narcissa has no interest in creating a new opposition. Her sole objective was destruction of the old ones. She was doing the same job that you were, by different means. I don't think she intended for Lucius to die. She struck me as both surprised and saddened, and believe me her acting ability is not what it once was. It pains me that she reached the point of ordering the deaths of the Parkinsons. That is the one truly bad thing that we know she is responsible for. I am quite sure that she is not a lost cause. Once she recognizes that she and Draco are truly safe, I think she will gradually become more of her old self. She was a truly remarkable girl and Witch, when she was at her best. You would have liked her.

"If it eases your mind, we do have fairly impressive evidence that Lucius was planning to turn Narcissa over to Thicknesse. He didn't realize that Narcissa was already guiding Thicknesse. Many of us were very afraid what Lucius would do when he learned of this. In the end we thought he did know, hence the hasty plot to invite him to Hogwarts and get him imprisoned for life. I knew he couldn't resist one last opportunity, both to see Draco and to assess for himself the Narcissa that he had so badly misread.

"The last thing I'll say is that I understand why Ginny said what she just said about Shacklebolt. It is harder to turn the off switch on the young. She knows how hard a fighter Shacklebolt is and assumes he will enact revenge on Madam Bones, because that is what she would do were she in his place. I have known Kingsley long enough to know that our differences with him arose from his determination to fight to the end and show no quarter until all of the conspirators were routed. Well, they're all routed. You've uncovered and captured or killed all the baddies, and even the goodies who did some bad things. Kingsley is wise enough to know the fight is over. Madam Bones is in no danger from him, although she would be wise to do something to make reparations, just to seal the deal. I hope you and Ginny are as ready and willing as Kingsley will be to accept that the fight is over and that what is now needed is reconciliation. Neither Madam Bones nor Narcissa is your enemy. Really nobody in the Sisterhood is. We CAN work together.

"I realize I'm not quite done, and we'll talk more back at Hogwarts. I want you to know that, while the timing of my complaints about how the interim Minister and Minister candidate were chosen was a useful diversion from Arthur's pursuit of the sisters, the intensity of my concern was quite genuine. The whole Sisterhood shares my views.

"Finally, it seems that you can't believe that the Parkinson's big concern that spurred them to action was the freeing of the house Elves. If you really understood the lives of the Slytherin wives, you would realize that this was ample cause. They truly do now see their status as being less than that of their freed house Elves, because they themselves are not free. You've removed their biggest ego support and you'll need to find a way to replace it."

"I take your point about the freeing of the Elves," Harry replied. "We'll have to think on that. I think I have learned enough to know to stop fighting, when the fight has been won. I also know it's not quite over yet.

"First, there is the matter of Dr. Sprout, who seems to have had a hand in both some Imperiusing and some avoidance of Unbreakable Vows. I think he should be arrested for questioning. Second, and this goes directly to the question of Narcissa's and I guess Pansy's guilt, I can't help thinking that the ghost of Voldemort didn't exert some influence upon their minds during the time they were staying in Slytherin with the ghost. The ghost certainly swore vengeance upon the Malfoys. I think it may have gotten its revenge. We had a plan to destroy the ghost, and I think it urgent that we go forward with it."

"I think you are absolutely correct," Professor McGonagall declared. "I hadn't thought that Voldemort could be exerting some sort of compulsion upon Narcissa and Pansy, but it does make sense."

"So my mother may not actually be guilty of anything," a relieved Draco emphasized to Harry. "I knew she couldn't murder father."

"I've been listening to all of this, with great interest," Dad told Harry, "and I agree that your solution to the mystery is better than mine. I still think we need to investigate Professor Celine's actions, but I'll leave that for your return to Hogwarts. I don't think she is a pressing threat.

"You still haven't given me your opinion on reorganizing my cabinet and how we should move forward. I would like to add another student and another adult Witch. I take it that you are now satisfied that your associates are sufficiently safe from Madame Bones? I hope you will soon realize that I did not leave you out of my meeting with Molly and Kingsley to slight you or to devalue your position as Deputy Minister. I wanted you to probe the involvement of Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall in the various conspiracies with a firmer approach than I felt comfortable with. Also, our talk was not really a government meeting but a discussion among old comrades who had erred and who had to talk based upon shared memories and actions that did not include you. I guess I feared that you would think less of us, had you sat in on that meeting. In any event both meetings were very productive and far more successful than they could have been had both you and I been a part of each of them. Are you willing to forgive Madame Bones and work with her as a part of this administration?"

"Yes I am, but she is going to have to make it up to Ron.

"I have thoughts on the final two members of your cabinet, but request that you let us discuss among ourselves back at Hogwarts and get back to you in about a day. I think I figured out why you kept me out of the meeting, even before you said that."

"Good, then it's off to Hogwarts for you. I'm sure you'll want to chat with both Professor Celine and Narcissa Malfoy. The aurors will make sure they stay in place for you. They'll also help you deal with the Voldemort ghost. Kingsley, Amelia, and I will deal with Doctor Sprout. We'll talk over dinner tomorrow, and then all of us can get together and work out the details of our plan going forward. Let's say an all-day meeting here, the day after tomorrow. Don't look so concerned, the Goblins will progress the repairs to the Circle of the Goblins. See, I did remember. Good luck, Harry."

'Oh, before you go, I just realized that I don't have my children's blessing for this deal. Ron and Ginny were most affected by the Sisterhood, but I'm losing track how many times George's shop has been bombed, and they also had something to do with that."

"I still expect the return of my stolen wand," Ron declared.

"I passed it along to Narcissa. I suspect Thicknesse had it. I'm sorry," Madam Bones told him.

"So the Death Eaters had a history of how I used my wand," Ron indignantly shot back.

"You'll have an even better wand," McGonagall assured him. "Seamus and Ollivander promised you one of their new creations for free. It will have the secrets of the Peverell wand but be tuned for your person."

"Why should Ollivander's give me a free wand? They didn't steal my old one, Madam Bones stole it."

"Madam Bones will happily pay Ollivander's to make that better wand for you. I think all the Death Eaters who could have learned anything about you from your wand are dead or in prison. Are you willing to go along with your father's deal?"

"Yes, but with great reluctance."

"Lee and I are out a lot of goods," George declared. "Those bombings have nearly destroyed us. It is just chance that one of us, or Cho, weren't injured. I don't take it lightly when someone who claims to be a friend arranges for my shop to be bombed. Really, all of the merchants have been harmed. Business has been terrible. I have no respect for Madam Bones, think of Narcissa as a Death Eater, and am not at all happy with Professor McGonagall. However this is resolved, I'll be leaving Hogwarts."

"I knew that we had been manipulated a lot this term, but am just beginning to realize how severely we've been manipulated and to what ill intent. I voted at the committee meeting to recommend that Madam Bones be fired. I believe that more than ever. I won't make waves, if the rest of you are happy, but I most definitely am not happy with the deal," I told my father.

"I'm not your child," Hermione told Dad "but will soon be part of your family. My view is between Harry's and Ginny's. I'll be watching Madam Bones very closely. I consider her to be on probation. What she did is not dead and buried. If she doesn't behave, Ginny and I will raise the issue, even if the rest of you don't. For now, I accept the deal, with very great reluctance,"

"I think some of the bad actors from the Sisterhood need to figure out how they can make up some of George and Lee's losses, as well as for the general decline of the Diagon Alley merchants. George and Lee have suffered a lot. I will, however, take all that has been said as the minimal support needed to move forward," Dad rather shakily told us. "There clearly is more work to be done. I'll sign a declaration stating that the students acted on behalf of my administration and at my behest. I agree that Madam Bones should regard herself as on probation. Now, you really should be off to Hogwarts. I have much that I need to do to pick up the pieces left by this debacle."


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY – RETURN TO HOGWARTS**

Professor McGonagall and all of the students apparated back to Hogwarts. "I'll send for Narcissa and Professor Celine and we'll meet in my apartment, in say thirty minutes," Professor McGonagall told Harry.

"I think more neutral territory is called for," Harry responded. "Actually, I would have said we'll meet in Ginny and my apartment, but I don't know how to make the extra furniture appear."

"Remind me to show you that trick. If you want neutral ground, why don't you hold the meeting that you want to discuss the student cabinet member and then send me a Patronus when you're ready? We'll join you at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. I'll check whether the Elves are up for sending you some tea and coffee."

"Thank you, that sounds like the best approach. I know it sounds petty, but I'd prefer that you not speak to Narcissa or Professor Celine until we all get together."

"Under the circumstances, I'll accept that lack of trust and those conditions. Send a Patronus to my apartment when you're ready and I'll send Patronuses to fetch Narcissa and Adrienne."

Coffee, tea, scones, jam, and butter were on the Gryffindor table when we arrived. Harry started the meeting. "I don't want to repeat the mistake that Kingsley and Arthur made in choosing the interim Minister. This should be your choice. I think we should let anyone nominate the person of their choice, and then we can have discussion and a secret ballot. Ron still has the second Sorting Hat. We'll drop our votes into that. The only ground rules are that whomever is picked will have to play a role in the government after graduation, if not before. That means heading up some function in the government and devoting at least a couple years to the effort. Anything less wouldn't be fair to Arthur. If you aren't willing to make that sort of commitment, please decline the nomination. Does that seem fair to everyone?"

We all nodded yes. Harry said, "in that case, I'll turn the meeting over to George. I'll vote, when we reach that point, but I'm going to be silent and let the rest of you talk."

"Alright, Harry," George began. "I think I'm going to move right ahead to asking for nominations. No second will be required."

Ron began things with, "I nominate Hermione. Am I supposed to tell you why I think she is the right person for the job now, or should I wait until all the nominations have been made?"

"I think you should wait," George told him. "My first duty is to ask Hermione if she is willing to make the time commitment that Harry described."

"That is fine with me," Hermione replied. "I hope the Minister will let me work on our relationship with the other magical species and especially the Elves."

"Are there any other nominations?"

"I nominate Ginny," Cissy proposed.

"Sorry, I can't. I really want to be a Harpy," I told her.

"I nominate George," Luna told us.

"Also sorry, I have a business to help Lee run, and I don't think we need one of Arthur's kids in his cabinet, but I do thank you for the vote of confidence," George replied.

"I nominate Neville," Margaret said.

"I'm also flattered," Neville replied "but I need to get established as a professor and I think we really should add more Witches to Arthur's cabinet. I would have nominated Hermione, if Ron hadn't beaten me to it."

There didn't appear to be any more nominations. "It seems to be Hermione or Hermione," George announced, so I declare Hermione to be our choice to join the cabinet."

"I'm pleased with the choice and will happily forward it to the Minister," Harry announced. "As you will remember, I thought Hermione should have been the Deputy Minister. Now, the second position for which Arthur wanted us to recommend was for an older Witch. I guess he really wanted us and Professor McGonagall to make a recommendation. In the back of my mind I was thinking Professor Celine, but realize that we need to question her and determine her level of involvement in the various bad deeds of the Sisterhood and judge her reliability. If the rest of you think she is at least worth considering, then Hermione, Ginny, and Cissy could serve as our truth tellers when we question her."

"After what was said back at the Ministry, I'm surprised that you would consider her," Cissy replied "but I must admit that she is still my first choice, unless our questioning reveals that she has done more bad things than I think she has."

"She has the advantage of representing the half generation between ourselves and our parents," Hermione added.

"I think she'll be fine," Draco volunteered.

"I like what I've seen of her in staff meetings," Neville told us. "I don't think she'll stay at Hogwarts long term, so she may well be willing to make the time commitment."

There were no further comments, so Harry asked "should I send a Patronus to summon Professor McGonagall and the others?" Everyone nodded yes. Harry produced a very large and bright Patronus, which went prancing into the corridor and disappeared.

We had a fifteen minute wait, during which I sipped on tea with orange and simply relaxed. The table quickly filled up. Mom was back, Hermione's parents were present, as was Narcissa and the entire faculty. "I understand that you wish to question Narcissa and Adrienne in order to get a better sense of their role in recent events, including some criminal acts," Professor McGonagall addressed Harry. "I also understand that the Minister has encouraged you to ask these questions. I think this approach is less formal and far preferable to the alternatives. I'm still hopeful that we can reach a conclusion that allows everyone to get on with their business and avoid legal proceedings. I urge Narcissa and Adrienne to cooperate and to answer your questions honestly. I warn them that it is possible that things they say may be used against them if this becomes a legal case. Madam Bones is not present for good reason. I understand that Veritaserum is not to be used, but that you do have three very effective truth tellers present.

"Before you begin, may I inquire whether you have picked a student to add to Arthur's cabinet and whether you've decided on whom you can support as an adult addition?"

"Your summary to Narcissa and Adrienne is accurate. I'll say that they have each been of great help in opposing the forces of Voldemort and Bruce, but that recent activities have caused great concern. This is an informal process and no formal record will be kept. I am to tell all that your direct statements are immune from use before the Wizengamot, but that we may use your statements to find or develop evidence against you, if it is appropriate to progress to the Wizengamot. In other words, nobody present here may testify as to what you tell us, but that is your only immunity.

"In answer to Professor McGonagall's direct questions, we have unanimously chosen Hermione as the added cabinet member from our group. We just began discussion on the other cabinet member and have one person, whom we might want to propose. We haven't discussed who is and who is not acceptable to us."

"Let me just say that I think Hermione is an excellent choice and I'm glad that she will be devoting her efforts to the Ministry after she graduates. I assume you have a commitment of at least a year of full-time work after she graduates."

"Two years," Hermione corrected her.

"Well," Harry began, with a little more awkwardness than I expected, "I'd like to begin with Narcissa Malfoy. I know it may be a little unusual to have Draco present, but he is very interested in both protecting her interests and in gathering all the nuance of what she says, based on his long-time close association with her. If you are ready to begin, Narcissa, would you please look at Hermione, Ginny, and Cissy as you answer my questions. They are our truth tellers."

"Yes, go ahead."

"Did you spy against the Death Eaters and report useful information to Professor McGonagall with the understanding that she would use that information to benefit the Order's fight against Voldemort?"

"I did."

"Were you ever a Death Eater or a supporter of Voldemort?"

"I pretended to be a supporter, but I never was."

"Are you a supporter of Thicknesse or any other former Death Eaters?"

"I am not, I wished them all dead."

"Have you ever been a supporter of Bruce Montaigne or the supporters of Grindelwald's philosophy?"

"I have always opposed all of that."

"Do you still consider yourself to be actively working against the Death Eaters and Grindelwalds?"

"I think the fight is probably over, but I'm willing to assist in destroying any enemy stragglers."

"Did you seek the death of your husband Lucius?"

"I did not. I wanted him in prison, but was saddened when I learned he had killed himself.

"Did you lead, or participate in a conspiracy, or acting alone, seek to cause Lucius, while not in control of his own mind, to take actions that would lead to his death, banishment, or imprisonment?"

"No on death, yes on the others. I did use an Imperius on Lucius that would cause him to become belligerent toward you and Ginny. I instructed Pansy's mother to teach Pansy an Imperius that would trigger my instructions. I did not ask Lucius to incite Draco to attack you. That is why I was so frantic after the fight. Lucius did that on his own. I certainly did not want to get Draco in trouble or cause him to leave the protection of Hogwarts."

"You gave Lucius Belatrix's wand, didn't you?"

"I thought that was the most incriminating thing I could have him take with him to Gryffindor. There was no danger of him harming you, and I assumed that you and your aurors would not use a killing curse against him."

"How could you be sure he wouldn't harm us?"

"Well I guess I couldn't, because I didn't think he would use Draco as a weapon. I did treat the wand that I gave him with a product that I purchased at George's shop, which seemed to kill the wand. I did test the wand before I gave it to Lucius."

"So is it your truthful statement that you did nothing to cause the death of Lucius?"

"I don't think I can honestly say that. I found out from the Sisterhood that Lucius planned to kidnap me and Draco and turn me over to Thicknesse. I was already dealing with Thicknesse, so it was an easy matter to convince him that Lucius did not have his best interests at heart. Lucius found out about this and it may have influenced his future behavior. It was I who persuaded Thicknesse to involve Lucius in the plot to kidnap you. It was another opportunity to sideline him. It is also possible that the Imperius curse that I installed made it easier for Thicknesse or someone else to install the self-destruct imperative. In the end, Lucius gave up on turning me over to Thicknesse, when he learned of some of my contacts and convinced himself that Adrienne was leading a vast conspiracy, of which I was a key member. He quite overestimated our resources, but he was truly panicked. I've never seen him that frightened. He was convinced that Adrienne would kill Draco to spite him, if he ever saw Draco again."

"Were you a participant in the poisoning of Director Shacklebolt?"

"Yes, although I really don't think it fair to cause it a poisoning. It was just a longer sleep. It wouldn't have been needed if Arthur Weasley hadn't removed Dr. Sprout from the case and only allowed Dr. White to supervise Shacklebolt's care. Dr. Sprout had prevented the Minister from regaining consciousness, but when Dr. White took over, there was a danger that Shacklebolt would recover in time to run for Minister. That would have been very bad. I egged on Madam Bones and supplied her with what Dr. Sprout said was a safe but effective dose to keep him under for several more days. He was never in any danger.

"You gave instructions to Thicknesse, Bruce, Dr. Sprout, Mrs. Parkinson, and the Stowe parents, maybe Silas as well, umm, didn't you?"

"I never gave any instructions directly to Bruce. Adrienne handled that job for me. I did guide the others. You must understand, however, that I guided them to failure, not success."

"Why would these people take direction from you?"

"Adrienne vouched for me. It was easy to convince them that as a Death Eater hanger-on I opposed your administration, Muggles, and Muggle-born and only turned against Voldemort to save my son and because he was vulgar, out of control, and not adhering to traditional Wizard ways. I portrayed myself and Lucius as crass opportunists, which was easy to show in Lucius's case. Basically, they had no money and I gave them money. They were afraid of communicating directly with each other, so I helped out there as well. I gave them some minor information from your side. I tricked them into the timing of the Diagon Alley attack that way. Thicknesse needed help and contacts, so I put him in touch with the Stowes. I helped him get his new hideout. Thicknesse didn't need much managing: he felt the best approach was to lie low and wait for you to become unpopular. He had trouble controlling Barty, who needed continuous action to convince himself that he was still relevant and had a chance of winning. I helped Thicknesse get good press coverage, by appealing to our old family friend Barnabas Cuffe. Dr. Stout was a long-time family friend, who felt more comfortable around me than Lucius. He had become quite enamored of the Grindelwald philosophy and when he found out that I was helping the Stowes, he was all too eager to please me. I may have hinted that if he displeased me that Lucius would come around to visit him."

"Did you direct Thicknesse to have the Parkinsons killed?"

"No, I did not, although in fairness I think some of the things that I said to Thicknesse caused him to think that they were unreliable and a threat to his own safety and that, perhaps I wouldn't mind if something happened to them. Perhaps I almost gave the instruction, because I wanted to, but knew it was wrong, and skated along the line of what was impermissible. No, I don't think I said anything to order an attack, but when Thicknesse said he couldn't risk their turning against him and exposing his location and secrets, I didn't voice more than feeble objections when he asked me if I would be unhappy if anything happened to them. I was certainly angry that Pansy had conspired with Lucius against Draco. I never liked the mother."

"You have seemed very nervous and trembly of late. Is that real or an act?"

"I assure you it is all too real and I'm doing my best to control it. I don't want Draco to see me like this."

"If the administration neglected to prosecute you, could you be trusted not to engage in any further conspiracies or actions against the elected government?"

"Yes, I don't think I ever acted against the government. I was helping the Sisterhood and trying to protect Draco. I have no desire to run a conspiracy."

"Have you ordered any deaths?"

"No, I have not."

"Did you notice any change in your mental state as a result of sleeping in Slytherin on the nights that you were there to help protect Draco and Pansy?"

"The experience scared the crap out of me! It was very clear that the Voldemort ghost didn't like me or anyone in my family. It kept staring at my face, too close for comfort, until I slammed it around with my wand. Once it passed right through my head, sending chills all through me. That was when I cut it into three pieces. I was very glad to be rid of that place, although I couldn't show fear in front of the children… sorry Draco. I don't think it had any lasting effect on my nerves. Just continually fighting Lucius already had me worn down and losing control."

"I have no more questions. This is admittedly a very strange situation, but I'll ask Draco if he has anything to ask you."

"Mother, did you love my father?"

"Never."

"Did you try to turn Pansy against me?"

"Never."

"Are you willing to allow me to run my own life and protect myself?"

"I have certainly promised myself that I will try very hard to do that. With your father gone, I think it will be easier. I may need you to help protect me for a little while longer."

"I'm willing to do that. My last question… are you glad that father is dead?"

"I was saddened at first, but now, on the whole, I think I'm relieved and happier. I'm sorry if that pains you."

Ron asked her "Why did you want my wand?"

"I thought Thicknesse was starting to have doubts about me. I knew he really wanted that wand and I promised to get it for him. I almost succeeded."

"Surely you knew that the rest of us would be put at greater risk if Thicknesse held a Peverell wand. I doubt I would have won my duel with him, if your plan had succeeded."

"I know and I am truly sorry for that. Things were moving rapidly and in danger of unraveling. I didn't think I had any other choice. I thought I could cause Thicknesse to be captured, before he did harm."

"But you knew where Thicknesse was. You could have simply told Shacklebolt," I accused her.

"Yes. I knew some aurors weren't to be trusted. If I told on Thicknesse and somehow he escaped, I feared that my son would be killed. Until my husband was killed, telling wasn't a possibility at all. Believe me, if I felt that telling Shacklebolt where Thicknesse was hiding was the same thing as having him dead or in jail, I would have told in a heartbeat. I learned from Draco that the aurors had searched the area where I knew Thicknesse to be hiding. Either he was on to me and had moved, or Shacklebolt was in league with him. Either way, I couldn't risk telling Shacklebolt what I knew."

Harry turned to the three of us and asked "did she tell the truth?" We all nodded yes.

"Thank you Mrs. Malfoy. My opinion doesn't count for a lot, but I'll recommend to the Minister and Madam Bones that you not be prosecuted. Some reparations may be required to settle things.

"You're next, Professor Celine. Are you willing to answer my questions?" She nodded yes.

"Are you trying to overthrow or assisting in conspiracies to overthrow the elected Wizard government?"

"No. I am unalterably opposed to those conspirators, for reasons that go far beyond my support for your administration."

"Have you killed anyone, and are you responsible for any deaths?"

"I have killed nobody, although I certainly played a role in the events that led to Bruce's capture and death. I played a role in Lucius's downfall, but did not seek his death."

"Did you cause Lucius to believe that you would harm Draco, if Lucius associated with him?"

"No, I did not! I would never harm Draco. I like both Draco and Narcissa."

"I'm afraid that was my doing," Narcissa interrupted "I knew that Lucius had convinced himself that I was not caving in to his demands, because I was a member of a powerful organization led by Adrienne, and that she would protect me. I told him that if he ever saw Draco again, that I couldn't control what she might do to him, or even Draco. That seemed a harmless and very clever way to get Lucius to go away and stay away. I didn't anticipate the trouble that it would cause. I fear that I made Lucius more desperate and willing to die."

"Okay. Turning back to Adrienne, did you try to encourage a breakup between Draco and Pansy?" Harry asked.

"Yes I did. You're thinking of the portraits in Art Club. I knew about Pansy and Lucius and didn't want to see Draco taken advantage of. I found that I rather intensely disliked Pansy. About what Narcissa just said – I did repeatedly tell her that she was safe and that I had both the resources and the willingness to do whatever was necessary to protect her. I was referring to undercutting Lucius with Thicknesse."

"Did you encourage Bruce to attack Durmstrang or Beauxbatons?"

"He was determined to attack Beauxbatons and I couldn't stop him. I convinced him it would be better to invade Durmstrang instead and take over the Ministry. I sent an anonymous warning to Viktor to be prepared for an attack. I thought Bruce and his gang would get beaten up and put an end to his adventuring. I didn't know he had recruited the Giants. I thought he had given up on attacking Beauxbatons. After he lost at Durmstrang, I didn't have quite as much influence over him. It was very hard to persuade him to run for Minister. Believe me, my four months with Bruce were the hardest and worst months of my life. I did it only because of my commitment to the cause and to the Sisterhood."

"Last question: if the Minister gave you a job to promote the arts in the Wizard world, would you be a loyal, hard-working member of the administration, or would you try to rot it from within?"

"Harry, I had hoped you knew that I am a fan of Arthur and yourself. I would most definitely support your administration, whether from the inside or from the outside, as I truly believe I have done."

"Sorry, one more question, not really about yourself: as a member of the executive committee of the Sisterhood, do you think the Sisterhood can work in harmony with the Ministry and stop engaging in conspiracies?"

"Oh, Harry, I do. I've argued for months that we should end the secrecy and just invite you, Arthur, and Ron to join our group. Really, I don't think we have anything at all against you. You saw the portrait I did of you. Wasn't it a very nice, loving portrait?"

"Umm, yes, I was quite pleased with it." Harry turned to the three of us and we nodded that Adrienne had told the truth.

"Okay, that's it, I guess," Harry told McGonagall. "Should we discuss a recommendation for the last member of the Minister's cabinet?"

"I think that would be wise. I got the impression from your questions that your circle was considering Professor Celine."

"Hers is the only name we discussed, and she is acceptable to us," Hermione answered for Harry.

"Well then, I'll say that by a strange coincidence you had the same name in mind as I did. You had best ask for other nominations."

Harry did ask. He also explained that two years of full-time work were expected of the person selected, beginning no later than immediately after the Hogwarts' graduation service. There were no other nominations.

"I'll inform Arthur tomorrow," Harry informed the group. "Arthur wants to meet with all of you the next day, for an all-day meeting. I think he views the meeting as a party congress for our side. Oh, I forgot to say that I'll obviously recommend that no charges be brought against Professor Celine.

"Oh, I also forgot that if the Sisterhood wants peace, it had best find a way to help George and Lee recover from the losses you've caused to their business. You also need to make a full apology to Ron and replace his wand. What did happen to the Gryffindor wand?"

"I have it hidden in my office," McGonagall admitted. "Narcissa was unable to trade it to Thicknesse. When I told her that it wasn't actually a Peverell wand, she was wary of approaching Thicknesse with it. I really think that particular wand should be turned over to the Ministry museum. Madam Bones will gladly purchase a new wand for Ron. I suspect it will be as good as the Peverell wand. Narcissa, Madam Bones, and I have some galleons set aside. We will certainly help George and Lee financially and will do whatever we can to steer business their way. I'll allow all levels of students to attend Hogsmeade days from now on. That should help George's new shop. Is all of that satisfactory?"

Harry looked at George. George nodded yes, so Harry told McGonagall that this was a satisfactory solution.

We headed back to our common room to ponder the day's revelations. I sensed more frustration than elation among our group.

"I must tell you that this all leaves me feeling rather disappointed and empty," Ron complained to Harry. "We've sort of solved basically the biggest crime mystery in recent Wizard history, with all the deaths that we've seen, and nobody is going to Azkaban. You can't even prosecute Dr. Sprout, unless you're willing to send Madam Bones and Narcissa to Azkaban along with him. "It seems like what you're saying is that there never was a bad Mr. Big, only a society of Witches who thought they were acting for the greater good. Of course, you could say that many of the Grindelwalds and Death Eaters thought they were working for the greater good, or at least the greater good of their social class. I'm not satisfied with the 'it's just random coincidence' explanation for why the Death Eaters, Grindelwalds, and Goblins all staged conspiracies to overthrow their governments at the same time. It doesn't make sense to me. It's not just that these groups all attacked at the same time, they also worked together, and they don't like each other. There just has to be an overall bad guy Mr. Big."

"It's very possible that Shacklebolt is correct and the former Lord Montaigne, or Thicknesse, Lucius Malfoy, or even Voldemort was Mr. Big. If that's the case, then we've dealt with him without realizing it. If it's Voldemort and his ghost is still causing trouble, we'll deal with that tomorrow."

Hermione mused, "If there is a Mr. Big, we're unlikely to find him. All of his organizations have been destroyed. I'm not sure we even know where to look for him, if he exists. If he were a Muggle, or a Goblin, or Centaur, or even a cetacean how could we possibly find him? We don't even understand all the nooks and crannies of Wizard society. How would we find him if he were a German or Eastern European Wizard or, say, whoever runs the Wizarding school in India or Egypt? This is where our youth and inexperience hurts us. On the other hand, all of these uprisings may simply have inspired each other. They were all fighting at the same time, but we know that the Voldemort wars began when our parents were younger than we are and that the Grindelwald war was a generation before that. I imagine the Goblin feud began on the day Nika Goblanze became King over Ruppasta Minta, and that is of the same vintage as the Voldemort war. If there were tight coordination, you would have expected the Goblins to rebel at the same time as the attacks on Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. On the other hand, it was we who precipitated the timing of the Battle of Hogwarts when we went after the last horcruxes. It is surprising that Bruce could pull off the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons attacks so simultaneously with the unplanned Battle of Hogwarts. If he was coordinating with the Voldemort forces, he would have attacked on the day of Fleur's wedding, when our Ministry was captured. Voldemort wasn't expecting a war or a battle: when we fought at Hogwarts, he was well along on the slow slog of capturing and killing the remaining members of the Order."

"But," I argued "what if the precipitating event really was the death of Voldemort? What if he was seen as so powerful that all these other groups with grudges were afraid to act while he was alive. I doubt he would have let Bruce try to unify the Continental Ministries by force and set up a strong potential opponent to his rule. He would have dealt more harshly with Ruppasta than we did, in the early stages of the revolt. Certainly if Thicknesse or Lucius were Mr. Big, they would have to wait until Voldemort was dead. They could have been building Bruce's group and priming Ruppasta for action. All the participants would have known that 'after Voldemort' was when they would strike."

"What if the triggering event was the celestial prophecy that Professor Firenze told us about?" Cissy offered. "We know the Centaurs and Goblins followed that closely and any Wizard student in Firenze's class heard of it and likely told their friends and families. If you're considering a revolt, Firenze's tale must seem like a strong 'now or never' signal. For those obsessed with the Muggles destroying the magical species, belief in the celestial prophecy would cause the do or die, right now, mentality that we heard from the Grindelwalds, and that Ruppasta seemed to be sidling up to."

"What if we just never will know?" George concluded. "As long as there's peace, I can live with that. Mr. Big is likely dead, in prison, or deciding now is a good time to just get on with his life. I'm looking forward to nineteen years of normalcy. I've made myself a mental note to sell the Hogsmeade shop eighteen years from now."

"Yes, there is still that bomb confronting us," Luna commented. "It's far in the future and I find I like exploring the tunnels and passages within Hogwarts. We have a lot of time to find the bomb. It would take extremely powerful magical enchantments to make the bomb impossible to find. We know that the former Lord Montaigne has great difficulty with even pedestrian level magic. He didn't even hint that he had any help in hiding the bomb from anyone with serious magical skill."

"If Montaigne were Mr. Big, he'd have help from Silas and Thicknesse. I wonder how good they really were at magic." Hermione mused.

"He'd also have a lot of Ruppasta's Goblins to call upon. We know how good they are at magical engineering," I replied.

Harry announced "I'm not going to allow you to dampen my spirits. I think we completed a lot of good detective work today. I'm off to bed, if Ginny will join me."

I certainly was ready. Harry and I were both in a good mood and it was my first chance since our special night flight to confirm that I truly had my Harry back. I was relieved to find that I did. I also learned that I didn't have to ignore Harry's leaked fee lings during sex. In a way, that actually made things better. It had been my stupid association of feeling Harry's feelings with Nagini, which had caused my problem. I had trained my mind not to make that link. Strangely, it was not Ardath, but rather Cissy's mentor Hildegarde who had taught me how to manage that.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 - Slaying a Poltergeist**

After we all finished breakfast with our classmates, the castle was evacuated, according to the operational plan that Harry had developed with Professor McGonagall and Mr. Granger. Hagrid had been sent on a day-long trip to Edinburgh to procure fresh art supplies. Professor Firenze, Bane, Baal, and a Unicorn had agreed to conduct a seminar for all of the students in the area beyond Hagrid's hut. Harry felt that the removal of that many magical minds from the castle should weaken the Voldemort ghost.

The attack was planned in two phases. The first phase was preparing the battlefield. Initially, Harry, Bill, and Barb were to go off to the Chamber of Secrets and prepared to seal off the drains from Slytherin. Mr. Granger had supplied me with a brilliant dark blue dye to flush down the toilets and pour down the sink drains. Under the watchful eyes and wands of the extra aurors, Mom, and McGonagall I dosed all of the plumbing. I gave Harry a quick cell phone call when the job was done and he told me that "apparently all of the crap from Slytherin comes down one big pipe." It was now the job of all of us but Harry to both prepare the Slytherin quarters for battle and to attract the ghost, so that Harry would know he was in the Slytherin section of piping, before he sealed the exit pipe. Under the continued protection of friendly wands at the ready, we all helped Hermione's Dad set up his equipment and move the collection boxes into the Slytherin common room. We also sealed all of the drains except one, to which Mr. Granger attached what he described as a 'pneumatically operated, full-flow ball valve, highly unlikely to be noticed or understood by a spirit rushing through the piping', which would close off that drain at exactly the same time that he triggered his liquid carbon dioxide curtain. We sprayed every wall, ceiling, and floor outside of the common room with Lee's failure spray, thinking that would blot up any magical energy. We painted the common room floor with a thin coating of silver, which we melted with our wands and applied in a thin coat. The elegant wood flooring, beneath the rich wool carpet which we had removed from the center of the room, would never be the same. This took us most of the morning. Mr. Granger had convinced us to wear aluminum foil hats so as not to leak too much magical energy. There was, as yet, no sign of the ghost.

I knew that the ultimate ghost attractor was Hagrid, but he was also the optimum ghost strengthener, so we were saving him as a last resort. I felt we had the next best attractors in Draco and his mother. I gave Harry a quick call to be ready, that we were about to call the Malfoys into the common room.

Draco and Narcissa entered together, chatting loudly and merrily. "The nasty Voldemort ghost seems to be as dead as creepy old Voldemort himself. I guess the interruption of the magical force was too much for such a weak, inferior ghost. You might even consider moving back in and re-taking control of your old headquarters." This banter went on for some time, before a long, green wraith with the head of Voldemort came slithering down the stairs, hovering a foot above the stone steps. I quickly phoned Harry that it was time for him to act as the others used their wands to herd the ghost back up the stairs. It kept escaping and trying to make its way toward the Malfoys.

"I thought I had destroyed you," the Voldemort head spoke to Draco. "Your death was to be my final revenge against your father, whom I assume is dead." It was a little difficult to understand the ghost's speech, both because we were forcing him to stay at a distance, a task at which McGonagall was proving particularly adept, and because his voice was weak and quavering. The ghost did seem both smaller and less dense and bright than the last time I had seen it. Perhaps the brief outage of magical force and keeping Hagrid out of the castle had weakened it.

"As you can see, I'm very much alive and not afraid of you, and whatever gave you the idea that father is dead?" Draco replied, stepping forward and using an 'Arvada Kedavra' and additional silent spells to cut the ghost in half and send the two bouncing pieces of green sausage halfway up the stairs. It took the ghost several minutes to reassemble. When it was all together, it slithered back down the stairs to stare at Draco. "I know, because I control your mother and have caused her to precipitate his death. You should never have brought her into Slytherin. You, Narcissa, and Pansy all together were just too perfect for my revenge. As you can see, I am not dead. I thought it best to lie low in the plumbing and let you forget me until my plot unfolded. You cannot outthink the Dark Lord; you couldn't even outthink Lucius. Yes, I am weakened – you have cut me off from my food. But now I have before me the tastiest lunch I could imagine. I am not without my powers. Your deaths will fuel my rebirth. The Dark Lord LIVES!"

My phone vibrated in my pocket as the ghost floated nearer to Draco and Narcissa. "It's still dangerous. We have to flee!" I shouted. We all directed one last powerful curse at the ghost, sending five separate green balls bouncing back up the stairs and then backed out of the Slytherin common room. We reassembled on the lawn outside the front stairs to the castle. We were soon joined by Harry, Bill, and Barb.

Mr. Granger passed out our breathing masks and reminded us not to start breathing through them until he had triggered the carbon dioxide curtain. The plan was for Draco to enter the common room and attract the ghost toward him in a way that forced it to fly through the curtain. In the meantime Harry, Barb, Bill and I would enter Slytherin by its rear door and drive the ghost into the curtain. Based upon the ghost's boast about controlling Narcissa we had decided she should be elsewhere for this operation and under close supervision. The critical job went to Mr. Granger, who had to trigger the shower at precisely the right moment – too soon and the ghost would be spooked and retreat to the side, too late and the ghost would attack Draco. If this latter failure were to occur, Draco and the rest of the students entering with him would use their wands to drive the ghost away from themselves and back through the shower. Harry and I would try to re-center the ghost into the curtain, if it tried to escape to the side.

Our group made its way back into Gryffindor, through the tunnels, and into Slytherin. I made a mental note that Hermione and I needed to re-sync our rings, so that they would open both the 'Slytherin' and the 'Ravenclaw' doors. For this trip, we still needed both flavors of Keeper rings to traverse all the archways leading to the Slytherin back door. I phoned Hermione just as we were in position at the rear door. About a minute later my phone vibrated, indicating that Draco, Hermione, and company had entered the common room and spotted the ghost. I placed the 'Slytherin' ring against the snake eye and the door slid open. We quickly stepped between the door and the tapestry, wands at the ready as we waited for the door to slide closed. That took about half a minute as we heard a lot of shouts and commotion in the common room. We took the time to grab the bottom of the tapestry, so that we could step into the common room just as the door slid closed.

I lifted the tapestry and my first sight was of an angry green snake flashing back and forth in front of Draco, but not entering the curtain. Harry and I tried to signal that we would send the snake into the curtain as it passed in front. Harry raised his hand and seemed to count with his hand as he messaged me {[very excited] We have to time this up right and also make sure that our curses aren't aimed at any students. Just a big gust of air is safest, I think. Okay, one, two, three, now!}

As Harry messaged 'now!' he simultaneously dropped his signaling hand and we fired our 'wind' curse. Mr. Granger activated the curtain, as he was supposed to, and our wands forced the snake into the curtain. Voldemort seemed to decide that he couldn't avoid the curtain and at the last instant, accelerated right at Draco. Draco jumped back and fired a curse at the snake. I saw it coming and just had time to pull Harry back out of the way, messaging as I did {{put your mask on!.}}

We both did and kept up the pressure on the snake to keep it from rebounding too rapidly out of the curtain as a result of Draco's curse. The snake was just about stopped and almost lying on the floor. "Muggle trickery. You think you would defeat me as one of the ants I would rule? I will haunt your dreams for eternity, Potter. You always were a Muggle at heart."

"I really don't think so. I haven't dreamed of you at all." Harry motioned the others to the sides, giving us a clear shot to try to cut up the snake {[even more excited] I think 'sectumsempra'. One, two, three, now!}

The snake was cut into quite a bit more than three pieces, although I saw five largish portions and a lot of green snow. Hermione and Ron pulled in two boxes and Luna and George swept up ghost with brooms, filling the boxes with green ice and snow. Meanwhile Harry had levitated a third box into position and I used my wand to put the largest piece into the box. Hermione and Ron already had their boxes sealed and I began sealing ours, as I saw Draco filling the final box. {{Time to go Harry! We have to pass around the curtain.}}

{Just a little longer, I want to help Draco.}

{{Now!}}

Harry did dutifully follow me around Mr. Granger's curtain and back into the corridor. We were just at the door, when Mr. Granger blew his whistle. The others headed back toward the door, as Draco had finished filling his box and was beginning to lock it. Draco finally started to make his way around the curtain and toward the door. He was almost there, when it was clear that he had run out of air and was reaching to remove his mask. I saw Harry levitating him toward the door and I assisted him. Hermione shouted 'petrificus totalis' just before Draco got the mask off. Another minute and we had him through the door, a dozen feet down the corridor and the door closed. I ripped off his mask, but he wouldn't start breathing. Hermione and I worked our Witch healing magic on him, while Harry again tried his Muggle trick. A half minute later, Draco was once again breathing, but looking less than great. We levitated him all the way to the infirmary and plopped him on a cot. By this time, he was looking better and wanted to get up, but Madam Pomphrey insisted that he lie there for the rest of the afternoon.

The rest of us got a new breather mask from Mr. Granger and, after Professor McGonagall had reopened the main entrance to Slytherin, levitated our boxes out of the common room, through the corridors, and out onto the lawn. Harry assigned two of us to each box and told each group to select a spot at sea for disposal of their box, but not to tell the rest of us. We all took off on our brooms and flew to the main gate. Once outside the gate, Hermione and Ron apparated with their box. A few seconds later, George and Luna did the same. Cissy and Neville flew off to the west with their box, so Harry and I set out on the longer flight to the east, across most of Scotland. It was a different experience, making a long flight in tandem. The box had handles on opposite sides, so Harry and I flew with the box between our brooms. We flew high enough to avoid detection by the Muggles and as fast as we could so as to unload our cargo, before it warmed enough to become too active. The box was still cold, but the gloves that Mr. Granger had given to us provided protection, although we couldn't allow our bodies to rest against the box. This made us fly in an awkward bent to the side position, with a fair amount of shoulder and arm strain. After first twenty miles or so, our flight was becoming considerably less enjoyable and I felt like I was in danger of cramping up. Another five miles and I was forced to surrender to the cramps and my aching shoulder.

{{[embarrassed] I'm sorry, Harry. I don't think I can do this much longer. I'm really starting to cramp up.}}

{[sympathetic] It might be easier for one of us to carry it and switch off, after I tire. Let go slowly and I'll carry it for a while.}

I felt very unlike a Quidditch star as I flew unburdened a few yards away from Harry. He was flying lying almost flat on his broom, hanging on with one hand and his legs, the other arm dangling down with the box. It only took a few miles for me to realize that I could support the box enough from the underside to take some weight off what must be Harry's very painful right arm.

{Thanks, that's actually quite a bit better.}

Still, it couldn't have been more than another fifteen miles until Harry was requesting a switch.

{{Just fly a little lower and to my right and I'll take over. Ahh, that is a little wrenching, but I've got it now. You can let go and fly under to give a little bottom support…. Yes, that definitely helps.}}

It was fairly good fun flying for the first dozen miles and then it started to become painful work again. Fortunately, we were approaching the lights of the east coast cities. As we started to overfly, what I thought must be Kirkaldy or St. Andrews, I decided to just suck it up and keep carrying the box until we were over the ocean. I sensed that the ghost was starting to stir.

{[alarmed] I think I just felt Voldy 4 moving. I'm going to try a stunning spell. I've got my wand aimed so that it shouldn't get you, but you should update your 'shield' spell. I will also. Here it comes, one, two, three, now!}

I felt a little backwash from whatever curse Harry used, but it didn't seem to impact my flying ability in any meaningful way. I just kept pushing on, but asked Harry {{a little more support on the bottom would not go amiss.}}

{[worried] Just try to hang in there. I'm pushing up harder. The box isn't as cold as it was, so we don't have to be as careful holding it. I hate to risk switching off, while we're still over a city. The good news is that I think the ghost has quieted down.}

A few miles later, I was pleased to see that we were flying over water, although I knew that we were still too close to shore, over too shallow water with too much boat traffic. Harry was giving me increased help, but I didn't know how much longer I could continue.

{{Sorry, I'm close to having to turn this over to you. We're at least over water now, in case we drop the box on the switch over.}}

{[confident] Okay, the box is warm enough that I think we can just sort of lower the box onto my head after I change my grip so that I can let the box roll off my right shoulder and hold it to my side. Then you can come around and grab the other handle.}

{{No! I don't want this box anywhere near your head. I'm not going to risk you being taken over by the ghost. We know Voldemort has an affinity for your head.}}

{Okay, I think I can fly near enough to grab the underneath handle. Got it! Try to let the box lower slowly, so my handle rotates to the top, without falling with a big jar to my shoulder.

{{I'm fine doing that, Harry. I can slip alongside of you. There, you've got it. I guess we should take the box out another five or six miles.}}

{I think this is good enough. Let's fly lower. I don't want to drop the box from such a height that it splits open.}

As we were nearing the surface of the Firth of Forth, Voldemolt spoke to us for the final time. "You're weak Potter. You have a need to be liked. To be strong, a leader must be feared, not liked. I was feared. That never ended. You've had ample opportunity to observe that liking and even loving can vanish upon the slightest misunderstanding. It was so easy for me to drive your friends from you. I'll do it again."

"You'll do nothing, ever again. And you never drove away those who loved me. You've left nothing behind. You're a complete failure. Less than a normal lifespan for the immortal Wizard. Lucius was right on one thing. He leaves Draco behind and Draco still loves him."

"Draco is dead. I used his hatred of me to lure him to stay, until he could no longer breathe. It was my last great act."

"Draco is fine. We 'leviosumed' him to safety. Even in that last nasty try at revenge, you remain a failure."

We flew lower and lower, until the box was just a few feet above the water, when we dropped it. I realized instantly why the box had to be as damn heavy as it was. The box hit the water and as I doubled back, I saw that it was just barely sinking. Mr. Granger must have weighted it enough to make certain it would sink. I now felt much prouder of myself for lugging the box as far as I had. As we flew away from the box, I thought I detected the faintest scream.

We soared up to altitude, before setting course for Hogwarts. The flight home was extremely pleasant. We landed outside the fence. Harry phoned McGonagall, before using his key and setting off the alarm. We walked back to Gryffindor, hand in hand. Despite Hermione saying this was strictly a Muggle thing, I had found that I rather enjoyed it from our time trading messages this way.

The rest of the gang had beaten us back to Gryffindor, apparently by quite a bit of time. "We were worried," Hermione told us. "We've been back for over an hour and were afraid something had happened to you along the way. Perhaps the last attack of the Grindelwalds."

"No, it was just a lot longer flight to open water on the east coast, than on the west."

"I can't believe you lugged that big, heavy box all that way. Your poor arms must be ready to fall off," Cissy exclaimed. "Neville and I barely made it to open water and that was with Neville doing most of the work."

"It's good to have Voldemort's pieces disposed of," Ron commented. "It's just a shame that you can't use Veritaserum on a ghost. It seemed like we were close to an answer to some of our mysteries when the ghost was talking to the Malfoys."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "If the ghost weren't so dangerous, I would have worked on a plan to keep it talking longer. It definitely influenced Narcissa's actions and perhaps Pansy's as well. Having the Slytherins bunk in with Voldemort's ghost was a very bad idea.

"I'm off to report to Arthur; the rest of you can bring Draco up to date and make whatever report to Professor McGonagall is necessary. We owe a lot of thanks to Mr. Granger. His plan worked really well. I don't think more than a tenth of the volume of the ghost failed to make it into the boxes, thanks in part to Draco's sticking with the job so long. I hope to be back for dinner."

I told the others what the ghost had said to us, just before we dropped it into the sea. Cissy and Luna quickly stated that the ghost hadn't spoken to them at all. Hermione said that Voldemort had left her with his final insults. "You're a filthy Mudblood to the end, unable to truly accept your noble Black heritage."

"I told him that he was as Mudblood as me and totally unable to accept that simple truth" commented Hermione. "I told him that he had warped himself beyond recognition, by never coming to peace with a half of himself. His final words were 'I will be remembered, you surely will not be'."

"A true bastard to the end," I told Hermione.

"He then asked me 'How much of me is left, back at Slytherin?'

"I told him certainly no more than a tenth of the weak poltergeist who had confronted us. He said 'That may yet be enough, when my Slytherins return to their common room. They will willingly feed me'.

"I told him that the great Nicholas Flamel stated that this certainly was not true.

"'It was still worth the gamble', was the last thing he said as the box sunk beneath the waves. That's it, he's finished. Now, do you want to tell Professor McGonagall, or should we?"

Although I was feeling better about McGonagall, I chose to be part of the group that went to visit Draco in the infirmary. Cissy, George, and Luna came with me. I was surprised, although I guess I shouldn't have been, to find Erin perched in a chair beside Draco's cot, feeding grapes to him. As she saw us approaching, she looked up and commented, "Madam Pomphrey says the sugar should help to restore his strength."

Draco looked a little upset to have been caught in his present condition and immediately sat up fully on the side of his cot. "Well," he asked, "is the ghost gone?"

We assured him that we had made all of the deliveries into widely separated, deep saltwater locations. This news obviously pleased Draco, but he also appeared eager for a conversation, which he had been unable to have with Erin.

"I think you all heard what the ghost said. It exercised control over my mother. The good news is that she isn't at all responsible for any of the bad things that she may have done. The bad news is that she may still be partly under the ghost's control and I don't know what we can do to make sure that she is alright."

"It certainly won't involve seeing Dr. Sprout," I quipped. "Hermione and I will look into our mental reservoir of healer knowledge. I'm sure you've already asked Madam Pomphrey and that she couldn't help you. I think it safe to talk to Dr. White."

"Yes, Madam Pomphrey said, 'not my area, but your mother seems fine, if a little run down and nervous'. I'd prefer that you and Hermione do some research before we consult St. Mungo's. That place just strikes me as fishy. I know that you trust Dr. White, but I'm just not so sure. I'm also not sure what the ghost's comments mean about Pansy. It's possible that Voldemort also caused her to act as strangely as she has. We really shouldn't have slept in Slytherin with the ghost."

"No, I guess you shouldn't have." I could tell that the talk of Pansy was making Erin quite uncomfortable and worried.

"Of course, the ghost said it controlled my mother, but never said it controlled Pansy. Whether Pansy was acting on her own, or doing what the ghost guided her to do, I'm sure that I'm finished with her. Imagining her sleeping with my father is just too awful a vision to forget. I also don't think I could ever again be interested in someone who wants to do as little with her life as Pansy does. It just couldn't work." Erin was looking perkier with this change in the direction of the conversation.

"You've changed a lot in the past year and Pansy hasn't," I agreed with Draco. "There is still the problem of your marriage, though."

"Harry says I can get out of it. I've filed an appeal with the Ministry, since Pansy is in jail."

"She hasn't been convicted yet. I imagine she'll be able to reach a deal that doesn't put her in jail for more than a couple of years, less if her mother accepts most of the responsibility."

"I don't like her anymore, but I also don't like to think of her spending a lot of time in jail, even if she won't be going to Azkaban. I'm hoping for the minimum time which allows me to get a divorce. I really don't want to be married to that Witch."

As George and Luna were extending best wishes to Draco, I realized that I had been hogging the conversation. It wasn't long before Madam Pomphrey walked over to announce that Draco had too many visitors. Erin stayed and the rest of us headed back to Gryffindor. On the way back, Luna commented, "Erin has really moved right in to seize the moment."

"Yes," I replied. "I had expected that she would still be at the Gringotts circle, but she must have heard that Draco was injured and rushed right back here. I wonder how she so quickly learned about his accident. I doubt Professor McGonagall would have told her, and the students were barred from the castle when he collapsed and was transported to the infirmary."

"She must have a helper on the faculty," George decided.

"I guess it could have been Adrienne," Cissy told me.

We had barely found seats in the common room, when Hermione and company returned. "Professor McGonagall is very pleased that we successfully disposed of the pieces of Voldemort's ghost. The down side is that she is planning to get the word out that Slytherin will reopen after the Christmas break. I think the Slytherins are less of a threat with Barty captured and Thicknesse and Rowle dead, but I don't look forward to their return to Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall didn't miss the possibility that Pansy's behavior can be blamed on the ghost. She was also musing that Pansy might be released to her supervision, so she can complete some additional courses."

"I told her that this wasn't a good idea," Neville told me. "She looked like she would ignore my comment, but when I said that I didn't think Narcissa or Draco could stay if Pansy came back, the headmaster decided that perhaps Pansy could stay in jail for a while."

Harry kept his pledge to be back before dinner. "The Minister is very pleased," he reported, "both about the ghost being gone and about the prospect of Hermione and Professor Celine joining his cabinet, although he wasn't quite as keen on Adrienne as he was on Hermione. He grudgingly agreed that Narcissa, Adrienne, and Madam Bones wouldn't be prosecuted. I think he is mainly upset because that means he also can't bring charges against Doctor Sprout. At least Dr. White, rather than Dr. Sprout, is running St. Mungo's. He said it is obvious that Doctor Sprout engaged in further bad behavior after his second chance.

"I think Shacklebolt and Madam Bones really have patched things up. Madam Bones agreed that Barty is to be re-interviewed with real Veritaserum. I and my trusty truth tellers are invited to the event. It's tonight, and we'll have time to get back to the Ministry after dinner. I phoned Professor McGonagall and told her we'd all be staying at the Ministry tonight. I also want to look in at the Gringotts' circle."

"Was there any discussion of what will happen to the Parkinsons?" I asked Harry. "Draco is very eager for his divorce, but recognizes that with the ghost's comments, which may not even be admissible as evidence, that her prison sentence likely has shrunk again. He is not hoping for a long sentence, but he does want a quick divorce. When we visited Draco, Erin was with him. We were wondering how she got back from Gringotts so quickly."

"I phoned into the auror at the circle to let them know about Draco's accident," Harry admitted. "The Minister and Shacklebolt aren't seeking a long term for Pansy. They'd rather jail her mother longer and use both of them to help them convict Silas's parents. I believe Madam Bones and Shacklebolt are speaking to the Parkinsons right now. Kingsley doesn't yet trust Madam Bones quite enough to let her meet alone with the Parkinsons. Arthur thought the two of them together might be more persuasive."

Dinner was a quick affair. Since the Elves had also evacuated the castle during our battle with the ghost, dinner was limited to soup, fresh bread, and fresh fruit. At least the soup was a very hearty minestrone. I admit to eating a lot of bread to fill up.

Draco had escaped Madam Pomphrey's clutches and joined us for supper at the Gryffindor table. The younger Gryffindors still gave him a generous berth. He and Erin were leaning into each other the whole time. Narcissa stayed at the head table with McGonagall.

"I hear that the ghost was greatly disappointed to learn that I still live. That is yet another reason to do something truly important with my life. I will never be my father. His life pretty much disgusts me. I think I will succeed in fixing much of what he broke. He was more like Voldemort than he cared to admit. As soon as my mother is strong enough, I'm out of here with Erin. With father and the ghost gone, that shouldn't be long. It's really time for you to be out of here as well. I can't imagine what Hogwarts can still teach you. In the end, you bested them all, including McGonagall. She has more to learn from you than the other way around. If you stay, promise me that you won't let her lead you around by your nose any more. She really isn't Dumbledore. She lacks the self-sacrifice and self-control. I think Professor Celine is the only one who may still have something to teach us. I intend to spend more time with her. She knows a different sort of magic."

"You shouldn't over-look what Firenze can teach us," Harry cautioned Draco. "Other than Cotto, he may well be the wisest being I know."


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22 – BARTY'S TALE**

I was very pleased that my new-found truth teller skills had earned me a front row seat for the Barty interview. Hermione brought fresh Veritaserum from a batch which she had personally tested. Throwing any caution regarding Barty's health to the winds, Shacklebolt gave him close to a triple dose of Veritaserum, earning dirty looks from both Doctor White and Madam Bones. Doctor Sprout was notably absent.

Shacklebolt had a predatory smile and stride as he told Barty "it's the real Veritaserum, this time. We know how you avoided it last time. I showed you the major pieces of Thicknesse, so there's nobody left for you to protect. Now then, who was 'The Leader' who was Thicknesse's boss, and coordinated the activities of your group with Bruce Montaigne and his Grindelwald organization?'

"Thicknesse and I both spoke to Adrienne Celine. She was Bruce's girlfriend. She gave Thicknesse some money and introduced him to the Stowe family, who were of some help to us. I certainly wouldn't call her Thicknesse's boss. She was just a go-between. Mrs. Parkinson also carried some messages to us that the partially resurrected spirit of Voldemort passed to her daughter, Pansy. We never really trusted either Adrienne or Mrs. Parkinson. We were happy to lend some muscle to Bruce, when Adrienne or Mrs. Parkinson asked us to. They always paid well and I didn't object to embarrassing you and Weasley. I was angry when Rowle was killed. He was a good man and Adrienne had assured us that she had inside information and had picked a completely safe time for the attack. We stupidly believed her, because her information on the timing of the first bombings was accurate; we got in and out with no difficulty. We lost a lot of our remaining fighters in that last Diagon Alley attack. Adrienne knew better than to visit me after that. I would have killed her. Thicknesse was a bit more trusting. He talked to her once after that, but I convinced him not to act on her information."

"What information was that?"

"She told him that the Ministry was understaffed and that we had a chance to bust out the Montaignes from the house where the Ministry was holding them. I thought it rich that they were stashed at the old Potter house. Thicknesse wanted to oblige her, in honor of Voldemort, but I convinced him to just pass the information along to the Goblins. They had a lot more bodies than we did. I hear the house was very well defended. We would have been slaughtered. When Thicknesse didn't order that attack, she never contacted him again."

"I understand that both Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy visited Thicknesse at his hideout near Cardiff."

"I wasn't there. I would have killed them. Thicknesse was too forgiving, what he called 'being practical in the parlous circumstances in which we now find ourselves'. I understood the need for some alliances that I would have opposed in the old days. I certainly wouldn't have minded making deals with the Stowes, but making deals with the Malfoy traitors was too much, and I told Thicknesse that. Of course, he ignored me, which is likely one of the reasons he's dead. He told me he had no choice in the matter."

"Do you know what kind of deal Thicknesse made with the Malfoys?"

"Lucius and Thicknesse were going to cooperate on a business deal that would allow them to each make what Thicknesse described as 'more wealth than you can imagine' from the Muggles. He said we needed the money to hire fighters until we could recruit more loyal Death Eaters. It's been difficult of late.

"Narcissa visited Thicknesse and told him not to trust Lucius. She claimed to have a message for him from Voldemort and provided secret information that she wasn't allowed to know during her Death Eater days. Thicknesse decided that she was genuine and that Voldemort's spirit inhabited a bit of her mind. She told Thicknesse that she had copies of most of Lucius's business records and could prove that he planned to double cross us. She promised us a better deal if we would leave Draco and her alone. She claimed that Voldemort had accepted the deal and that she was passing along his orders to agree to it.

"Thicknesse had doubts about Lucius, and these just made him more suspicious. He told Lucius that if he expected the help of the Death Eaters to carry out his plans, then he had to prove his loyalty. Thicknesse said he had to hand over Narcissa and participate in a plot to kidnap Potter. The fool agreed, although he didn't seem at all happy about it. I think you know the rest."

"What role did Doctor Sprout have in your organization?"

"Almost none. He was a Grindelwald supporter. He carried messages to Thicknesse or me, when Adrienne or the Parkinson woman felt they were being watched. As a doctor, it was easy for him to go calling on patients and make a little side trip. He also supplied us with some potions. That's where we got our Polyjuice. Neither of us saw him later than a few weeks after your side won the election. He was very upset. I think he actually expected to win. He was convinced that he would lose his job and possibly go to prison. He wanted our help to disappear. He wasn't enough use to us to help him escape. We never really trusted him."

"Has Madam Bones helped your organization?" Madam Bones shot bolt upright and opened her mouth to object, but no words escaped her lips. Barty seemed quite surprised.

"No, why would she help us? She's on your side."

"She's the one who substituted the water for the Veritaserum, which I tried to give you the last time we talked. She has also prevented me from using Veritaserum on you prior to now."

"I thought it was a trick question, with her sitting right over there. I never spoke to her as an ally. I know she was part of the Ministry when Thicknesse was in charge. Then Thicknesse had her captured and, umm, questioned. I didn't see or hear of her from the second week after Thicknesse took over until a few weeks after you defeated us. Then, she was being welcomed back as a member of your team. Perhaps she was Thicknesse's secret contact or perhaps she worked for Bruce. I can't help you."

"With you captured and Thicknesse dead, and since we just killed Voldemort's ghost, who's in charge of the Death Eaters?"

"I am. I'm the senior remaining Death Eater. I should have been in charge before. Thicknesse lacked the courage to boldly pursue our cause. There was still hope that we could unseat you, but Thicknesse was always 'caution, caution, now is not the right time, Weasley and the upstart Potter will fail if we just give them a little time, will I never teach you patience, blah, blah, blah, until my head was close to splitting."

"How can you be the leader of the Death Eaters if we've got you in jail?"

"Escaped before, didn't I? Gringotts can't be worse than Azkaban. I've faced Dementors, a little dragon isn't going to defeat me. I promise you that I will fight you again."

"Until you manage to escape, who is in charge of the remaining Death Eaters?"

"I don't know, there's hardly anyone left, is there? I guess it must be Delores Umbridge, which shows you what we've sunk to."

"Delores Umbridge died at Hogwarts. She was injured the day after the Battle of Hogwarts and died about a week later."

"Ha! So we did pull one over on you. Delores was given the Draught of the Living Death and some other things by a friendly auror. Dr. Sprout prepared the potion for us. It was just about the only thing he got right, although we had to pay him quite well for it. The auror was supposed to dispose of the body, but he brought it to Umbridge's old house. I was there when she revived several days later. I never liked her at all - she always thought she outranked me in the Death Eaters, which was a complete lie. I had to care for her for a week, administering secret potions to revive and strengthen her. I had better weeks when I was in Azkaban."

"When did you last see Delores?"

"She was at the last meeting that I had with Thicknesse, about a week before you captured me. I nearly killed her. She was telling Thicknesse what to do. He wanted to leave for Australia and she said he could flee when she told him so, and that would be after the fight was lost beyond hope. I told her I was going to use the Cruciatus on her if she ever talked to Thicknesse or me like that again. Thicknesse just shot me a look and told me to mind my manners."

"Do you know where Delores hangs out?"

"Not a clue and she normally uses Polyjuice. She appeared as herself at that meeting so that we would recognize her. Both Thicknesse and I were on the juice."

"What is the name of the auror who helped Delores Umbridge escape?"

"Something or other McCarron."

Shacklebolt turned to us, saying "that is indeed the auror that I sent to revive Umbridge, but he has since been thoroughly vetted. I don't understand." Shacklebolt pulled out his phone and ordered McCarron's arrest. To the rest of us, he said "I have no more questions. Does anyone else want a go at young Barty?"

"I do," Hermione said, after raising her hand. Shacklebolt nodded for her to proceed.

"Is Barnabas Cuffe part of your Death Eater organization?"

"No."

"Has he helped the Death Eaters?"

"He gave us good press and allowed Thicknesse to write an article sometimes. Frakes would just sign the column as his own. Barnabas shared some of our views and I think he was afraid of us, but mainly Malfoy paid him to be nice."

"Is Marcus Zabini a supporter of the Death Eaters?"

"He strutted around as if he was, when we were in power, but he basically wanted to feel a lot braver than he was. He was not a 'friend' whom you'd ever tell anything halfway important. He enjoyed doing little favors for Thicknesse to feel important, but Thicky just laughed at him behind his back."

"That's all I've got," Hermione told Shacklebolt.

Shacklebolt gave a curt order to one of the aurors and Barty was led back to his cell. As soon as Barty was gone, Madam Bones launched herself at Shacklebolt, shouting "that was an outrageous question to ask!"

"I thought you'd be happy that I cleared you," Shacklebolt replied.

Madam Bones was still red in the face as she sat back down. A few seconds later, she had collected herself enough to observe "Barty certainly seemed very talkative. I didn't think that was the standard effect of a triple dose of Veritaserum."

"Some people become giddier and more loose-tongued than others. I'll admit that Hermione added a few extra ingredients to the potion to smooth things along. I remembered from the old days, however, that Barty, Junior, was not noted for his abilities of self-control. We just helped him along a little, in case he had improved his training as he aged."

"He might have died!"

"He still might. Will you really feel a great loss if he does? In truth, I don't quite know what to do with him, until I have a bit more faith in Azkaban. The last three prisoners we sent there haven't escaped and the dementors seem to be doing an adequate job of tormenting them, but I wouldn't call them important prisoners."

"I know we've supposedly put past disputes behind us, but I still find your attitude to be deplorable, Kingsley."

"Why, because I'm not overly protective of young Barty, when I find him in my custody charged with new crimes after he's already been convicted twice and twice shipped off to Azkaban on life sentences, only to return yet again? Your big argument was that it was now nicey-nice time, because the battles were over. But now we know, and we would have known a lot sooner without your interference, that our old friend Delores Umbridge is back and seems to be in charge. She may even be Madam Big, if Thicknesse really was taking orders from her. I believe you worked with Umbridge as well as Thicknesse."

"You know full well that I did. That doesn't mean that I ever approved of the Witch. I can't help but think all your chest beating and accusations against me are a cover for the undeniable fact that you assigned the auror who allowed her to escape Hogwarts and that this auror still works in your department. Now, which of us is going to deliver this bad news to the Minister?"

"We will," Harry replied.

{I don't think we'll be seeing your father in a good mood after I tell him this, but I'd just as soon get away from this particular squabble.}

The five of us hustled over to Dad's office. I expected to see an auror at the outer desk, but Prudence was still in place. "We've got news," is all that Harry said and Prudence waved us right in.

"It's good to see you again Harry, as well as two of my children. How did the second Barty interview go?"

"It was mainly confirmation of things we already knew, but then at the end he identified Mr. Big as Delores Umbridge. She's still alive. Barty saw her a couple weeks ago. One of the aurors, Angus McCarron, faked her death using a potion he got from Dr. Sprout and something else, that he didn't identify. Dr. Sprout had been doing minor errands for Thicknesse and Barty, like carrying messages. Both Adrienne and Narcissa had contact with Thicknesse. Thicknesse was on to Adrienne's tricks at the end, but Narcissa turned him against Lucius and disrupted a budding alliance. She did seem to have something of the ghost in her head – she established her reliability by relaying a message from the ghost, with information that Narcissa couldn't have known herself. We're here because we fled a fairly intense squabble between Shacklebolt and Madam Bones."

"That is all very troubling news. I wouldn't have picked Umbridge as Madam Big, even if I knew she was alive. That is very unsettling. I can really think of only one source of power that would enable her to be Madam Big, and that means her network of allies at the Ministry must still be functioning. I fired or sidelined many of her key people when I became Minister. It appears that Shacklebolt is not the only person with problems in his shop. I feel very inadequate. My aide belongs to McGonagall's organization and now I find Umbridge's network is still operating. "

"That's not necessarily the case, Sir."

"No? I can't imagine what else Delores had to offer Thicknesse. If he had Sprout and Narcissa carrying messages for him, I don't know why else he would need or defer to Delores. We'll just have to catch her again, also, I guess. The need for so many repeat catches is extremely annoying. It militates against Madam Bones' argument for so much leniency and over-protection of the rights of captured Death Eaters. Given knowledge of yet another escape, I feel even less bad about Ron killing Rowle. Which brings me to what we are to do with the Parkinsons. With just the barest hint that the Voldemort ghost influenced Pansy as it did Narcissa, Madam Bones would like me to endorse a very mild sentence for her."

"Percy researched the situation for me, and I freely admit that this should not be a determinant in deciding upon a fair plea offer, but if she doesn't get at least a year in prison, Draco can't get his divorce. There is of course, the bigger issue that she tried to kidnap me in a plot that nearly resulted in the torture death of Hermione. The strongest mitigating argument is that Professor McGonagall's gang tried to push the plot along and that it might not have taken place without that encouragement. From a practical standpoint, lenient treatment for Pansy may be the route to getting testimony to convict the Stowes and possibly Doctor Sprout."

"Yes, those are also arguments that Madam Bones has used to sway Shacklebolt and me."

"What sort of sentence is she angling for? McGonagall mentioned that she'd like to have Pansy back after Christmas break, but backed off when Neville told her that would surely drive the Malfoys away."

"That is indeed a strange congruency. Madam Bones talked about three months, counting time served, along with a monitoring of her activities for a year. When Shacklebolt scoffed, she said that such a deal would also include a five year probationary period that has her serve the rest of the six years, which I believe we agreed upon, in exchange for the information that she and her mother provided, if she reverts to bad behavior. Also, in return for such a light sentence, the mother would agree to a two year prison term, plus six years' probation. She said both sentences would be conditional upon testimony against the Stowes. We could add testimony against Sprout to the deal."

"Unless there is some actual evidence that the ghost, rather than her love for Lucius, led Pansy astray, we could also add a full year in prison for Pansy to the deal. I don't think it will be easy to catch Umbridge, unless she tries to put in another appearance at Hogwarts."

"I'm sure she'll just flee Britain. That would certainly be the smartest thing to do."

"I'm not so sure. She ordered Thicknesse to stay until the battle was absolutely lost. I think Thicknesse was all for heading to Australia. Of course, killing Thicknesse and capturing Barty may make the battle lost, from Umbridge's standpoint. Barty basically said she was in charge, because nobody else was left. Killing the ghost doesn't hurt, either."

"If Umbridge does stay to continue the fight, I think I'll have a better chance of catching her than Shacklebolt or you and your fellow students. Her strength is her Ministry contacts and that forces her onto my home turf. If you'll let me have some of Percy's time for a while, he could be very helpful in staking out the mid-level Ministry people whom Delores might contact. Why don't we swap Percy and Wood for a few months?"

"Umm, fine. I'll make a note to be down to breakfast very early to let Percy know that he's been traded. With that, we had best be off to bed. It's been another very long day, and after we meet Percy tomorrow, I need to stop by the Gringotts' Cavern, prior to your meeting. I'll be there by 9:00 A.M."

"That's fine, Harry. I'll see you and your friends in my conference room at that time. Good night."

The next morning we entered the commissary at least an hour earlier than I would have liked, but it was none too soon, as Percy and his breakfast companions were just drinking the last of their coffee. I was not surprised to see Callista breakfasting with the group. The Ministry workers with whom Percy breakfasted were mainly Dad's age. The Daily Prophet was open on the table, showing the whole front page. I saw the headlines:

**POTTER KILLS THICKNESSE – MINISTRY MUM **

**SHOULD THE DEPUTY BE MINISTER? **

**RUMORS OF HUNT FOR TERRORIST MASTERMIND**

Percy was happy to introduce his friends to the Deputy Minister. There was Niles in payroll, another Percy who was a clerk in Madam Bones' office, Charles who kept the floo network running, Oliver who inspected shops in Diagon Alley, Wendell who reviewed the Gringotts' accounts to assure they weren't cheating on their taxes, Morris who worked in Muggle affairs, Mortimer who was in an office devoted to youth – both Hogwarts regulations and underage magic, and the much younger Ivor who was a recent hire in the Auror corps to replace one of the baddies who had been killed.

They all decided to get another cup of coffee and turn our breakfast into a semi-working meeting. Harry received a caution that the floo network was likely to break down if more attention wasn't given to it – read funding - , that McGonagall had requested approval for more new texts and curricula this term than Dumbledore had in the prior two decades, that there was a difficult case with a Spencer child who had been denied Hogwarts admission as a squib but had now committed an act of underage magic inside a Muggle store, that the Aurors were pressed to the breaking point because of the prolonged 24/7 calls and not being back to full staff, that Gringotts' had sent over an impossibly large stack of new rules and procedures relating to accounting for loans, and that the merchants in Diagon Alley had taken to wondering why the merchants in Hogsmeade were not subject to similar inspections.

Harry said he would look into all of this and also noted his surprise that the Muggle affairs office wasn't asking for any assistance. Morris said that he didn't want to overburden Harry, who was obviously occupied by a lot of matters, as Percy had explained, but now that Harry had raised the issue that there was a pressing need for some form of official contacts with Muggle police and local officials below the level of Harry or Dad simply phoning or dropping in on the Muggle Prime Minister. Harry said that this made a lot of sense to him, but that he would have to find out from the Muggle PM whom among his lower level officials could be trusted with knowledge of our existence.

Harry turned to Percy, saying "I hope that you took good mental notes of everything that I promised to look into. Please write it up, before our meeting with your Dad, so that Wood can look into it." As Percy got a slightly crestfallen look, Harry continued "because the reason I came to breakfast so early is to tell you that I've been asked to trade you to the Minister for Wood. Your father has a special assignment that requires your particular skills over the next several months."

Percy was restored to good cheer and promised to bring Wood up to speed on everything that was going on in Harry's office. It was now Callista who looked a little crestfallen. Harry noticed and told her "don't worry, this is only very temporary. I'd trade you for Prudence in the interim, but you know Prudence is a spy." That got a laugh around the table, but I couldn't help sharing my displeasure.

{{Do you really think it wise to tell a table full of mid-level Ministry employees that the Minister's assistant is a spy?}}

{[chagrined] probably a rash thing to do. It's early in the day and that was the first thing that came to my mind to cheer up Callista. Finish your eggs, we have to get over to Gringotts.}


	23. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23 – SOME CHANGES AT THE MINISTRY**

As we got into the rail car with Barb and Bill, Barb said in some agitation that she must speak to us. When Harry said 'okay', Barb quickly unloaded what was troubling her.

"I don't mind if Bill hears this. Partners have very few secrets. I heard what you said about Prudence. That got me worried. I hope you don't think of me as a spy, since you announced and Professor McGonagall confirmed that I'm a member of her Sisterhood. I'm really more of a social member, keeping up with old professors and school chums and giving and receiving career guidance and advancement leads. That's how I first learned of an opening in the Auror Corps. Anyway, I want to assure you that if I don't reveal the things that you and your friends talk about to Director Shacklebolt, I most certainly don't pass them on to the Sisterhood. That would be very unethical for a protection auror. I take my job more seriously than membership in the Sisterhood. I also wouldn't tip off McGonagall on any conspiracy theories that you discuss or operations that you go off on. I know you keep her very well informed on your own. If anything, I think you tell her more than you should. So, what I have to ask is - do you still trust me?"

"Of course I do, Barb. You've never given me any reason to doubt your loyalty. I also doubt that Prudence has betrayed the Minister, but I don't have as close a relationship with her as Arthur does, so I couldn't be as certain of her discretion as he is. I must admit that I'm pleased that McGonagall has not succeeded in recruiting Callista."

Professor Henkle was supervising the current shift of workers. He told us that Draco and Erin would be back for the day shift, starting at 10:00 A.M. We inspected the mounting of the two tourmalines into the lodestone. The work was virtually complete. One of the tourmalines had been silvered into position and the socket for the second crystal seemed within a half a day of completion. Harry was very pleased with the work and pointed to the pile of dust and chips that the workers had saved for me.

"It looks like we'll be ready to install the silver wires between the tourmalines by tonight," Harry observed. "Really good work, everyone. I'm sorry we skipped out on you, but we stumbled across Thicknesse and that left a lot to be dealt with. In fact, I have just half an hour before we have to get back to a meeting with the Minister."

Ron and Hermione had also come to check on the progress of the work, so they headed right to the ladders, while we chatted with the professor and a couple of the students. Fenton chattered happily with Harry, describing all of the work that we had missed. He was seeming a lot more confident than when the project began. We were still chatting away, when Hermione rejoined us, saying we had better get a move on or we would be late for the meeting with Dad.

We made it back to the conference room with several minutes to spare, which for a meeting with the Minister apparently counted as late. I saw Dad, Mom, Shacklebolt, Wood, Madame Bones, Professor McGonagall, Professor Celine, Prudence, Percy, Dr. White, Neville, Xenophilius and Luna Lovegood, George, my brother Bill, Ernie, Lee Jordan, Cissy, Professor Trelawney, and an older Wizard and Witch, whom I recognized from the Wizengamot, but whose names I don't know. Harry identified the Wizard as Ebenezer Gant, the leader of the friendlies in the Wizengamot, and the Witch as Katie Greene, the most senior of the Witches in the Wizengamot who were friendly to the administration. Harry had just finished introducing me to the two Wizengamot members, when I saw Mr. Harping sneak in with barely a second to spare. I recognized him as a member of Madam Bones' committee to investigate the assassination attempt on Shacklebolt.

Dad seemed to have been waiting either for the exact stroke of 9:00 or Mr. Harping's arrival to start the meeting, because he began speaking as soon as Mr. Harping's ample bottom contacted the seat of his chair.

"I've invited the press to the first part of this internal meeting, because I want to introduce some new members of my cabinet and to clarify and expand the duties of some other members of my administration.

"First, I welcome Professor Minerva McGonagall, who will be responsible for all matters relating to under-aged Wizards, including the education of those children whom are home schooled, and any allegations of the unlawful under-aged use of magic. She will also oversee the child welfare office.

"The next addition to my cabinet is Professor Adrienne Celine. She will be responsible for cultural affairs and will assist in making the arts and literature available to adult Wizards as well as assisting Professor McGonagall in incorporating the arts and writing into the Hogwarts curriculum. She will also be responsible for the museum and library at the Ministry. I have another assignment for her that I will be announcing in a few months' time.

"The next addition to my cabinet is Hermione Granger, who will be responsible for guiding our relations with the other magical species. I recently appointed a committee to work with the other magical species to ensure that the current Covenant is enforced and to agree upon modifications. I am now appointing Hermione as the chair of that committee. She will also oversee the establishment of the new Goblin and Elf sanctuaries and coordinate with the German Ministry to oversee the Giant's sanctuary. She will be my representative to the Wizards of Eire as we move to set up a sanctuary for the few remaining Leprechauns.

"I have decided to spell out a specific area of responsibility for the Deputy Minister. He will be responsible for law enforcement and security. Directors Shacklebolt and Bones will report to him.

"He will continue to serve on the Covenant committee and on the board that oversees the Young Wizards' Loan Agency, but I am appointing Lee Jordan as the chairman of that board. I have decided to assume personal responsibility for modernizing and increasing the efficiency of the Ministry and speeding economic development. For that reason, I am transferring my son Percy from Harry's staff to my own. My assistant, Mr. Wood will work with Harry to continue the vetting of the Auror Corps and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and recommend to me any laws which need revision. I am displeased by recent squabbles between the Auror Corps and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and have tasked the Deputy Minister to resolve this problem.

"Last night I accepted the resignation of Doctor Sprout from his position as Director of St. Mungo's. Doctor White will replace him. I have charged Dr. White with completing the clean-up of what has been described as the 'squib problem'. I have also tasked him with developing rules for the use of confunding by St. Mungo's staff, a proposed regulation to handle the use of confunding by persons outside St. Mungo's, and guidelines for the appropriate treatment of illnesses of the mind. It is my understanding that Doctor Sprout will continue to work at St. Mungo's.

"Cissy Montaigne and Hermione Grainger are both major investors in the Young Wizard's Loan Agency, and will serve on its board. Cissy's practical experience in preparing Muggle financial statements and tax returns for the Montaigne family estates, and Hermione's studies of Muggle economics and finance will give useful additional resources to the board. Gringotts' Bank has also purchased a significant number of shares. They have named my son Bill as their representative to the board. Abigail Moore will be the Wizengamot representative on that board and its final member will be Wendell Zabini, who has the responsibility of auditing Gringotts' records on behalf of the Ministry.

Finally, I'm also assigning my assistant Prudence responsibility for press relations: she should be your first stop if you have requests for information from this administration.

"I think you'll all agree that this is enough change for one day. I apologize, but I won't be able to answer questions from the press until tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure you both have a lot of questions about the raid on Thicknesse's hideout, but we are still interviewing those whom we arrested, and searching the house for evidence. I may be able to take questions on that subject tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for attending my announcement of this little reorganization."

The press got the hint that they had been dismissed and after some grumbling and attempts to ask questions of those whose new duties had just been spelled out, departed.

Dad announced to the group "coffee, tea and cookies are on the way. Here they come now. I want to meet briefly with Harry, Kingsley, and Amelia in Harry's office. The rest of you should enjoy the refreshments and scratch out your thoughts on what you want to say to the press tomorrow afternoon. Prudence will review your efforts. She has paper and pens, if anyone failed to come prepared."

Dad led Harry away. I grabbed a big mug of coffee and a handful of chocolate chip cookies and moved into the seat, which Dad had just vacated, next to Mom. "Dad seems really upset about Madam Bones and Shacklebolt. It seems like he feels Harry has a better chance of to clean up the squabbles among his elders, than Dad does himself. It would be much easier for Harry to run his department if Dad settled things with his old comrades. It's like Dad's unwilling to speak harshly to or fire any of his old friends and now my Harry has to do the dirty work again, as he did with McGonagall. Have you been able to provide any counsel to Dad, and is he listening to you? He seemed to be really losing it before we found Barty and Thicknesse, but after that I thought he seemed a lot more relaxed. Even my weird moments didn't seem to bother him quite as much."

"Your father does have a problem with excessive loyalty toward those with whom he fought the Death Eaters. That's not entirely unfair or a bad thing. He knows both how much that battle stressed and warped its participants and how much the old Order hierarchy is frozen deep inside their minds. This will be a big test for Harry. But what does it really mean to run his department, if it doesn't include making sure his staff gets along and works together in the direction he sets.

"Yes, I was very worried. Your Dad had almost completely shut me out of his thoughts and worries about his work. I think he felt he was protecting me, but he also is far closer to and dependent upon Shacklebolt than the rest of you realize, and their frustrations just built upon each other's. It seems they had each convinced themselves that the failure to catch Barty and Thicknesse doomed the administration and that they had failed the rest of us. Your father also has a great deal of respect and fondness for Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall, and although they never raised their issues openly, I'm sure your father sensed something was not right. He's quite perceptive of the feelings of others. McGonagall does have a point about inclusion of Witches. Arthur tried – he really rushed Madam Bones back to work at Professor McGonagall's prodding and blames himself for her problems – too much responsibility, before her mind had calmed. She really did go through almost as much as Neville's parents did at the hands of the Death Eaters. She is deserving of some kindness and forgiveness.

"Your father is also conflicted. Now that everything is out in the open, he feels that his old allies have, in a way, betrayed him. I think what disturbed him most is that they could have been that upset and gone all this time without really speaking about it. Your father does not react at all well to what Mrs. Granger calls passive-aggressive, or in this case really covert-very-aggressive, behavior.

"The timing was very bad and that magnified the impact on your father. At what should have been a time of great celebration and release of tension after the death of Thicknesse, they were hit with the realization that they had not been our virtually unanimous choice to head up the new government, as they had sincerely believed themselves to be. They are both very proud and honorable men and that realization almost broke them. It came as a total surprise to Arthur both how bitter Professor McGonagall was about having Shacklebolt forced upon us and how far she and her group had gone to oppose him. Of course he knew about the feuding between Madam Bones and Shacklebolt, but had no idea it was nearly as nasty or disruptive as it has been. He thinks Madam Bones betrayed them and Professor McGonagall crossed over the line. He and Shacklebolt were torn between extreme anger at what Madam Bones had done and profound guilt over what they themselves had done.

"They were wallowing in pity during much of our three-way meeting and I had to work at rebuilding their self-image before I could even talk logically to them. Harry really wouldn't have enjoyed being present for that session, and wouldn't have helped it. Anyway, they were well on the road to convincing themselves that, despite the death of Thicknesse and all the accomplishments of this administration, that they were both failures and usurpers. At first I listed all the good things they had done and to many of them they responded 'but that was Harry'. I shifted to talking only about things that very clearly were not Harry. There were a lot of those things. I left them on a much more even emotional plane.

"Your father and I talked a lot more after we were by ourselves. I told him that I was very proud of him and that he was the bravest, best and most honest Wizard I knew, but that if he had one fatal flaw it was the way he idolized Shacklebolt and blinded himself to the man's flaws. I told him that I regarded Shacklebolt as a great Wizard, who had done much for the Order, but that I saw he couldn't match Arthur's character, hadn't been able to capture the respect of the community, and wasn't a very good manager. I convinced him that Shacklebolt managed largely on emotion and was very easily tricked by those he liked and respected. He has had a terrible time turning around the Auror Corps.

"I reminded him that there was just something about Kingsley that many Witches found to be very off-putting, and that it was not at all surprising that he had never married. Before you ask… yes, Kingsley is inclined towards Witches and has had several brief relationships. He just doesn't do very well at that sort of thing. As we talked, Arthur realized that he had done quite well as Minister and that he had to take charge now and make the necessary changes. Hearing how Shacklebolt had challenged Madam Bones during the interviewing of Barty, after they had each promised him that they would work together and get along, just fixed Arthur's view that he must act.

"Another problem that your father has, and he agreed that this is part of his difficulty in dealing with Shacklebolt, is that he has problems being negative and reprimanding old friends from the order. Back in the heyday of the Order, your father was very brave and diligent, but frankly a little meek. He was a little too used to taking orders from and being in awe of Dumbledore, and being a little intimidated by Snape, to be comfortable ordering about other Order members. I wouldn't have said Shacklebolt was really a leader within the Order, but he was always an out-sized personality, whom your father gravitated toward.

"I guess this is a long way of explaining why your husband is now managing Shacklebolt and Madam Bones. Arthur sees this as solving a lot of problems. Harry wants a clearly defined role that gives him some actual authority. Arthur believes he has earned it and that he promised as much when he pleaded with Harry to run for Deputy. He thinks this also solves the issue that Madam Bones raised about the illegitimacy of the actions taken by your circle. It is hard for Arthur to shunt Professor McGonagall's adventuring to the sidelines, while not shutting down Harry's not officially sanctioned, at least publicly, activities. Your father also fears that either Shacklebolt or Madam Bones will need to be relieved of their duties, unless they respond quickly to some close, tough, direct management. He feels that he is too close to them, himself, to accomplish this, but that Harry doesn't have much of an attachment to either and can possibly pull it off.

"It will be tougher with Harry spending time away from the Ministry at Hogwarts and in Eire, but Arthur is also hoping that just the shock of this change will cause both Kingsley and Amelia to take a second look at their behavior. I realize this isn't completely fair to Harry, but I also thought it a good test for him. He hasn't had to try to lead and manage two such strong personalities, who are much older than him. I realize he hasn't expressed an interest in running for Minister, but it is the natural progression for a young Deputy. I recommended the change to Arthur, as much to provide a good test for Harry as to help Arthur get some mental separation from his problems. The move also forces Arthur to get some more separation from Kingsley, which is a good thing, if this is really to be the Weasley administration. It also allows Arthur to focus on remaking the non-security part of the Ministry and getting close enough to the daily action to sense if Umbridge is making contacts. Percy will help him a lot in that mission. I'm sorry to separate Harry and Percy, but I just felt that Arthur's relationship with our son had improved sufficiently to take this next step. Yes, that was largely my idea, but Arthur agrees whole-heartedly."

"It's good to have you back in the loop, Mom. I think part of Dad's disorientation was removing himself from your advice. What is your relationship with McGonagall? Can you help to bring her back onto Dad's team?"

"We talk a fair amount. I think she appreciated my efforts to console her and patch things up, when she failed to win her declaration of solidarity after Draco's fight with Harry. As you've learned, the feud with you and Harry was at least partly for show, but I'm convinced it was at least partly real. What was entirely real was her expectation and need for her faculty to link arms around her in solidarity for her defense of Hogwarts. She felt very diminished and unappreciated when that didn't happen. She really has to work on getting past the bitterness that she feels toward Shacklebolt. I think she will be able to work fine with Harry and your father. I think that Minerva is the most ambitious person whom I know. She's very possibly also the most intelligent.

"I fully understand why she feels that Witches have been shunted to the side in forming the new government, and I almost totally sympathize with her feelings. I believe I have convinced her that the slight inflicted upon her was, at least in Arthur's case, entirely unintended. I also think I have convinced her that she can never control Harry, although she can work with him very productively and he will accept a certain measure of tutelage and guidance from her, if she is not heavy handed about it. I know she sincerely wants to be a friend of you, Hermione, and Cissy and that she wants each of you to take a significant role in our future."

I realized that I had been following Mom with such rapt attention that I hadn't even taken a bite out of my chipsters. As Mom took a breather to drink some coffee, I devoured my cookies. When my mouth was again empty enough to speak, I told her, "I'm very glad that we were able to have this talk. I'll try to help Harry if he struggles with his new assignment. Hermione and I have the advantage that we will be able to tell if Madame Bones or Shacklebolt is lying to Harry."

"That's good, dear. I hope you will also help me support your father. He'll need it as much as Harry. I hope Harry gets along with Wood as well as he did with Percy. I thought that Wood's prior experience with the aurors would help Harry more than Percy's Ministry contacts. Frankly, I wanted to separate Percy and Callista, before there was too much talk around the Ministry. Apparently Ron and Hermione sharing a room at the Ministry was a matter of great discussion and speculation. Many middle-class Wizards of my generation are very conservative in such matters. I'm glad you and Harry are married. My generation will take you both more seriously, because of that."

"I'd be happy to support Dad, but I seem to have trouble getting along with him, lately."

"Keep trying. That's not a reason to see less of him. He's been stressed and worried. Your silly, flippant side would be funnier and more endearing if you weren't risking your life so much. All of the adventures that you and Harry get involved in make your father want to see you being more sober, careful, and obviously under control, which he equates with safe. Silly and flippant to him means not careful enough to be safe.

"It's always difficult to be the youngest child, and when you're also the only girl, that makes it that much tougher. Your father was used to raising sons and is too old to be greatly adaptable, especially under stress. He loves you very much and spends a lot of time worrying about your safety."

"I know that, Mom, but that isn't much guidance in how to act around him."

"Just be yourself, but try to spend more time with him, and he'll become more comfortable with the grown up you."

Harry, Dad, and the others returned to the conference room and we got the meeting underway. They seemed to be getting along alright. I was studying their faces for clues, when it suddenly dawned on me that I was in Dad's chair. As he approached me, I hurriedly rose and brushed away my cookie crumbs. "I was just talking to Mom," I said by way of apology, as I grabbed some more coffee and headed to my own chair, next to Harry.

{{So, how did your meeting go?}}

{Reasonably well. I've got the job I always wanted, but…}

The whisper was interrupted, as Harry sprang back to attention, with the realization that Dad had started talking. It began as largely a pep talk for those working in the administration, which didn't include me. My attention wandered a bit and only certain phrases stuck in my mind - "your efforts will be more important than mine….lots of work to do…..still difficult times…..expectations are high…..making change actually happen is tough slogging….broaden our inner circle…pull in one direction…don't want to be a dictator….I need your help…."

Then I was jolted to attention as I heard "…Delores Umbridge. Yes, I have good evidence that she is still alive and determined to overthrow this administration. The search for her must extend beyond Harry's departments: she will try to infiltrate the middle and lower levels of this Ministry. You must all be vigilant in searching for signs of her intrusion. I will lead the search within the Ministry, as I proceed with my efforts to modernize the Ministry and increase efficiency. I'm sure that where ever we begin to show the greatest successes, she will appear to try to work her sabotage. Don't underestimate this Witch. When we searched her office, we found bombs. She will kill you, if you give her the chance. She may look harmless, but you are well advised to pull your wand at the first hint of her presence. Use a stun curse, before you say a word to her. I needn't tell you that this information must remain strictly confidential for now. Our best chance at catching her will come before she realizes that we know she is alive. That gives us very little time. In two days, we have to announce the arrest of the auror who allowed her to escape.

"I want everyone to work from now until lunch to do a quick analysis of the department or committee for which you're responsible. List what you see as the strengths, weaknesses to be worked on, areas that you need to explore and learn more about, other departments or individuals that your department or committee needs to work with more effectively, and any items that can be part of a short list of priority items for the Ministry as a whole over the next year. After lunch, we'll develop the list of priority Ministry objectives and refine what we each want to say at the press conference, which is scheduled for 4:30. Dinner is for everyone and is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. here. In the evening, I want to talk about what Ministry employees and those serving on committees can do to reduce the stress upon their families that their work and hours can cause. I also want the family members to discuss how they can help ease the stress on the Ministry employees. Okay, let's get to work."

"I also want to issue to each of you an invitation to the first 'Progressive Party' Congress in two weeks' time - purely optional, I don't want to mix politics with the running of the Ministry. You are the best people for the positions you hold, whether or not you and I belong to the same political party."

I told Harry that I was going to go back to the Cavern and would see him for dinner, since the meeting really didn't involve me. Harry suggested I look in on Draco back at the Gringotts cavern. Since Harry and I had conversed aloud, although in a whisper, Ron overheard me and said he would join me. Seeing us leaving, Luna decided to join us. Surprisingly, it seemed as though Dad gave me a look, which suggested he might not be pleased that I was leaving, but then quickly turned away and said something to McGonagall. I thought Dad had just been concerned about my stealing the Minister's chair. I had committed myself and caused Ron to follow me, so since Dad hadn't given a clear objection, I departed.

Draco was in the Cavern when we arrived. He and Erin seemed to be getting along really well. They were just standing there, waiting to begin work, but Erin's right shoulder and hip were pressed against Draco and his head was leaning in toward her. He said he was feeling much better and was ready to work a full shift.

The second tourmaline had been silvered in place and it was time to connect the tourmalines with the lattice of silver threads. The crucible of silver was already atop the lodestone and I saw that there were now six ladders. Goblex, who was the shift leader, decided that four Goblins, Luna, and Erin would heat the silver, then they would climb down the ladders and two Goblins would scoop silver from the crucible, Draco and I would elongate it into threads, while Ron and Goblex would set up the harmonic that would weave the lattice.

Since the silver froze quickly, this whole process took less than ten minutes, but was very nerve wracking. It started with the silver being drawn out at eight different elevations, meaning I had to thin out a half pound of molten silver into a uniform thread, making sure the thread was spooled out at an even rate and levitated around the circle, so that the heights at any point around the circle did not vary by more than a half inch. This was not too bad on the first ring that I started, but each successive ring was higher and higher and other than the first ring, the spinner had to dodge the bouncing beads and threads of molten silver from the loop below. To contact your loop or your person with the bouncing silver from the level below the one on which you were working would both ruin the work and cause painful burns for yourself and probably other workers.

I was sweating and actively straining to keep my wand from shaking as my fourth loop was finished. I looked with pride and fascination at the final product, more than a little amazed that we had made no errors. "Well," I told Ron and Draco, "all that remains is the tuning of the circle, which I'm sure will be finished by tomorrow. If we start tuning now, I'm sure there will be some magic returning to northern England by lunch time". I was all smiles as I climbed down my ladder.

I turned around to find Mom watching me. "Nothing for you at the meeting, either?" I asked her.

"No," Mom replied. "Your father wants the three of you back at the meeting and I thought it best to come myself, rather than have him phone or dispatch aurors to bring you back."

"Why?" I asked. "There seemed nothing for us to do, until dinner."

"I think your father wanted you all, in part, to get a flavor of what the Ministry does. Beyond that, he actually did want you to be participating in the planning. He wanted all three of you to join Neville and Headmaster McGonagall and Professor Trelawney in planning for the Youth Department. I have no idea why I'm not on that committee. I think he just wants me to be generally helpful and anticipate problems, as Prudence would, if she wasn't handling press relations. He also wanted you, Luna, and Trew to work on a Light Guardian and Religion committee. I know he should have said so, but we had best return quickly."

The four of us were soon returned to Dad's reception area, which was apparently the breakout meeting area for Youth affairs. I looked at McGonagall and said "sorry to be late, we didn't realize that we were a part of this committee."

"I didn't realize that you were, either, but now I need your input rather speedily. You remember the questions that your father asked us to address. Rather than recapitulate what the rest of us have done, why don't you just quickly rattle of your answers – really, the first thing that comes to your head may be best. Why don't you start, Ginny?"

Not too much pressure. "Okay," I said. "Strengths of the education at Hogwarts are that it does a good job of integrating the Muggle-born into Wizard life, builds strong friendships, and does reasonably well at preparing us to live the sort of lives that our parents are living. Weaknesses that I see include no training for children who show no magical ability prior to Hogwarts' first year age, that only half of Wizard children go to Hogwarts, and that Slytherin House trains its boys to be nasty and its girls to be useless. What I'd like to learn more about? I guess I'd like to know what the home-schooled Wizard children actually learn and how successful they are in life, compared to those of us who go to Hogwarts. I'd also like to know what the Eire Wizarding Academy teaches. Who should the department work closer with? I'd say the Eire Wizarding Academy, parents who home-school their children, and the Minister. My points of emphasis to put into this year's Ministry goals are to decide what to do with Slytherin House and to develop an educational program for children who are thought to be squibs. Were there any other questions?"

"No, you covered it all, and very impressively. Your father was convinced that you hadn't heard what he said. I've gotten down your points that hadn't already been listed, and that was actually a fair number of them. It was perhaps a little cruel to put you on the spot, right like that, but I wanted to see how you would react. Ron, do you have anything to add?"

"On weaknesses, I think Ginny meant to add that Hogwarts doesn't really prepare us for what we will need to lead our future lives, which have got to be a lot different from our parents. I also think the structure of the school causes us to make enemies in the other houses. Another negative is that too many professors have a predetermined opinion of you, based upon whom your parents or brothers were. I guess it is a strength that the school gets us completely away from our parents and forces us to fend for ourselves. What I'd like to know is exactly what sort of future the professor's think they're preparing us for. I know that Durmstrang and Beauxbatons have very different ideas, and that the Goblin King doesn't think we graduate prepared to work at the bank or show our faces in the Muggle world. A lot of parents seem to assume that we'll just come home and work on the farm or otherwise go into whatever business they're in. That relates to my choice for a Ministry priority, which is to set objectives for what the Wizarding world expects Hogwarts to achieve. I think Hogwarts, or rather the Youth Department, needs to work closer with the people and organizations that can actually give us jobs when we graduate."

"Luna, what do you have to add?"

"A big weakness that I see is that the school doesn't do much to help the shy student or the student who is picked on by the other students or even the professors. I know I'm supposed to say that the school is a safe, insulated place where we can learn and grow up without danger, but it really wasn't that in my time at Hogwarts, so I guess that's a weakness, rather than a strength. I guess the strength for me is that I learned that I can get along without friends, but also made some excellent friends. The group that I think the school and your department need to work more closely with is the students who don't excel at a particular thing, to determine what their needs are. I think the Ministry goal for the year should be to make Hogwarts so useful and attractive that far more parents will want to send their children. I guess that's another thing I would want to learn: why do so many parents choose not to send their children to Hogwarts?'

"Those are very good questions and proposals," Professor McGonagall replied. Let me quickly review the others that we listed before your arrival. You might want to express your objection to some of them".

"For strengths, we listed: secure environment in which to learn from one's mistakes (I guess that seems a little silly), dedicated and knowledgeable faculty, meeting Wizard children from all walks of life, exposure to a broad range of magical skills, teaching how to control and responsibly use one's magical talents, teaching of common Wizard values, teaching independence, teaching ability to follow rules and instruction, teaching the ability to learn on one's own and do research, providing opportunities to learn and practice leadership, use of a tested curriculum that prepares students well to pass standard Ministry examinations, and, for some students, removing them from bad home environments and giving them the opportunity to grow. Is there anything there that you disagree with?"

"I'm not sure that many students learn how to learn on their own and to do research," Ron commented. "Of course Hermione can do that, but I think she could do that before she came to Hogwarts."

"Comment noted: that strength may not belong on the list. I'll put a question mark after it. Now, the next area is weaknesses, and we listed: students not taught how to relate to modern Muggle world or how to earn a living in the future, creativity and art missing until this term, faculty is too small to cover all necessary areas, too great a segregation into Houses, parents uninvolved in children's education, school is too subject to outside events, no education in languages, and textbooks and curriculum as well as Ministry exams need to be updated. Does anyone disagree with any of the weaknesses that we listed?"

"Okay, things we need to learn more about or understand better is the next topic, and we listed: what is taught at other Wizarding schools and how effective their curricula are compared to our own, exactly how the Ministry monitors under-age use of magic and how it identifies Muggle-born children with magical ability, what Hogwarts graduates think was missing from their education, whether the House system and Sorting Hat help or hinder the educational process, what further education is needed by Hogwarts graduates, what post-graduation life experience is required to be a Hogwarts professor, how Hogwarts professors can be more involved in research, and why Hogwarts has so few married professors. Does anyone disagree with any of these items?

"Okay, the next question is who should Hogwarts and my department work more closely with? We listed: the other Wizard schools, parents, Hogwarts graduates, those outside Hogwarts who are leaders in a particular field of magic, and the other magical species. Does anyone object to anything that we listed on this question?"

"Okay, last question: what should be Ministry priorities related to the Youth Department? We listed: define revised graduation standards and Ministry examination content, provide a procedure for selection of the headmaster, and decide whether to continue to use the Sorting Hat. Is there any objection to any of these items? Good, we are finished in time for lunch. The Minister expects Trew, Luna, and Ginny to answer these questions for the Religion and Light Guardian committee during lunch. I think Ron should join them."

"Did Dad, er, the Minister, say what he expected this committee to accomplish and what its duties, authority, and resources would be?" I asked Professor McGonagall.

"No, he just said he was interested in your best ideas."

The four of us headed off to lunch which, since we had work to do, McGonagall said would be served in Harry's ante-room. "Your food should be waiting for you. I believe you have an hour until you need to be back in the conference room. Remember to record your thoughts, especially the priority items for the Ministry. You will be expected to report back to the whole group. Good luck to you."

The food was indeed waiting for us, as was Hermione. "Since I'm chairing the Covenant committee and that relates very closely to the Light Guardian religion, I thought I'd join you. I think you were supposed to join me on the Covenant committee, Ginny, or perhaps not. Nobody else showed up, either, so I went to the Young Wizards Loan Association meeting. Of course, Harry wasn't available for that meeting, either, but Cissy and I met with the other two Board members. Your Dad was very upset that you left, but I told him that he was really confusing about assignments and I didn't really understand where I was supposed to go either, since nobody else was available from the Department I'm heading. So I put down some answers for my Department and the Covenant committee and was a little late for the Loan Association meeting.

"I think things are confused because Prudence is working on press relations instead of keeping the Minister organized. Anyhow, we need to get some things down on this committee, which is totally formless. I'm not even sure your Dad didn't make this up on the spot to provide a place where you were supposed to have gone."

We stopped the aimless chatter and started on our sandwiches and salad, as Professor Trelawney entered the room and seemed ready to start the meeting. She had a pen and a pile of paper, so we invited her to lead the meeting and record our conclusions.

Professor Trelawney had just said, "The first question is what are the positive things associated with our department or committee?" Before anyone could answer, Cissy entered the room.

"I was just about to get my lunch, when the Minister said I was supposed to be eating over here, because I missed the meeting of the group to discuss Hermione's department and the Covenant, except that group never met and I was also supposed to be at the Young Wizard's Loan Agency meeting, which I did attend, and which actually did meet. I can't be at two places at the same time - still the Minister did seem a little exasperated with me, so I thought I'd better rush right over here. At least there really is food here. I was afraid that there wouldn't be, although the food in the other room did look a lot better. Did I miss anything?"

Professor Trelawney repeated the first question. Cissy answered first. "We're starting with a blank slate, so there is nothing in place that we have to change. I guess the other positive is that some of us have actually seen the Light Guardian, and it has spoken to us."

I added to the list "It's also a plus that we are just barely still in time to have some living Priestesses to help us."

Professor Trelawney added, "I think it's a plus that Hogwarts already has several classes on Divination."

"I'm not sure how much of a plus that is…" I started to reply, but seeing Professor Trelawney's expression, I changed course in mid-sentence "I mean, it's not as if the students think of Divination as being related in any way to religion."

"I understand that, dear," Professor Trelawney replied, "but it is part of the ancient religions. It is just a matter of presenting the material differently. The students have a starting point, they just don't realize it. It is also a big advantage, because that time already exists in the Hogwarts schedule, so we don't need to shove anything else to the side to make room for it, as we had to do with art and practical Muggle studies. In addition to that, since we already have multiple Divination courses, we can just modify and add to them. That avoids the really big problem of having to explain to the parents, who will view the ancient religions as something that our community left centuries ago, why it makes sense to teach a course in religion and why this particular religion. The Divination classes are our bridge between what is thought of as ancient history and the Hogwarts of today."

"When you explain it like that, I certainly must agree with you that it is a very big positive," I conceded.

There seemed to be no more suggestions, as the others seemed more intent upon eating. Professor Trelawney moved on to the second question "What are the negatives of the present situation that confront our committee?"

I answered first. "Nobody has told us what our committee is expected to do. Is the Ministry going to support the Light Guardian religion? Is the Ministry going to start up some Light Guardian and ancient nature religion churches for the community to attend in place of the Muggle Christian churches that many Wizards now attend? Does the Minister want a formal religion course to be taught at Hogwarts, and which religions does he want it to cover? Or, as I suspect, does Dad just want us to manage events related to the recent knowledge that the Light Guardian has appeared?"

"That's an awful lot, Ginny. I'm just going to write 'we haven't been told what our purpose is', I think that captures most of it."

Cissy added, "Based on what Ginny just said, I see we don't really start with a truly blank slate. A large portion of Wizards are at least nominally Christians. What are we to do with them? I don't want to phrase it in a way that implies that it is a negative that some Wizards follow a particular religion."

"I'll just write 'many Wizards adhere to other religions and may resent a focus on the Light Guardian'. Is that okay?" Cissy nodded yes.

"We haven't been given any resources," Hermione added.

"I'm going to add that neither Hogwarts, nor the Ministry, has any experience dealing with religion," Professor Trelawney noted. "Are there any other suggestions?"

Not sensing anyone else wishing to speak, she went on to the third question "What do we need to learn more about?"

I suggested "what does the Ministry wants us to accomplish. Whether any sizable number of Wizards would approve of us doing anything at all. What possible benefit there would be in convincing a sizable number of Wizards to follow a new religion?"

"It's really following a very old religion," Professor Trelawney corrected me.

"If this is going to be like Church of England, where tax dollars go to support the churches, then something to find out is how much is this going to cost?" Cissy offered.

"I think what Dad is looking for is something like 'how does the appearance of the Light Guardian help or hinder the Ministry's other objectives?' and 'is the impact manageable?" my brother suggested.

"I think that's an awful question to ask about our ancient religions," Professor Trelawney observed. "This is supposed to be a discussion about religion and culture, not politics, but I'll write down your idea."

"Good," Ron replied. "After all, this is a political committee chartered by politicians. If this is to be all about religion and culture, you should ask your Priestess friends to form a committee."

"I'm not at all sure that's an appropriate comment," Mom remarked, alerting me to her presence in the room. "I came to see how you were making out on your rather open-ended assignment and to bring you some dessert. I don't think Arthur had any dessert sent over to this room."

"Nope, Mom, just basic sandwiches, salads, and some cold tea."

"I don't think Dad is happy with us," Ron replied.

"Well, your father is probably trying to accomplish too much today and thinking he's getting less than maximum support from the student brigade. You really didn't need to walk out of the meeting this morning."

"Mom, he told everyone what the agenda was and I had no part in it," Ron complained. "If Dad had given me something to do, I would have stayed. It sounded as if I wasn't needed until dinner."

"Yes, I suppose it did, but don't let me interrupt your progress. Which question are you on?"

"I was just about to move on to question number four – what persons or organizations must you work more closely with?"

"Then I'll leave you to your work," Mom observed as she departed.

I reached for one of the chocolate-covered éclairs that Mom had snagged for us, before commenting "there is no prior organization, so our committee hasn't worked with anyone yet. I'm going to say the Minister. I guess we will also have to work fairly closely with Hermione's committee, although that is really more inter-species politics than religion."

"Well," Hermione replied to my comment, "any Light Guardian religious revival is certainly going to require the use of the crystal circles, so you'll have to work closely with the Goblin King to get permission to use the Sacred Cavern and the Gringotts Cavern."

"That's true," Cissy commented, "and does a revival of the old Light Guardian religion really make sense without the Unicorns and Centaurs?"

"Are we talking about something led by the Keepers or the Priestesses?" I asked.

"You're both," Hermione reminded me.

"Then the biggest thing I have to learn more about," I told Hermione "Is whether I have any interest in being one of the leaders of a revival of the ancient religions. Our family doesn't go to church and I hadn't met a Priestess until a couple months ago. Other than celestial prophecy, I really haven't any interest in divination."

"You certainly will have to think a lot on that," Professor Trelawney agreed. "I'm going to list that as 'personal considerations of those who might be called upon to lead a religious revival'. We won't get far with a reluctant chief Priestess. I would have thought you would have more interest in this as a way of empowering Witches and giving them a greater voice in how our community operates."

"How can I tell others what they should believe, when I'm not sure what I believe?"

"Do you believe that the Light Guardian exists?"

"I saw it and it read my thoughts and talked to me inside my head. It didn't ask me to start a religion, though. It asked me to help keep peace among all the magical beings and teach them how to keep the crystal circles tuned. That is more politics and engineering than religion. It's not as if the Light Guardian asked me to start a church or lead prayers or observances at the equinox."

"I agree that is certainly one possible way of looking at it, Ginny. In your shoes, I think I'd choose a broader view. Very few Wizards have been privileged to have the Light Guardian speak to them personally. I wouldn't just walk away from that if I were you. Maybe over the years the Priestesses lost sight of how the Light Guardian wants to be served or worshipped. If a Priestess told me that the holiest thing you or I could do is dance around naked and leap over a bonfire at the Spring Equinox and the Light Guardian told me that the holiest things I could do are to promote peace and perform the specific magical engineering tasks required to keep the magical circles in tune, I know which one of them I'd listen to. I say that to you as the daughter of a Priestess who has danced around a few bonfires in my time."

"Well then, as a priority I'd list that we should educate the Wizard community on the importance of protecting and keeping the magical crystal circles working, since they're the source of magic, as well as the importance of preserving the other magical species," I suggested to Professor Trelawney.

"We're running out of time, I think we should move on to the last question," Ron suggested.

The priorities for the Ministry, which we could agree upon were, 'decide if a committee is needed and if so, what it is expected to accomplish' and 'promote an accurate understanding of what occurred in the Sacred Cavern on the day that the Light Guardian appeared', although Ron thought Dad had already handled the second item. We kept this on the list, when Hermione argued that additional activity would likely be required as false accounts of the events made their way into the press or public discussion.

It may have been partly out of simmering upsettedness at me that Dad called for the religion committee to make the first report. In any event, he seemed very disappointed when Professor Trelawney rose to make the report, looking at her in a way that caused her to begin her report by saying, "but, I was the recorder, after all."

Dad did agree with her action point that the first order of business was for the committee to meet with him and decide what he wanted it to do and that a second logical action was to find out if the Wizard community felt a need for such a committee. He did like the suggestion that some information about the Light Guardian and the ancient Wizard nature-based religion might be included in Divination and Wizard History classes. I was actually surprised that Dad picked my suggested priority item 'educate Wizards that magic arises from the ancient crystal circles and all magical creatures' to add to his list for the Ministry.

It seemed more than coincidence that Professor McGonagall's Youth committee was the second to be called upon. A number of our suggested priorities were written on Dad's Ministry list, including updating the standard Ministry exams, providing an education program for children not accepted by Hogwarts, coordinating with the Eire Wizarding Academy, surveying parents and students who were being or had been home-schooled to determine what they learned and how well they succeeded as adults as well as why their parents hadn't sent them to Hogwarts, establishing closer ties to Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, and determining how to reopen Slytherin.

Hermione was called on next. Despite her group actually not having met and Hermione spending lunch with my group, if Dad thought he was going to catch Hermione unprepared, he was wrong. He ended up listing 'negotiate new Covenant', 'complete sanctuaries for Goblins, Elves, and Leprechauns', 'establish good working relationship with new Goblin King' and 'complete transition of Elves to lives as free magical creatures'. He complimented Hermione on coming up with such a good list "without help."

Priorities accepted from Harry's committee were 'make Azkaban a reliable, working prison', 'redraft laws on assault, murder, and attempted murder, and eliminate laws against prohibited curses', 'complete vetting and restaffing of Auror Corps', 'convict Delores Umbridge' and 'get Auror Corps and Department of Magical Law Enforcement to work together better'. Dad said that he understood what Harry meant, but that the new terminology would be that Harry was managing the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Madam Bones was managing the Office of the Prosecutor.

Priorities for the Young Wizard Loan Agency were 'create at least 3 businesses that survive at least a decade', 'secure Muggle title to more land for Wizard homesteads', and 'use Witch sculpting to create a manufacturing export business'.

Dad reported for himself and his other department managers, whose group considered the overall operation of the Ministry. His priorities were 'increase revenue to balance the budget', 'increase respect for the Ministry in Wizard community', 'help Ministry employees start their own businesses', 'improve communication with Wizengamot and press', 'end special treatment for favors', 'make floo network safer and upgrade it to transport freight', and 'prevent Delores Umbridge from infiltrating Ministry'. I liked those proposals and certainly wouldn't have thought of all of them.

Dad granted the St. Mungo's group more time to work on their proposal. I was thinking, why not give the guys with years and years of experience as healers more time to decide what to do, and pick on the students who were supposed to be in two or three places at the same time, working on things they had never done before, and with no guidance? It made perfect sense to me.

The press conference was lively. Dad listed the Ministry's priorities for the year. Many questions were asked. There was much back and forth on the validity of the priorities. Things started badly, when one of the Patil sisters stated that setting a Ministry goal to 'convict Delores Umbridge' seemed like a rush to justice. They got worse when Madam Bones supported her.

"Yes, you are correct, that approach totally ignores her legal rights and is very much counter to our concepts of justice.

This earned a nasty look from Harry and a loudly whispered objection "have you already forgotten that you supported the recommendations from our committee?" Madam Bones gave a look which was at once dismissive and aggrieved, before turning to McGonagall for comfort.

Reopening Slytherin seemed to be a surprisingly hot topic, especially for Frakes, the reporter covering the event for the Daily Prophet. Harry was asked how Thicknesse was found. Having apparently decided that there was no point in continuing to guard the secret, Harry replied "as we were repairing the Circle of the Goblins, we were struck by the idea that one of the tools used to visualize the lines of magical force might be used to spot sufficiently large magical engineering projects from the air. We were flying our brooms in Eire to see what was visible from the air, when we found Barty's hideout. The Auror Corps had uncovered a lot of evidence linking Thicknesse to Cardiff, so a large-scale aerial survey of Wales was begun. Thicknesse would have been caught the first night of the flights but Meghan Fudge was the auror inspecting the ground in that area and she was working with Thicknesse. We had reason to suspect the validity of that first inspection and found the Thicknesse hideout."

"Who first realized that the device for tuning the Circle could be used to detect magically protected hideouts, and could this same device detect houses concealed by magical charms in London?"

"Hermione suggested that the device might be useful for this purpose. On your second question, it's possible, I don't know, because we haven't tried it. I suppose I could test it on my own house."

"Now that you have been chosen to lead the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, can you tell us if there are any other aurors working with the Death Eaters? I would have thought the attempted assassination of Shacklebolt would have been enough warning to totally purge the Auror Corps of Death Eaters."

"Certainly there was a round of serious re-vetting after that incident. Some aurors used a potion to evade detection. I am working to correct that problem."

"Is it true that your appointment to head the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is a last futile attempt by the Minister to stop a feud between Director Shacklebolt and Madam Bones? Do you think this represents a demotion for Madam Bones? After all, you are now heading the department that she used to hold."

"A department having the same name, but not the same department. Madam Bones presently heads the same department that she always did, but it has been renamed. The department that I head is also responsible for guiding the Auror Corps, although Director Shacklebolt will, of course, be responsible for managing that Corps. The new title makes more sense, because the aurors certainly are a big part of Magical Law Enforcement. I think the realignment of formal responsibilities could more accurately be described as a public statement of the way the Minister and I have divided our duties for quite some time. I won't deny that there has been friction between Director Shacklebolt and Madam Bones and probably with me, owing to my duties not being explicitly stated. My priority is resolving all of these frictions, so that we can all work to make Magical Law Enforcement more effective than it has ever been."

"Responsibility for law and order seems like more of a natural responsibility for the Minister than the Deputy Minister. By putting you in this position, is the administration admitting that the Minister is too weak to handle this most important responsibility. We elect a Minister foremost to keep us safe."

"I don't think it indicates that at all. I have a lot less experience than the Minister. We ran as a Minister and Deputy Minister team, realizing that the job of running the Ministry is too large for one person and that we would each have to assume responsibility for different parts of the Ministry. The Minister could handle any part of the job, but I'm really not prepared to manage the parts of the Ministry that the Minister will be responsible for."

"Are you saying that you don't think you are qualified to be Minister?"

"Not yet."

"What if the Minister died tomorrow?"

"I'd fill his shoes to the best of my ability and pick a very well qualified Deputy Minister to assist me."

"My editor complains that I never get a scoop from this administration, but Ernie gets lots of them. Can you explain that and can you give me a scoop right now?"

"As I recall, Ernie got most of his scoops because he was willing to come out when the Minister called a nighttime press conference, and you weren't. He is also very scrupulous about only writing the truth. Okay, here's a scoop: I expect that magic will be restored to England tomorrow."

I saw Dad sort of wince on that particular exchange.

Harry looked shocked when Frakes next asked, "Is it true that Delores Umbridge is still alive and is leading the Death Eaters?"

"It's possible," Harry replied. "That is what Barty told us, but we are still in the process of confirming his story. We have arrested and are questioning the auror, whom Barty claims helped her escape. She may be just about the only Death Eater alive, who isn't in jail."

"You say almost all the other Death Eaters are gone, but are the Grindelwald forces and Death Eaters working together?"

"I don't think there are many active Grindelwald forces left, either. I saw some evidence that they have worked together, although it may not go beyond Death Eaters helping the Grindelwalds as mercenaries. I think that's what Rowle was doing."

"Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite? You castigated the prior administrations for denying the existence and rise of Voldemort, now you have hidden the existence of Delores Umbridge."

"That's clearly not the same. I didn't deny that Umbridge was alive. I confirmed it. I haven't ignored the remaining Death Eaters. I've spent a lot of my time fighting and catching them. I do think it's preferable for me to spend a couple of days confirming that what a captured Death Eater says is true, before just relaying the statement to the press. I am not Barty's spokesman."

"Is it true that your wife killed Umbridge?"

"No, it obviously is not true."

"Why obviously, my sources tell me it is true."

"Because I know the facts. Since Umbridge is probably still alive, you also should know that nobody killed her."

"I'm sorry. I see that I misspoke. I guess, given the recent revelations, I should have asked if it was true that your wife attacked Deputy Umbridge."

"No, that's not precisely true, either. Delores Umbridge, while a guest at Hogwarts, attempted to kill Headmaster McGonagall, and Ginny stopped the attack, rendering Umbridge unconscious."

"Speaking of McGonagall, is it true that she doesn't support the Ministry?"

"No that is not true. I'm sure she has too much integrity to accept a job in the Minister's cabinet if she did not fully support this administration. The Headmaster is passionate in her defense of the independence of Hogwarts, and that has sometimes led to short-lived disagreements."

"Speaking of McGonagall's passions. Is it not true that another of her passions is, or at least was, an improper romantic relationship with a student – a student who is now joining her in the Minister's cabinet?"

"No, that also is not true."

"My sources say it is true. How can you know it isn't?"

"Because I participated in vetting Headmaster McGonagall before the cabinet position was offered to her."

"Isn't it uncomfortable, even totally unnatural, for a Hogwarts student to take part in vetting his Headmaster?"

"Headmaster McGonagall and I have certainly had to make an effort to put our relationship on an appropriate footing. As you say, it is very unusual for the Deputy Minister to be a Hogwarts student, even an adult Hogwarts student returning to complete his seventh year."

"I imagine it is equally difficult for your Headmaster to deal with two married students."

"I'm sure it has been. That is just one of many challenges she has successfully dealt with as a new Headmaster taking over Hogwarts immediately after it was the site of a major battle that killed faculty, students, and recent graduates."

"Don't you consider yourself to be spread too thin? You're a student, a new husband, the Deputy Minister, the repairer of the Gringotts Circle, catcher of bad guys, a new member of the Minister's cabinet, a Keeper, founder of a loan agency for recent graduates, and a Quidditch player."

"I don't play Quidditch anymore, and my school work has suffered."

"Is the strain of being spread so thin what caused you to accuse Prudence, the Minister's assistant, of being a spy?"

"That was a joke."

"A joke in exceedingly poor taste, I would suggest. Exactly whom was she supposed to be spying for?"

"Headmaster McGonagall, that's partly why I said it was a joke. You can't really spy, in the normal definition of the word, against someone who is on the same side as you are."

"Then what did you mean by spying?"

"It was said light heartedly. The Headmaster liked to have a heads up on matters that impacted Hogwarts. Actually, I usually gave her the heads up, so I could equally call myself a spy."

"Still, isn't it dangerous for the Minister to employ both a spy and someone who induces another employee to spy against him on her behalf?"

"I'm not sure I even understand that. Where's the danger? Since the Headmaster is responsible for the Youth Department, she'd have to be spying on herself. The Minister and I have full faith in Prudence."

"I wasn't referring to Prudence, I was referring to you."

"I don't give heads ups to the Headmaster on topics that it would be inappropriate for her to learn of in advance. I assume that Prudence has exercised the same level of discretion. I think I'm going to excuse myself, so that the others get a chance to answer some questions."

"Don't I get to ask you a question?" Mr. Lovegood asked Harry.

"Tomorrow, I promise. My voice is shot, I can barely talk now."

The rest of the press conference was tamer, although for the head of a quite minor department, Professor Celine attracted an unusually large number of questions and pictures.

In contrast to almost all that had gone before, dinner was an outpost of calm, tranquility, and pleasure in an otherwise hectic, debilitating day. I sat with Mom as well as our own gang. Instead of the not very good sandwiches we had been given for lunch, the Ministry provided an interesting variety of meat pies and quiches for dinner. Uncharacteristically, I sampled so many quiches and meat pies that I was forced to pass up an equally varied dessert selection and content myself with a mug of hot chocolate, which I guess some would count as dessert. Mom certainly seemed to treat it as such.

The 'tips for partners' as Dad had named the evening session included gifts of personalized versions of Mom's kitchen clock to the partners of Dad's key subordinates. My clock showed Harry, Mom, Dad, Ron, and Hermione. Hermione's Mom, Professor Celine, and Doctor White all offered fairly common sensical tips for keeping our relationships running smoothly and our levels of stress as low as could be expected, under the circumstances. It was a little after 10:00 P.M., and I was so ready to call an end to a very long day, that I didn't even object to Harry's suggestion that we again sleep over at the Ministry so that we could be at Gringotts bright and early for the tuning of the Circle. 

We had gotten up from the table and were saying goodnight to all, as Dad stopped by and said he wanted to meet with Mom, Harry, Ron, Hermione and me. Harry had no choice but to agree. Dad led us to a cozy little meeting room off his office, which I hadn't realized existed. Its entrance was quite cleverly concealed. The room was small and personal, with a lit fireplace and all warm wood and leather, with four comfy chairs and a small sofa. We all snuggled into chairs to hear what Dad wanted to tell us, this late at night.

"I just wanted to quickly rehash the day's events," Dad told us. "I'm sorry I got upset when Ron and Ginny left this morning. I thought they were tuning out their old Dad in his time of foundering. I saw Professor McGonagall, and she said Ginny knew all the questions and rattled off answers to all of them as soon as she came in the door. She also told me that I basically told family they weren't needed until dinner and didn't tell any of you what groups you should be meeting with. I'm surprised Hermione pulled so much together without a group to meet with, while meeting with two other groups. I guess I'm just not as organized without Prudence to lead me.

"Believe me, nothing is more important to me than my family and I hate to think I'm acting in a manner that drives you away, because I am too demanding and unpleasant for you to want to spend time with me. There are just so many problems confronting the Ministry and I'm realizing more and more how ill equipped I was to deal with some of them. The stress can just become unbearable at times. I'm trying to practice what I and the other speakers preached this evening, but it isn't easy. The blowup between Kingsley and Amelia also hasn't helped my disposition. I don't know how to get the press coverage turned around."

"You just have to ignore the Prophet. They aren't going to support us, no matter what we do. I've met with Ernie multiple times, as Barnabas Cuffe nearly begged me to do, and you saw how Frakes jumped all over me. He has a grudge over the deaths in his family, but he was an enemy before that. I just ignore any bad things he says and just pretend it is Voldemort talking about me. You should know that we all think that you are doing a very good job, better than anyone else could do," Harry assured Dad.

"A big problem is that you aren't willing to acknowledge that you are good at this job, that people trust and respect you, and that you are a better choice than any of the other members of the Order. You felt guilty that you stole the job from Kingsley and now you feel bad, because you think perhaps Professor McGonagall really deserved the job. Believe me, I've watched her close up for about five months, and she most definitely would not be doing a better job than you are. Besides, she's needed at Hogwarts. You have to keep telling yourself that she has behaved very badly, that guilt tripping you was just a ruse to deflect attention from Madam Bones for nearly killing Shacklebolt, and that she is very lucky that you gave her a cabinet post instead of a smack. You have my full support. You've always had my full support."

"That's alright Dad," I told him, "we still love you. But I don't think you called this meeting just to tell us that."

"No, although I think it was important to tell you that. First I was just going to check with Harry to see how his meeting with Kingsley and Amelia turned out. I'd apologize for being cowardly and sticking you with their squabbles without warning, but I know that you've always wanted to be the super auror and that you wanted a chance to get back at Amelia, so I suspect you're not overly unhappy with your new assignment.

"The biggest reason that I wanted to get together was to talk about how much that Daily Prophet reporter Frakes knows about what has been going on at the Ministry the past couple of days. I know you called Prudence a spy, but I really don't think she was the leak. I've talked to her and she said she had passed some things on to Minerva, but was suspecting that the information was being misused and hasn't given any intelligence to the Sisterhood lately."

"I think your new Ministry representative to my loan agency might be the problem," Harry told Dad. "His last name is Zabini and the last name of the reporter is Frakes. Beyond that, I only joked about Prudence being a spy at breakfast this morning, with Percy's breakfast pals. Your Zabini is one of the breakfast pals. It was early in the morning and the commissary was fairly empty. Nobody else was close enough to hear what I said. People scoff at me for pre-judging people based on which Hogwarts house they attended, but it really seems that between house and last name, you can identify most of the baddies. Even our bad auror Meghan is a Fudge.

"I think someone is feeding Frakes questions to ask. It seems he's in the know, but he stupidly gets things wrong, like the question about Ginny killing someone whom he told me himself was still alive. And like almost getting the McGonagall story right, but picking Adrienne instead of Narcissa. He knew Professor McGonagall had an improper relationship with a female student. He just got the wrong student. That wouldn't happen if he had dug up the information or talked to the primary source himself. By the way, McGonagall had best be prepared for the whole story to come out within a day or two. I can't imagine Frakes is stupid or lazy enough not to correct his error."

"I wasn't sure how happy I was when you confirmed that we knew Umbridge was alive, but I guess you realized that getting the question meant the secret was out, and that if I told Zambini that the secret would definitely soon be out. He certainly could have ducked out during the day and relayed both pieces of information to Frakes. I don't see how he can cause much harm on the loan board, but I won't invite him to any more planning meetings or discuss anything sensitive in his presence. How did your meeting with Kingsley and Amelia go?"

"I don't think either of them is happy with me as their boss. Both recognize that they messed up in carrying on their feud, and Madam Bones keeps expecting me to smack her on Ron's behalf. Both say they know that I didn't request this assignment and that they'll do their best to help me make a go of it. Both want to stay in the government.

"We spent more time talking about possible plea deals for Pansy. Madam Bones thinks I'm being hard hearted. She says I forgave Draco for attacking me and he didn't get any jail time. I told her that Hermione came very close to being killed and Pansy also wanted to kidnap Ginny. I told her that I realized that kidnap victims don't usually survive. In any case, the deal for their cooperation had been that Pansy was to get six years confined to a house with her mother and an Elf. That's hardly the same as jail. I certainly can't see reducing the sentence to three months. The offence is a lot worse than that. Plus, I don't want Pansy back at Hogwarts this term and I want to help Draco get his divorce, so Pansy can't mess him up even more. This was not a spontaneous thing, like Draco's attack on Ginny and me. She said she spent weeks studying Hermione's mannerisms to make the attack work."

"Is that what she said?" Hermione exclaimed. "That makes no sense. The original plot didn't even involve substituting someone for me. That was just the changed plan after they realized we were on to their plot."

"No," I corrected her "they got on to our plot when we were chatting over dinner, after Pansy had already replaced you."

"That still makes no sense. We didn't know we'd be repairing the Gringotts Circle weeks before the attack. We didn't know we'd be taking students with us until two days before the attack. How could Pansy have been planning to replace me for two weeks?"

"She couldn't have," Harry concluded, "unless the kidnapping was originally planned to occur at Hogwarts. We originally thought it strange that the attack didn't happen at Hogwarts. It could even have been planned for the day of Lucius's visit to Hogwarts."

"So, what that tells me is that we have a serious dilemma," Hermione told Harry. "Either Pansy is more of an instigator of the plot than we thought, or she is more innocent and under the control of the ghost of Voldemort. Just because Voldemort didn't mention her specifically, doesn't mean he wasn't trying to control her. If she's one of the instigators, then she deserves at least the six years that you negotiated earlier. If she's largely innocent, then no matter how distasteful, she deserves your mercy."

"Um, yeah," Ron replied. "I don't think I can summon up much mercy or forgiveness for Pansy. I never liked her and her plot almost killed you."

"If the plot was hatched, run from, and intended to occur at Hogwarts, that again shows a potentially darker cast to Professor McGonagall's Sisterhood," Harry declared.

"We started there, but we cleared them of bad intent," Hermione objected. "Our questioning proved that they operated way too independently, but they were focused on exposing bad guys and preventing Lucius from harming his wife."

"And there certainly were lots of shades of grey revealed in that questioning," Harry responded, "but we didn't vet all of the Sisterhood, just those that we saw as the most likely suspects to be bad."

"Who didn't we look at?"

"There are a lot of other members of the Sisterhood at Hogwarts, although I admit that Madams Hooch and Pomphrey or Professor Trelawney don't seem very sinister, and I can't really think of a sinister motive for them or point to any hint that they could be a bad guy plotter. I'm not convinced that we should be so quick to write off Professor Sprout, however. We consider her brother to be very suspect. We know that both Dumbledore and Doctor Sprout got sucked into doing questionable favors for Lord Montaigne to prevent Professor Sprout from being shipped off to Azkaban for her crimes. Stealing expensive plants from a greenhouse that Lord Montaigne cared so little about that it no longer exists? That is the sort of thing that a Montaigne ally could have done to give the former Lord Montaigne a hold on good people who cared about Professor Sprout. Or, it could have been a desperate and relatively innocent last ditch effort to settle her father's debts. We should look into the father's situation and find out how much he owed to whom and for what reason. What was the danger of the debt not being paid off? Doesn't it seem odd that the responsibility for settling the debt falls on the lowly paid young professor, rather than her older, established doctor brother, who is already doing favors for the richest Wizard families?"

"When you summarize it like that it certainly does seem odd," Hermione agreed, "but it could be as simple as Professor Sprout being a good person and daughter who was looking out for her father, while her brother cared only about himself."

"But," Ron protested, "I thought Lord Montaigne used Professor Sprout's predicament to bend Dr. Sprout to do his bidding. That doesn't sound like a rat bastard who cares only for himself."

"True, it may be as simple as the son being estranged from the father and the daughter still getting along with him. Perhaps there was a serious earlier falling out within the Sprout family. I think Harry is correct that we definitely need to do some research on the Sprout's father and his debt."

"Before you head off for bed, I also wanted to ask you if you really expect magic to be restored tomorrow."

"I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be," Harry assured Dad.

"That's good, then," Dad concluded our nearly midnight discussion. "I'm impressed how suspicious you are of nearly everybody. That makes for a good auror, but not a lot of friends. I guess a few very close friends are all you need. I would have just assumed that Thicknesse and his aurors had checked out Cardiff and made my observation flight closer to London. You caught Thicknesse because of your suspicious natures even though, in the end, the evidence that you found troubling pointed to Madam Bones rather than Shacklebolt. Still, you killed Thicknesse, identified a rogue auror, and caught most of the remaining Death Eaters. I couldn't have done that, and I congratulate you. I merely caution you that your suspicions falsely pointed toward Kingsley. That ended fine, but you wouldn't want to harm an innocent Professor Sprout by having your investigation and your suspicions become public and lead to her long past crime costing her a job today. I'm not saying you shouldn't nose around, just that it is vital that you be very discrete. Goodnight all."

Thanks to the unscheduled after-meeting meeting with Dad, it was another night of back to the dorm and straight to sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER 24 – A Disquieting Revelation**

The headlines of the Daily Prophet did a truly amazing job of twisting Harry's interview and placing it in the worst possible light.

**POTTER ACCUSES MINISTER'S ASSISTANT OF BEING A SPY**

**WEASLEY TURNS YOUR SAFETY OVER TO STUDENT, WHO ADMITS HE'S NOT QUALIFIED**

**DELORES UMBRIDGE IS ALIVE, ESCAPED FROM MINISTRY CUSTODY**

**McGONAGALL IN REVOLT AGAINST MINISTRY, BUT WEASLEY ADDS HER AND HER ALLEDGED STUDENT LOVER TO HIS CABINET**

**BONES AND SHACKLEBOLT DEMOTED FOR FEUDING – MINISTER MAKES THEM REPORT TO STUDENT**

**POTTER CLAIMS MAGIC WILL FINALLY BE BACK TOMORROW**

**WEASLEY SETS PRIORITIES FOR MINISTRY IN CHAOS**

What I read of the full articles was barely better than the headlines. Other than the startling news that the cabinet included two Witch lovers and that Madam Bones and Shacklebolt were now reporting to a boss a third their ages, the Daily Prophet didn't actually bother to explain the reorganization. Perhaps Ernie would write that column: I didn't see any contribution from him to this edition. The Quibbler was more straightforward:

**MINISTRY REORGANIZATION EXPLAINED**

**MAGIC TO RETURN TO NORTH ENGLAND TODAY**

However, it also featured

**WE HAVE OUR OWN YOUNG AIR CORPS**

We were quickly off to the Gringotts Cavern and deep into the work of rebalancing the circle. I could tell immediately that the work group leaders were determined that magic would be restored this shift, no matter how long the shift turned out to be. All the workers from all the shifts were present in the cavern and ready to make that happen.

Harry quickly divided us into three teams, which were mainly the same as the shift teams. Since what I'll call the Cavern of the Goblins and the Old Gringotts Cavern had to be tuned together, one of the three teams, led by Goblex, was dispatched to the Old Gringotts Cavern, with a couple of cell phones to stay in touch with the rest of us. Our team would tune the circle in the Cavern of the Goblins and would be led by Harry and Professor Henkel. The third team was split into three sub teams, led by Ron, Cissy, and Draco, and was dispatched with cell phones to strategic test spots in Wales and in Northern England, where they would measure the changes in magical strength as we worked on tuning the circles. We would also be getting reports from Ministry monitors at four strategic points in London, including the middle of the Thames, from Shacklebolt's friend in Eire, from Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and from an auror on Iona.

I was with Harry and we had George, Luna, Fenton, Professor Henkel, Pavel, two magical engineers from the Ministry, and half a dozen Goblins. King Goblanze was watching all of us and offering suggestions. The first thing that we did was restart the circle, which took about half an hour as the power gradually increased. During this whole time, Harry and Professor Henkel were watching the magical force line through the viewers and looking for areas where the force lines were bunched or distorted. George, Luna, and I were talking to the team in the Old Gringotts Cavern and the spotter posts. The initial reports from the field were that the magical strength had improved in much of England and Wales, but that everything to the east of our position was not in good shape. Harry announced that the force lines were twisted between the second and third tourmaline and there were also problem spots in the outer circles. The biggest problem, however, seemed to be magical force leaking off to one side of the collector quartz cylinder above the green spodumene crystal. Harry and Professor Henkel agreed that it didn't make much sense to do anything else until that was fixed.

Two ladders were hauled out, and they climbed up for a close look at the functioning of the quartz cylinder, with the magical power coursing through it.

{[worried] We didn't do quite as good a job on the polishing as we thought. One side is a little low and lacks the necessary mirror finish at the edge. We have half a day of polishing ahead of us.}

The next half hour was spent in powering down the circle and summoning additional help for the polishing. Sixteen of us were assigned fifteen minute shifts with the diamond cloth and rouge. Harry and Professor Henkel meanwhile conducted an extremely meticulous examination of the silver wiring between the second and third tourmaline. They agreed that they had found a minor problem, but wanted to wait to adjust the wires until the circle was beginning to power up.

I was second up the ladder to polish. I saw the rough spot to one side of the crystal, which was the source of the problem. The silver around this point also did not extend out far enough. As I studied the imperfection, it appeared to me that this problem hadn't existed when I had last viewed the quartz and that it looked more than a little like someone had conducted a very discrete sabotage, such that Harry's pledge of magic today would have to go unfulfilled.

{{This looks like very minor but very effective sabotage, like someone dinged the edge of the crystal with a small chisel and melted a little of the ceiling silver away from the same edge.}}

{[interest] I suspected the same, but didn't want to let my speculation and conspiracy thinking run wild. Professor Henkel and I thought the silver lattice looked like someone had melted about a square inch of one of the more intricate intersections of the silver threads. Very small, something you convince yourself was missed last time you looked, but something that we really can't quite convince ourselves could have happened as a natural consequence of a small error during the wiring of the tourmalines. Once the sanding is finished, we're going to reduce the number of random bodies present in the two caverns. Ron, Hermione and I are watching for any additional attempts at sabotage. Now I'm sorry I was so bold with my prediction at the press conference. We'll be lucky to get the magic back on line tomorrow. That's a nasty chip on the quartz. I can see four or five shifts worth of sanding to smooth it out.}

{{I think I can really speed up the fixing up of the quartz with a little Witch Sculpture. I can totally remove the tiny gouge and leave you a smooth shaped surface.}}

I thought I could relay the surface I was seeing straight into Harry's mind.

{{This is what I'm looking at. This is what I visualize sculpting it to look like.}}

{I think you should try. Can you do it in two stages, for greater safety?}

{{[intense focus] I think so. Here is stage one, which becomes the original final product that I showed you, here.}}

{[excited] That looks good. Give stage one a try.}

I focused and a little quartz vanished as the surface smoothed. {{[pride and excitement] I think that went well, Harry, see.}}

{[very impressed] That looks very good. Go ahead and finish the job.}

There was almost no quartz left to remove. Just a little to give the final shape and mirror smoothness. I focused intently and spoke my charm. "Sculpt." {{[elated] I think that worked. Here, take a look!}}

{That's great! Do a little sanding to make it look like you were doing other than what you were actually doing, and then come down.}

Several hours later, polishing was declared finished, just before it was time to dig into our bag lunches. The last two workers had not been needed. Draco and Erin had been among those called back to help with the polishing, and they joined Ron, Hermione, Harry, and me for lunch on the middle bench. It was obvious that they were getting along very well together. They explained the test they were using of suspending an inch-across brass ball between their wands as the magical strength and consistency test they were deploying. They had been assigned to a village in the Lake District, and unbeknownst to them, had worked on a lake shore less than half a mile from Dudley's house.

Draco had been the polisher assigned to work after me and gave the cryptic comment, "Harry showed me what had to be done before work on the quartz began. You took a big chance, there, all on your own. I congratulate you."

The first order of business after lunch was resealing the edge of the quartz column with a little silver, which we melted with our wands. Harry gave this twenty minutes to cool and then edged the circle up to about thirty percent power. The next half hour was spent on close inspection. "The quartz is working very well," Professor Henkel concluded.

Half of those present were dispatched to observation posts in the countryside. Professor Henkel, Harry, and I were going to fix the silver lattice between the tourmaline crystals. "That little blob of silver tying those two silver strands together has to be removed. Ginny could try to remove it magically, and hope that the two wire strands that it is joining aren't damaged."

I nodded that I was game to give it a try. I sent visualized pictures of the after to Harry's mind and on my third conceptualization he nodded yes. I voiced my 'sculpt' charm and found the two silver wires to be hanging free and unsevered and the removed silver from the blob to be resting in the palm of my left hand, where I had intended to put it.

"Very good!" Harry commended me.

"I can see that you Britons have some engineering tricks that we don't teach at Durmstrang," Professor Henkel commented to Harry.

"It's actually something I learned at Hogwarts," I told him, knowing he took it to be Light Guardian knowledge. "It's a technique taught in Art class by Professor Celine. I adapted the technique to the damaged crystal."

Harry and Professor Henkel spent the next fifteen minutes visualizing the area within and around the tourmaline circle. "That's got most of the problem," Harry declared, "but I think we need to add another silver strand, right here, to replace what was melted out."

Professor Henkel agreed and handed me the Flamel device, so I could see for myself. "Perhaps a little lattice patch with two horizontal strands and some triangular interconnections?" I suggested to the men. They assented and Harry said we should assemble it in the air and then tack the ends to the two tourmaline crystals. Harry called for the students to bring the crucible, with the still warm silver, and to reheat it. I scooped out a little molten silver. Harry drew out two threads, passing the first to Professor Henkel and a Goblin to keep suspended and the second to two Goblins. Harry then drew out a third, shorter thread, which he and Fenton suspended in the air below the two long threads. "Alright, Ginny, you need to cut off two inch long lengths from my end of the thread and use them to join the other two threads. It was a slow process, but I cut off and attached eight lengths of silver thread, to join the two horizontal threads.

Harry announced "Ginny and I are used to working as a team, so we'll each take an end and slowly position the lattice between the tourmalines. Professor Henkel can attach the one end and, I'm sorry I don't think I caught your name, can attach the other end."

"It's Goldblick," the Goblin informed Harry.

"Okay, Goldblick," Harry addressed him "you take the right end."

Harry and I locked our minds and most carefully moved the lattice to a bare section within the lattice joining the two tourmalines. "We'll fasten the right side first," Harry announced "then we'll stretch the lattice just a little or fasten the left end a little closer than the ends of the threads, to get the tautness correct."

After Goldblick fastened his end, which was at my side, Goldblick and I focused on keeping the lattice oriented correctly, as Harry had to stretch it just a tad, so that Professor Henkel could make the final connection. As that was finished, I motioned everyone back to the benches.

"I don't know about the three of you," I told them, "but I feel a little strange standing within the energized circle for that long."

"Yes," Goldblick agreed, "it gives a pronounced tingle of both the whole body and the mind. Don't worry, Goblins have done this for generations and it is perfectly safe. They say this greatly increases your ability to see a vision. Short rest not a bad idea, however. You drink water."

"One of Hermione's chocolate bars wouldn't go amiss, either," Harry declared, grabbing a handful from a bag beneath the bench and passing them around. After a brief rest, Harry and Professor Henkel picked up their instruments and examined the force lines around our repairs.

Goldblick and a second Goblin took bites of the chocolate bars which Harry had just given to them. The second Goblin, whom I later learned was a German Goblin by the name of Arctar, gave a little bow toward Harry saying, "Chocolate have nuts, I be most honored." Harry and I gave little return bows.

"That's good enough," Harry declared. "I'm going to power up the circle to full power."

As the circle reached full power, we all took turns examining the magical force lines. We also took turns on the phones, receiving the reports from the observers across Britain and also from our counterparts in the smaller Gringotts Cavern. The reporters seemed to be universally of the view that the magic was either as good or better than during our first attempt to power up. The observers in the Thames and at the Dover coast reported the magic was 'very much improved'.

Goblex reported that he was going ahead with a little minor retuning on the second circle. Meanwhile, we examined our circle under conditions of full power. It looked remarkably good. There was a little problem with smearing of the force lines between the third and fourth granite cylinder and the second and third calcite crystal, but these were not major problems. Still, Harry was determined to make this circle all that it could be. The problem between the calcite crystals seemed to be a little blob of silver that had melted and adhered to one strand, welding it to one of the vertical lattice threads at a second point beneath the proper connection. This caused the lattice to stretch upwards a little at that point. Harry asked me to perform the Witch Sculpting trick again and I was successful in removing the blob, without rending any of the fine wires. With a little straightening and stretching out from Harry, the lattice was as good as new.

We stepped back and revisualized this area. The force lines were almost perfectly symmetrical. It was a thing of beauty. Professor Henkel, who had been manning the phones with Fenton's assistance, informed us that nobody reported any problems after our last maneuver and that the magical strength over the Thames was 'possibly slightly improved'.

"I think we're good enough that we shouldn't risk fixing the section between the granite columns. We'll just leave a maintenance note that it is an area that could use a little work next time the circle is tuned."

A clearly relieved Professor Henkle answered "ja". I got the distinct impression that he would have been happier had Harry not risked the repair on the calcite crystal circle although, in fairness to Harry, the Professor had not voiced any objections at the time.

I saw that Harry had drawn King Goblanze off to a corner of the cavern, so I unapologetically tapped into their conversation.

{[very pleased] I think our work on this circle is finished. We could possibly, at not trivial risk, make the circle hum a little more smoothly, but I think we should stop now. The reason I called you aside is because the main problem today seemed to be caused by some very minor sabotage. I'm almost completely certain that it must have been sabotage. In any event, you should make sure the circle is well guarded.}

The King replied, "I suspected as much. I viewed the Circle yesterday and these problems are new. It would be only natural for you to suspect Goblex. I also had my doubts and checked with my guards. They say that he was never in a position to do this damage. I checked the Circle after he departed yesterday. He was here a little early today, but the guards say that he never approached the quartz cylinder. He could have damaged the silver lattice – he was in that area. I doubt two villains were involved in this damage. I instructed that two guards always be present, but there was only one guard for about a half hour last night, when the other stepped away for 'personal needs'. I am investigating the remaining guard, but have found no reason to suspect him. He did report hearing something during that half hour, but swears that he thoroughly checked both the Cavern of the Goblins and the Reception Hall and found nobody else present. The second guard returned almost immediately and they ran a second check, including exploring farther up the tunnels. Nothing was out of place. The dragons were not disturbed last night and the guards at your prison observed nothing. You like mysteries. Now you have another."

Meanwhile, Professor Henkel was reporting that the crew in the smaller cavern had made a minor repair and a couple of minor tuning adjustments. They still wanted to rearrange a little of the metal ballast in two of the vaults, but were finished in the cavern. Harry and the King smiled, when I relayed this information to them. Harry did a quick check in with all of our field checkers and got very good reports from all of them.

The King announced dinner for all at 7:00 in the bank. We relayed the invitation to the field teams. Harry and I excused ourselves to head back to the Ministry and report to Dad. It was 5:15 when we reached Prudence's desk. We had felt safe apparating from the Cavern directly to Harry's reception room, and had paused for a few quick words with Callista and Wood.

We said hello to Prudence, who told Harry "you've made me quite a celebrity - I've had to give interviews to the press on my own behalf. Tomorrow it's your turn. We heard the Gringotts Circle was back on line, so I assumed you'll be going back to Hogwarts tonight. You're having lunch at Hogwarts with Ernie, whom you owe an interview, then you're meeting there with Mr. Lovegood at 2:00. You may have forgotten, but he certainly has not. You promised him an interview today, but with the repairs to the circle, I pushed him off until tomorrow. You can go right in, by the way."

Dad was pleased to see us, but appeared to already know that our repairs had been successful. Still he told Harry, "It is a relief to actually have the magic back on line, after you made such a definite promise at the press conference, yesterday. I was worried when the magic was restored and then we received reports that it was off again. The Daily Prophet sent Frakes by to get my opinion on 'Harry's failure'. I told him I still had confidence you'd succeed by the end of the day. I'm very glad that you've backed up both of our words."

"That's largely why I stopped by, Sir. Getting the magic back on line was a very close thing. Sometime over the past day, almost certainly between 2:45 and 3:15 last night, someone conducted some quite damaging, but difficult to detect, sabotage. The edge of the cylindrical quartz crystal that channels up a lot of the magical force from the spodumene crystal looked like it was chipped with a small blow from a chisel. A little of the silver sealant was also melted away. There were two areas where very small portions of the silver latticework connecting the columns and crystals were fused. The whole circle had been carefully checked by several of us, and that damage is most definitely new. We had finished work on two of the areas, so the problem couldn't have been a work error. It must have been sabotage. Working three shifts and with both Goblin and auror guards, there must have been at least fifty individuals in the cavern prior to 2:00 A.M last night. The Goblin guard heard something during the time in question, but nobody was found. The King is still investigating.

"Ginny had a daring but ingenious idea that allowed us to finish the quartz cylinder in four hours, or we'd be waiting at least another day or two to get the circle back on line. We ignored the least serious area of damaged silver lattice. It didn't seem to be affecting performance severely and the risk in fixing it with the circle powered up appeared to be too great. It should be fine. There's to be a dinner at the bank tonight, I'm sure you're invited. I'm going to go see Shacklebolt before dinner, unless you need us for something else, and then it's back to Hogwarts tonight. I'll be there all day tomorrow: Prudence has two press interviews arranged for me."

"You've cleaned up the biggest problem here. There will be a lot of happy Wizards in the north of England, now that magic is back. That's a big load off of me. Go see Shacklebolt and take tomorrow at Hogwarts, but I want you back the following afternoon, to make sure things are good between Shacklebolt and Madam Bones. I also have a cabinet meeting scheduled over dinner that day."

Harry told Shacklebolt about the sabotage, suggesting he keep it quiet for now and passively slurp up any information he could find.

Shacklebolt reported, "I've double and triple-checked on my friend Erasmus, and he seems to still be loyal to us. You'll have to get back to Eire soon. My aurors will be finished going over Barty's hideout in another couple days. They've all but disassembled the house and dug the grounds to a depth of about a yard. All that effort hasn't turned up anything new that is of any great significance. We found a second cache of Muggle bombs, about two hundred gold galleons, and a goodly bundle of Muggle currency. Yesterday, we found a cache of half a dozen buried wands and what may be a port key. We're investigating those. It gives us enough encouragement to finish digging up the rest of the grounds.

"We questioned Silas's parents again and demanded the return of the key that he had hidden in his boot heel. I'm still angry that Madam Bones gave that back to them. They said they no longer had the key. I leaned on Madam Bones for a warrant, and we started to search the house and dig up the grounds. They soon showed us where they had hidden the key. Their lie gave us grounds to keep searching, and Madam Bones didn't require overly much persuasion to expand the warrant. That'll keep the lads busy for a few days. I'll send the aurors from Eire over there when they return. For now, we're checking the house for hiding places and just watching the grounds so that the Stowes can't remove anything. It's not that large a house - if we were going to find something else, we would have found it by now. I had hoped that the key would unlock Silas's magical storage box, but it didn't. We also didn't find anything yet at Barty's or Thicknesse's hideouts that open any of the storage boxes."

"Thanks," Harry replied "I guess I should quickly look in on Madam Bones. Have the two of you been working together without problems or fights?"

"As I say, it took a little more effort that I would have thought necessary to get my warrant to search for Silas's key, but other than that things have been fine. She's finally scheduling Wizengamot trial dates for the bad guys we captured in Diagon Alley and Barty's hideout. I'm still arguing to interview Thicknesse's assistants with the Veritaserum."

"You can always borrow my personal truth tellers, if I can convince them that they have the time."

I assured Shacklebolt that I would make the time for him, but that Professor McGonagall was unlikely to allow Cissy to participate.

We found Madam Bones in her office. I wasn't really sure whether or not it was totally appropriate to tag along with Harry, but he encouraged me to do so. Madam Bones professed herself "not completely convinced that an expanded search warrant of the Stowe's property is appropriate."

"If you're unsure and Shacklebolt is totally convinced of its necessity, then I'm quite sure it is both necessary and appropriate. The Parkinsons say the Stowe parents led the plot to kidnap me, and we have the statements of others that the Stowes led the Grindelwalds. One of their sons killed the ousted French Minister while he was in custody, tried to assassinate Minister Shacklebolt, and was executed by the French for still more adventuring. The other son was caught in the midst of kidnapping me and killed himself rather than be questioned with Veritaserum. A questioning which you made impossible, by the way. We know that the same younger son was sent to France by his parents to study with the Grindelwald gang for two summers, that he set a Death Eater-type bomb at a Muggle historical site, that he hid a magical lock box, which we still can't open, and that he hid a key in his boot, which you allowed his parents to take back with them. What part of this recitation makes a warrant sound inappropriate to you?"

"Well, I agreed with Kingsley that it was appropriate for him to have a warrant to retrieve the key, which I agree that I was negligent in allowing his parents to make off with. However, Kingsley has his key. He is now engaged on a search based upon nothing but suspicion, his gut feel, and the slender justification that the parents lied to aurors when they executed the original warrant."

"Doesn't that lie and obstruction justify a further search, considering all the other evidence that we have on them?"

"Only if you torture the law to its outer limits. A reasonable search of the house and grounds, maybe, but Kingsley plans to practically excavate their property. A Wizard family is very dependent upon its kitchen garden. Some of the plantings in question are long-lived plants that take years to establish and become productive."

"Alright, I'll urge Kingsley to be gentle and search magically. I'll even lend him one of the visualizers. We're pretty much finished with it for the moment. Is anything else bothering you?"

"I still feel that the current plea agreement with Pansy Parkinson is too harsh, in view of what we know of Voldemort's interference with Mrs. Malfoy's mind. Narcissa didn't spend nearly as much time exposed to the ghost as Pansy did. Six years is a horribly long sentence for a young girl just setting out on her independent life. I think it very likely that the ghost of Voldemort cost Pansy a good marriage. I'd hate to think it also cost her a chance for a decent life. Pansy could well be more victim than villain. We know at the very least that she was victimized by Lucius."

"Well, I'm sure I'll hear more from Professor McGonagall about Pansy, since you're all members of the same Sisterhood. Anyway, I didn't say I would object to a sentence of less than six years. I said that I most definitely objected to a ludicrous sentence of less than six months. Ginny and I were the victims, and Hermione was nearly a very big victim."

"Pansy didn't harm Hermione.

"I know I need your approval to negotiate a lighter sentence. Not only are you my boss, but the two of you are very prominent victims. I cannot possibly offer a lesser sentence without your blessing. All I ask is that you please consider it. I think if Silas hadn't killed himself, and you could get your revenge through a life sentence for him, that you'd be more kindly disposed to Pansy. You'd see that there is considerable tactical advantage to gaining Mrs. Parkinson's full cooperation."

"Pansy may not have directly harmed Hermione, but you weren't there at her capture to hear her say really nasty things about Hermione. Pansy really hates her. Hermione is most definitely safer with Pansy locked up.

"Well, we have to get back to Gringotts and then off to Hogwarts. I'll see you the day after tomorrow. I'm glad that you're moving ahead with the prosecutions of the captured Death Eaters and Grindelwalds. It had seemed that you were unduly delaying action."

The last comment put a sour expression upon Madam Bones' face, which was the last thing that Harry and I saw as we left to make our way back to Gringotts. It was late enough that we made our way directly to the King's receptionist. She did not keep us waiting, sending us right into King Goblanze's office. The King was lying flat out on top of his desk, humming as all of the Goblins had hummed at the appearance of the Goblin Master.

"We can come back if this is a religious observance," Harry told the King.

"No, I have no problem with the Mother of the Future or the Keeper observing our religious practices. That is all to the good. This, however, is just me trying to use Goblin relaxation techniques to fix a balky back. I spent too much time standing on rock down in the Cavern of the Goblins. I'm not as young a Goblin as I used to be.

"You're at the wrong place, by the way. We don't start for another twenty minutes and there are so many of us that we'll be meeting in a larger room down on the third floor. If you can wait a little, I'll go down with you. I've been worried about what you said earlier about sabotage. I'd keep that quiet for now if I were you. I inspected the Circle with Goblex, just before we left at 1:00 A.M. The guards say the work crew didn't leave until 2:00. There were so many beings in the cavern, and so many who might have made a plausible excuse to climb the ladder next to the lodestone. It will be hard to identify the culprit, but I think impossible if we let on that we suspect sabotage.

"Be certain that I am investigating all of the Goblins involved. There may be a Ruppasta loyalist left, although that would be too stupid to believe of a Goblin, with Ruppasta gone. I think a Wizard wanted to make your boast of yesterday a lie. That is where you should look."

"I totally agree," Harry told the King. "I've only told Ginny, Hermione, Ron, the Minister and Shacklebolt. I may tell Cissy and Neville. That will be it for now. Do you know which Wizards were present during that last hour?"

"That crew was mainly Goblins, but several of the students were still there. I'm told Draco, Erin, Pavel, and Fenton were present. Professor Henkel had already left, but the students wanted to look at the Circle through the various viewing devices."

"Did your guard report whether any of them were up on the ladder?"

"No, he thinks they all stayed on the ground. Of course he wasn't checking to make sure that they did. He says he saw Erin and Draco standing just outside the outer ring for what he thought was a couple minutes. None of the Goblins I questioned remembered any of the students going any nearer than that. I asked specifically and Draco and Erin were not standing near any of the damage to the silver lattice. As you know, all the damage was in the rear, and they were standing at the front face of the Circle."

"So we have no strong Wizard suspects," Harry concluded. "Are your Goblins certain that nobody stayed behind when the last train cart pulled out?"

"Positive. As a safety measure, Goblex insists that everyone sign in an out at the lobby level. With the Circle of the Goblins not yet energized, it would be very dangerous, if not impossible, to apparate to or from the surface. If you allow that apparation is possible, then any magical creature could be responsible."

"All the more reason for us to say nothing of sabotage," Harry agreed.

"That is wise. We can head down to the room for dinner. You will want to study the Goblin art. I asked all who would run for King to submit their art for this celebration. We have a judged exhibit and you can vote. Doesn't count, but perhaps a guide for Goblin voters."

King Goblanze did one final big stretch, and then rolled off the table onto his feet. "Ahh, feels so much better, lucky you don't have to do this for sixty years. Come." He led us out of our office and to a well-concealed door in his receptionist area, leading to a down stairway. We walked down two flights of stairs, and stopped on a landing as the King took a key from the pocket of his trousers to unlock the door and push it open for us. "Security precaution", he told Harry, relocking the door from a well concealed covered keyhole in the wood paneling.

This whole floor was one great room, with a granite floor and walls. The lighting was more basic functional than on the floor above. I guessed that the normal furniture had been removed to make room for a half dozen large tables, with ample room for various forms of sculpture to be set up between the tables. The walls held quite a lot of paintings, drawings, very colorful framed friezes made up of shiny glazed tiles in rich colors, stained glass panels, carved wood panels, rich tapestries, and constructions of metal sheets and wire.

"Each candidate must enter at least two pieces, but may enter as many as four, and we have over two dozen candidates," the King explained to us.

As we began to wander about the center of the room, examining the various free-standing sculptures, I saw other guests, mainly Goblins, beginning to arrive. I was examining an eight foot tall life-sized commemorative statue of the Goblin Master and the Elf Cotto, executed in a rich, dark wood, when I was messaged by Harry.

{Your Mom and Dad have arrived, we should go over and say hello.}

By the time I had finished hugging first Dad and then Mom, a lot more guests had arrived. I saw Ron and Hermione arriving, so I steered Mom over to them for a quick, semi-private chat. Dad had cornered Harry and the King. As I took a second look, I saw that Dad had separated Harry from the King and was heatedly conversing with him behind the wooden sculpture. I wanted to drift away and find out what was going on between them, since Harry appeared to be increasingly upset. I tried to tap into Harry's head, but he had raised his barriers and wouldn't let me in. I felt a tug at the sleeve of my robes and turned to see Hermione waving her hand in front of my face.

"Have you been listening to a thing I said? Percy says something came up at the Ministry right after you and Harry left. Oh, you're watching Harry and your father. Your father must be filling Harry in on whatever just happened. Percy knows that it involves Shacklebolt – he rushed up to your father's office and Percy and Prudence heard them talking in loud voices through the door. Then the two of them rushed out and went down to the jail cells to see Barty. They were both very excited. Then your father rushed over here with his aurors, not even waiting for your Mom to come up to his office. He met her in the Entry Hall on his way to Gringotts. I don't know why he didn't just apparate. It must be force of habit from the magic being lame for so long. Ron and I just followed them over here. Percy stayed behind to learn what he could wheedle out of Shacklebolt."

"I'd love to know what going on, but I can't just walk over to Harry while Dad is talking to him so intensely. I know what the mental wall up means, and it's not an invitation to go trotting on over there. Okay, Dad's walking away, let's go catch Harry before he starts talking to somebody else."

Harry seemed to be wending his way through the thickening masses milling about the room, trying to find the King again. We caught up with Harry before Harry caught up with the King. "You have to tell us what is happening, before you corner King Goblanze again," I told Harry.

"I'm not looking for the King. I'm trying to find Draco. Your father says that Barty is now pushing the line that Thicknesse really wasn't a Death Eater at all, just a poor victim Imperiused by Voldemort and forced to do Voldemort's bidding. I may have slaughtered an innocent man. And that's what I did. Thicknesse was in about five bloody pieces when I finished with him. Shacklebolt and Arthur didn't believe Barty, but Barty swore that he was not the only one who heard Yaxley report to Voldemort that he had succeeded in Imperiusing Thicknesse. He said Draco and Narcissa would back up his story, if we found them to be more believable than him."

Knowing the mood Harry was likely to drive himself into over the next several hours, I felt myself breaking out in a sweat. I saw Draco enter the room before Harry did. I just grabbed Harry's arm and turned his body, pointing to Draco coming through the door. Harry was off toward the door so quickly, that I was caught by surprise and my pursuit was blocked by the crowd. By the time I threaded my way through a gaggle of Goblins and accelerated to where Harry and Draco were conversing, Draco had apparently already delivered the bad confirming news, because the first thing I heard was "didn't seem to matter. If Voldemort had a number two at the end, apart from the snake of course, it was Thicknesse. He ran the Ministry on his own and Voldemort trusted him completely. He killed more than one member of your side in service to the Dark Lord. I never checked out his arm for the mark, but if you had asked me after the Battle of Hogwarts who I considered the leader of the remaining Death Eaters, I would have said Thicknesse, without any hesitation, and I would have assured you that he was a through-and-through Death Eater. The manner of his initial recruitment doesn't matter - it's what he did after. The talk of Imperiusing may have just been a cover anyway."

Although Draco didn't seem to think the killing of Thicknesse was any sort of big deal, I could tell that he had failed to convince Harry. I told Harry, "but you didn't attack Thicknesse, Thicknesse attacked you. He had you locked in a duel and his henchmen were seconds from killing you, while you were helpless. I just managed to stun one of his Death Eaters a second before he fired a curse. The other three were ready to fire a curse, when Ron and Hermione got them with the secret weapon. Thicknesse came within an inch of killing you."

"Yes, but I used the secret weapon to kill him. Perhaps if I hadn't been in such a rush to try out Viktor's theory, I could have stunned Thicknesse and Doctor White could have fixed him."

"But isn't the Imperius supposed to lift, when the Wizard who cursed you with it is killed? Yaxley is dead, but Thicknesse was still playing the part of the good Death Eater. You did the right thing in killing him. If he really was a good guy who was unlucky enough to get Imperiused, somewhere along the line, he turned into a bad guy of his own free will. You know that to be true."

Hearing a baritone, "I worked with Thicknesse, and know him to have been a corrupt political type, who was a disgrace to the Auror Corps," I looked up to see that Shacklebolt had joined us, while Harry and I were locked in our serious discussion. "The man took bribes, he looked the other way and allowed the Death Eaters to build their strength, he purged some fine aurors who wanted to go after Voldemort. He was the one who was always encouraging Minister Scrimgouer that the best political approach was to deny that any problem existed, while lining their own pockets. I cannot give you the ultimate balm that you need and tell you that I knew for certain that Thicknesse was a Death Eater, but I can totally guarantee you that he wasn't a good person.

"I can also tell you that when we recovered his body, that his arm bore the Voldemort mark. Unfortunately, I can think of logistical reasons for him to have been marked, even if he were only an Imperiused lackey. I can also assure you, as one who has known him personally longer and better than anybody on our side, that I am not at all sorry he is dead. Cheer up, hold your head high, and enjoy your dinner. You did us all a big favor when you found and dispatched Thicknesse."

Dinner was excellent, but my enjoyment of it was greatly diminished by the unavoidability of watching Harry push his food around his plate. When I insisted that he absolutely had to eat something, he swallowed two glazed carrot pieces and a third of a crab cake. He was in such a truly morose mood, when we headed back to Hogwarts, that he didn't even want to record his preferences in the art contest. The King said he would hold the balloting open for a few more days.

We apparated to the landing outside the Gryffindor common room. The common room was almost empty. Margaret and Alice were sitting beside the fire and chatting, their textbooks lying open upside-down on their laps. They had seemed shocked and a little frightened, when we stepped through the portal, but I saw recognition and relaxation sweep across their faces. They both congratulated us on the restoration of magic and reported that the magical strength seemed a little stronger. "I flew my broom around the Quidditch field to test it out for myself," Margaret reported "and I did better than I've ever done before, so I must conclude that you really did fix the magic."

Alice asked how we were doing, and I responded that Harry was in a deep funk over killing Thicknesse and now learning that he may have been Imperiused the whole time Voldemort was in charge and ever since then.

Margaret's Joan of Arc experiences might have made her a little more bloodthirsty than I remembered, but she comforted Harry. "I think it's a good thing he's dead. You did it in self-defense. I'd be very proud if I were you. Death Eaters keep escaping, it's important to finish them off when you've got the chance. I'd be happier if you had just let Barty die."

We exchanged a few more words with the girls, then headed straight to our apartment, without a stop to fill McGonagall in on the day's events. I was very glad not to have made that stop. I didn't want McGonagall to see Harry in his current condition and was afraid that, gripped by guilt as he was, he would see Pansy as another likely innocent and agree that she should be released tomorrow. I had my own nice, big, soft bed for the first time in days, but with funked Harry, I might as well have been back in the auror dorm, lying on what had been basically a glorified cot. As we laid side by side in bed, I had to admit to myself that I was as scared about Harry as I had been when I saw him being shoved into the stone seat in the Sacred Cavern. The baddies didn't have to kill Harry - he was an extreme brooder who was fully capable of destroying himself, given the proper nudge. I felt totally helpless to ease his mood. Harry just lay there, stiff as a log, and not the good kind of stiff, either.

Although I was tired, neither of us was getting any sleep, so I invited Harry to join me in front of the fireplace. I pulled our desk chairs in front of the fireplace and Harry stacked a little triangle of wood inside the fireplace and lit it off with a fierce blast of fire out of the end of his wand. I jumped back involuntarily, but still thought that my eyebrows might have singed a bit. Harry didn't even seem to take notice. I eased him into his seat and pulled out the big bottle of port, which King Goblanze had gifted me weeks earlier in honor of our marriage and new apartment. We hadn't even stocked our apartment with glasses, so we passed the bottle back and forth, taking turns drinking straight from the bottle.

"You did the right thing," I assured Harry. "Thicknesse was not a good person. Even Shacklebolt said so. He also had the mark on his arm. Even if you insist upon believing the worst possible view of events, you killed someone who had to be stopped, or else more good people on our side would have died. Whether he was just drifting along under an Imperius or he was a committed Death Eater, he was a bad person who was responsible for many good people on our side dying. In any war, some innocents inevitably are going to die. Colin Creevey was an innocent who died. Please don't elevate Thicknesse to Colin's level in your mind. They aren't the same at all. Ron and I have also killed. Even Margaret has killed. It isn't pleasant in retrospect, but if you don't do it, your side will lose and eventually you and the ones you love will be killed by bad people on the other side, who won't experience a moment's regret."

"That sounds good, and I admit that it probably is even correct, but at least right now, it doesn't feel correct to me. I was so certain that Thicknesse was a purely evil person who needed killing. Now I find he may be a very different person than I thought he was. A person who may not have deserved to be killed. That's hard to take. I did this after the Light Guardian specifically told us to stop killing other magical creatures."

"That's reality in a war. There are a few really evil people who are willing to start up a war and see a lot of people killed or injured, just so they can satisfy their own greed or need for power. Even on the bad side, most of the fighters are fairly ordinary people who get caught up in fighting to defend their side and their way of life. Our side was forced to kill Slytherin children, because they were throwing lethal curses at us. I think almost all of them were more emotional and confused and thinking they were fighting for the honor of their House or their parents, or whatever, instead of being evil. We really didn't have any choice but to fight back at them. It was dark. For much of the time we were just firing curses back at the point that the curses came from. That gave a nice emotional cover that on the following morning - none of us really knew whose curse had been the one that killed the little Slytherin second year. We all have to live with the possibility that the person in question was our self. Everyone who fights in a war, by choice or involuntarily, has to confront that. You aren't granted the gift of anonymity with regard to Thicknesse, but you still shouldn't be beating yourself up over this. I saw how the fight was going, before you decided to use the secret weapon. That was your last chance to escape alive. Are you really sorry that it is you who is alive and not Thicknesse? You really didn't have the option of choosing both."

"I could have just followed Bill's suggestion and called in Shacklebolt's aurors and they would have dealt with Thicknesse."

"So, you would have arranged Thicknesse's death, instead of actually killing him yourself. He was still going to die. He and his Death Eaters came out fighting. They were putting up a very good fight. Without you, Ron, and Hermione using the secret weapon, they most definitely would have killed some of us. So the only real tradeoff you had was what happened by our actions, or that Thicknesse and some of his fighters would still be dead, but a couple of aurors also killed. Would that have been a better outcome?"

"Of course not, but I still can't help feeling that I was far too eager to get involved personally in the fighting. Both your Dad and Shacklebolt say I need to learn to let others do the fighting."

"They say that to keep you and me safe, not to spare innocents from death at the hands of a blood-thirsty Harry. I know you better than anyone. I know you're not fighting for revenge, as my brother Ron sometimes is. You just want to stop the damage that the bad guys keep doing. You're a good person, Harry. You're also a person that needs to talk to Mrs. Granger some more."

I wasn't getting any port as I put the bottle to my lips and suddenly realized that Harry and I had drunk the whole thing. I also realized that we hadn't slept at all and that we had only a half hour to get ready for breakfast. We were among the first to arrive at the Great Hall, although Narcissa soon appeared at the staff table. Harry instantly got up to talk to her and I followed. Harry quickly reprised the story told by Barty and asked for Narcissa's version of events.

"The information on Thicknesse was reported by Yaxley. I remember the moment clearly, we were all seated at my table. Yaxley said something like, 'I have after great effort succeeded in placing an Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse'. I took this to mean that Yaxley had cursed Thicknesse himself. I know that it was Thicknesse who went ahead and Imperiused many of Scrimgouer's closest associates and planned for Scrimgouer's death. I know Thicknesse soon became Voldemort's most trusted servant and that he ran the Ministry with an iron hand in pursuit of every possible benefit to Voldemort. The strange thing is we know Yaxley is dead, so if he did Imperius Thicknesse as he claimed, then Thicknesse could not possibly have been under the Imperius when you killed him.

"Of course, and I don't suppose you'll like this, it is entirely possible that Thicknesse was Imperiused by someone other than Yaxley. Someone who is still alive. I know Yaxley was not above exaggerating his contributions to the Dark Lord's efforts and that he and Snape were engaging in one-upsmanship at the time. It was a pathetic thing to watch. I can tell you that Thicknesse may not have been Imperiused at all. As you are well aware, my husband escaped punishment for his involvement in the first Voldemort war by claiming to be Imperiused. He never was, until the very end, after Voldemort had vanished. We used to joke to each other about being Imperiused and suggest who might have done it. None of us were Imperiused at the time. When Voldemort vanished, Lucius said 'time for Imperiusing'. He Imperiused me and our estate manager Imperiused him. It was all a sham. Likely the same with Thicknesse now."


	25. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER 25 – The Press Isn't Being Kind to Us **

I think Harry caught McGonagall's arrival out of the corner of his eye. With quick thanks to Narcissa, he led us back to the Gryffindor table, before McGonagall could get close enough to call out for Harry's attention. Back at the table, Harry studiously directed his eyes toward his plate. I was pleased to see that he dispatched a large quantity of eggs, bacon, and scone with jam. I was feeling too queased by all the port to even consider the bacon, but forced myself to eat most of a scone, with lots of strawberry jam. I was considering leading Harry in a hasty strategic withdrawal, before McGonagall decided to come and visit us, when the owls arrived with our papers. It always amazed me that the owls knew when we were at Hogwarts and when we weren't. Harry and I had our papers, while there was no owl for the missing Hermione.

I tore open the Daily Prophet and let out an audible gasp as the headlines struck me with as much force as a physical blow.

**POTTER MURDERS INNOCENT LEGITIMATE MINISTER**

**POTTER RISKS ALL IN FAKED REPAIR OF GRINGOTTS CIRCLE – ALL TO MAKE GOOD ON ARROGANT BOAST TO THIS REPORTER**

**WHO IMPERIUSED THICKNESSE? WAS DISCOVERY OF HIS HIDEOUT ALL TOO CONVENIENT FOR A MINISTRY AWASH IN BAD PRESS?**

**OUR APOLOGIES TO HEADMASTER MCGONAGALL – WE PICKED THE WRONG MISTRESSS**

I'm not sure much of anything in the stories was true, but much of it was 'factual'. The Daily Prophet somehow knew that the quartz cylinder and two sections of the silver mesh connectors were 'faulty' when we began work yesterday morning. They knew the quartz couldn't possibly be fixed in less than three days. They knew that operation at full power, with the damaged quartz, could be quite dangerous and could make the magical force in some parts of England quite unstable. They didn't know, or chose not to report, that the problems to the circle were the result of sabotage, or that we really had fixed them.

Likewise, the Prophet knew that the information about Thicknesse being Imperiused had come from Barty, and that both Shacklebolt and Dad had heard it from Barty's lips. They knew that Dad had informed Harry at the 'celebratory dinner to honor Potter's pretend fix of the circle'. They knew that Shacklebolt had rushed over, uninvited, to give Harry his take on the matter. They knew that Harry and I had 'fled back to the sanctuary that Hogwarts has provided to all sorts of bad actors'.

The Prophet deadpanned, "we regret our error in accusing Headmaster McGonagall of carrying on a long and wholly improper relationship with Professor Celine, when Adrienne, as she still prefers to be addressed by students as well as adults, was herself a third year student. To set the record straight: Narcissa Malfoy is the student with whom Headmaster McGonagall conducted an improper relationship. Adrienne, on the other hand, is the mistress of Madam Bones. I humbly apologize for the error, but it is truly difficult to keep an accurate accounting of the couplings of the Witches with whom Minister Weasley chooses to surround himself."

{{You've got to read the whole of the Daily Prophet. You've got a really bad leak.}}

Harry took the paper from me and began reading. He was still making unhappy noises as McGonagall appeared at our table and curtly ordered, "My office, Potter."

I was not about to leave Harry alone with McGonagall, in his present condition, so I grabbed a blueberry muffin, wrapped it in a napkin and, with a half full mug of coffee in my other hand, followed Harry out of the Great Hall.

I had just cleared the last step into McGonagall's office when she addressed me, "I don't recall inviting you Miss Weasley."

"I'm sorry," I replied, "but I have no intention of leaving my husband alone with you in his present condition."

"You seem in worse condition than he does, Miss Weasley. You both look like you spent the night drinking. Well, you may stay if I arouse your jealous instincts. Just don't drop any crumbs in my office. I've had an ant problem the past two days.

"I called you here to object to your choice of Hogwarts as the site for your two press conferences today, I don't like to mix Hogwarts with politics, at least publicly. Many parents don't share your outlook on our government. However, I sense that you have far bigger problems. Do you want to tell me about them? You have been drinking all night, haven't you?"

"No, unfortunately we only had the one bottle," mumbled Harry.

"And we finished it," I admitted. "Harry is upset that he killed Thicknesse, and that Thicknesse may have been a reasonably good guy who had the misfortune to get Imperiused by a Death Eater and has been Imperiused ever since. Harry has convinced himself that it should have been possible to take Thicknesse alive and have Doctor White restore him to upstanding good citizenship. You can read about all of us, in the worst possible light, in this morning's Daily Prophet."

"That's remarkably naïve, Mr. Potter," McGonagall asserted, accepting the paper from me. "If I had encountered Thicknesse, you may rest assured I would have killed him. I doubt very much that it was possible to capture him alive. I also doubt he was a good guy. Oh, my dear Light Guardian, I see I have my own problems to deal with. The Prophet does seem to have the whole story, don't they? Is it true what they say about you only pretending to fix the circle? That would be a very silly thing to do. So much worse when it inevitably breaks down again and the Prophet gets to crow about how right they were."

Harry assured McGonagall that he was not holding press conferences, merely talking over dinner with reporter friends whom he owed a meeting. He assured her that the meetings had been scheduled at the Ministry, but that Prudence had rescheduled them when we had to spend all day restoring the magic. "It is not as though meeting with Ernie over a meal is anything new, or something that you haven't already approved. You're even being reimbursed for what he eats." He reluctantly told her the tale of the sabotage, after first making her promise not to pass the information on to anyone else in the Sisterhood.

"Of course, Harry," she replied. "I can see that you still have a terrible leak. I trust that you can see that I've been skewered by your leaker worse than any of us. This will be embarrassing for quite a few people, whom I must talk to as soon as I finish with you. If you have any say in the matter, please don't let Amelia or Adrienne resign. I have no intention of resigning.

"I'm assuming you've already deduced the obvious conclusions from these articles. First, it was not Yaxley who Imperiused Thicknesse. It's obvious to me that it was Umbridge, and that this is further proof of her continued existence. There were rumors that she was his lover, weren't there? I think she felt a physical attraction to Thicknesse and seized the opportunity to turn him into her ideal Wizard. Terribly icky from our perspective, but likely not from hers. Second, you definitely have a leaker and that leaker is most definitely not part of my organization. That person and your saboteur may well be one and the same.

"Third, please realize that with regard to Thicknesse, you can't undo what you did, and you did what you thought was right at the time. You acted bravely and in a manner that I certainly can admire. If you keep beating yourself up, you only reduce your personal effectiveness and make it less likely that Umbridge will be caught before she causes more trouble. If anyone possibly killed an innocent Thicknesse, which I still can't believe ever existed past about age ten, then that person was Umbridge. If you are recoiling at the remote possibility that you have harmed an innocent, then I suggest that Pansy is far likelier to have been a manipulated innocent than Thicknesse. If you want to stop beating yourself up and do penance, then try an extremely merciful approach to a young Witch, whom I think can still be saved.

"I'm certain this is the discussion that your wife wanted to protect you from, so I'll stop there and leave it to you and Hermione to decide how forgiving you can be. I suggest you pay a quick visit to Mrs. Granger and then duck back to the Ministry. Ginny has classes to attend and I have damage control to get on with, but first I'd like a few words with her."

Harry left us and McGonagall gave me what I took to be a sympathetic look. "I can tell that you are very worried about Harry. I think Harry is proof that it is possible to be too good. He doesn't forgive himself for anything. Still, I'm not sure that getting him drunk was the smartest thing to do. You look like you should get some sort of Hogwarts achievement award, just for being able to make it to my office in a vertical posture."

"I felt that I needed to reboot his brain and nothing else was working. It was obvious that neither of us was going to get any sleep. He just lay in bed stiff as a board, and I'm not talking the good kind of stiff…"

"I assure you that I caught your meaning the first time, Miss Weasley, elaboration is unnecessary."

"You really are the last Victorian, which is why it is so strange to find you at the center of what the Muggle press would call a 'government sex scandal."

"You don't seem overly scandalized, yourself."

"No, I assume it's only natural for everyone to have a sexual side. I am surprised that, unlike Durmstrang, Hogwarts doesn't have any married professors."

"I assure you, I have no desire to limit my faculty to those of any particular sexual preference. Back in the day, the school's Board of Governors felt that celibate professors could devote themselves more exclusively to the students' education and betterment. In their extreme innocence, they assumed that by prohibiting marriage, they ruled out all the possibilities. I am, by the way, hopeful that Neville will decide both to marry and to remain at Hogwarts. I think he took a liking to Luna over the summer, but George was bolder and moved quicker than he did."

"I hadn't noticed that."

"It's probably for the best. I expect Neville will be happier with a slightly younger Witch. To get back to our previous discussion, I trust I didn't push Harry too hard on the Pansy issue. I spoke to Madam Bones and she says Harry views my suggestion of several months of confinement as a bad joke. I know part of that is Harry's fear that I'll invite Pansy back to Hogwarts, and you'll all be forced to mingle with her. I know another part is that Harry has visions of how that plot could have led to your death. He is very protective of you. Finally, I know that Harry thinks Pansy betrayed Draco, and wishes to help Draco secure an easy divorce.

"What if Pansy agreed to the easy divorce? What if she wasn't released until the end of the Hogwarts term? What if she wasn't planning to harm you and was surprised that Silas and Lucius intended Hermione to die? Would all of that change your minds? Would it at least raise enough doubt to conduct a joint interview of Pansy with all of Harry's truth tellers and Doctor White, so that you could all form your own impression as to how much she was manipulated, how much of a future threat she represents, and whether she is salvageable? Madam Bones says the arrangements could include parole conditions that send her back to jail if she acts badly over the next decade. It can also include hers and her mother's help to jail more dangerous characters, and to jail Mrs. Parkinson for an extended time on a guilty plea. Madam Bones says that the case against Mrs. Parkinson isn't as strong as the case against Pansy, but that Mrs. Parkinson is the guiltier party. I know I sound as soft as Harry at his worst, but I have killed Death Eaters and not given the matter a second thought. I just hate to write off a child for whom there is still some hope."

"I certainly don't see anything to be lost by exploring the possibility that you suggest. I know you've killed and gotten over it, but Harry is different. It also hurts that Thicknesse didn't just nicely fall down dead at the end of the duel. He was literally blown into about a half dozen bloody pieces. Oh! I'm so stupid. When we apparated back from Thicknesse's hideout to Harry's office, the biggest piece of Thicknesse bled all over the carpet in Harry's reception area. I'm not sure the stain has been entirely removed and that will be a constant reminder to Harry of what he did. I need to sneak back to the Ministry and see what I can do to repair the carpet."

"I think you should do that. When you come back, please visit Professor Celine. I think the two of you may be able to provide some mutual support to each other. Now, I really do have things to do."

I took the hint and headed back to Gryffindor to apparate to the Ministry. I was hailed by a bunch of fourth and fifth year Witches. I told them that what was in The Daily Prophet was very slanted, but largely true, except for Harry faking the repairs. I said I was sorry to have to excuse myself so quickly, but I had to rush off to clean up Harry's office.

I saw Callista in the office and asked her where Harry was. "He's in the Minister's office. Shall I tell him you're here? I don't believe he was expecting you, in fact didn't you see him like just twenty minutes ago."

I explained why I had come and together we tackled the still visible stain in the carpet. The efforts to remove the blood had left a circle nearly a foot across and quite visible to anyone who transited the office. We worked for fifteen minutes, using any spell either of us could think of and even soap and water. As we dried the rug and were taunted by the reappearance of a somewhat fainter, but also somewhat wider stain, we each had brilliant ideas.

"Why don't we just cut out the piece of carpet with the stain, swap it for another piece of carpet off in that corner, and magically reweave the carpet?" Callista suggested.

"I like that idea," I told Callista. "I was thinking that we could also quickly dye the carpet a little darker, although the only dye I could get quickly is what Mr. Granger dumps down the toilets to check the plumbing."

Cotto came out of Harry's office and inquired what we were up to 'so furtively'. When I explained, he said he would fetch proper dye and then help us. By the time Callista and I had magically cut out twenty-inch squares of carpet, Cotto was back to help us reweave those portions of the carpet.

"I know many old House Elf tricks," he told us, directing the two of us to the repair in the corner. He finished his piece before we completed ours, working together, and his piece blended in perfectly, while you could sort of see where ours had been mended. Cotto made a slight modification to our repairs and worked on the areas where the pieces joined, so that they blended together very smoothly. As Callista and I levitated the furniture, Cotto dyed and then quickly re-dried the carpeting. When he had finished, it looked almost new. Cotto was in a repair mood, so he also fixed the stain and scratches on the section of Harry's door, where Harry had repeatedly kicked it closed during our Thicknesse farce. As I turned to leave, I thanked both Cotto and Callista for their help, and asked them to both pretend that I had never visited the Ministry.

Back at Hogwarts, I found Adrienne taking advantage of a nice sunny day to paint in her studio. "Professor McGonagall thought we might console each other," I told her by way of explaining my presence. "If you read the morning paper, you know why I'm very worried about Harry, and Professor McGonagall is very worried about you."

"You are right to be worried about Harry, but wrong to be worried about me. I have a thicker skin than Minerva suspects. If I didn't I never would have survived months of Bruce.

"I am worried about Amelia. She has been hit by a lot lately, from how she performs her job to suspicions she was an agent for the other side. She's taken it hard. I'm sure this will send her into another round of self-recrimination and a desire to resign. I don't think she should do that. I'd be at the Ministry trying to talk sense to her, except I have a class in fifteen minutes. A class that you, Hermione, and Cissy are all part of. I was wondering if the three of you would be willing to join me in a trip to the Ministry after my class. Erin told me there is a sweet shop on Diagon Alley, where you take despondent Witches to cheer them up. As you know, I like Harry and Ron, but I must request that we restrict this get-together to Witches young and old."

"I'd be happy to do anything I can, and I'm sure the others would as well. Oh, and in case you needed cheering, I had planned to tell you that I used what you taught me about Witch Sculpting to fix the quartz cylinder in the Cavern of the Goblins. That's how we managed to complete three days of repairs in eight hours and permit Harry to deliver on his promise at the press conference."

"I'm very pleased that you've discovered such a practical use for my teaching. Did I give you any other useful ideas?"

"You and the Light Guardian. I'm going to start making my own silver Keeper ring. I have a chip of granite and some sand from the Circle of the Goblins that I'm going to incorporate into the ring, along with some super-unicorn-charged Yantra sand, which is connected to the whole of the universe. At least that's what Professor Firenze says. I'm not sure I totally believe him. I'm still thinking about the overall design."

"I'm sure you'll make a fine ring, and it is certainly a great compliment for you to pair me with the Light Guardian as the inspiration for your work."

We both saw the other students beginning to arrive and moved to our separate positions. I was quickly flanked by Cissy and Hermione, both of whom wanted to know how Harry was doing and what I was discussing with Professor Celine. I told them Harry was still not so good, and that our presence was requested for a cheer-up lunch for Madam Bones. They both looked slightly surprised by the invitation, but agreed to join the party.

Professor Celine's formal classes up to this point had all been fairly plain vanilla teaching of art concepts, following the chapters in the art textbook which she had selected for us. She infused the lectures with the liveliness of her unique personality, but was still rather subdued in comparison to her persona and the exercises that she set for us in her art club.

Today, however, although her mood was subdued, even for this formal lower-levels class, she surprised us by the assignment that she prescribed as soon as the last student was seated.

"Get the thick rag drawing paper and the charcoal pencils. I want each of you to draw for me your concept of evil. It may be human, or not." With that she turned her back on the class and resumed working on her painting. A hundred minutes later, she turned to us and instructed, "time's up, sign your work and post it on the front wall, so that we can each get an appreciation of true evil."

There was a scurrying to the front of the room as we all tacked our drawings to the cork paneling. I saw many drawings, or at least attempted drawings, of Voldemort or his snake, Nagini. I noticed that Hermione had done a very accurate rendering of Silas. He was wearing a demented grin and holding two wires in front of them, with a great spark arcing between them. An unfinished, rather indistinct shape, which I still knew to be Hermione herself, was huddling in fear at his feet. I saw that Cissy had drawn her brother, Bruce. I had drawn Delores Umbridge.

There was only one other drawing that didn't represent Voldemort or his snake. Jimmy Peakes had drawn a younger Adrienne, standing with her back to a precipice and being pulled backward by a very old Witch, of the same age as McGonagall's priestess friends. The drawing was unnerving and an obviously nasty taunting of Adrienne, given the content of the morning paper. Nevertheless, the drawing showed the most technical skill of any of those tacked to the wall. I was turning away from his drawing, when the signature pierced my heart. I elbowed Hermione and practically dragged the point of her nose against the signature – 'the acolyte'. Hermione let out such a gasp, that Professor Celine walked over to join us. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Jimmy strutting out of the room with a broad, but slightly mad grin spread across his face.

"I've shown the art museum to my students, but I'm certain that Minerva removed my self-portrait prior to any student setting foot in that museum. Jimmy has a truly great eye, but seems to be a little more troubled than I had thought. That is most definitely a good representation of the much younger me from the self-portrait. This is an amazing drawing for an hour and a half of work."

"Where is your self-portrait?" I asked. "If Jimmy didn't see it in the museum, he must have seen in some other place. He didn't choose that signature at random."

"No, he most certainly did not. I stashed the painting in the back of one of the wardrobes in my apartment. Come, I'll show you. Bring Jimmy's drawing for comparison."

It was a very short walk to Adrienne's apartment. She led us into her bedroom, which was a picture of disarray, with previously-worn Muggle, Witch, and night clothes strewn on the floor. "I assure you that I did not leave the room like this," she told us, with a self-assurance that belied any sense of embarrassment, even if she had left the room like that. My truth teller sense told me that this, indeed, was exactly how she had left the room. She went to the larger of the wardrobes, pushed aside several sets of school robes on wire hangers, and hauled an unframed oil painting from the rear of the wardrobe. As she turned it toward us, I instantly recognized it as Jimmy's drawing of young Adrienne, with a much younger girl, up against a cliff by the sea.

"This certainly can't be a good thing," Cissy voiced what each of us was thinking.

I was concerned enough that I hauled the cellphone out of my robes and phoned Harry at the Ministry. I told him that he needed to have his aurors arrest Jimmy Peakes and explained what had happened. Harry said he preferred not to arrest Jimmy just yet, but would start an investigation. He said he would send an auror to protect Professor Celine and that Barb could hang out in the Gryffindor common room. When I told Harry of our plan to cheer up Madam Bones, he said to apparate to his office and he would send Barb to the sweet shop with us. Ellen would loiter in Gryffindor. I told Harry we'd stop by McGonagall's office to give her a quick update, before coming to the Ministry. He instructed me to wait where we were and a pair of aurors would join us.

We sat back to wait, exchanging words of worry and concern for Adrienne. I knew that I must still be feeling some of the port's effects when I blurted out, "I should have known there was something wrong with Jimmy when he made his little brother Keeper and didn't add a single backup Keeper to the team." As the others stared at me, I continued blurting "You know, the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Jimmy cost us the season with that obviously bad decision."

I was spared further embarrassment by the appearance of three aurors accompanied by a furious Professor McGonagall, who demanded to know why Harry was going to have one of her students arrested.

I hurriedly told her that the aurors weren't going to arrest Jimmy, prompting Ellen to state "I told her that, myself. We are just here to protect Professor Celine and the other students."

We showed Jimmy's drawing and painting to the headmaster and she certainly did not miss their significance.

"I see the problem, although I don't see how he could have known where your apartment was, let alone gotten into it. He certainly seems to both hate you and know quite a lot about you."

Professor Celine explained that she had once invited Jimmy to her apartment, as she had several other students. Professor McGonagall's look said this was a practice which would not be repeated.

"I think he was angered by the report in the Daily Prophet," Professor Celine explained. "I'm not at all sure he's dangerous. I think this is an adolescent crush on the part of a boy who's a little too timid to approach girls his own age, now coupled with a certain amount of loathing. I'm apparently not the person he wants or demands that I be."

"Be that as it may, we're going to search his room for your self-portrait." Our whole group trooped over to Gryffindor and up the stairs to the boys' dorm, McGonagall shouting ahead of us "Headmaster on the floor." A first year in a towel scurried back into the lower level's bathroom as Professor McGonagall tried to determine which was the appropriate dorm room. Neville came out of the seventh years' room and asked what all the commotion was about. Getting the briefest of summaries, he pointed the headmaster to the room shared by Jimmy, telling us that he would search the upper levels' bathroom, himself.

A careful search of Jimmy's effects, and in fact the entirety of the room, did not reveal the self-portrait in question. We saw several canvases, but they were all finished or partly completed paintings done by Jimmy and properly signed with his actual name. Unfortunately for Jimmy's roommates, the search did turn up several good sized stashes of the more strongly prohibited of the curiosities sold by Lee and my brother. There were a couple truly stupendous-sized fireworks.

McGonagall harrumphed and instructed the male auror "bag those and make them disappear, if you would be so kind."

As we were turning to leave, Neville returned holding a few small scraps of painted canvas, which had apparently missed the toilet when Jimmy was flushing the cut up pieces of the self-portrait.

"I guess that pretty well settles that," Professor McGonagall concluded. "Leave me Ellen. Neville and I will find and deal with Mr. Peakes. I agree with Professor Celine that he's more dangerous to himself than to others."


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER 26 – DARK CHOCOLATE WILL HEAL YOUR SOUL**

As we headed off to Harry's office, I wasn't sure whether we would be steadying Madam Bones or she would be steadying us. "I'll miss my old portrait," Professor Celine lamented. "It has a lot of sentimental value. It was my gift to Professor McGonagall to thank her for all she had done to help me succeed at Hogwarts and carve out a special niche for myself. It's painful to think of it being sliced up and flushed. Beyond that, it was one of the last paintings I did with a brush. If it was a Witch Painting, I'd just wrack my brain until I had it well visualized and pop out a replacement. It also goes back to the regrettable time when I was just starting out in the Muggle world and the group that I was hanging out with was into acrylic.

"I knew that anything I painted with that stuff wouldn't be usable in the Wizard world, but I didn't expect to bring back any of my stuff. Then I was coming back for a summer visit to Hogwarts and it was nearly Minerva's birthday, so I brought that painting as a gift. I had grown to love it and wanted her to have it in remembrance of how I had used to be. Just on impulse, we decided to pay a nostalgic visit to the museum, she and I had visited it dozens of times when I was a student, and for some silly reason, she decided to hang my painting. Perhaps she wanted me to be a permanent part of the hidden museum, which we had shared and enjoyed so much, or perhaps she realized that she could never show the painting to anyone else at Hogwarts and hid it away in a place that only she would visit."

Barb met us in Harry's reception room and led us to Madam Bones' office. Madam Bones was surprised to see all of us, but readily agreed to join us for a snack. We walked out of the Ministry and into Diagon Alley, with a short stroll down the street bringing us to the sweet shop next to the Weasley emporium. Only one other table was occupied as we entered the café. We went all the way to the other end of the shop for added privacy and pulled two of the small tables together. When the owner came over to our table, I suggested "big mugs of hot chocolate for everyone, it's really, really, good, and a big plate of her chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven?"

The others nodded that this was a tempting suggestion. As the owner walked away to prepare our order, we moved on to the business of general cheering up.

"I thought you were likely in need of a break and a boost and so did Minerva," Adrienne announced to Madam Bones. "How are you holding up? The Daily Prophet was certainly a shock at our end. It caused one of my more gifted students to lose his grip."

"I'm fine, or at least I think I'm as fine as reasonable, under the circumstances. I won't pretend that this has been a good week. I've talked to both the Minister and Deputy Minister and neither wants me to resign. Even Kingsley stopped by and told me not to let this get me down. I think the Minister generally likes me, although he dislikes some of the things that I've done. Even I dislike some of the things that I've done. I don't think Harry likes me yet, but he seems determined to treat me fairly and give me a chance. When I make a good argument for my position, he supports me over Kingsley. I can't expect more than that. Kingsley has been polite and I don't think he's seeking vengeance on me, which by his standards, or most people's standards, he has every right to do, considering that I poisoned him and cost him the Minister job. He's arguing tactics with me, knowing he should be my boss. If only for Arthur's sake, I'm sure Kingsley will play nice with me.

"At least for now, the administration has circled the wagons to protect me, but I think that Frakes is just nasty and that he won't stop coming after us. I'm not sure how long the administration will or should stand by Minerva and me. Arthur and Harry are good Wizards and they'll hold out as long as they can, but there's an election coming up in less than half a year. I think Arthur has things set up that the real battle over Minerva's position can't happen until the end of term, when a permanent headmaster will be chosen. My fate may rest on how well we do in the coming Wizengamot elections. The fate of all Witches may depend upon the results of that election. I readily admit that Frakes scares me. He wrote things these past two days which he really had no way of knowing. That is very unsettling. I know he will just keep attacking until Minerva and I are gone and Witches have fewer rights than Elves."

"I can't believe either Harry or the Minister would allow Witches to be given fewer rights than Elves, or than Wizards for that matter. You forget Harry's tax reduction amendment. There will be more Witches than ever voting in this next election," Hermione declared.

"I'm not sure if that will help or hurt," Madame Bones lamented. "The Witches who avoid voting to save the tax tend to be the older, more conservative, country Witches. They resent Witches that want to work outside the home or family farmlet. They especially resent unmarried Witches. Harry may well have strengthened our enemies."

"Then we have to convince them that their interests and their daughter's interests lie with our side," I told her. "I totally agree with your other point. Frakes is out for family vengeance and there is no chance of reasoning with that. He will be a bitter and fairly capable opponent for the rest of his career. But some of what he wrote was wrong; it's like he didn't research the articles himself and he didn't quite understand what he was told to write. I'd like to know who told him to write that. It may have been Barnabas Cuffe, but we know that The Daily Prophet allowed Thicknesse to write articles for Frakes to sign. Certainly the Daily Prophet doesn't like us. Harry's having lunch with Ernie and may be able to learn something. We were so convinced that our only leaks were from Professor McGonagall's Sisterhood, which I guess is from the two of you and McGonagall herself, but now we clearly have another major leak. I can't begin to guess who."

"I think you recall my telling you who the leak is," Hermione told me. To the others, she simply added, "I know who's been bugging us and I have a plan to stop it."

"It's someone who hates unmarried Witches," Adrienne offered. "I won't be surprised if you learn that this hatred, rather than opposition to Arthur or Harry's politics, is what is driving this person. It could be a Witch or a Wizard. I'm going to stay strong and not let it bother me."

"But it will hurt your career, Adrienne," Madam Bones complained. "As an artist, you've cultivated an image of youth, freedom, unlimited possibilities, and disregard for any convention. It won't further your reputation when it becomes known that your girlfriend is such an old Witch. It will make you seem positively stodgy."

"You're still quite adventurous and open to new ideas and politics, Amelia. As the highest ranking Witch in any recent government, you're still a glamorous path breaker. My reputation will be fine. I sell all my art in the Muggle world, anyway. If I tell them that I'm living with a Witch, my Muggle fans will just shout 'Wizard!'. The opposition doesn't dare go after me in the Muggle world. Doing anything to reveal our presence to the Muggles would be an instant trip to Azkaban, and the conservative Wizards would be the first to demand that sentence."

"Well, I'm relieved that you don't think this revelation will hurt your career," Madam Bones further relaxed, grabbing another cookie. "That would be worse than my losing my job over this. You're just getting your career fairly launched, while I've perhaps been at mine too long. I find myself becoming peevish and too wrapped up in my legal idiosyncrasies and spats with Kingsley.

"I know Harry would support me whole-heartedly, if he sensed that I had a passion for convicting and locking away the baddies. That's really all it would take for him and Arthur to support almost all of my legal reforms. I've set aside that passion to convict and let my efforts for reform totally consume me. I'm in danger of becoming an oddity. I've got to launch the prosecution of some of the Death Eater prisoners, to get my legal legs back under me again. What Harry doesn't realize, and what I have a very difficult time bringing myself to convey to him, was that it was prosecutions like Umbridge setting after him for underage magic or the prosecutions of the poor Muggle-born masquerading as pure-bred Wizards, that cut the prosecutorial heart out of me.

"I know I can't stay in this job if I can't regain my old balance and sense of the rightness of my work. I had no problem prosecuting Bruce, but I admit that I can't raise the passion to convict Pansy Parkinson. One part of my head still sees prosecutions as a bad way for one political faction to fight its opposition. I don't like the killing alternative, though. I do understand how frustrating it is to have Barty about to be sent up on his third life sentence, immediately after witnessing the escape of the Montaignes. Azkaban is just too horrible and inhumane. I admit to great difficulty in sending anyone there. We badly need a secure prison, without the dementors. I'm not convinced that the farthest depths of Gringotts are more than a temporary and rather inhumane alternative. What we've really been doing at Azkaban is bribing the dementors with prisoners, to prevent them attacking those we think of as 'the innocent'. You killed Voldemort's ghost: you should find a way to kill the dementors, or at least to banish them to a place where there are no humans."

I was feeling quite mellow and the ill effects of all the port I drank were slowly draining away from me. If this gathering was meant to be therapy for Madam Bones, it was also having a very salutary effect on my being. The hot chocolate was every bit as good as I remembered it, and the gooey chocolate chip cookies were even better than the éclair which I had consumed while cheering Erin. As the plate of cookies arrived, I timed my indulgence for the exact moment when the melted dark chocolate bittersweet chips were still molten and gooey, but not so hot that they burned my mouth. The proprietor certainly knew how to bake a great chipster – the cookie itself was crisp and brown, with all of the soft chewiness centered in the gooey chocolate. Whether it was all the sugar and chocolate or the lingering effects of tiredness and the port, I found myself thinking much more fondly of Madam Bones than I had previously. I found myself wanting to help her and wanting to persuade Harry to be kind to this good Witch. Killing the dementors did not sound like a bad idea at all. I wondered if they were covered, at least in spirit, by the Covenant. Hermione and I would have to plumb the depths of the new knowledge in our heads and determine if it were permissible to kill the dementors and, barring that, whether it was possible to tame them.

I mentioned this to Hermione. "I was thinking the same thing," she replied. "I'll certainly research both my head and the Ministry library."

Madam Bones replied, "bless you, children." I wasn't keen on the 'children' part, but appreciated her general sentiment. I was feeling so warm and mellow that I was beginning to suspect that Adrienne or Madam Bones possessed some spell or ability to adjust the mood of their companions. While I was musing this possibility, the door to the shop swung open and reinforcements arrived.

"I'm sorry that we're late," Professor McGonagall said more as a greeting than an apology. "I had to find and deal with the older Peakes boy. He had hidden away in the Quidditch changing room. As you can see, I rounded up Molly, Trew, Narcissa, Luna, and Margaret. I thought we might as well make this a general Witches' outing. Have you been cheering up Amelia?"

The proprietor ambled over, before anyone could reply, so Professor McGonagall continued "I think a couple more plates of your chocolate chip cookies and six more mugs of the hot chocolate. We'll just pull over another table."

"Make that seven mugs," I added "and we've all been of quite good cheer. Welcome to our little party."

"Umm, make that an even dozen mugs of the hot chocolate," Cissy corrected the order.

"Jimmy is sorry about his actions," Professor McGonagall reported. "He had developed quite a crush on Adrienne, despite his realization that she leans toward Witches. I think he somehow discovered that she had spent some time with Bruce, and that gave him false hope. The Daily Prophet sent him into a rage and he snuck up to her apartment before class and swapped paintings. He said he wanted to keep the self-portrait forever, but that when he saw everybody's reaction to his drawing, he knew he had been found out and rushed back to Gryffindor to destroy the evidence. He has detention until the Christmas break. He wouldn't tell me how he knew about Adrienne and Bruce or how he was able to slip into her apartment. The wall is solid and requires a key on your person for the stone to dissolve. I assume a determined person would have no difficulty breaking through or picking the lock on the apartment door, but I could find no sign of any of that. Jimmy warrants much closer watching, but I don't want him arrested. Professor Longbottom has promised to keep an eye on him."

"We have received no orders to arrest him," Barb replied, talking around a bite of cookie.

"It's amazing how well Neville has adjusted to being a Professor," I remarked. "I didn't think he would ever room in Gryffindor, for any reason, he was so concerned about the older students not taking him seriously, since they're so close in age. He's a no-nonsense leader and organizer within Gryffindor. Certainly a far more active House advisor than, umm, you were. He also teaches a very interesting herbology course, although quite a bit more on the practical side than Professor Sprouts' version. For a school that never gives a job to a fresh graduate, I don't think Hogwarts could possibly have done better."

"Being hired immediately following graduation is rare, but not unprecedented. I was hired a month after I graduated," Professor McGonagall corrected. "I think Dumbledore had to wait several years before he was hired. As I recall, one of the professors died over the summer after I graduated and there was a scramble to find a replacement. Other than that, I think you have to go back almost a century before you come upon a professor who was hired within two years of graduation. I know you've been quickly doing your math and not giving me your full attention, so I'll spare you the effort. I'm just under twenty-two years older than Narcissa. Very wrong, I know, but I loved her so very much. When I say Narcissa was truly exceptional, I mean that in my twenty plus years as a professor, I had not encountered a student mind the equal of hers."

"I wasn't calculating," I assured her.

"I suppose you all have realized that the Ministry leaker doesn't seem to like our sort of Witch," McGonagall commented, "and I certainly accept that Jimmy fits the description of that person. It seems to me, however, that someone has supplied Jimmy with information, possibly the same person who presented the scoops to Frakes. That person likely also had a Hogwarts key, perhaps even a broader master key than the one that Umbridge and I possessed. That is a scary thought to wrap your minds around. I know I'm going to place a charm on my door, until this culprit is caught."

"I go back to the theory that I presented in the cavern," Hermione announced to the whole table, although only Barb and I could possibly understand the reference. "I think just as we couldn't be absolutely certain that Umbridge was really dead, we have even less evidence that Rita Skeeter is dead. I can well imagine her flitting around the Ministry and even hitch hiking a ride on someone's hair or clothing, when we went down into the Gringotts Cavern. She could be the source of information and she would certainly pass along what she knows to The Daily Prophet. With a change in administration, she might even magically return to life. I thought my horse's behind proved this conjecture quite well. We really ought to lay a trap at the Ministry."

This required quite a bit of background explanation for our snacking companions. At the end of my rehashing of Hermione's demonstration, it was Madam Bones who interjected "eww, please, not while I'm eating!"

"Okay, I'll change topic a little," I promised. "Since there are still important mysteries to be solved, I think it timely to comment that the older generation has been holding out on us and that we might well have solved everything, if you had let us in on a few more of your secrets. Professor McGonagall says everything is about family, but our circle doesn't know or understand the personal and family relationships from the days when you were students. Those are the days that the Death Eaters got started and the Grindelwalds were initially defeated. Harry isn't just being snoopy and he isn't a gossip – he had a very good reason for wanting to read Dumbledore's files on certain students. Just reading his father's file put his battle with Snape in an entirely different light."

"Well, you're covering two generations," Mom told me, "going back to Dumbledore's student days and then as far forward as when Narcissa and Adrienne were students. It is natural for adults to want to shield you, or to want to keep their secrets to appear to be stronger or better people than we are. There are some things we are just very happy to have put behind us as we have matured. I agree, it is important that you understand more about how things were. Ask your questions and, if we think they're appropriate, we'll try to answer them."

"I have one that I've actually tried to research but been unable to find the answer," Hermione addressed the table. "I happen to agree with Draco that his father's death and behavior right before he died is the key to a lot of what has happened. Lucius said that Narcissa wasn't his choice in marriage partner. Did he have another person in mind?"

"I don't mind answering that, and I guess it might shed quite a bit of light on recent events," Narcissa told Hermione. Lucius's school sweetheart was Pansy's mother. When Lucius was forced to marry me, Pansy's mother married the much older Mr. Parkinson. I think Lucius was in love with Mrs. Parkinson all these years. Pansy may well have reminded him of her mother. That makes the Lucius-Pansy-Draco triangle even more messed up than I'm sure it already seemed. There was a time when I wondered if Lucius were Pansy's father, but Lucius adamantly denied that, and I believed him. I can also see that Pansy takes after Mr. Parkinson a bit in appearance and bears no resemblance whatsoever to Lucius. Pansy looks very much as her mother did when she left Hogwarts. I know that Lucius practically stalked Pansy for over a year before encountering her in the Muggle shop. That is what initially fired my suspicions."

"That also makes Mrs. Parkinson's actions in sending Lucius and Pansy off to help Silas kidnap us all the stranger," I commented.

"My first thought was that he was doing a favor for his old love, then I heard Thicknesse had a finger in that action," Narcissa replied.

"We know nothing about Adrienne's parents or childhood," Cissy stated.

"I'm not a shy person anymore," Professor Celine replied. "I'm perfectly happy to tell you about my young self. I was Muggle-born and grew up in Brighton. I demonstrated magical ability from a very young age, perhaps four or five. This made the neighbor kids think me quite strange. I was feared, but when there were enough of them together, I was picked on and once, when I was nine, punched and kicked so severely that I had a broken wrist and four cracked ribs. I fought back with my fists and feet, but I think it was my mind that did the major damage. One of my attackers, a boy of fourteen, was left huddled in a ball, crying. I kicked him a few times, as much as an excuse for his behavior as to hurt him. One of the girls had a broken leg and another a broken nose, which didn't really fully stop bleeding for nearly two weeks.

"The neighbor kids stopped picking on me and simply avoided me after that. In the year before I was summoned to Hogwarts, I found that I could get along with the other children in my class, if I stayed focused on happy thoughts. My family is Greek and Eastern Orthodox, which gets a little more earthily into the mystical than your standard Church of England, but I was beyond the pale. I frightened our old Priest, although his young assistant tried to make something proper of me. I learned a fair amount of church doctrine during that time. I was still a very shy little girl, and my left wrist still hurt me whenever I tried to do anything with it. I was smart enough that I did very well at my Muggle school, despite being too shy to say anything in class.

"I was even more shy my first year at Hogwarts. I took the standard abuse meted out to the Muggle-born, which the Slytherins dished out on a daily basis, very seriously. I was in Gryffindor and, although my fellow Gryffindors often stood up for me, I was sad and had trouble getting along. The girl who befriended me on the Hogwarts Express and became my best friend in Gryffindor, said I had a way of making everyone around me feel sad. I don't think it was a lack of intelligence or magical ability, but I was a very iffy student that first year. My disdain for Quidditch also made me stand out. My best friend forced me to attend the Gryffindor matches, just so I wouldn't seem so strange.

"I spent that summer pretty much in my parents' house, reading, playing with, and talking to my three year younger non-magical brother and generally feeling sorry for myself. Toward the end of that summer is when I started to draw in earnest. The only time I left the house was to sketch the houses in the neighborhood or the sea-side scenery. I must have brought a dozen detailed drawings of my brother Edwin back to Hogwarts with me. I had him in crayon, charcoal, pencil, pen, pastels, and even one in oil. After I appeared to be making a less than auspicious start on my second year, Professor McGonagall visited me in our room and saw my art. I had also drawn all my roommates, by that time. She told me that it was a shame that Hogwarts couldn't offer me art instruction, but that she would see what she could do. At first she bought me some art supplies and critiqued my efforts.

"That December, something happened that changed my life. I didn't understand it at the time, but Edwin had pitched a fit about not wanting his strange sister to come home for Christmas. He had invited a friend from his school, who had moved away a month before, to come stay with him for the holiday and didn't want the friend to see me. I didn't realize that was the reason until years later. Anyway, a week before Christmas break my mother wrote me a letter saying the family and most of the neighbors had come down with terrible cases of the flu and it would be far better if I didn't come home for the holiday. I think Barb would have stayed at Hogwarts with me, but we had already both planned to go home to our families. She was committed to go home, so I was left alone at Hogwarts. I was the only student remaining in Gryffindor over Christmas. Professor McGonagall took mercy on me and showed me what she called her 'secret Hogwarts'. I saw the museum, the pyramid, and the room where the Elves run the school utilities. I spent hours in the museum that holiday, partly with Professor McGonagall and partly alone. I made copies of many of the drawings and paintings in the museum.

"I took meals with the staff who were present, which was Headmaster Dumbledore, Snape, Professor Sprout, Madam Hooch, Madam Pomphrey, Professor Binns – he didn't die until a year later - and of course Professor McGonagall. There were also two Hufflepuffs and two Ravenclaws who were staying at Hogwarts for the holiday and who ate with us. Strangely, I found it easier to converse with this group than I did with the whole Gryffindor table.

"Somehow, that experience gave me more confidence and when Barb and my classmates returned, I got along with them easier. Barb said I had changed a lot in a fortnight. I think she was right. I felt much happier and more at ease. Whenever I felt out of sorts, I'd grab a canvas, my brushes and a few jars of paint. An hour of fierce concentration and my spirits were inevitably restored. Barb said I had learned how to make other people happy. I even had a knack for rousing the spirit of girls who had descended into the severe mopes. The rest of my Hogwarts tenure was idyllic. By the time I graduated, I was a decided extrovert and everyone in Gryffindor was my friend. Although I spent summers at home, I felt less and less welcome within my family and was studiously avoided by my brother. I had transitioned from the fun older sister to the weird and embarrassing relation, who had to be tolerated for three months a year.

"During my fifth year, Professor McGonagall recruited me into her sisterhood. It was mainly camaraderie and study buddies and professors and graduates giving advice on what to do after we graduated. Halfway through my sixth year, Professor McGonagall met with me and told me that I could be of great value to the Sisterhood as an agent in the Muggle world. She said my art and my Muggle birth would be my passport into that world as an adult. I had already spent the summer after my fifth year taking art classes at a Muggle college. During the summer after my sixth year, I made my way into London and lived with half a dozen young artists. It was a wild, free three months, in which I learned a lot about how young Muggle artists lived. I picked up tips from my new friends on painting and drawing, on how to sell your work for a pittance, on where to buy art supplies on the cheap, and most importantly on what clothes, language, wine, and likes and dislikes were considered in by the young avant garde artists. I also got my first real experience with boys.

"My senior year, Professor McGonagall let me wear the Ravenclaw spectacles and diadem. One day, just for a lark, and I guess feeling a little rebellious about some of Minerva's strictures, I decided to hide the diadem within my hair and wear the spectacles to Advanced Transfiguration class. It was then and there, while transfiguring my broom into a floppy straw hat, that I got the idea for Witch Sculpture. I spent the rest of that term refining my technique and even dabbling with what would later become Witch Painting. It was that term that I realized I was attracted to Witches in general and my friend Barbara in particular. I snuck her down to the art museum for snogging sessions. It was an absolutely glorious term.

"After graduation the Sisterhood, and Narcissa in particular, got me set up in a small loft in Soho. I shared it with two older Muggle female artists. It was then that I learned I was more attracted to older women than those my own age and drifted apart a bit from my old friend Barb, although we stayed friends and kept in contact, especially since we were both in the Sisterhood. I was doing more painting than sculpting and what sculpting I did was marble or wood. I could Witch Sculpt the marble in easy stages, so that my roomies would think I simply had a very productive day, while they were out going about their business. To just suddenly produce a finished bronze sculpture, 'ta-dah', would have been impossible to explain. After a couple years of this existence, I was feeling the need for a place where I could freely practice my art, without having to constantly hide my magical ability. Amelia took me in and gave me studio space in her home. Our relationship just blossomed from there, as I realized what a kind, sensitive, super intelligent Witch she was. It also helped that she honestly appreciated my art and encouraged me to take outrageous artistic chances.

"All was light and increased artistic achievement and acceptance within the Muggle world, until Professor McGonagall launched me on the Bruce project. It took me several months to get close to him and then I was with him for several months. His wealth and contacts set me up with some excellent art dealers and several rich collectors, who took a fancy to my sculpture. The artistic acceptance almost made up for Bruce, but those quickly became dark days and if I showed you my work from that time, you would instantly recognize that it was produced by a different person that I am today. I think my professorship is a reward for my days with Bruce and that I was offered it in the knowledge that I needed something like this to complete my healing. Now you know my story."

"Except that I'm her former and current friend, Barb," my auror-protector spoke out from the far end of the table. "Adrienne and I still get along well together and I appreciate most of her art, even some of the things from her dark period."

"That means," Hermione agitatedly burst forth "that Professor McGonagall learned of the Bruce danger long before the rest of us."

"It was discussed within the Sisterhood and we shared our concerns with the Order," Mom informed us "but Adrienne quickly sent back the key intelligence – Bruce wasn't going to make common cause with Voldemort, but rather quietly build his strength in France and Germany, until he was ready to surface as a force independent of the Death Eaters. Bruce was fairly safe on the Continent, but if Bruce's actions became common knowledge, Lord Montaigne would have been in terrible danger. At the time, we saw Montaigne as a not-so-bad possible counterweight to be used against Voldemort, so we kept quiet about Bruce. It seemed far preferable to ignore Bruce and hope that he remained dormant, until we could find a way to deal with Voldemort and Thicknesse. Even after Gunter Gran Martine surfaced, we didn't suspect it was Bruce, because Bruce's efforts seemed too ineffectual. He was more of a dilettante revolutionary than the real thing. It was Adrienne who learned that Bruce had taken another step into madness and put his daydreams into action. He had amassed more stolen Muggle money than we realized and this allowed him to move much faster than we imagined."

"I was close enough to the inner workings of the Death Eaters, to be able to report that Voldemort did not regard Bruce as anything more than a foolish, dilettante playboy, who had squandered his chance to join the Death Eaters. He saw Bruce as something unclean, to be avoided and ignored. That knowledge allowed the Order to focus solely upon the Death Eaters," Narcissa elaborated.

By the time our refreshment reinforcements had arrived, Callista, Prudence, Mrs. Granger, Susan Bones, and even Cho had joined us. I was beginning to feel like I was attending a recruitment meeting for the Sisterhood. Those of us who were first to arrive, chivalrously surrendered our second mugs of hot chocolate to the newcomers, as we ordered up another dozen mugs of chocolate and two more plates of chocolate chip cookies.

"I can't keep making the same thing, although this certainly is good for the health of my business," the proprietor told us. Since Susan likes her chocolate with a bit of coffee and her chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, I'll alter to that recipe for the next round, unless anyone objects." We were all willing to experiment.

"Your Mom?" I asked Susan.

"Yes, I didn't realize that you didn't know that. That makes it all the stranger that you brought Amelia to her sister-in-law's shop to cheer her up. Mom is also a member of the Sisterhood, in case you didn't know. I joined up in the middle of my fourth year. Watching Harry was one of my assignments."

"I also was recruited at the end of my fourth year," Cho volunteered. "At the end of my fifth year, Professor McGonagall sent me on a journey to investigate the magical communities of the East. I visited the Wizarding schools in Tibet, India, and Japan. They're all quite small. My mission was a complete failure. Professor McGonagall wanted me to recruit help in the fight against the Death Eaters, but none of the Wizards that I visited had any interest in getting involved in our affairs. Britons of every stripe were viewed as a bad thing. They were scared that I had found them. I understand their fear, their communities are so small inside such large countries. India has the largest magical community in the East, but still, it is smaller than two thousand people. They are so outnumbered that there is no such thing as a Muggle-born Wizard in the East."

"Things have been so busy, that we didn't contact you or Viktor," I apologized, "but Harry used Viktor's weapon in a duel with Thicknesse. Obviously, it worked. Harry was thrown onto his butt, but was otherwise unharmed. Thicknesse was in five separate pieces. It was the stuff of nightmares, which unfortunately it has been, for Harry. He is beating himself up, because he killed Thicknesse with that killing spell, rather than disarming and capturing him. We have since learned that Thicknesse may have been a not-so-bad guy who was Imperiused by a Death Eater and may have been Imperiused ever since. Harry keeps saying he killed an innocent, out of arrogance."

"You simply have to tell Harry that what he thinks can't possibly be true. Viktor has thought a lot more about using his weapon in duels. If Harry was locked up, wand-to-wand with Thicknesse and then succeeded in killing him with Viktor's discovery and if Harry suffered no ill physical effect from a blowback, then Harry did the only thing he could do. Thicknesse had to have been using a killing curse and been as strong or stronger than Harry. Had Harry done his old 'expelliarmus' thing, or even a 'petrificus', he would have died. In order for Harry not to have experienced blow-back, the duel must have been very even on a deadly curse to deadly curse level. If Harry were enough stronger to prevail with anything less than 'Avada Kedavra', then he certainly would have died had he used a weaker curse. He would have just seen all his energy drained away, until he was defenseless and then dead. Viktor found this for certain. I'm very glad that the trick worked for Harry and very apologetic that Viktor or I didn't send Harry the results of our new studies and experiments. Harry should feel no guilt. His only choice was to live or to die. If he doesn't believe this, then he must visit Viktor. He can explain it all better than I can hope to."

Mrs. Bones came back with our reinforcement of goodies and squeezed a seat in between Hermione and me. "I haven't had this many people in my shop, since Voldemort took over."

"It's going to be even more," Callista told her. "Professor McGonagall asked me to have the Minister, Harry, and Ron join us in mid-afternoon. I guess we might need some heavier fare than chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate."

"I'll send for a widowed Witch who used to help me out, when times were better. Like me, she lost her husband in the early days of the Voldemort wars. It was shortly after that when I joined the Sisterhood. It provides a lot of help and advice to a Witch running a business and raising a daughter on her own. I don't know what I would have done without their help. It was a very difficult time, but I've gotten my life back together and you can just see how well Susan turned out. Through these latest troubles, I've felt a lot safer having the Weasley shop next door. I know it has attracted some bombs, but there were nights when Lee, George, and Cho chased baddies away from my shop."

"I'd like to talk a bit more about Pansy, before Harry gets here," Professor McGonagall announced. "You wanted background, so I'll give you a bit of additional background. I needed a source of information within the Slytherin House, suspect as I was of Snape and his ability to ignore any wrong doing by members of his House. I didn't have a lot of choices, but Pansy seemed like a possibility. I'm sure that you think I recruited her this past summer, but she actually became a provisional member near the start of her sixth year, when she was very worried about Draco. We have a way of handling provisional recruits such that they get to meet very few of our members and get only the barest outline of our agenda. For Pansy, we were primarily just a support group for young Witches at Hogwarts. I worked fairly closely with Pansy, myself, and assigned a student member to be her guide and contact. That person was Susan Bones. During that year, the only members of the Sisterhood whom she met were Susan, Trew, Madam Sprout, and myself, and later the Patil girls. It was presented almost as a student support group and tutorial club. Without giving much, really anything, away we slowly picked up knowledge of what was happening within Slytherin as Pansy spoke of the changes she saw in Draco, how Goyle was developing doubts about him, her worries, and what her parents expected of her.

"It was just useful background to better understand what the opposition was thinking. Ties with Pansy slackened in her seventh year as our side basically lost any control over Hogwarts. When she returned this summer, she and I reestablished ties. I thought she was very positive and cooperative throughout the summer and then started to change as the term started. She never knew that Narcissa was a member of the Sisterhood. The only new member she met over the summer was Madam Pomphrey. I can't say that Pansy ever took any risks on behalf of the Sisterhood, or ever really enjoyed our full confidence, but there was a sense that she might come around with time. She certainly did not seem like a bad person. I don't want to give up on and abandon her. I know that Ginny thinks it almost unfair to approach Harry with this particular issue at this particular time, but I'm not sure that there will be another time. I think we can get something back for treating Pansy well."

"I haven't seen Pansy recently, but I didn't think she was a bad person as a sixth year," Susan Bones affirmed.

"Being wired up to a generator and waiting to die is far too fresh in my mind to be overly generous to Pansy," Hermione declared with some heat. "Ron also told me what Pansy said about me when she was captured, and it was hateful. I also am impressed by how truly broken up she was that Lucius was dead. She had almost nothing nice to say about Draco. It has been suggested that this was the work of Voldemort's ghost, but the ghost didn't mention influencing Pansy. I'm not saying it's impossible that the ghost played a role, but you want us to just assume that, in the absence of any evidence. We know that Pansy and Lucius go way back."

"I confess that I don't know what to make of Pansy," Narcissa admitted. "I liked her and thought she could be good for Draco. I'd like to be able to say I saw a specific point in time when she had changed and point to that as the ghost taking her over, but I can't. She fooled me up to the end. I have no idea what you could expect from a Pansy released on probation. I don't know if being shut up in a house with her mother is making her more or less loyal to Mrs. Parkinson's politics. I also don't know what she would make of the knowledge that her mother and Lucius were once an item, although I'd love to be there when she's told. If you're looking to me for assurance that a short sentence for Pansy is a good thing, I'll have to disappoint you."

"So, Prudence, how were things at the Ministry, when you left?" McGonagall asked.

"Not very happy – Arthur and Kingsley were really upset by this morning's Daily Prophet and have done a lot of yelling and plotting to discover the leak. Harry popped in early in the morning and urged calm, promising to find out what he could when he lunches with Ernie. Arthur was upset that Madam Bones was gone, but Harry said that, under the circumstances he thought it best to give her the day off and let her friends try to cheer her up. That made it tricky for me to ask the afternoon off, but I've put in so much time of late, and half the press will be off at Hogwarts, that Arthur relented and let me go. I at least talked him out of trying to meet with Barnabas Cuffe today. I told him that in high level meetings like that, the party that is angry and out of control always loses, and that he would just supply more unfortunate quotes for tomorrow's paper. I convinced him to join us later this afternoon. Perhaps some cookies and chocolate will calm his nerves. The only good news is that all this turmoil seems to have taken Thicknesse off Harry's mind. He was expending all his energy calming the Minister and the Director. They finally agreed to help him plan what he should say to Ernie."

"We seem to be drifting away from the original idea of soothing the wounded," Professor McGonagall complained. "Does anyone have anything pleasant or interesting to talk about?"

"I've been thinking about how we can expand the arts," Professor Celine responded. "I want to tackle an expanded music program after the Christmas break and think you should hire someone to teach writing. Neville told me about the book he plans to write on the career of Rita Skeeter. He has even begun doing research. Anyway, that reminded me what really good writers Ernie and Xenophilius are. They are entertaining, while accurately and concisely convey information – sometimes quite complicated information. I thought they might help out part-time, instructing the students on how to write well. I'm a little surprised that the Hogwarts of the past few years was able to produce a student who writes as well as Ernie does. I think we should leave the fiction writing until later, unless you count some of Xenophilius's earlier work, which is really very creative and amusing. Sorry Luna," she hastened to add as Luna's expression indicated a level of disagreement with Adrienne's tone.

Not surprisingly, Cissy thought Adrienne's idea was brilliant. Of course, she thought everything about Adrienne was brilliant. Still, she seemed to recognize the sort of writing that Professor Celine was referring to and insisted that we would need much more of it as we got about the technical business of documenting the more modern Wizard society that we wished to create. She said she had to engage in just this sort of writing to condense some financial and accounting reports down to a simplified form that the former Lord was able to understand.

"Speaking of your parents, Cissy," Hermione asked "I don't think I know anything of your mother's family and background."

"Since my mother died giving birth to me, I obviously never knew her. I have seen pictures of her and of the former Lord Montaigne together and looking at least contented. She was very beautiful and much younger than my father. Even in the picture taken right after their marriage, she seems frail and rather sickly. That's why I'm just as happy to be a little pudgy. She married as soon as she graduated from Hogwarts. She was, of course, a Slytherin. She was Minister Thicknesse's sister, although I only met Pius twice that I can remember.

"Apparently, when mother died, the two families drifted apart. From what I have discovered in a trunk in an unused room in the castle, which I wasn't able to enter while the former Lord Montaigne was a free man, my mother was an excellent student of Divination and Transfiguration. She had NEWTS in both. She had a premonition both that I was a girl and that she would die without ever seeing me. I found a letter which she wrote to me. Of course the former Lord Montaigne never found it or else it would no longer exist. She said she happily anticipated my birth, and not just because it represented the ultimate escape from the former Lord Montaigne. She names my real father, whom I intend to keep secret for now, until I can find him and get up the courage to meet with him. He is not someone you would know. He was a squib that the former Lord Montaigne hired as a servant through The New Start Society. There was a picture of him in the trunk. He was very handsome and just about the same age as my mother. My mother asked me to promise and kiss her picture to make it binding that I would do whatever was necessary to prevent the former Lord Montaigne from selecting a husband for me.

"She said she'd much prefer that I became a Light Guardian Priestess living alone on Iona. She said she didn't want me to kill myself to escape, but that every other means I could think of was fair. I just found the trunk three days ago. I'm surprised that the former Lord Montaigne didn't just burn it, but I guess he felt confident that he could prevent my ever laying eyes upon it. My mother left me a diary of her impressions of Hogwarts and a copy of a vision that came to her on the night of her seventeenth birthday. I'll share the vision, it's really a prophecy, with you soon. She was sleeping in the girls' dorm of Slytherin at the time. They had celebrated her birthday by downing some strange potions that the boys had brewed up instead of making Draught of the Living Death, like they were supposed to. She knew that the potion was having a strange effect on her and so rushed off to bed. She suspected that the boys planned to take advantage of her."

"That gives me a much better picture of what had been a very mysterious woman," I told Cissy. "I'm anxious to hear the details of your mother's vision, but I accept that this will have to wait."

Cissy whispered to me "not long."

Harry was next through the door. He was preceded by Bill, but had also brought Ron, Neville, and Draco. "I left Jimmy with Madam Pomphrey and Ellen," Neville whispered rather loudly to McGonagall as he sat down. "He hasn't given much of an explanation and certainly nothing about how he managed to enter the apartment. We searched for a key, but didn't find one."

"How was your lunch with Ernie?" Mom asked Harry.

"It's always good to see Ernie. I gave him a detailed account of the discovery and fight at Thicknesse's hideout and talked about how it feels to be the boss of Madam Bones and Director Shacklebolt. I was a little embarrassed by the lunch I was able to offer him, the food really isn't very good at all, when Professor McGonagall is away. I didn't think Cotto allowed the Elves to slack off on the job like that."

"Not slacking at all," Professor McGonagall replied. "I've asked them to save cost over the next week to help pay for an unbudgeted banquet that I've scheduled for the end of that week. I'll tell you more on that later, please continue with your summary of your meeting with Ernie."

"Ernie knows he's been badly scooped by Frakes and is trying to figure out how it happened. He saw a completed column and notes for two others, all in the same hand, which he said definitely wasn't Frakes'. He admitted that he is not an expert in such things, but that the handwriting struck him as feminine. He's been on the look out for more of the same and for samples of other people's handwriting to compare it against. He said it certainly is not the handwriting of anyone who works at the Prophet."

"Give him these to compare against," Hermione told Harry, digging into her carry-all bag and pulling out several small folded-over pieces of paper.

"Cho has something important to tell you," I nudged Harry. Harry caught Cho's attention and she gave him the latest information from Viktor and her interpretation of Harry's choices in his fight with Thicknesse.

"That makes me feel a little better," Harry replied, "but I still could have left Thicknesse to the aurors, who might have made a greater effort to capture him alive."

"We didn't know which aurors we could trust," I reminded Harry. "We all thought that finding Thicknesse that close to Cardiff meant that Shacklebolt must be bad." That made Harry smile and he finally reached for a mug of chocolate and a chocolate chipster. I couldn't remember ever being so pleased to have Harry talking to Cho. She was a good friend and continued to explain to Harry why he had made the best possible choice in deciding to secret weapon Thicknesse.

"And I take it this is all perfectly legal, because your generation has come up with some new curses that are worse than 'Avada Kedavra', but my generation doesn't yet know enough about them to make them illegal?" Amelia challenged Harry.

"Yes, that's exactly the point," Harry answered her. "Now do you see why I keep saying that we need a law that prohibits killing people, except under acceptable circumstances, such as self-defense? It should be motive and circumstance of the killing that matters, not whether or not you used some specific curse that's been prohibited by law for generations. The Wizard world isn't going to be static anymore. New curses will be invented as fast as you can outlaw them. You have to revise the law to address the intent and the consequences, not the means. It's like saying it's far worse if I murder you with a knife, instead of bashing your head in with a rock. Same end result, same intent on the part of the killer, same lack of extenuating circumstances. It should be the same penalty. You shouldn't be able to pull out some moldy old law that says killing with a knife is awful, but killing people any other way is not so bad."

"I'll continue thinking about that."

More substantial food, in the form of fish and chips, arrived and, as we started to indulge, Professor McGonagall made a run at Harry: "have you given any further thought to possible leniency for Pansy?"

"I've been pestered by so many people on her behalf, that I can honestly say that I've given an over-abundance of thought to Pansy. I'll make a deal with you. I'm willing to sit in on the detailed review of Pansy's condition and actions that you, Madam Bones, and, more recently, Callista want me to undertake, if you give me access to and review with me the remainder of the records that Dumbledore left to me. I'm not trying to be overly nosy. I think they may well contain clues that can help us resolve some of our problems, and that Dumbledore specifically left them to me for that reason."

"Much of that is confidential to the Hogwarts headmaster. Dumbledore may have left them, to pass through your hands to their proper resting spot, because he didn't know for sure who would be headmaster when his cabinets were opened and whether or not that new headmaster would be a person whom he would have trusted."

"So, you're saying he saw me as the person he could trust. I've also shown as both the Deputy Minister and just plain Harry Potter, that I'm able to keep a confidence. I think Dumbledore wanted me to use those records to catch the remaining Death Eaters and Grindelwalds. That's exactly what I intend to do. It is time to shake off the self-loathing and get back to the hunt."

"Yay, Harry!" As eyes turned to look at me, I realized that I had said that aloud.

"Alright, I accept, but I will be there while you review the files, and you and I will be the only viewers," McGonagall told Harry, "and you will pledge not to make the contents public."

"That's fine, I want you there. You can likely explain the significance and context of some of Dumbledore's notes. Of course I won't make the contents public. They are not legally admissible evidence, but I may and will use them to pursue any baddies that Dumbledore's notes point to."

"I think we understand each other. I'll expect the Pansy review within the week."

"I'm not sure that I'm entirely happy with that approach," Draco told McGonagall.

"Neither am I," responded Dad, whom I hadn't even realized had joined us.

"Don't worry, Mr. Malfoy, I can assure you that Mr. Potter is fully watching out for your interest in seeking a quick divorce. And Minister, I am not suggesting that Mr. Potter agree to leniency on behalf of your administration. I'm merely seeking his, Hermione's, and your daughter's approval as victims of this particular crime."

"I see. You can be assured that I will personally weigh in later. Meanwhile, if Harry wants to investigate further, I have no objection. I would prefer, however, that outside of Hogwarts you say Deputy Minister, rather than Mister Potter. It makes it sound that you see him as some sort of usurper that you must bring to heel."

That last comment sat within quite a few seconds of silence, before McGonagall finally responded "of course, Minister."

"I don't care if you call him Harry, but I'm well aware of the meaning of MISTER Potter, said by a Hogwarts Professor or Headmaster with that particular intonation and I won't have that level of disapprobation shown by a member of my cabinet to my Deputy Minister. I hope that I make myself abundantly clear.

"I'm at least pleased to see," Dad continued, "that my Deputy Minister appears to have regained his equilibrium since last I saw him, and that Madam Bones hasn't wandered too far on her day off.

"I've been thinking about the proposal from your department to create a more secure prison for holding those convicted of crimes. Housing every two prisoners with their own Elf and eight aurors on rotating shifts to guard them is killing my budget and depriving Shacklebolt of aurors. I'm open to a reasonable solution. I think that the Montaigne formerly known as Lord has disavowed his special arrangements, both by escaping and by his threats. I'm going to insist that any deal with the Parkinsons likewise includes moving them out of detached housing and into whatever new prison we create. I'm not opposed to closing Azkaban and I'm not viewing the Gringotts vaults as anything other than very temporary. I agree with Madam Bones that the brutality of Azkaban is hard to stomach. It would be more humane to just kill its prisoners. I'm also fully aware of the number of innocents who have been sent off to Azkaban over the years. Azkaban also needs repairs that we can't afford and being way out in the middle of the sea increases its cost. The only advantage was that it was impossible to escape from Azkaban, but we know that is no longer true."

"We discussed this," I told Dad. "The problem is that unless we find a way to kill the dementors, they will come in search of innocent prey."

"Your old Dad also thought of that, and thinks he has a solution. If we can create a permanent array of Patronuses around Azkaban, it can become a prison for the dementors. Either we can revisit the site regularly to recharge the Patronuses or Firenze's cetaceans can hide just beyond the Patronus barrier and keep it powered. I don't know how long it will take, but the dementors should eventually wither and starve. I called the Muggle Prime Minister and told him the possible perils of what I want to do. He well remembers the problems that loose dementors caused for his constituents. He thought my approach was a reasonable approach to test and that, given Azkaban's isolation and charmed separation from the normal world of Muggles, that as a last resort, it might be safe to stage an accident with a very big, very hot, and very bright bomb. That would almost surely kill all the dementors."

"I'm going to research the problem," Hermione promised Dad. "I also don't know whether the Light Guardian's prohibition on killing magical creatures extends to dementors. There are a lot of questions to be answered."

I had been thinking of McGonagall's promised banquet and a thought popped into my head, "We missed the open house at the Sacred Cavern," I exclaimed to nobody in particular.

"I think the Goblins were happier hosting the event on their own," Harry replied. "Just to be safe, I made sure that Pavel didn't attend. I'm told the event went well. We should be able to read about it in tomorrow's papers."

"Were the you-know-what prophecies displayed?"

"No, that wasn't a problem. The Unicorns agreed to display the original Voldemort prophecy, which started this whole adventure, and the Montaigne prophecy. I think that's innocuous enough. Do you want to go vote on the Goblin art exhibit, before I have to go back to Hogwarts to meet Xenophilius?"

Doing something other than sitting seemed a great idea, so I happily walked along Diagon Alley with Harry to the broad stairs leading up to the front door of Gringotts. We took the elevator up to the third floor, finding ourselves in a small lobby area, in front of the wooden doors, which led into the great room. The room was empty of bodies, but the lights came on as soon as we entered.

We tried our best to judge the exhibits from the Goblin standpoint of originality of concept, followed by originality of tactical execution, followed by quality of execution, followed by how much we enjoyed the final product. This seemed backwards to me, but Harry insisted that we had to try to follow Goblin standards. I told him that he could judge his way and I would judge mine. It was still extremely difficult, with so many different pieces in so many different styles. How does one judge a bronze sculpture against a pen and ink drawing, against a large oil painting, against a stained-glass panel? We were supposed to pick the four that we liked most, awarding our personal first, second, third, and fourth prizes. I didn't know if our opinion would make any difference whatsoever in whom the Goblins chose as their future King, but on the off chance that my opinion did matter, I was wishing that I knew something about the artists and their politics. It would be awful to give my first prize to the Goblin equivalent of Bruce, or more accurately Ruppasta, and find that my vote had influence because I was the Mother of the Future. This thought sobered my mood and caused me to eliminate any pieces which struck me as being at all dark or nasty. I wanted bright, original, well-executed pieces that delighted me. This simple setting of internal standards eliminated two-thirds of the candidates.

I proceeded by putting the remaining pieces into the categories 'grabs me' or doesn't. I was now down to about a third of the pieces that I hadn't already eliminated. I judged these on my impression of degree of difficulty, excellence of execution, and what seemed original to me. I downplayed this last category, because I didn't have nearly enough art experience to even guess at what was original. Harry was finished with his judging and watching me with interest as I narrowed down from six pieces to my final choices. A large and very intricately detailed oil painting of the battle of the Circle of the Goblins was my first choice. It had to be at least somewhat original, since the battle was only a month old. My second choice was a two-foot long dragon sculpted from a mottled greenish rock. It looked very much like a fierce dragon and I marveled at the intricacy of the detail, from individual toes and teeth, to the expression on the dragon's open-mouthed face. Third place went to a statue of an Elf, cast in silver. The casting was very detailed and the silver had been colored varied hues to give the little Elf quite a personality. Given the size of the work, it was quite valuable, based upon metal content alone. I had a pang of guilt at giving one of my prizes to perhaps the only contestant who could afford enough silver to make a life-sized Elf. Last prize went to a stained-glass panel, which I simply found immensely cheering as it stood, back-lit, in front of the wall. The scene it depicted could have been from the Forbidden Forest, with happy Unicorns, Centaurs, Elves, and a lone Goblin and lone Witch happily existing in peace against a forest background. There was a ton of fine detail, which must have been extremely time-consuming, to fit this whole scene with its dozen characters into a four foot by eight foot panel. I wondered if I shouldn't rank the panel higher, as I continued to stare at it. I felt the artist must be a happy Goblin and the title 'The New Covenant' also appealed to me. I moved the stained-glass up to number one and I was done.

Harry handed me my 'Official Judge's Ballot' and I carefully wrote in my selections, signing and printing my name at the bottom. I showed Harry my selections. He said the oil painting which I had shoved out of first place was his first choice. My stained-glass panel was his fourth choice and his other choices were entirely different from mine.

"Did you notice," Harry asked me "that the Vice-Chairman entered three pieces. The stained-glass that you liked is his. He had one other stained glass and a wood carving. I was surprised to see that the King entered three new pieces. I liked one of his drawings enough to make it my number two. That was an honest choice, not diplomatic-style kissing up. Still, it puts us in sort of an awkward position, when you think of it. I don't even know if Goblin rules allow King Goblanze to run again. Of course, he can just take the position that this was an art contest open to all."

"Except he set the condition that anyone thinking of running for King had to have an entry in this exhibition," I reminded Harry. "I judged based totally on the art, I didn't even look at the names. I don't even remember the Deputy Chairman's name. I hope he is a good person who just wanted a fair election and more democracy for the Goblins, rather than a nasty Ruppasta think alike. I'd hate to think my vote put the next 'knock the Wizards from their perch' leader in place. His stained glass seemed so peaceful and tranquil, but I have a little difficulty thinking of it the same way, knowing who made it."

We heard a little bang and then the comment "very hard be both art critic and diplomat. Vote for King or Deputy, British or French Goblin? Do you vote at all? Ah, I see you both vote. Shows courage at least."

"What do you think we should do, Cotto?" Harry implored.

"Safest thing – put vote in pocket, go home, check vote against winner, when everything over. Goblins will vote in secret, you can't."

"Excellent advice," Harry replied, folding up his official ballot and stuffing it into the inside pocket of his robes. "Time to return to Hogwarts. Did you come to stop us from doing this stupid thing, or is there other urgent business?"

"Other business. Cotto listen to talk of spy in Ministry. Maybe spy sneak in at night, when Wizards are gone. I organize Elf patrol. You can help if leave bait for rat, tomorrow."

"I'll do just that," Harry promised. "I'll create something far too tasty to resist and let it be known that I'm leaving it in my office. Do you want to borrow my invisibility cloak?"

"Elf not need cloak."

"Oh? I didn't know that. Were you at the café with us this afternoon."

"Yes, Cotto protect Ginny."

"That's a tad unnerving, but thank you for looking after Ginny."

Cotto apparated us back to the Gryffindor common room. "You Elves are the most powerful magicians, aren't you?"

"In many ways. Don't worry, Elves like Harry Potter."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27 - Jimmy**

{[We've got forty minutes before we have dinner with Xenophilius. We should try to talk to Jimmy.}

We said hello to the students in the common room and asked if they knew where Ellen was, since she did not appear to be in the common room. "She's up in the girls' dorm. They had a brief sighting of Cissy's boyfriend, but he vanished quickly when he couldn't find her. Ellen is with a first year, who went all to pieces," Jimmy's younger brother, who couldn't keep the quaffle out of the rings, told us.

"That's fine, we'll catch her later," Harry replied. "Meanwhile, I'd like to talk to your brother Jimmy, do you know where he is?"

"He's in his dorm room, I'll get him for you."

{{He doesn't seem overly troubled by big brother's problems.}}

As the two Peakes came down the boys' stairs, a frightened-looking Jimmy looked at Bill and asked Harry, "Have you come to arrest me?"

"I don't usually arrest people," Harry answered.

"That's right, you kill them. I just can't be arrested, and I can't have my parents find out about this."

"I'm not here to arrest you, but you have raised a lot of suspicions that need to be answered, if you want to avoid being arrested or having your parents sent for," Harry informed him.

"I would never harm Adrienne. I love her. The morning Prophet just made me angry, thinking of my Adrienne with a really, really old Witch. I could sort of understand if she was living with another Witch, who was at least attractive and close to her own age. I don't know what is worse, that I'm in trouble or that Adrienne is now really angry at me."

"I think the trouble that you're in is worse," I told him.

"There's two big things that we have to know, in order to be able to not think the worst of you," Harry told him. First, how did you manage to get into her apartment? Second, why did you mutilate her self-portrait?"

"I didn't want to destroy the painting. I loved that painting and I know it is a terrible crime to destroy someone's art. When I realized how much excitement my drawing had caused, I just panicked. I had Adrienne's painting in my room. I had borrowed it, so that I could study it closely and try to copy it. I wanted my own copy. I was afraid that when Adrienne found the painting missing, that my room would be searched and then I'd be in a lot of trouble. So, I just got very frightened and thought all I could do was destroy it and flush it away. I would have hid it somewhere, but the common room was too full. Other kids would have seen me come down the stairs with it. The dorm was empty, but probably not for long, so I took the only chance that I might have. I couldn't destroy her painting, she would never forgive me for that. I destroyed and flushed the copy I was making and painted over the original – just a white layer over everything and the not very good beginnings of a painting of the common room. I had a much better image in my mind, but I was too frightened to think clearly. Adrienne was teaching me Witch Painting, so I was able to put a lot of paint on the canvas and get it dry enough that you might think it had been air drying for several days, when you searched my room."

"We know you can Witch Paint," I told him "we're in art club with you."

"I know, but I can Witch Paint much better now. Adrienne has been giving me private lessons. She started teaching me in her studio, but thought that was attracting too much attention – one of the seventh year Hufflepuffs was teasing me about it. So, we switched to painting in her living room. The lighting there is terrific. It's almost as good as in her studio. That's how I got into the apartment. Adrienne lent me the key during Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, because I didn't have any classes to go to then. I'd get the key from her at lunch and return it to her at supper. One afternoon, about a week ago, I decided to borrow the portrait to secretly make a copy. I knew I'd have to work on it here in the dorm, when it was fairly empty. The light isn't good, but it was the best I could do."

"But, why did you trash her bedroom today?"

"I didn't. I couldn't. I didn't even have the key today."

"We saw the room. There were clothes strewn all over the floor," I prompted him.

"That's normal for her. That's how her bedroom was on the day she showed me the portrait and on the day that I borrowed it. She told me it was a 'manifestation of my artistic temperament'. She laughed when I told her that it just seemed like piles of dirty clothes to me. I left my first portrait of her, so that she wouldn't realize hers was missing. She kept it with the painted side to the rear, so she wouldn't be able to tell the difference, unless she brought the painting out to look at it. I knew I was taking a risk, but thought I would have the paintings swapped back within a week."

"Why didn't you simply ask her to lend you the portrait? Harry asked.

"I was afraid that would seem too creepy to her.

"And you don't think she'll consider what you just did to be creepy? That was a nasty-type creepy sort of drawing you made today."

"I know. I ruined everything." With that Jimmy burst into tears and sobbing, not even bothering to hide his face with his hands. I had to leave. Jimmy was beyond the age at which I could stand to see boys crying like that, especially a boy who had been my Quidditch Captain.

He then focused upon me. "I know I failed you as your Quidditch Captain. You should know that I never asked for that. The headmaster practically begged me to take it on. I told her I didn't feel ready and that I'd happily wait until next year. I told her that the whole team thought you deserved to be Captain and just assumed that would happen. It was a very humiliating experience. The whole team hated me. My brother whined and even cried. He had a note from Mom begging me to give him a chance. I couldn't say no to him. You're right that I deliberately didn't pick a back-up Keeper. That just made the whole team lose any little respect that they had for me. Wood is the only one who still likes me.

"If you spent more time in Gryffindor, you'd know how unpopular I am. Adrienne really saved me. Her living room was a safe place to hide and work. Painting makes me feel much calmer. Now I don't even have that. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to oppose you. I begged the headmaster to let me quit. To let anyone else at all be Captain, since I knew you wouldn't do it. She told me I would just have to make the best of things. That was so cruel. And then she stole that game we had won and gave us a loss for a game that had barely started. That took away my last chance to be accepted in Gryffindor. I don't want to come back after Christmas."

Jimmy had stopped crying to say all of this, but was now bawling. Close to a dozen Gryffindors, fortunately only first and second levels, were watching in bewilderment.

"It's alright Jimmy. I know it wasn't your fault. I never blamed you. Pull yourself together. I promise that we'll talk later. I'll see what we can do to help. I gotta go now."

"I'll catch you at dinner," I told Harry, as I got up to hurry out of the common room.

{{I'll wait outside. Follow as soon as you can. I just can't take this.}}

{Okay.}

I leaned against the wall, which I would always think of as the Draco wall, for about ten minutes, before Bill and Harry appeared. We walked together to the Great Hall, to meet Xenophilius.

{I don't think we're going to have much of a problem with Jimmy. It just seems like a crush on a teacher gone extreme. I don't think he's really sick in the head or anything like that.}

{{Yet. And, he also made his little brother Quidditch Keeper. That was hardly a rational thing to do.}}

{No, I don't suppose it was. I'm thinking that I had best never get weepy around you.}

{{You can for something important, like Fred's memorial service. Or even the shock of seeing the bloody pieces of Thicknesse after your duel. I certainly didn't think less of you for crying then. It's probably my fault, but Jimmy just seemed a whole lot creepier when he burst into tears like that. It's not what I'd expect of a Quidditch player.}}

{He just lost someone he loved.}

{{And never had, but I get your point. I'm really not trying to be hard on him. I really do feel for him. McGonagall really messed him up. You know what it's like to have a common room turn on you. I really will try to help him, but all that crying just creeped me out. That talk of Quidditch also ripped open a wound, which I thought had healed. I find it hasn't.}}

Into the pregnant silence, Bill dropped, "I think Jimmy is alright, but I'll keep an eye on him for a while. In most cases like this, everything ends well, but occasionally, this is the first sign that you're dealing with a Bruce."

"Have you really seen much of this sort of thing?" Harry tore himself away from our whispering to ask Bill.

"Well, not me personally, at least not more than once. I did have to question a fifth year girl, whom I caught trying to drop a potion into Harry's cider near the start of term. Tests confirmed her story that it was a love potion. Barb has dealt with several similar cases this year. One aimed at you, another at Neville, and a third at Firenze. The girl who tried to drug Neville tried a second time, after we had cautioned her severely on her first attempt. We're still watching her. She's only a third year."

"Oh, I guess I'll need to keep a closer watch on my food and drink," Harry replied. "Did you warn Neville?"

"Only after the second attempt. Perhaps we tried too hard not to get the girls into serious trouble. Do you want to know which girl tried to slip you the love potion?"

"I'm not sure… yes, point her out to me sometime. And the one whom Barb caught. It's best to know whom to be extra careful about."

{{Do you think Lucius could have slipped a love potion to Pansy?}}

{[amused] I don't doubt it. Perhaps he put it on his tongue. I don't really think of Lucius as a love potion sort of guy. He prefers to use galleons.}

{{I suppose he does. Although he ended up dead in the plot. In Jimmy's favor, he never tried to use love potion on Professor Celine.}}

The Great Hall was quite full when we entered. I saw Xenophilius at our table, chatting with Luna. Harry saw him too, but judging him to be happily occupied for the moment, led me up to McGonagall at the staff table. I was whispering {{Please, don't}} as Harry approached McGonagall.

"A minute," Harry said, motioning to an empty corner with his eyes. Professor McGonagall excused herself and followed us over to the corner, where Harry explained what we had learned from Jimmy.

"I'll have a chat with Professor Celine," McGonagall told Harry, as she returned to the staff table.

I must have spoken aloud, rather than whispering the thought to Harry "Do you really think she can do that with a straight face?" In any case, McGonagall spun around and stared me down.

"What did you say Miss Weasley?"

"I simply wondered to Harry what was different, other than that nothing actually happened, between Adrienne and Jimmy as compared to you and Narcissa or even you and Adrienne?"

"It is my job to make sure that my staff doesn't repeat the mistakes which I have already learned from. I thought we had a truce, by the way."

"I thought I knew the worst about you when we made that truce. I now know how you've treated my father and I've been talking to Jimmy. I also thought that truce included you not manipulating Harry."

"I take it you'd prefer that Harry had left Jimmy in trouble, rather than getting Professor Celine into trouble. Professor Celine is not in trouble, but she is in need of advice from a veteran professor and headmaster. I find I must treat you like the Slytherins. That should appeal to your sense of irony."

With that, she really was gone and I was left asking Harry "What did she mean by that last comment?"

"That normally she'd give you a month's detention for that last comment, but that since she knows that you'd just quit Hogwarts rather than serve the detention, she'll just put your comment down to a really bad day for all of us. I don't want to start a fight, but you were out of line on that."

"I didn't even realize that I had spoken aloud until she turned around. I don't control the whisper channel well when I'm very upset. I do think she is being a hypocrite. And I do think that you were wrong to rat out Adrienne. She did nothing wrong and was just following a pale imitation of McGonagall's treatment of her, when she was a student."

"I guess I might have handled that in a way that didn't seem like I was ratting out Professor Celine. Have you fallen as much under her sway as Cissy and Erin? I like her a lot, but I think she did use poor judgment with Jimmy. I really don't think Professor McGonagall would have let the matter drop, until she figured out how Jimmy was able to steal the painting from Professor Celine's apartment."

"I think she already knew, but you forced her hand to do something about it."

"Perhaps. Still, I have no doubt that Professor Celine can hold her own against the headmaster. What is wrong? Like, the headmaster, I thought that you and she had a truce."

"Jimmy's mention of Quidditch touched a nerve, but I was okay until you marched up like her good little soldier to rat on Adrienne. Once the dam broke, I realized that there is quite a lot about McGonagall which I still don't like. I don't like the way she's treated you. I certainly don't like the way she's mistreated my father, guilting him to cover her own bad deeds and all the phony outrage at his behavior. Dad is having a tough enough time as Minister. He's done nothing but support her and she's stabbed him in the back. I knew that she had unfairly denied me the post of Quidditch Captain, but until we talked to Jimmy, I thought she gave the post to someone who actually wanted it. Hearing how she begged and practically forced Jimmy to be Captain, when he didn't want to, just showed me that she wanted to hurt me so much that she was willing to injure another student in the process. I know what you went through at times as a student. I pity Jimmy. I'm not at all sure that his present over-reaction with Professor Celine wasn't sparked by the ostracism in the common room, which McGonagall pretty much caused. She hurts a lot of people in pursuit of her own goals. And she most certainly is still controlling you. I love you and my Dad too much to sit back while she treats both of you the way she does. I defend those I love."

"Okay, I see that. It's your fierce fighter side. I can see how it would hurt to see me running up to her to rat out Adrienne as if I was her little gossip collector. I was really thinking of Jimmy and trying to bring this matter to a quick end, before he feels too much of the wrath of McGonagall. I'm sorry if I sounded disloyal to you. I admit her behavior has left a lot to be desired. She remains in a very fragile situation, especially now that her past with Narcissa has been made public. She has to fight to remain as headmaster. She needs supporters. Mentioning her past with Narcissa and Adrienne I'm sure must have seemed to her that even her allies could never put that behind them. I realize I wouldn't view it that way, if it weren't something that happened so long ago, before we were even born. I know I wouldn't be so forgiving of a professor who had an affair with a student today."

"She'd have more willing supporters if she unsharpened her elbows. Also if she were far more truthful. I was also thinking about McGonagall and Narcissa. She was 22 years older than Narcissa. She was her teacher, she was supposed to protect her. In the end, she let Narcissa protect her, rather than the other way around, when they were caught because she sent a silly note, like she was a love-addled third level. And now she's going to go into her great Victorian act and tell Adrienne how badly she's behaved. Just like she used that Victorian act against us. McGonagall behaved worse with Adrienne. Adrienne just let Jimmy do his painting in her living room. McGonagall took her into secret areas of Hogwarts that most loyal members of the Order, like my parents, never knew existed. My father is Minister, and he didn't know they existed. Adrienne is only about ten years older than Jimmy, not 22 years."

"I can tell that you are really upset. I remember when you encouraged me to talk to Mrs. Granger. I think the time has come to give that same advice back to you. I am not McGonagall's good soldier, and I promise that I will not allow her to manipulate me. You saw how I extracted the truth from her over the past several days. I know this is partly me, but you really do need to calm down. Otherwise the rest of your final year at Hogwarts is not going to go at all well."

"I know that. It has gotten off to a bad start and I'm not at all sure I can get it turned around. I really don't want to be here at all. I may have a truce with McGonagall, but I really don't trust her, or like her, or respect her. You questioned her closely to solve the mysteries, but you were very quick to forgive her and accept her slippery excuses. When the Narcissa thing came out, she just said that she assumed Dumbledore knew and forgave her and viewed her as safe with Trew. But, what if he didn't know? And how safe was she, if she was leading Adrienne around the tunnels under Hogwarts. I'm not at all sure that nothing happened with Adrienne. Likely McGonagall couldn't believe her good fortune to find a second Witch who was attracted to much older intelligent Witches. I don't think even what we know shows McGonagall as the proper Victorian around Adrienne. I think that Victorian thing came after Adrienne, rather than after Narcissa. Do you think Dumbledore knew that she explored the museum and tunnels with Adrienne? He didn't show you that part of Hogwarts. I doubt he approved of showing it to a student. And then there is the excuse for the Sisterhood that Dumbledore seemed to know of it and never explicitly asked her to stop. I don't think Dumbledore knew of it any more than Dad did. Dad certainly would have told her to stop. You said that Shacklebolt was suspicious of secrets that McGonagall knew and even nosed around a bit, but the Sisterhood came as a big surprise to him. I think her assumption of others' knowledge and tacit approval of her actions is just extremely convenient."

"I can't really disagree with any of that. You make a good case that she has acted in her own interests for a very long time and casually betrays allies. I can see how our talk with Jimmy touched a lot of raw nerves. I agree that we should view her with a skeptical eye. It's my job to do that anyway, and I certainly will. You're in a different position than me and it goes down better if I stir things up than if you do. This will sort itself out. We'll all decide whether or not she is reliable and trustworthy going forward. Your father hasn't committed to keeping her on as headmaster beyond this term, and possibly not that long. Can you give it just a little time, if just for the sake of me and your father."

"I'll try really hard, Harry. I promise. I think I'll talk to Mom again. I'll think about talking to Hermione's mother. Just try to remember how you thought about Dumbledore after you learned that he might have personal flaws."


	28. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER 28 – LEARNING TO READ THE NEWSPAPERS LIKE A PRO**

Xenophilius was happy to see us again, although he apparently had received a fairly complete news update from Luna. It was also clear that he had observed Harry and me chatting away with great intensity, following our short meeting with McGonagall. He made one brief attempt to inquire whether he had just witnessed anything newsworthy and then dropped the subject.

Harry and I chatted with him about the Goblin art exhibition, the details of the final repairs to the Circle of the Goblins, including our suspicions of sabotage and the use of Witch Sculpting to complete the final repairs. Xenophilius dragged out of Harry his thoughts and experiences supervising two much older and much more experienced members of his staff. They also talked about what a great resource and help Cotto was and about how much Harry enjoyed working with Callista and had enjoyed working with the very efficient and energetic Percy. Harry admitted to certain difficulties in working for his father-in-law, being both a student and Deputy Minister at Hogwarts, and how good it felt to still be working with the friends he had met in his early Hogwarts days. They discussed their impressions of King Goblanze, the former Lord Montaigne, Bruce, and Ruppasta.

The discussion continued long into the night in the Gryffindor common room, with Harry discoursing on his views concerning justice and what he hoped to accomplish in his new job. He went back to the campaign platform of bringing the various groups of Wizards together again and swore that the administration was not seeking any sort of vengeance on Death Eater and Bruce supporters. "We will be very happy to welcome back those who are willing to stop fighting the old fight. We've only prosecuted the worst of the worst and have agreed to reduced sentences for some not very good people – Bruce and his father, as well as the Malfoys, are examples."

Both Harry and Cissy, as well as I, talked about the Covenant and how we wanted to see it modified to produce a new era of peace for all magical creatures. Cotto talked about the importance of the Elf sanctuary and how important he felt the Goblins sanctuary was. Harry talked at length about the need to modernize and increase the Wizard economy. He explained what he thought his new loan agency could accomplish and why it was so important that Gringotts finally made loans again. We all talked about the importance of Hogwarts and what it could become, congratulating the headmaster on the changes she had already made. Quite a few Gryffindors stayed in the common room to listen to our discussion with Xenophilius. The need to get the kids to bed was likely what decided Harry that, at a little past midnight, it was time to call a halt and head back to our apartment. Xenophilius decided that he would sleep over in the boys' dorm and join us for breakfast.

Breakfast brought a first-time treat – we got to read the morning papers right along with Xenophilius, who maintained a running commentary, especially regarding the manifold inadequacies of the Daily Prophet.

**POTTER ARRIVES FOR WORK HUNG OVER**

**GOT TO REST THOSE OLD BONES**

**CAN AN OVERDOSE OF CHOCOLATE SAVE THIS ADMINISTRATION?**

**WITCHES PLEAD FOR ONE OF THEIR OWN**

**MY INTERVIEW WITH THE DEPUTY MINISTER**

**A FEW CORRECTIONS FROM YESTERDAY**

"Frankly, I think a lot of those headlines are weak," Xenophilius told us. "Apart from the way they always seem to deliberately choose the blandest possible header for Ernie's work, I think the other headlines could use punching up. I admit the first one grabs for your attention, but after that …. bleck… boring! Assuming for the sake of discussion that they have caught our attention enough to induce us to actually read what they wrote, let's dive in and see what tripe they have for today...

"Okay, the first article has the splashy headline, but the story adds nothing. I assume you had actually been drinking and hadn't slept the night before, as Mr. Frakes suggests to us. Still, he then goes on to describe emotional confusion verging on panic by those around you, with you being the only sober, forgive me – I couldn't help myself, person in the bunch.

"Article two… hmm… you give a half day off, earned vacation time as I understand it, to a valued veteran prosecutor who has been the victim of a very nasty story in Frakes' own rag, under his own name. Nothing else there, other than an appeal to Frakes' old conservative readers that they should be very upset that Madam Bones is living with a young Witch. Is that really supposed to shock the reader? Anyway, they already played that card yesterday. So… this story boils down to prosecutor takes a half days' vacation. I guess if that's all he had, he did well to fill over half a page with it.

"Article three… are the readers really expected to be frightened by the consumption of hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies? Perhaps it's terribly disturbing to have a dozen or more Witches of questionable sexuality together in one spot, being served cookies by yet another Witch… Ooh, I'm both scared out of my wits and so revolted that I can't even think of another few strips of this most excellent bacon. I have to hand it to Frakes. When you've been in the press business as long as I have, you must learn to deal with slack news days. I wouldn't have thought it possible to get a full page out of hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. The lad has a gift, perverse, but a gift nonetheless.

"Article four… aha, I think I spot some actual news. Demanding extreme clemency for an attempted kidnapper of the Deputy Minister is a bit much, especially such a notorious case involving an attempted murder, two suicides, and the attempted bombing of Muggles. This shows a certain style, however. Frakes has set a trap for Harry. If Harry is merciful, then he appears weak in surrendering to this gaggle of Witches. Witches of probable moral turpitude, I might add. If he refuses, the stage is set to cast him as a vindictive wretch who can't offer forgiveness, over what will likely next be described as an elaborate practical joke gone awry. I could take a measure of pride in this column, had I written it. I'm not sure why they buried it so deep, however.

"Article five… Ernie is a delight to read. I'm not unhappy with the Patil sisters, but Ernie would have been a prize catch. I see you gave him a lot of material, but at least some fresh goodies were left to me. I'll do you proud, Harry.

"Article six… Ernie again. I guess it's just too embarrassing for Frakes to do retractions two days in a row. Did you really apparate him to the Circle of the Goblins to show that the two most significant problems had indeed been fixed? He could see for himself through the visualizer that the repairs had been completed properly and the Circle was working perfectly, just as you had said? It should certainly curdle Frakes' morning coffee to read that. No wonder he couldn't man up and write the retraction himself.

"Well, there you have it. One paper, so many problems. On the other hand, I offer you what the Patil sisters and I produced for our readers. Note that we even managed to get some of last night's interview with Harry into press, already. I just popped back to my house quickly and gave some good notes to the Patils."

"You have even more disdain for The Daily Prophet than I do and that's really something," I told Xenophilius.

"I probably study it more closely and read it with an editor's eye. Now, let's see what journalism is supposed to be ," he said, theatrically unfolding and fluffing up the day's edition of The Quibbler. "You won't find any talk of chocolate chip cookies in here. If Frakes wanted to spend all that time on cookies and hot chocolate, he could have at least provided a recipe, for his readers to produce the treats at home. That would have also advanced his goal of attacking the Sisterhood, by taking a bite and a sip out of the business of one of their number."

I read the headlines:

**MINISTER MAKES PEACE WITH THE SISTERHOOD**

**HOW THE GRINGOTTS CIRCLE WAS FINISHED SO QUICKLY**

**MAGIC RETURNS TO STAY-WIZARDS IN NORTH OF ENGLAND ARE JUBILANT**

**THE SEARCH FOR DELORES UMBRIDGE**

**GOBLIN ELECTION BEGINS WITH ART EXHIBIT**

**DOES FRAKES REALLY VIEW THICKNESSE AS LEGIT MINISTER?**

Xenophilius walked us through each of these articles. "Take the first article. Without attacking the Minister or Deputy Minister, I clearly spell out the grievances of the Witches at their under-representation in the new government. I explain how easy it is for even Wizards of good intention to ignore extremely qualified Witches when staffing an organization. I recount all that McGonagall has done, both in fighting Voldemort and in rebuilding Hogwarts. I express her desire that Slytherins feel free to return and her promise to be a neutral provider of protection and a quality education for all who come to Hogwarts. I explain that Madam Bones has done absolutely nothing wrong and neither has Professor Celine. I explain what each of them brings to the new government. I paint both Arthur and Harry as reasonable leaders, eager to make amends for unintended slights and to do what is best for all of us. My reader learns a lot more about both how the government functions and the thinking of its key members. As you should know, the greatest political struggle of the moment is within the government, not between the Minister's group and the opposition. I help my readers to understand this.

"The second article points out the Prophet's sloppy journalism in a way that is wholly factual. I include pictures of the completed repairs, which the Prophet said were simply ignored by Harry. I hint that sabotage might have been responsible for the problems reported by The Prophet and wonder how they could have known of the sabotage, unless they employed the saboteur or the saboteur was their source. They are in fact challenged to disclose what they know about the sabotage or face the wrath of their most loyal conservative readers in the north of England. Harry looks like an intelligent risk taker and our Witches, Ginny and Professor Celine, look like concerned, capable heroes.

"The third article personalizes the importance of what was done by all of you who hurried the repairs to completion. Heart-warming stories that give me a chance to both rub Barnabas's nose in his reporter's error and ingratiate myself to his core audience. None of the citizens whom I quote are normally readers of my paper, but they will buy today's copy to see what I say about them and as a memento. Some may become subscribers. They will at least get my take on all the news of the day. The Prophet may want to attack what I wrote, but they would be attacking their own supporters.

"The fourth article is my public service piece, throwing out the bait for Harry to capture the spy at the Ministry. I am happy to be a good citizen and even happier knowing what a good position this puts me in for a follow-up story. The piece is perfectly fine journalism, I don't report anything that is untrue. Let me see… magical lock boxes found at Barty's hideout, buried at Thicknesse's, buried at home of Stowes, and ditched in abandoned quarry lake near Stowe house… key in Silas's boot…items from Thicknesse and Barty hideouts taken to Ministry for Potter to study… Potter hopeful that these items and a certain item taken from the Montaigne formerly known as Lord will allow the boxes to be opened and their contents examined. Harry assured me that he is hopeful and will be trying all the possible combinations over the next day or two. So, I've laid out a fine adventure for my readers and a trap for our spy.

"The fifth article is a nice explication of the ways of another magical species. It also affirms that progress toward democracy is being achieved since the fall of Ruppasta. It should make my readers feel both wiser and safer.

"I'm very fond of the last article, especially since Frakes was stupid enough not to retract his article. I gleefully catch him in a politically-motivated whopper of a falsehood. It's nice to do so in an edition where I will have so many readers from the north of England. I ask 'do readers remember an election for Thicknesse, which I somehow slept through?' I then reprise how he came to power as the legitimate head of the aurors, used that position to enrich himself, manipulated Scrimgouer into ignoring the rise of Voldemort, turned on his boss, and seized power by force and murder. I recount all of his extra-legal actions, including the trial of the members of many respected Wizard families, who were hounded as being of mixed blood. That was a nasty business that touched over half of Wizarding families in one way or another. Nothing from the Voldemort era still causes so much anger. Frakes has for some reason chosen to lash his future to that awful legacy. Well, it will be interesting to watch him try to dig out of that particular hole. I end by observing that Arthur and Harry not only are in office based upon a fair election, but that they won overwhelmingly.

"Now you see how real journalism is done."

"I like your articles and they are indeed truthful," Hermione told him, "but aren't your articles also slanted, only to the opposite side of those in the Daily Prophet?"

"Every writer or paper has something of a slant. I accuse the Prophet of being so slanted that they forsake the truth and so inept that a first year can see through their distortions. An effective polemic needs more truth than Frakes provides. His articles don't even stir the emotions. It's just a collection of stupid lies and bland filler."

"This has been most enlightening," Neville congratulated Xenophilius. "I'm writing a book on Rita Skeeter, in fact I've already begun work on it. Your insights give me some thoughts for an additional chapter."

"Montaigne item?" I asked Harry.

"I have a theory that the Montaigne Keeper ring along with the key In Silas's boot will open at least one of the boxes. The other thing I want to try in combination is the key we found in Umbridge's office as well as the one she brought to Hogwarts. We'll leave the catching to the aurors, but I'm going to experiment with the boxes today, when they will indeed be in my office at the Ministry."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 - Potions Class**

Xenophilius and Harry departed right after breakfast, leaving me in the somewhat unfamiliar role of student. I had only two classes today, both in the morning. Unfortunately, one was a double potions session, which would seem sadly lonely without Harry as my partner. The other morning course was Professor Granger's Muggle Studies. I would, of course, have Baal with me in Potions. Cotto wanted Baal to get a full education, and also saw him as protection for me when Harry wasn't around. I also think Baal was to be Cotto's replacement and, until he was fully educated to Cotto's demanding standards, Cotto could not go back to being full-time King or living amongst the Centaurs and in the wild, as he had previously done. Baal came to all of our classes with us, taking better notes than me and updating Harry on what he missed.

Given Professor Sprout's relaxed attitude to quiet conversations while we worked over our potions, Baal typically conversed with us during class. He didn't partner with us, however. Cotto had commissioned the Goblins to manufacture a miniature cauldron and other potions equipment for Baal. He perched on the middle of our table, matching us ingredient for ingredient, as we all prepared our potions. He quickly became the best potions maker in the class. He was very intelligent and his little hands were extremely dexterous. I would certainly chat with him through double potions, but it wouldn't be the same with Harry, Ron, and Hermione missing.

I liked Baal but, in truth, he chatted most with Harry and second most with Hermione. Baal and I were at best friendly acquaintances, struggling to become actual friends. I had no reason to distrust him and he seemed extremely solicitous of my welfare, but we just hadn't really connected yet. I didn't think I could converse with him throughout a double, and the fear of awkward lingering silences was affecting me. Baal was in that strange in-between position, too close to becoming a friend to be able to easily ignore him in silence, as I had learned to do with the occasional temporary auror, but not quite enough of a friend to be totally at ease with. I think part of the problem was that he saw himself as my auror and had adopted the auror approach of not speaking unless spoken to or a potential danger required that he intercede. He was more relaxed and willing to initiate conversations with Hermione than with anyone else, even Harry.

Perhaps it was my sudden sense of loneliness, but as Cissy was intently chatting me up on the way back to Gryffindor and saying she was free for most of the morning, I asked if she would like to take Harry's place as my potions partner. She thought that an excellent idea. She was even more eager to accompany Hermione, Ron, and me for our afternoon cleanout of Snape's office.

"I'll only have to duck away for an hour so that I don't miss my Transfiguration class – it would not be a good thing to get on Professor McGonagall's bad side. She's already dropped hints that I spend too much time away from class and too much time with 'students who are too old for me'. I do feel the need for another adventure, however, and it seems we'll have to manufacture our own. Who knows what Professor Snape had hidden away in that office? He was always so secretive about what he had in there. He even accused me of stealing what he called 'a little device' from his office, when I was a second year. I got a detention. I think Pansy put him up to it. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she stole it, herself. He gave me detention and I never even found out what it was that I supposedly stole. It must have been quite small, because not only did he make me turn out the pockets of my robes, but he also opened a matchbox, in which I had stored some nepeta cataria leaves, for my cat, Prometheus. It was a good-sized matchbox, about five inches, by three inches, by an inch, but you couldn't hide much of a device in it. I'd love the opportunity to find what it is that he suspected me of stealing."

"I wasn't even aware that you have a cat," I told her.

"I don't have one, anymore. Promethius was murdered last term. He was happily curled up on the window in my dorm room when I went off for herbology class, but when I returned from class, he was stiff as a board. I am familiar with animals from the estate and a dead animal doesn't get that stiff in less than an hour. It had to be poison or dark magic that did that. All of the second years were in herbology with me, so I know none of my roommates could have been responsible. It had to be a Slytherin girl – either Pansy or one of her friends. They all hated me. I took Promethius to Madam Pomphrey, but she couldn't tell me what had killed him. She even showed him to Hagrid and Professor Snape, but they couldn't give an answer either. Then Snape gave me detention."

"And this is the same day that Snape banged you up for stealing?"

"He accused me as I was leaving the Slytherin table after dinner, that very day."

"And this was after Madam Pomphrey had consulted him about your cat?"

"Yes. It was just after I had sat down to dinner, that she had drawn me aside and said that neither Hagrid nor Snape could help. I had taken Promethius to her right before lunch."

"That's quite strange," Hermione commented. "It's almost as if he thought his device had been used to kill Promethius."

"That's probably right. He said 'we can't have first years experimenting with things that are beyond their understanding' and then he gave me detention, preparing ground mandrake. That's not really a safe task to assign to a second year. I feared he wanted me to 'accidentally' die."

"If Snape was performing a task for Voldemort and the Death Eaters, then this may have been a device that he had developed and was testing for a particular mission. That leads to a disquieting thought…."

"I think it best we leave it there," I told Hermione, "especially since we have arrived at potions."

"But, this is important, the device could well have been a potion disguised as a food item."

"Yes, but we really shouldn't continue this discussion, now."

"You mean, because Promethius may not have really been dead when I buried him," a startled Cissy caught on quickly. "You think Promethius was just a test of whatever was used to make Madam Pomphrey think Umbridge was dead. That's awful – if I hadn't given Promethius a 'proper burial' he might have come back to life, just like Umbridge."

"Not necessarily," I hastened to reassure her. "We don't even know that the Snape Device was used on either Promethius or Umbridge. If it was, reversing it may require a specific potion antidote or spell. We wouldn't have known what to try."

"Yes," Cissy persisted, "but it wouldn't have been much of a test of the Snape Device, if they hadn't also intended to test the antidote. I came back to my room hours earlier than I had planned to, because I realized that I had almost filled up my notebook and wanted to get a new one before potions class. If I had taken a new notebook with me in the morning, Promethius might have been revived in my absence."

"I really think we need a change of subject," I insisted. "What potions are we supposed to be making today?"

"Just one, but it's really complicated," Hermione answered, just as Professor Sprout was demanding our attention.

"I didn't think you were coming to potions," I whispered to Hermione.

"I wasn't but now both me and my attention are trapped." She directed my attention back to Professor Sprout, who was speaking.

"Today's potion is both very useful in the Wizard household and extremely tedious and painstaking to produce. You'll have to work very diligently for the next two hours if you are to complete it successfully. This is a very rare case of a 'reverse bifurcated potion', in which a minor change in the potion making procedure halfway through completely reverses the effect of the potion. We'll make both versions. The first version is the most effective potion for preventing pregnancy, while the slightly varied potion is a very effective fertility potion. You'll want to label the final potion bottles carefully, lest you mistake the one for the other. That is not the whole story, however, since certain specific errors in preparation have been reported to result occasionally in severe boils, a week-long insomnia, a week of unending thirst, or a headache said to be immune to all known remedies. There has been one recorded instance of death, but the cause of that death was somewhat ambiguous, and in any case that side effect is so rare and suspect, that I mention it only because the Ministry requires that I do. On the bright side, this is quite a stable potion with a shelf life of at least a decade, as long as you keep it reasonably cool and out of sunlight. The instructions for preparing this potion are on page ninety-eight of your text. Now, please get to work. A word of warning to Baal – like many of the healing potions we have made so far this term, both forms of this potion have not been adequately tested on Elves, under controlled conditions. You use it at your own risk."

"Hah!" Baal commented to us "Elves use Witch potions for many years. What else we have? Many masters put this potion in Elf food, don't tell anybody. Elf not die. Controlled conditions, bah! Master think Elf stupid. Elf know why no baby Elf until Elf grow old. Hah!, and double hah!"

"That's just awful! Hermione blurted. "Why did the Elves eat the food?"

"What else Elf to eat? Elf know master not feed not wanted baby Elf. Best eat food. Elf life much better since Hermione and Harry Potter."

Neither Hermione nor I knew what to reply, so we nodded knowingly and maintained a minute of silence.

I hoisted my cauldron onto the bench and prepared to add the first ingredient. "We need a quart of urine from a pregnant thestral," Cissy told me. "That is to be added to a quarter cup of squid ink and boiled for an hour in the presence of a quarter teaspoon of phoenix ashes. I'm surprised phoenix ashes are available in that quantity."

"I suppose they came from Fawkes," Hermione informed us. "The phoenix only uses half of its ashes to regenerate - otherwise it would emerge full-sized and have no room for growth into adulthood. I imagine Dumbledore built up a fair inventory over the years. Commercially, the potion maker just leaves the ashes in the bottom of the cauldron, from one batch to the next, so very little is required."

In recruiting Cissy, so that I wouldn't be alone for these two hours, I had stranded Hermione without a partner. She didn't seem to mind. She chatted happily with us as she went about her own business. She had twice the work to do, but it wasn't over-taxing. As we were in a lull in the preparations, she asked me "I couldn't help but notice that you had very heated conversations with both the headmaster and your husband. Are you willing to talk about it?"

I was, and I did, seeking a neutral peer opinion on Harry's and my divergent thinking. Hermione, as always, was eager to offer her view "I think that you are both right. McGonagall's answers to the various questions about her misbehavior have been quite sly and we can't know that Dumbledore ever approved. She does seem at least partially responsible for Jimmy's problems, but Jimmy was legitimately creepy.

"Harry is right that the Ministry is tense and that the new cabinet has yet to come together. Because of that, it makes sense to try to placate Professor McGonagall. Harry and you are both irritants to her, given your proximity to the Minister and your ages. You're right in the larger sense that the headmaster does not appear to have given up her old games. I'm not convinced that she isn't still hiding quite a lot. Given your past skirmishes with her, I understand that her hypocrisy and failure to fully adhere to her agreements must be infuriating.

"She certainly still wants to control Harry. That was so obvious that your father felt he had to step in to stop it in the middle of a crowd of her Sisterhood. You are also correct that her relationship with Narcissa was far worse than anything Adrienne was trying to do to help Jimmy. I'm not sure Adrienne did anything wrong at all. I also don't think you have good reason to suspect Adrienne was McGonagall's second Narcissa. Given her precarious situation, anything that hints of scandal will throw Professor McGonagall into alarm mode. She really is backed into a corner and might not make it to the end of term. I know how upsetting your meeting with Jimmy must have been, hearing the details of how very involved she was in making sure you weren't Quidditch Captain and that Gryffindor didn't win. In addition to hurting you, I fear that she did real damage to Jimmy. Still you should try to cut her some slack, for everyone's sake. Harry is right that you have suddenly become a vehement protector of Professor Celine."

Before I could agree with Hermione and promise to try harder to maintain our tattered peace, Cissy jumped in to declare "I think it is a great thing that Ginny is defending Adrienne in her time of need. How many people actually are unafraid enough of Professor McGonagall to tell her when she is being a big hypocrite or when she isn't living up to her agreements. The Minister of course, but.."

"I think in part you are over-reacting to the headmaster curtailing your adventures," Hermione cautioned her. "Not that there isn't some truth in what you say. Still, I don't think either of you fully recognize that today's McGonagall is not at all the McGonagall of Narcissa's seventh year. People do change." That ended that discussion.

As we watched our cauldron come to a controlled rolling boil, I glanced ahead to the next steps. We were to allow the mixture to cool and then pour it through a layer of dry white clay, supported on a linen cloth. Cissy fetched the clay and the cloth from the store closet and we sat back to wait.

"I want to find the Snape Device, but I'm not at all sure I'd recognize it, even if I held it in my hand," Cissy complained. "I feel that device has intertwined itself with my life and that it is somehow very important that I find it. Call it a waking premonition, but I just sense that this is something which I must do."

As our cauldron cooled, our conversation turned first to Gringotts, and Cissy's impressions of her first Director's meeting.

"I don't always know what to say or even when it is appropriate for me to talk, but I think I had a better grasp of the details than Professor McGonagall did. She seemed lost reviewing the financial reports, but she did strongly support your father in pushing for loans to begin 'at once'. Your father was very impressive, by the way. He was the dominant person at the meeting and I mainly just supported him. There is a lot of concern that the bank doesn't know how to tell a good business loan from a bad one.

"I was able to explain a little about cash flow analysis from working with my father's financial records. I tried to convince the group that even businesses that eventually do very well may have a negative cash flow for the first year or two.

"The Goblin King just kept asking 'but if they aren't making what you call a positive cash flow, how can they possibly repay the loan? It seems very risky to let them lose money for two years and just hope that they will have more money in later years'. I could tell I wasn't going to win that argument. Perhaps they just have to start slowly and build up their confidence. In the end, they all agreed that loans to buy Muggle land for larger Wizard farms were safe. They almost agreed and decided to experiment with one or two loans to new businesses that are expected to have a positive cash flow in the first year. I think the first business loans will be to existing businesses. I know your father wanted a more aggressive approach to making loans and I tried to support him, but I think I'm just too young to be taken very seriously.

"Professor McGonagall tried to help, but she just didn't understand the issues. I could tell she is planning to study up on elementary Muggle finance and accounting before the next meeting. She asked me to buy beginning textbooks for her. I was hoping Hermione could help her to understand them. I'd do it myself, but I think my age would be a barrier."

"I'd be happy to help her," Hermione replied, "but she has two real experts on call. Muggles as well as Wizards perceive dentists as the medical professionals who maintain teeth. That's true, but a dental practice is also a small business, and the doctors Grainger ran one for a couple of decades."

"Their expertise would be a huge help," said Cissy. "My background in Muggle accounting and business management focused on a large established estate, with many rental properties, investments, and some factories such as the lumber mill. Plus, of course, the income and death taxes on it all. Operating a two-person professional practice, with expensive start-up equipment or lease commitments and several employees, is a very different perspective. At the very least, Professor and Mrs. Grainger must have prepared financial statements and loan applications to their own Muggle bankers, so they'll have a good idea of what the bank expects to see."

"McGonagall would probably be more comfortable learning from somebody a generation closer to her," commented Hermione. "Mom may technically be a second-year student, but nobody, not even the Headmaster, thinks of her as a child.

"Even when McGonagall learns how to evaluate the financial statements and proposals of small businesses, Gringotts will still struggle to come to terms with the concept of loans having risk. When my parents opened their dental practice, they were a start-up business, but their type of business was well established. The only things the bank had to risk were whether the neighborhood where they planned to practice could provide enough patients to support them, and whether my parents were of good character and would pay back the loan obligation.

"New technology or a totally new product are much harder to evaluate. From what you've said, we'll have to look to Harry's young Wizards' loans to get a Witch Sculpture company started. Either that or use our own money."

"Dad had Harry so spooked about cutting a hole in this year's budget with his tax cut bill that Harry paid all of his inheritance taxes," I apologized. "That's about a decade early. Apart from what we've set aside to finish construction on the house, we only have a few hundred galleons left. We'll basically be living on just Harry's Ministry salary. Of course, we do have quite a bit of Muggle money left, so I guess our share of the investment could be buying a building with some land in the Muggle world. The rest of you would have to come up with the galleons that we would need to get started."

"I think Witch Sculpture would be a great success and a great tribute to Professor Celine," Cissy enthused. "I'd certainly be willing to contribute."

"So would I," Hermione agreed. "I don't think we can go to the loan agency that Harry started, it would look like such a huge conflict. If we are to start this business, we'll have to do it ourselves. I think Lee and George would be interested in helping out. They could likely qualify for a Gringotts loan."

We had to interrupt our planning to pour the contents of our now cooled cauldron through the clay. We rinsed the clay by pouring a quart of 'fresh morning dew' through it. We scrupulously cleaned our cauldrons and then added back the clay, along with two quarts of vinegar, and resumed boiling. We prepared a mixture of baking soda and well water to add to this. After letting the vinegar mix boil for a few minutes, we let the cauldron cool, and then poured in the cold baking soda mix. There was furious frothing, but once the frothing had stopped we found crystals in the bottom of our mix. We poured off the liquid and washed the crystals with more of the baking soda mixture. The bright blue crystals were then to be mixed with Witch sherry. We did this and soon had a clear quart of sherry, which had been turned purple by the crystals.

We were now ready for the crucial steps to make our final potions. We divided the sherry product into two equal quantities. To the first half, we added the whisked whites of two hippogriff eggs, and the beaten yolks to the other. We stirred and let the mixtures separate into sediment and clear colored liquids. In the first mixture, the liquid was turquoise, in the second mixture it was a brilliant purple. Our end products, of course, were the turquoise liquid and the brown sediment beneath the purple liquid. We bottled the turquoise liquid, and washed the brown sediment with morning dew. It turned a very deep, dark purple. We added it to white vinegar and shook it vigorously. All but a little of the sediment dissolved, forming a deep indigo blue liquid. We bottled this as our second potion, making certain to leave the deadly sediment behind. As we finished, I realized that Madam Sprout had been standing behind me and observing the final steps in our potion preparation.

"You and your guest have made two high quality potions," she commended us. "You can safely add them to your hope chest of basic family potions, although I suspect Cissy may be a trifle young to be given her own supply."

"That's quite all right," Cissy blurted. "Ginny is welcome to the lot. I doubt I'll see Alex again, anyhow." She was still a bit pink of face as she insisted that we all set off for Snape's office, immediately. As she turned to leave, she commented over her shoulder "it's a shame, really…"

"What?" I asked.

"That this class wasn't given a year ago, in time to help poor Erin."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 - The Big Secret in Snape's Office**

"Too true," I responded, as I also hurried out of Potions lab. I also wanted to get back to the chore of cleaning out Professor Snape's office. Hermione, Baal, and I had been making sporadic forays into the office over the past month and dividing the office's contents into throw and keep piles, but had not approached our assignment with a great deal of persistence. There was always something else that seemed more important or more interesting, and Snape's office was a dusty old place of bad memories that left all of us scratchy-eyed, wheezing, and diminished of spirit each time we slunk away from the room. We realized that we had been shirking a commitment to McGonagall, but the distastefulness of our task usually overpowered our good intentions. I hoped that Cissy's youthful enthusiasm and the bright goal of finding the mysterious device, which had dispatched Promethius and given Umbridge her freedom, would sustain our efforts today.

Hermione unlocked Snape's office and activated the anti-snooping device. I quickly explained our sorting pattern and procedure to Cissy, showing her the small pile of things to be kept and the larger pile of books, papers, potion ingredients, and relics destined for removal. I told her that we hoped McGonagall would give a quick glance through the sorted piles of discards to make certain we had not thrown away something valuable. She seemed quite willing to undertake this assignment, especially sorting through what I termed the 'relic pile', in case we had overlooked something ominous that could fit into a matchbox. I also showed her the small piles of keeps.

Among these keeps were a half dozen books on advanced potions making, some as brief as a half dozen or dozen pages and dealing with only one or two potions. Since they were potions that didn't appear in any of the other books in the Hogwarts library, Hermione felt they might help our cause. She was especially intrigued by a potion which was claimed to loosen tongues. It was this potion, in fact, which Hermione had added to the Veritaserum with which Shacklebolt dosed Barty. Enough of this potion remained for a single dose and was hidden in Hermione's bag.

We had other small piles of the potions which Snape had prepared during his final year at Hogwarts, and which we thought might still be safe to use. There was a small quantity of potion ingredients, which Snape had not entrusted to his storeroom and that seemed fresh enough to have value. Among this lot were a half dozen rare bezoar stones and a small vial of Aragog's venom, which Professor Slughorn must have shared with Snape. The smallest pile contained relics or instruments that still appeared to be functional, although we had saved the task of discerning that function to a later day. I had salvaged the anti-eavesdropping device and it was always in use while Hermione and I were chatting and sorting through Snape's possessions. That was hardly a discovery that we could claim any credit for, since Professor McGonagall had pointed the device out to me and explained its function. Cissy announced that she would also investigate this pile.

With that we got to work: Cissy on the presorted piles, Hermione on the shelved books and papers, Baal searching the walls and furniture for secret hiding spots, and me on the desk drawers, which hadn't previously been assaulted. We chattered happily as we began our work, safe in the protective shield of the anti-snooping device and with a third Witch's soul to warm the pervasive gloom of this room.

Cissy had made one major improvement that Hermione and I had neglected, removing the dark, dirty crimson drapery away from the front of the window to admit bright sunlight, and even prying the window open half a dozen inches. The sunlight and open window made the task much more pleasant. The drapery was so old and smelly that Hermione disappeared it.

I started with the middle drawer of Snape's desk. My heart skipped a beat, when the first thing that caught my eye was a small lacquered wooden box about four inches long, by three wide, by an inch high.

"Cissy!," I gasped "I see a box the size of your matchbox." All eyes turned in my direction as I gingerly lifted the box onto the surface of the desk, for closer inspection. I moved to open it, but found no obvious lid. "Sorry. I'm not sure how to open this," I admitted to my companions, having picked the box up again and turned it over in my hands.

"Bring it to the windowsill, where there's more light," Hermione suggested, reaching out her hand to take the box from me. She pulled an examining glass from her carry-all bag and subjected the box to a detailed scrutiny. "No obvious seams," she finally declared "I'm not sure how it opens, but perhaps it will yield to one of the standard spells." She set the box down on the windowsill, drew her wand, and tried eight different spells, four of which I had never heard before. All this effort was to no avail.

I saw a smirk on Cissy's face as she announced "give it to me - I'll use the old-fashioned approach." Before either of us could stop her, she scooped up the box, dropped it on the dusty stone floor and, leaping about a foot into the air, landed on it with both feet, smashing and crushing it.

"You don't think that might have destroyed the contents?" Hermione stared at her with incredulity.

"Oops! I guess I didn't consider that. Still, let's see what's inside." Cissy squatted down on the floor, brushing the splintered wood to the side and reporting in a very deflated tone "it's nothing, just some coins." Standing up, she held out her hand to reveal twelve knuts and seven gold galleons. "Nothing suspicious about this."

Hermione had already dropped to the ground, scooping up the pieces of wood and placing them upon the brightly lit windowsill for closer inspection. "There wasn't any pattern or message on the outside, but perhaps something was written on the inside of the wood." She poured intensely over the broken box, both the largish pieces and the ones that were little more than long splinters. Several spells were spoken as Hermione pointed at the pieces of wood with the wand in her left hand while peering through the glass clutched in her right hand.

"I see some writing on the reverse of what was the top panel of the box. It wasn't revealed until I used my spells on the pieces. I can make out letters, but it's hard to piece together, with that panel in a dozen pieces," she finally announced.

As Cissy appeared to be searching for a hole into which to hide her reddening face, Hermione sorted the pieces of wood, pushing most to the side, while pointing her wand at the small remaining pile and voicing 'reparo'. The top panel mostly reassembled, with a few small gaps. Hermione read to us "block 3N 4W 'open sesame'".

"Do you think that refers to the stones of his office floor?" I asked Hermione.

"Don't know, we can count them out and see what we find."

We had to shift a bookcase to count properly, but the stone pavers that made up the floor were of such large dimension that counting off three by four stones brought us quite close to the southeast corner of the room.

"Wouldn't it have made more sense to say 2S 2E if this was the room in question?" Cissy asked.

"I'm afraid so, but it doesn't hurt to check out what may be beneath this stone," Hermione responded sensibly. 'Open Sesame' she commanded, but the stone didn't budge.

A few well-chosen curses succeeded in cracking the cement grouting around the stone and even split the over-two-foot-square stone into roughly equal pieces. Working together, the three of us levitated the two stone pieces and searched in vain for anything that might lie beneath the stone. We saw nothing, but as the stone appeared to have been mounted in a bed of mortar, Hermione used her wand to pulverize the mortar, levitating the bits and dust out the open window.

Beneath the cement was a coarse, semi-finished stone that didn't have any apparent secrets to reveal. Hermione was not easily deterred. With her wand, she flipped over the two halves of the paver, searching with her glass for a possible inscription. She tried wiping the stone and hurling spells at it, but no inscription appeared. She next pointed her wand at the unfinished stone, which we had exposed, and commanded of it 'Open Sesame'.

I don't think anyone was more shocked than Hermione, when the stone simply vanished, revealing a gaping hole into blackness beneath us. "Lumos," shouted Hermione, flicking a globe of light into the hole and crouching down to peer into its depths. "I can't see the bottom," she told us. "Let's all throw a few spheres of light down the hole and then take another look."

We did as Hermione commanded, each of us dropping two of the biggest balls of light that our wands could create into the chasm beneath our feet. Hermione followed her final ball of light with a Patronus, for good measure, and then knelt before the hole with her head thrust partway into it. I involuntarily got a good handful of her robes, lest she slip and plunge to her death. "I see two angled sides, but can't make out either the far wall or the bottom. We're sitting on a big, big hole and I think we've got to explore it. This opening is almost big enough for one of us to squeeze through."

"No!" I strongly objected. "We don't know what properties this cavern possesses. It might not be possible to apparate back to freedom. Even if one of us squeezed through the hole, and I agree that I could probably wriggle through the opening, I'm not at all sure we could climb back through the hole from the other side. It's just too narrow and there's nothing to stand on. We'd be dangling from a rope, with no leverage. We shouldn't do anything that dangerous until Harry returns. I'd also feel safer with Ron and Neville helping us. We don't even know whether or not the air inside the hole is breathable. In short, I'm not crawling through that hole."

"Easy," Hermione begged, "I wasn't implying that you should crawl through the hole right now. We don't even have a rope and you'd surely plunge to your death. I'm just saying that at the right time, under the right conditions, with Harry and Ron here to protect us, one of us could possibly explore whatever lies beneath us. For now, I'd like to get some idea how deep the hole is. If I drop one of Snape's gold galleons, we can time its fall to the bottom and also listen for the sound it makes to judge what the bottom is made of. I'd also like to lower a lantern on a rope to have a look at the bottom, but first we need to find out how long the rope has to be."

Hermione extracted from the inner pocket of her robes the watch that her parents had given her for ranking first in her class at her old Muggle school. She handed me one of Snape's galleons and signaled 'one, two, three, drop'. I sent the galleon on its way, as Hermione intently studied her watch. I heard a 'sharp' sound as the galleon struck the bottom of the hole. "That was between four and a half and five seconds," Hermione reported. "My Muggle physics studies tell me that the distance in feet is equal to one half of the gravitational acceleration factor times the number of seconds squared. That's s = ½ x 3 t. If I plug in t = 5, then the hole is about 400 feet deep. If I take the low bound of t = 4.5 seconds, then the hole is about 320 feet deep. It sounded like the floor of this hole is stone. In any case, we're going to need a very long rope. I suggest we leave this puzzle until Harry returns and continue searching Snape's office."

As we continued to search our respective areas, the conversation turned to speculation about Cissy's mysterious boyfriend Alex. "I was skeptical," Hermione admitted, "but must now concede that he is real, however improbable his appearances and disappearances appear on the surface. I've actually done some library research, pursuing a theory that 'Alex' is actually not a human, but a disguised Elf or other magical creature with an Elf's ability to apparate into and out of Hogwarts. I'm not sure that we can be truly safe here unless we find a way to tune the Hogwarts magical barriers to protect against Elves and other magical creatures apparating in whenever they choose. The Elves like us, but there must be other magical creatures who don't. There must be magical creatures that we are not even aware of, perhaps in Egypt, India, or China."

"I'd rather just think of Alex as a really handsome and sympathetic boy," Cissy answered. "Falling in love with a rogue Elf or Troll is just too horrifying to contemplate. Alex and I have so many experiences in common and he looks at the world in so much the way that I do, that I think he could only be a Wizard. I don't know how he can apparate into and out of Hogwarts, but there are a lot of secrets about Hogwarts and magic that most people don't know about. I don't see how it's any stranger to assume that a young Wizard knows how to apparate into Hogwarts than to assume that Harry has a perfect invisibility cloak or that we've found all of these secret passages that hardly anybody else knew about. I know that Harry and Ginny have this personal 'whisper' channel. That's an ability that most Witches and Wizards don't share. I prefer to believe that Alex is linked to me in a way that allows him to apparate into and out of my presence, regardless of the Hogwarts defenses, just as Ginny and Harry have a special link."

"I didn't realize you knew about that," I mumbled.

"I'm observant enough and have spent enough time around you that it was a little hard to miss. I don't think most people are on to your secret. Just the really perceptive ones like Professors McGonagall and Celine. Professor Celine told me that she thought it was very cute and must mean that the two of you are very much in love and were destined to be together. I think it's the same with me and Alex."

"Speaking of destiny," I hastened to change the subject, "you were going to tell us about the prophecy that your mother left to you. One that we must assume your father is aware of. Now is as good a time as any to tell – it's just the three of us and the anti-snooping device is turned on."

"Okay, and I guess it's appropriate, based upon our conversation having shifted to Alex. I've re-read my mother's letter about a hundred times, so I can recite from memory exactly what she said. I should preface this by saying she wrote this letter, when she was only two months pregnant. The pertinent part of the letter says, 'I know you will be a girl and that you and your mate will achieve great things. The future of the Montaignes lies with you and your children. I know this, because I have had a prophetic vision, only the second such of my lifetime, and I'm sure my last. I say my last, because I have seen that I shall not survive your birthing. I am not saddened. This is my escape from the Lord Montaigne. I have also seen your future and it is a future that makes my death purposeful. Know that you will accomplish great things. Know that you are not the Lord Montaigne's offspring, but spring from my equally noble line. Still you will inherit all that is Montaigne. I don't want to give too much away, but my vision shows a most unusual and extraordinary mate for you. You must not be frightened or horrified, but must bravely pursue your destiny. This most extraordinary mate is perfectly right for you and will allow you to fulfill your great destiny. Cling to the good, and avoid Slytherin and its ways. Any guidance the Lord Montaigne might give you is to be especially avoided. He hates the good, so he hates Witches and all that is not Slytherin power. Know that I have been no better than a captive slave since father forced me to marry him. You must preserve magic from the evil Lord.

"I have seen that you can succeed. You will need close friends and you will find them at Hogwarts. Be trusting, but follow both your own heart and mind. You shall be the Keeper of the Magic, and you shall be esteemed for your devotion to your duties. If you have found this note, then you are surely in danger from your 'father' and 'brother'. Flee, while you have the chance. Hide at Hogwarts and don't return even for holidays. I don't want to overly influence your actions with more detail of my vision. You must be bold and you must keep yourself safe.'

"It's not as mysterious as the other prophecies that we've seen, but my mother clearly filtered what she saw to point me in the right direction, without causing me to obsess on detail. It's clear that she foresaw Alex. I think it also clear that you, Harry, Ron, Luna, Margaret, Alice, and Neville are the friends who will help and protect me. I am confident; I am brave; I will never see my supposed father again. Nor will I feel like a usurper of all that is Montaigne. I am not Montaigne, but it is destined that I take up the title and undo all the wrongs that have been done. The last thing that I want to say is that as I've thought more about my mother's note, while we've been searching this office, I've decided that while the Lord Montaigne knew of and hid the trunk with my mother's things, he did not know about the note. It was inside the bottom of a jewelry box, which opened easily to my touch, but I'm willing to bet would have stubbornly denied the Lord Montaigne. Snape's box reminded me of this. The note would surely have been destroyed had the Lord Montaigne set eyes upon it."

We didn't finish our search of the office, nor did we find anything else of great consequence. We were interrupted by a knock on the door. Cissy opened it and their stood Ron..

"Sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything. I had an important errand for Harry. I'm not allowed to say anything, even to you."

We showed Ron what we had found, but he agreed that we had to return with the Harry and a very long rope, in any case.

"Unfortunately," Ron reminded us, "we'll also have to tell McGonagall. We need her to lower the apparation barrier. That's the only safe way for someone to be inside the pyramid. If you can't apparate out, you could be trapped and die before we could get someone to lower the barrier."

Our search and discussion had been so riveting that Cissy had either quite forgotten about her class with McGonagall or decided that she would sooner endure her wrath than tear herself away from our search. With that in mind, I gathered up the books and pamphlets that described the potions that none of us had heard about, in order to have something to present to McGonagall in supplication. I also gathered up the bezoars, giving one to each of us, and reserving one for Harry, with the other for Professor McGonagall. I saw that Hermione had wrapped the pieces of the broken box into a cloth and was taking it with us.

We had exhausted the entirety of the afternoon and as we traveled the corridor from Snape's office, students were already streaming into the Great Hall for dinner. Having missed lunch, I was very hungry and looking forward to both dinner and seeing Harry. I scanned the room as we entered the Great Hall, but did not see Harry or any of his aurors.

"Let's go report to McGonagall," I suggested.

The three of us strode up to the staff table, trying to look more confident and triumphant than guilty. Cissy visibly deflated as McGonagall acknowledged our arrival. "Glad to see the three of you have finally shown up. I missed Miss Montaigne in my Transfiguration class this afternoon. I agreed to allow a modicum of extra freedom to the older returning seventh years, but expected that you wouldn't distract the younger students from their scholarly responsibilities."

"I'm sorry," I felt compelled to blurt out in a soft voice, "we were sorting through Professor Snape's old office, as you suggested we should, and stumbled onto something that captured our attention and caused us to totally lose track of the time. Prior to that, all of us planned for Cissy to depart for your lecture."

"I should hope so. I take it you've come up to the teachers' table to inform me about your findings."

"Yes," Hermione replied, in a firmer voice than I seemed capable of. "It's really remarkable. We missed lunch, but hungry as we are, we felt you needed to be informed immediately. If we could speak to you privately, along with Ginny's Mom?"

"Very well, we can take a brief detour to my office. Grab some rolls to bring with you. I warn you that I am not pleased with your conduct, and the bar for a discovery of sufficient magnitude to justify a third year missing my class will be quite high."

"I don't think you'll be disappointed," I managed.

"I'm already disappointed, Miss Weasley. Very well, off to my office and let's hear what you have to say for yourselves."

As soon as we entered her office, I was unable to stop myself from blurting out "we found a number of publications on making potions, which none of us have heard of and we couldn't find in the Hogwarts library. And we brought you a bezoar stone," I found myself panting as I handed over my treasure to her.

She accepted the booty with a look of imperious disdain, commenting in a sharp voice "not even close to the bar, Miss Weasley."

"There's more," I hastened to add, looking to Hermione for help.

"Yes, there is," she responded. "I'm almost certain that we've discovered the way into the pyramid that Hogwarts was built around. The entrance is in Professor Snape's office, under one of the paving stones that make up the floor. We found the location written inside a wooden box that he had in his desk drawer, that is Ginny found it. Here are the pieces." Hermione drew the cloth out of her robes and spilled its contents onto McGonagall's desk.

"Well, I think you've made it over my bar. I'll have dinner saved for us. Eat your rolls and lead me to this pyramid."

As we scrambled down the stairs from her office, Professor McGonagall paused an instant to dispatch two Patronuses.

While McGonagall paused for her Patronuses, Mom had stopped and dialed her cellphone for a remarkably short conversation: "don't ask any questions, Arthur. Bring Harry and a squad of aurors to Hogwarts at once. If we're not in the Great Hall, you'll find us in Snape's office…what's that Ginny? Oh, bring lots of long ropes and lanterns. If you agree just say 'yes dear'. Very good, bye Arthur."

We showed the hole in Snape's floor to Mom and McGonagall. I pointed at the hole and Hermione proudly proclaimed "we dropped a coin into the hole and it took about four and three quarters seconds to reach the bottom. That means the space is between 320 and 400 feet deep. That's why I'm confident that this is the path into the pyramid. Well, that and the two angled sides that I saw, when we dropped balls of light into the hole."

"I think you just might be correct, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall agreed. Mom looked very pleased with our achievement. "So, at least somebody, probably at least Professor Snape, knew how to enter the pyramid," Professor McGonagall continued. "I'm sure that Dumbledore was unaware of this entrance. Exactly how did you find the opening?"

Hermione showed her the pieces of wood that held the clue. McGonagall stared at the pieces and seemed to muse over them for several minutes, finally announcing "this is not Severus's handwriting. In fact, the letters are not formed like any modern writer of my or your generation would form them. I think this message is far older than Professor Snape's tenure in this office. Yet, he must have observed the writing when he opened the box. Are you certain that he did open the box?"

"He seemed to keep his spare change in the box," I informed her. "When Cissy, umm, opened the box, we found twelve knuts and seven gold galleons inside." I held out my right hand and Cissy obligingly dropped the coins into it. I presented them for Professor McGonagall's inspection.

Professor McGonagall commented "and you were going to hold out on me and keep this treasure for yourselves?" I felt myself starting to redden, before I looked up at McGonagall and saw the same grin I had seen the day she had sidled up to me at lunch with her 'gotcha' about her desk, which I had transfigured. I relaxed as Professor McGonagall carefully examined each coin. She finally observed "some of these coins were made within the last ten years. I think you are correct that Severus opened and used the box. But… did he correctly interpret the clue?"

"It's possible he never saw the clue," Hermione hastened to add. "I had to try several spells, before the writing was revealed. Still… the message referred to the floor in the room in which we found the box. That can't be just a coincidence."

"No," McGonagall agreed, "the message must have been left by someone who knew of the entrance to the pyramid from this room. If I am correct and this writing really is a script from at least several hundred years ago, which I must say I feel is a certainty, then the likeliest explanation is that the note's writer also occupied this office and left the box in the office. Professor Snape found the box, learned how to open it, but never grasped its full significance. I'm sure he would have told Dumbledore… or Voldemort… if he saw the message, deciphered it, and learned of this entrance into the pyramid. The pyramid was all but forgotten from the time that the art museum was closed off. I admit that I had been on the steps of the pyramid with Adrienne, but I don't think either of us appreciated that we were walking up the outside of a pyramid. I certainly never heard of a Hogwarts pyramid during all my years here. If Dumbledore knew, he certainly would have investigated. Harry really must spend more time reading Dumbledore's diaries. If he doesn't, I'll do it myself. There is likely to be something important in there. When he looks at Dumbledore's student files, I'll push him on the diaries. Sometimes Harry is unreasonably slow about getting on with what needs to be done."

"What needs doing?" I jumped, startled to hear Harry's voice. When I looked up Harry, Dad, Kingsley, Barb, Bill, Ellen, and three of Dad's aurors were assembled outside the doorway. I was a bit embarrassed that we had neglected to activate the anti-snooping device. I motioned Dad, Kingsley, and Harry into the office, closed the door and quickly remedied my error. It took just a few minutes to explain what we had discovered. Harry was very intrigued by the calculation that Hermione had used to determine the depth of the hole, and quite eager to get on with further exploration.

Harry stuck his head out the door and asked Cotto to enter the room. "Sorry to keep you waiting in the hall, I just wasn't sure what we would find here. Mrs. Weasley was very cryptic in her comments to the Minister." Harry explained about the discovery of the entrance to the pyramid, or at the very least to a very substantial internal chamber. He asked if Cotto had heard of the pyramid or what might be inside it. He asked if it would be ethical to ask an Elf to explore the interior, since the opening was small and Elves had the power to apparate within Hogwarts on the one hand, while on the other hand the task could be quite dangerous.

"Much safer for Elf than Witch," Cotto assured Harry. "Elf can apparate to safety – almost certain, unless pyramid have special magic. It be great adventure. I happy to explore."

"Actually, I wanted to know if it was ethical to ask Baal if he would consider doing this as a special favor to me. I could never ask the Elf King to undertake such a risk – not even with all of the precautions that I plan to take."

"I not ask Baal to take risk that I not take. As King, I have responsibility. What precautions do you take?"

"I thought we'd lower lanterns to test the air and to see what lies below. We'd tie a rope around Baal's waist and lower him slowly. With the rope, we can pull him up as soon as he needs to leave. He'd have an open cellphone to communicate instantly with us. Professor McGonagall would be standing by to lower the Hogwarts apparation barriers, if Baal needed them lowered in order to apparate to safety. We have the breathing devices that we used to capture the Voldemort ghost. We'd equip Baal with one and lower a couple others, along with food, water, and a blanket before we lowered Baal – just in case something went wrong. We also have a spare rope to tie to Baal. We'll lower an owl in a cage to test the air at the bottom of the cavern."

"You may ask Baal and if he agrees to help, I approve."

Harry must have summoned Baal, because there was a sharp bang, which caused Bill and one of Dad's aurors to look into the room. When I turned away from the doorway, I saw Baal standing next to Harry. Cotto and Harry were explaining the situation to Baal, in very great detail. At the end of their explanation, Baal nodded yes, declaring himself "eager to serve Harry Potter."

Professor McGonagall headed off to a location that Harry and I were never aware of, in preparation for altering the Hogwarts defenses as Baal's needs might require. She and I were in constant communication with our cellphones. This allowed me to deduce that wherever the controls for the Hogwarts defenses might be located, they were within a minute's walk from Snape's office. That did not give spare time for any fancy maneuvers from McGonagall and I had observed that she turned to the left after leaving Snape's office.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 – The Even Bigger Secret under Snape's Office**

As I was musing and establishing my link with McGonagall, Harry had summoned Bill and Barb and they were in the process of lowering twin lanterns into the hole. My attention was drawn to this activity when I heard a comment in Hermione's voice. "The first danger is the buildup of an explosive mixture of methane and air from the decomposition of organic matter in a sealed space. Stand back from the opening, in case the lanterns trigger a burst of flame from the hole."

"Uh huh," Harry responded as he moved away from the opening, signaling Bill to start lowering the first lantern. "I guess we don't know at what depth the fire would start, do we?" Harry asked in Hermione's direction.

"On the contrary, methane is lighter than air, so if there was going to be a flash, it should have already happened," she assured him. "The next danger is a buildup of carbon dioxide, farther down the cavern, which could suffocate a human or Elf and which would snuff out the lantern. If the lantern reaches the bottom and is still glowing, we know there is at least a reasonable amount of breathable air, although that doesn't rule out some sort of poisonous gas. I don't think it is really true, but in Muggle movies, there are always lots of poisonous snakes at the bottom of a pit like this. It was never clear what they fed on before the adventurous humans arrived."

I could tell that there were periodic distance markings on the rope. Harry and Dad had come prepared, in the short time that Mom had given them, even though she had not explained the dangers they would face. I saw a piece of cloth bearing the label '300 ft.' pass through the hole. A little more than four black hash marks on the rope later, Bill called that the lantern had touched bottom. "Just over 340 feet," he announced "Hermione certainly knows her business. Let's lower the second lantern and then we can have a look through the hole."

They lowered the second lantern very quickly, until it reached the 300 foot level, and then slowly lowered it the final forty feet. With two lanterns lighting the way, we took turns peering into the opening. As Deputy Minister, Harry went first and I hitched onto his thoughts.

{[very excited] I see the bottom. It's dark, but I can make out concentric circles of what may be crystals, with a big dark rock in the center. It looks very much like the Gringotts crystal circle. If the chamber is 340 feet deep, it must be almost that wide across at the base. The base looks square and the whole thing appears to be in excellent condition. I'm not sure I could spot them from this distance, but I don't see any snakes. Really nothing else to see – wait! It looks like a ledge or balcony about half way down. It only goes along two of the walls and it seems to be narrow, but with no breaks. That's it.}

The others took quick looks. I did as well – I didn't want to announce to all that I had already heard Harry's description and had, in fact, seen a few images from his mind. I didn't hog a lot of time however, just enough to confirm the impressions I had stolen from Harry. We had a cellphone in the owl's cage. Luna, who had joined us, and had to sit atop Snape's desk in the crowded office, monitored the owl phone, periodically making owl calls into her phone and receiving a reassuring response from Harry's owl.

"We should scan the circle with the Flamel viewer," I suggested to Harry. Ron hurried off to retrieve the viewer.

I realized how much things had progressed between me and my brother. At the start of the summer, he would have given me a dirty look and refused to take up a good suggest, because it originated from his younger sister. We would then have the tedious step of Hermione requesting that Ron do exactly what he had just refused to do for me, followed by Ron sheepishly heading off to complete the task, with minimal enthusiasm and no assurance that he would do it well. Now, he just thought for a second, decided that my request made sense, and trotted out the door. Of course, it would have been equally reasonable for him to suggest that if I wanted the viewer that I should go fetch it myself.

The naked eye viewing had taken only about ten minutes. In that time, Ellen had returned with Mr. Granger and the emergency gear and supplies for Baal. The supplies and the owl had been lowered on a rope and two other ropes were tied to rings in the front and back of a harness, which was strapped under Baal's armpits, around his waist and where his thighs met his torso. He nodded to Harry and Cotto that he was ready.

By that time, Ron had returned with the viewer. I made sure to give him ample thanks. The poor lad was out of breath. At least running the errand put Ron on center stage. He knelt over the hole in the floor and stared through the viewer. "I don't see any magical activity at all," Ron reported. "I think this circle is dead, or at least switched off." Hermione took the viewer from Ron and quickly seconded his conclusion.

"Alright, I think we're ready for Baal to enter the cavern," Harry announced. "Does anyone think he shouldn't go down the hole?"

"I think it's something that needs to be done," I told Harry. Ron, Dad, Hermione, and Cotto answered in unison, "I agree."

"Okay, then," Harry concluded, turning a questioning gaze toward Baal. Baal gave two little Elf thumbs up and sat on the edge of the hole, with both his legs beneath the floor. He slowly slid into the hole. With two of us on each rope, we carefully lowered Baal through the opening. Ellen had given him a brightly lit wand to carry. He had the wand in one hand and the cellphone in the other, both tethered to the belt around his waist, lest he accidentally drop them. Baal gave us a running commentary.

{[calmly focused] We want him to keep talking, both to learn what he is seeing, but more importantly to make sure that he is in good condition. If he stops talking or starts saying silly things, we'll tell him to put on his breather and haul him right up. He sounds fine.}

For the first several minutes of his slow descent, Baal's chatter was fairly content free checking in. At just about the 200 foot level, he announced that he was approaching the level of the ledge and asked that his descent be paused. Baal reported that he was much closer to one of the walls than to the others and that he was only about twenty feet from the ledge on that wall. He reported that the ledge was close to ten feet wide, with what appeared to be a thick, but gapped, balustrade around the edge, probably made of stone. There didn't appear to be anything on the ledge. Within about a minute, Baal requested that we resume his descent into the pit. At Hermione's insistence, he put one of the breathers on his head, such that he could start the flow of good air, with a few simple motions. "He's approaching the level where bad air becomes a greater concern," she explained to the rest of us. The 300 foot marker had just entered the hole, when Baal again called a halt. He was swinging fairly pronouncedly on his ropes at that point and I assumed that was his concern.

"On top tall stone, just below feet," Baal informed us.

"That makes them forty feet tall!" Harry exclaimed. "I can understand why Baal wants to be careful, there may well be silver wiring connecting the pillars. He wouldn't want to either damage the silver lattice or get his ropes tangled up in it. That could leave him no way out, short of apparating."

Several minutes were spent in back and forth discussion among Baal, Harry, and Cotto. Harry instructed those holding the ropes to separate them as much as the width of the hole permitted. This, along with Baal's efforts, managed to greatly reduce the length of the arc across which he was swinging. It was agreed that we would try to gently lower him to the top of the stone pillar. We fed the rope inches at a time. After about four feet of rope had been sent down the hole, Baal instructed us to stop. A few moments later, he announced that he was atop the pillar and should be lowered two more feet. "Sitting on stone, three-four feet wide," he announced; "stone both side of me and short stones in front. Can't see far. I see lanterns and owl. Owl is fine. There is big wires stone to stone on inside. I can slide down outside stone to ground. I need more rope."

"Hold on," Harry instructed Baal. "We have to discuss this."

As Harry, Dad, and Cotto conferred, Hermione gave a thumbs up to Harry. The discussion ended and Harry told Baal that we were going to slowly lower him.

"I on outside stone. Give more rope," Baal ordered his rope tenders.

It took about five minutes to lower Baal the remaining almost forty feet to the ground. He kept up a constant chatter to let us know that he was alright, finally announcing "feet on floor, give five more feet rope." Five more feet of rope was quickly lowered down the hole. It was clear that Baal intended to wander a little around the outer circle.

"One, two, three, four row of wire stone to stone in circle," Baal reported. "This stone five feet at bottom. Next stone ten feet away. Wire half inch thick. Much wires. Give more rope, I walk around circle."

Harry instructed "wait," and another brief conference ensued. Finally, Harry spoke into his cellphone "we'll give you fifteen more feet, we don't want you wandering too far. Keep the rope outside the stones, please."

Baal reported that he had been able to move about twenty five feet around the outer circle in each direction. He described what he saw "stones same feet apart, same height. Wires is silver. Two more little circles. Big big dark thing center. Something on top. Something on top of big thing bright now. Baal leave rope to look at bright thing."

"No, don't do that!" Harry shouted at his cellphone. "It's time to bring you back up and figure out what is happening. It might not be safe if the circle is starting up because you are on the floor."

"Circles not dangerous, Harry Potter. I be careful."

"As your King, I order you to apparate back here immediately," Cotto directed Baal through the cellphone. "It is too dangerous to risk bumping into any of the wires. Leave your ropes on and apparate now."

"Too late sir, ropes off. Is important Baal look. I under wires. Baal in front of circle two. Circle two is crystals, fifteen feet high. Much little silver wires. I under wires. You not here, it important to see what is here. I be careful."

"Please come back up, you've learned plenty for a first visit," Harry pleaded to his cellphone.

"Circle three is not wide black rock. Rocks is twenty feet high," Baal spoke out of Harry's cellphone. "Much very small silver wires, like Hogwarts circle. Rocks two feet wide. Wires low, Baal must crawl."

"Don't do it," Harry begged him. "Ron, take another look with the visualizer and see how much magical activity is down there now."

Ron hurried to comply, bending over the hole, with the Flamel device pressed against his forehead. "I see magical force lines now, really intense around the big object in the center, with a hot spot right on top of it. All of the circles are showing a little activity, especially a fourth inner circle that we hadn't noticed before."

Baal confirmed Ron's observation. "Am inside circle three. Circle four is short. Thing on big center rock is very bright. Circle four is clear crystals, foot tall. Much little crystals, much wire. I jump over circle. Little fires coming from wires."

"Too dangerous, don't do it!" Harry was once again shouting at his cellphone. Cotto was sitting on Harry's shoulders and he also shouted advice at the phone. "Come back now, Baal. You are too valued to risk."

"Must see what is here," the phone returned to us. "I inside circle four. Big something is much big black rock. I walk around it. Very, very big –twenty feet wide, ten feet tall, very smooth side. Too smooth to climb. Bright something on top is small red crystal cylinder. I apparate to top of rock."

"NO! Apparate back here," shouted Cotto.

"Too late, Baal on rock. Rock is flat and shiny. Baal measure crystal with hands, but not touch. Crystal eight inch wide, twenty inch tall. Very bright, have to hold hands over eyes. Crystal is hot. Rock is little hot."

"COME BACK NOW! You've learned everything we need to know. You've done a very good job. We want you safely up here with us," Harry implored his phone.

"Just walk around crystal and then leave. Little short crystal circle outside big crystal on back. Six little crystals. Little bright, l …."

"BAAL!" Harry shouted.

Harry and Cotto made more pleas into the cellphone but were not rewarded by any response from Baal.

"We have to rescue him," Harry declared.

"I can fit through the hole," I assured Harry. "You can lower me to about a hundred feet from the floor and I can scout around on my broom."

"Way too dangerous," Harry replied instantly. "It could be very difficult to haul you back up through the hole."

"I can go down easily and apparate back," declared Cobbo.

"Okay, but just a quick look and then back up you come," Harry assented. "We'll haul up one of the ropes that Baal used and lower you with that."

"I'm not sure we can do that," Hermione warned Harry. "Baal had the rope really slanted away from the point directly under the hole. If we start pulling on a rope, we're likely to smash the metal clasp into the silver wires and we don't know what that could cause to happen."

"You're right, of course," Harry agreed with her. "Do we have another thick enough long rope?"

"No, but we'll get one," Bill promised Harry. "It should be quick. I'm on my way."

"Too slow," Cobbo complained. "I apparate above circle, fall a little, apparate higher, fall again, take a look and apparate back."

"No, that sounds really, really dangerous," Harry dismissed the idea. "I can't ask the Elf King to take such a risk."

"You don't ask me and you can't stop me. Must rescue Baal. Baal is my responsibility."

"It's actually my responsibility," Harry corrected him.

"We all agreed," I told them both. "It's all of our responsibilities. Harry can't fit through the hole, or he would go, but when the rope comes, I'll go on my own and his behalf."

"Before that, I make quick scout. Give me phone," Cotto demanded.

I gave Cotto my phone number, so Harry could stay on the empty line to Baal, in case there was an answer. My phone rang and I said hello to Cotto, starting to describe the communication protocol, but with a little pop, he was already gone. I next heard his voice coming only from the phone "Can't see Baal. Bright on top of rock, but no Baal. Maybe crawled down or fell off rock. Send more light for me to see."

We lobbed about a dozen ball of light down the hole and in the direction of the circles, watching them float down toward the floor. "Can see beside big rock. No Baal. Hard to see other circles clear, but no Baal. Coming back." With a loud pop, Cotto was again standing next to Harry and talking rapidly "hard to see clear away from big rock but see no sign of Baal. Can see owl and supplies but not Baal."

"Accio broom," brought my trusty broom sailing into my hands. "We don't have to wait for Bill," I informed Harry. Haul up the rope with the supplies."

Harry smacked his forehead in frustration, but began pulling on the rope and several others joined him. Fortunately we did have another harness and I was quickly trussed into it. "Only one rope," I told Harry "on the back. I need to be free to fly."

This was done and I had a breather and a cell phone on a thin rope and my wand on a cord, all tied to my waist.

"I'm not happy with you doing this," Harry told me. "There must be another way. This is my responsibility."

"I approved the plan," Dad firmly told Harry. "It's ultimately MY responsibility and I don't like having my school-age daughter making risky amends for my decision. I forbid you to go, Ginny. You likely can't apparate to safety as Cotto did. It is much too dangerous."

"My decision too, Dad, and I'm the one who can both fit through the hole and fly a broom well enough to do a proper search. Have McGonagall drop the defenses and I can probably apparate if I need to. Now lower me through the hole." I said this as I sat on the edge of the hole, with both legs dangling into the void.

"Wait!" Cotto commanded. "I come with you to apparate both of us, if needed. You go through hole, I slide down rope onto your shoulders."

"Works for me," I said. "Do you all have a good hold on the rope? Good, then slowly lower me through the hole."

My hips just cleared the gap, with a couple inches to spare, but I still had a scrape on the right side. Then a sharp pain as my right boob bounced against the slab of rock. That would certainly leave a bruise. My head was now passing through the floor and I grabbed onto the floor paver with one hand, yelling "stop! Pass me my broom." I took my broom and fastened it to another cord attached to my waist belt. Wouldn't want to lose my broom inside the pit. "Okay, you can start lowering again," I yelled overhead.

I felt myself moving away from the opening and then the rope shook and I felt Cotto's weight atop my shoulders. I welcomed Cotto and checked out my phone link. I spoke to Harry as I continued to drift into the pit. It was too dark to see much, unless I looked right at the central rock with the glowing crystal atop it. Harry soon told me that we were two hundred feet deep. "Drop us another eighty feet," I instructed. "We should be able to get a better look from there and fly about a bit."

I felt us dropping farther and then being pulled to a stop. Harry's voice on my phone said "You're at two hundred and eighty-five feet. Just dangle there and see what you can see with a few balls of light lobbed to the spots you need to see."

"Okay." I did this and both Cotto and I strained our eyes. We had a fairly good look at everything on the near side of the big rock and on the top surface of the rock. I think we could have spotted Baal at this distance, but saw nothing. I spoke into the phone "lower us fifteen more feet and I'll fly around a little. I can't see anything on the far side of the rock or circle from here."

"Okay, but be very careful," came back in Dad's voice. I felt us moving gradually lower. We had ample clearance above the tall outer row of pillars as we jerked to a halt. I maneuvered my broom between my thighs, then locked my ankles around it. "Can you slide down to sit in front of me on the broom?" I asked Cotto.

In answer, I felt him shifting off my shoulders as he pulled himself up on the rope, then he was facing me with his feet on my boobs as he slid down me to land astride the broom, facing me. "It would be better with you facing forward, but I guess this will have to do," I told him.

There was a little pop and Cotto was rearranged on the broom facing forward. It would have been nice to have done it that way instead of using my body as a ladder in his initial attempt, but I kept my complaint to myself. I just said "keep a careful watch on the floor. I'm going to lob some more balls of light and then fly off to the right side, so we can see partway behind the rock."

I did this, having to strain against the rope. We couldn't move to the side, without moving a little higher and having to fight the rope, which wanted to swing us back the other way. As a result, I also swung us forward. I joined Cotto in scanning the rock floor, trying to see in the shadows at the base of the big rock. I couldn't see Baal or the small crystals he had reported seeing on the far side of the rock. I reported as much to Harry and Cotto agreed that he hadn't spotted anything of interest. I turned the broom and let us swing back in the other direction, giving a view of another quarter of the back side of the rock. This time I thought I saw a hint of a couple of glowing points near the base of the rock. I reported this to Harry and begged for fifteen more feet of leash. We compromised on ten feet.

"I think the circle is becoming more active, you should hurry up down there," Ron's voice came from the phone.

"Will do," I agreed as I took the broom as far as I could go to first the right and then the left and then straining the rope straight for the central rock. I tried at first without launching any spheres of light. Cotto and I each agreed that we could see two points of light toward the rear of the rock on each side of it. The other two crystals that Baal had reported must have been in our blind spot, directly behind the central giant rock. I repeated these maneuvers, with balls of light lobbed into the darkness. There was no sign of Baal. Cotto and I checked within each of the four circles and also the area outside the circles where the Harry's still unnamed owl waited in her cage. If we could see the owl, we should be able to see Baal, except we couldn't.

I heard Cotto's deep voice talking from in front of me "it's no use, he's not here. I don't want to put you in more danger. I apparate us out."

"Wait," I pleaded, an idea suddenly coming to me. Into the phone, I spoke to Harry "I'm going to fly to the balustrade and land on the walkway. I think I have enough rope to do that, but if not, I'll let you know. It can't take more than another ten or twenty feet".

"I'm not sure, Ginny" came back to me.

"I'm on my way to the balustrade and ledge," went back to Harry.

I pulled up on the broom and climbed back toward the hole in Snape's floor, also angling toward the side wall of this cavern. I didn't know what I'd encounter, so I lobbed a ball of light onto the balustrade from a little above it as I flew parallel to it. I then doubled back to see what my light revealed. "Looks wide and safe," I heard Cotto say. I agreed, so I moved closer and landed on the ledge, which as we approached it seemed to be a well-designed stone walkway with a protective stone balustrade. We hit the ledge a little harder than I had planned and skidded to a stop. My legs hit ground and stopped us, but Cotto slid off the broom in front of me, to skid along the rock on his bottom. He stopped short of the balustrade at the edge. I picked him up, pulled my wand and gave it the 'lumos' command. The ledge was relatively finished stone, but littered with little pebbles, which must have done damage to Cotto's bottom. He wasn't complaining, but I spoke a soft "sorry for the rough landing" in his direction as I helped him to his feet and spoke to Harry on the phone. "We've landed on the ledge. I want to see if we can move far enough along the ledge to see the area in back of the central rock, which we couldn't see from the air. I also want to see if there are any easy entry doors onto this ledge. It wouldn't make much sense to build this ledge, without a way of getting to it."

"Okay," "yes, that's fine," from first Harry and then Dad.

Cotto and I set off along the ledge in the direction of the rear of the boulder. Cotto suggested "I'll watch the balustrade and down on the far floor, you watch for dangers on the ledge and openings on the inside wall."

"Fine," I agreed "and I'll flick light balls ahead and over the balustrade. If you can also keep our rope from catching on the balustrade, that will also help."

With a flick of a ball of light from my wand to the track ahead of us and another over the balustrade ahead of us, we slowly started walking forward. I threw new light balls every twenty feet or so and had tossed my fifth pair of balls, when I spotted an archway on the inner wall.

"A doorway," I told Cotto, as I drew him back to me. He needed to stay close, in case we had to apparate to freedom because of some, as yet unknown, threat. I had the Keeper ring that I had made for myself, but I had no idea whether this archway would honor its authority. I had fashioned the ring from a chip of granite from the Gringotts Circle and silver from the wires connecting the crystals of the Gringotts Circle. Beneath the granite chip lay a pinch of the black lodestone sand from Firenze's Yantra. I had chosen sand which had been touched with both Unicorn blood and a Unicorn's horn. There was a single grain of calcite sand which had been soaked in Firenze's own blood. The knowledge from the Light Guardian and Professor Celine's Witch Sculpture lessons had guided my mind as it forged the ring and synched it to both the Ravenclaw ring that Dumbledore had left for us and the Montaigne Slytherin ring. That 'synched' is Hermione-speak, by the way. I had successfully tested the ring on all of the portals we had encountered around the common rooms and the passages leading to the top of the pyramid. I looked at the array of symbols on the raised panel to the right of the arch.

There was an indented cone for a Unicorn horn. Below that was a starburst symbol, and a still farther down, a smaller starburst symbol, positioned at a height surely meant for an Elf. There was no sign of snake, gryphon, or diadem. The dust was thick on the ledge and partially filled the opening of the Unicorn hole, also piling up atop the starbursts. I wouldn't have been surprised if this archway had been undisturbed for centuries, possibly since the passing of Hogwarts' founders. I had a sense that the Montaigne ring would be useless and possibly the Ravenclaw as well. My ring would open any portal that would respond to either of those rings, but I also had applied charms that I gleaned from deep mining of my Light Guardian knowledge: knowledge which had been known to Witch priestesses going back over two millennia, but forgotten for centuries.

I had applied a dozen charms, only three of which Hermione or I had been able to find in either the Hogwarts or Ministry libraries. Two of the dozen were known by one or the other of McGonagall's Witch Priestess friends. That left seven hopefully lucky charms, known to only a few of us who had communicated directly with the Light Guardian, namely Hermione, Luna, Margaret, and me. I had no way of knowing for sure, but had a strong intuition that one of those seven charms would work its magic on this portal.

I was about to apply my ring to the upper starburst, but not knowing what would happen when I did, or what we would find on the other side of the portal, if the barrier slid away in response to my ring's touch. I took a deep breath and conversed with Harry.

"We've found a portal about a hundred feet along from where we landed on the ledge. The ledge and balustrade were both in great condition for our whole walk. I'm going to try to open the portal. The only symbols are a Unicorn pit and starbursts at human and Elf levels. As we've walked along, Cotto has scanned the floor beneath us, but seen no sign of Baal or anything else of interest. If we can all access the ledge from this portal, it will make searching for and rescuing Baal a lot easier. I think I should open the archway."

"I agree," Harry replied, excitement clearly present in his voice. "Put on your breather before you open the archway—you don't know what you'll find on the other side. Cotto should be sheltered behind you with a hand on you to whisk you away if you are in danger. Don't hurry through the doorway. It may open into a pit. Good luck."

Cotto had heard Harry's suggestions and stepped behind me, getting a good grip on my thigh. I reached up my finger and touched the ring to the starburst. Nothing happened. I waited and when nothing happened, raised the phone and told Harry "no luck, this is a very old archway. It may predate these rings. We'll keep moving along the ledge. Wait…"

With a sharp groan of grating metal, the stone doorway very slowly slid into the floor. It had only reached the level of my chest when I lobbed a ball of light over top of it and into the space beyond. It was a dark corridor of rough stone, falling away sharply to the right and downward. Harry's warning notwithstanding, the floor appeared to be very solid.

"The arch is opening and there is a rough stone corridor off to the right and fairly sharply downward. Do we explore the passage or keep moving along the edge?"

"Get to the side of the opening, so the stone protects you, then strike a match and hold it in the doorway. If nothing happens, take a few steps in, holding the match in front of you, then come back out, before the door closes again. Mark your spot inside the door mentally, so you can apparate back to it, if need be."

Those instructions had come in Hermione's voice, delivered coolly and precisely. I was shaking my head in agreement as Harry's voice cut in, "I agree, but be quick. I don't want you caught on the other side. Make sure Cotto stays with you."

The stone door slab had almost fully sunk into the floor as I struck my match and thrust it in front of the door. I then followed the match about four feet into the passageway, scouring the walls in the fading light of the ball from my wand. Cotto still had a firm hold on me. I saw the same sort of panel as the one on the ledge side but also a much smaller square panel with two unmarked indentations. I touched the first and lights appeared in the passageway, allowing me to see that it proceeded for at least several hundred feet, before turning to the right. I touched my ring to the second indentation and could tell from the light appearing over my shoulders, that there were now lights on the ledge. Hearing a sound from the door, I mentally marked my spot, then hustled Cotto ahead of me and back onto the ledge.

It wasn't just the ledge that was lit, the whole cavern seemed to be springing back to bright life. I gasped and then picked up the phone to fill Harry in on everything that I had seen.

"I know", Harry quickly replied, before I was half finished. "The images of what you saw and even your reaction to them, just suddenly appeared in my mind. Ron has been watching through the Flamel device and says that from the moment your ring touched the icon, the outer circles started showing magical force lines. Now that the lights are on, Ron can't see them. Since our main goal is to rescue Baal, I think you should move as far along the ledge as you can and see if you can find him."

"Yes, yes, I agree," Cotto shouted over my elbow at the phone.

That decided, the two of us continued our walk along the path. We had made it almost another hundred feet, when I had to call for more rope. Harry only had another sixty feet, but we progressed as far as we could. The lights in the cavern had erased the shadows of the circles and we had a good view of the whole area. We could see part of the area behind the big boulder, which had previously been obscured from us. We were almost at the far wall of the cavern. I disconnected the rope from my harness and tied it off on the balustrade, about thirty feet back in the direction from which we had come.

Cotto and I walked all the way to the wall, before I spoke to Harry and told him what I had done. He was not pleased, but I reassured him that with the apparation barriers down, it was likely that I could apparate, that Cotto could certainly apparate both of us, and that I could exit through the archway. Harry complained about dangerous freelancing, but then asked what we could see from our new position.

"We can see the whole area behind the boulder and Baal isn't there. He seems to have vanished from the chamber. Ah, wait a second, Cotto is pointing to a crude stone staircase going along the rear wall and all the way to the ground. It looks to be about three feet wide, raw, but in good condition. It covers the entire rear wall of the cavern. It's maybe three hundred feet long by close to two hundred feet high, with the steps about nine inches long and six inches high. No intermediate landings, it isn't at all the same design as the stone stairs on the outside of the pyramid. Definitely a different builder. There is a lot of dust and pebbles on them. I'm thinking a little dangerous to try to walk down."

"I agree," Harry replied. "I think the two of you should return so we can plan. We'll clear a four foot area around the opening in the floor and Cotto can apparate you back."

"I can do," Cotto replied, still clutching my thigh. I felt a ripple pass through my head and I was back in Snape's office.

"We need to plan our next steps," Harry told me as Ron was telling Professor McGonagall to restore the castle defenses.

"Fine, but we haven't eaten since breakfast. Let's plan over a late dinner in the Great Hall."

Professor McGonagall was already seated at the Gryffindor table by the time we reached the Great Hall and the table was laden with steaming platters of food, each emitting its own special tantalizing aroma. With the students already fed and off to their dorms for study and sleep, the dinner fare had shifted to spicier dishes that I had so appreciated during the past summer. I saw and smelled a wide assortment of curries, spicy pumpkin soup, and a baked chicken mole, which, I knew from experience, was laced with hot chili peppers and redolent of dark chocolate. Professors Longbottom, Celine, and Trelawney had been invited to hear our news of the day's adventures. Madame Bones, Callista, and Percy had also somehow received a summons to the banquet.

Break, break, break

We're now getting more into the sci-fi realm. But, HP really was sci-fi.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 – Baal Is Truly Lost**

Harry sat on Dad's right, with Madame Bones and Kingsley across from them, with Mom and me flanking them on the other side. McGonagall was at the head of the table and I was to her immediate left, with Luna across from me. Cotto, the Elf King, was honored with the foot of the table. Dad spoke first. "There is quite a bit of news to discuss and planning to be done. I've asked Luna to invite her father, so that what is appropriate to be widely known can be reported and what must be secret is available to Xenophilius as background. We'll begin the summary of events just as soon as he arrives. Professor Sprout has gone to the gate to meet him.

"Before you begin your meal, I want to pause for a brief prayer for Baal, the Elf, whom I think you all know, since he has assisted Harry here at Hogwarts." Some signal must have been passed, because I noticed motion out of the corner of my eye and looked up to find all of the Hogwarts kitchen Elves, as well as our personal Elves Jana, Thal, Marta, and Catta arrayed in a semi-circle around the table.

I expected Dad to say more about Baal, but Cotto took up the task. "I have taken responsibility to educate Baal. I'm very proud he became my friend. I've never known such a bright, dedicated, brave young Elf. He happily faced any challenge that Harry or I give him, as long if he know it be to a good end. I've never known such a loyal Elf. Now he missing. We're all sad because of Baal's mysterious disappearance, while on a most dangerous job. He knew the risk to him and took that risk for the good of all. Now he vanished and we cannot find him. I thank Ginny for the danger she faced trying to rescue Baal. We hope he returns, but hope is hard."

There was wine in front of us, so after we had bowed our heads in a few moments of reflection, Harry raised his glass and declared "To Baal: may he be with us again soon and may we never stop searching until we find him."

Xenophilius and Madam Sprout entered at that moment, my attention being drawn to them as I heard her comment, "what has happened to poor Baal?"

"I'll let Ginny tell the story, she knows more of it firsthand than any of us. Before she starts I just want to say that I invited Percy and Madam Bones to get their views on the happenings, and so that Percy can start digging through the ancient archives in the Ministry to see if there is anything that helps make sense of what we have seen. Ginny…."

I described the search of Snape's office, the finding of the entrance into the pyramid, Baal's exploration and disappearance, the search that Cotto and I had undertaken, and our discovery of the archway and the stone stairs down to the floor. I detailed how and when the 'dead' circle and cavern had returned to life and how everything within the pyramid carried the marks of being untouched for centuries.

"It sounds as though poor Baal may have stumbled upon an abandoned portkey," Neville surmised "although it's strange that it would still be active after centuries. Who knows to what or where it could be linked. From Ginny's description, it certainly sounds as though the circle recognized Baal's presence and came to life to do whatever its makers intended."

I was glad that Neville had the floor. It was kind of Harry to let me be the heroic teller of my tale, but what I really wanted was food. As Neville spoke, I started in on a big bowl of the spicy pumpkin soup, assisted by a warm whole-wheat roll with currents baked into it. I had grabbed two rolls from the lunch table, but they were plain white rolls that I hadn't even put any butter or jam onto. This roll was slathered with sweet, salty butter.

"I don't know, Neville," Harry chimed in "Baal was giving us a very detailed running account of everything he saw in the cavern. If he had seen an object that turned out to be a portkey, I'm sure he would have said something, before he touched it."

"What was the last thing he saw?" Neville reasonably inquired. I hadn't given quite this level of detail.

"He had gotten on top of the dark boulder and approached the glowing crystal set into its center. Then he walked around the glowing crystal to the back side on top of the boulder and told us that he saw six small, slightly glowing crystals set into the floor. He was talking of them when his voice just cut out. I guess the crystals could have been portkeys, but Ginny and Cotto saw them during their explorations," Hermione amplified.

"No, didn't see two center crystals. Right, Ginny?" Cotto corrected her.

"I think so," I mumbled with a mouth full of a curry of chicken, potatoes, peas, and apple. I was going to elaborate, but Hermione picked up the discussion.

"So the little crystals could be standard portkeys, or they could be a special sort of portkey, which stays behind, but sends anyone who touches it to a particular destination."

"That would be very, very bad," Cotto spoke glumly. "How can Baal come home with no portkey."

"I don't know," Hermione replied, with a pained expression indicating she was obviously sorry she had mentioned this thought. "Perhaps there is a similar circle at whatever destination Baal traveled to. We should monitor the cavern to see if he returns. I'd think he'd be anxious to get back here soon. He was clearly of a mind to keep exploring, when he vanished, so it's reasonable to assume he would thoroughly investigate the other side before returning."

"I have two aurors watching and guarding the hole," Dad assured Hermione. "They'll spot Baal if, er when, he returns."

"What if he traveled to another dark cavern with a dead circle, like this one was before something we did turned it on?" Ron asked, unhelpfully, I thought. "He could wander around in the dark until he starved or died of thirst, or even …"

"We get the picture Ron," Hermione spoke over top of him. "Although he didn't have the supply package we dropped, Baal did have water, three breather masks, a little food, matches, and a lit wand. I had even given him my assistant Keeper ring, in case he encountered an archway."

"That is a help," a very worried Cotto answered, "but we must find Baal soon."

I realized that Firenze and Bane were present in the corner of the room, when Professor Firenze spoke. "I have no memory of legends of a crystal circle inside the pyramid. We spoke before of original Hogwarts circle, but I believe that to have been inside what you call the Chamber of Secrets, and the magical stones and crystals were removed, long ago. I know nothing of a more ancient circle. I will speak to the Unicorns and cetaceans, but I think I would have heard of such a place if anyone still had the memory. Also, I have no knowledge of crystals behaving the way you think the little crystals on top of the boulder behaved."

"I have never heard of such," Bane echoed his seer.

I was hurriedly eating some of the mole, which was extremely hot and spicy, but in a way that delighted my over-activated senses. The fat in the chocolate absorbs the hot from the chilies and actually producers a hotter taste, although a rounder, richer taste. I'm amazed how many delightful guises chocolate can appear in to delight my senses. I was enjoying, but I hauled myself back to the problem at hand.

"We should return to the cavern and search at floor level," Ron suggested.

"Yes, someone with strong, fresh legs needs to go down the stone stairs to the floor," Harry seconded Ron.

"And we need to find what lies beyond the archway," I added. "Shall we go first thing in the morning?"

"Baal is in danger, I don't want to wait," Harry implored "I don't want to be responsible for another death. Especially one that we can prevent. I say we go back to the cavern as soon as we finish eating."

Bane and Cotto urgently supported Harry's proposal, as, very much to my surprise, did Dad who added "Ginny and Cotto can apparate a team to the ledge. Half the team can climb down to the floor and the other half can explore the passage beyond the archway. We'll keep the second team on top to scan the circle and man the ropes and cellphones. I've been on to the Muggle Prime Minister, by the way, to try to trace Baal's phone. No luck, no signal at all. What's worse, he realizes that something important has happened and is going to want an update at the very least and likely another trip to Hogwarts within the day."

"Before we go exploring within the cavern, I'd like to revisit our art museum to gain a better perspective on the relationship between the pyramid and the elevations of Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall proposed.

The drawing in question was from the very early days of the school and showed a single story central part, flanked by two towers of three stories. What might or might not have been the flat top of the pyramid thrust a little above the rear roof portion of the single floor central section. It stuck up only about six feet and could have been practically anything, but I was certain it was our pyramid. This portion of the castle now stood four stories tall, which would put the top of the pyramid in the middle of the second floor. Snape's office was on the basement level, meaning the top of the pyramid was about forty feet above our entry point in Snape's floor. The pyramid floor was over three hundred feet below the floor of the Hogwarts basement. This put it well below the Goblin utility room and the Chamber of Secrets. I tried to think where the passageway from the ledge might lead us. Of course it could serve the very mundane function of accessing the floor of the cavern without the need of descending that awful single flight of stone stairs – not that I wouldn't much rather walk down a long, steep ramp.

"And if the central stone had very flat, polished surfaces, as Baal described, it likely is a perfect cube and extends ten feet below the floor of the chamber," Luna observed. "Such a large, perfectly shaped and polished dark stone from antiquity must have been remarked by the ancients. Firenze may well learn something from the Unicorns or Cetaceans, but I think we need to plumb the depths of the ancient Priestess memories which the Light Guardian deposited in our brains. This may be the purpose for which we have them. I really sense that they're present, we just have to dig deeply enough and make sense of all that information. We have knowledge from Priestesses that were alive when Hogwarts was built and from earlier. They must know what was here and may know who put it here. If the ring that Ginny made from ancient Priestess knowledge opened the archway, then they must be associated with the passage beyond."

"Well, that's assuming that neither the Montaigne nor Ravenclaw rings open the archway," Hermione contradicted, "but then, Ravenclaw may have been a Priestess."

"If you've all done your mental gauging of the elevations, I think it past time to get back to the pyramid," Dad interrupted the discussion.

At Harry's signal, Professor McGonagall again dropped the Hogwarts apparation defenses and I apparated Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Bill and Ellen the aurors to the point just in front of the archway on the ledge side. The cavern was as brightly lit as when I had left it. We quickly stepped far to the side to permit Cotto to apparate Barb, Neville, Luna, Jana, and Thal. Harry was determined to lead the team down to the floor of the cavern, although I dearly wanted him to stay with me. Before he set off with Barb, Neville, Luna, and Cotto, I asked him to try his Montaigne ring on the archway panel. I knew we'd have to wait a long time for a result, but after five minutes, I concluded nothing was going to happen. I next asked Ron to try the Ravenclaw ring. I thought there was a chance that this more ancient ring would succeed, but it did not. I pressed my ring to the starburst and, more quickly than the last time, the door slid down, allowing entry to the passage beyond.

"Step in quickly before you leave," I pointed to Harry and Neville "so that you can apparate back here if need be." They did as I requested and were on their way to the stone stairs. My party just made it through the archway, before the stone slab began to rise at an alarming speed. Hermione, Ron, and Bill had made it through with me, but Jana and Thal had to leap in unison atop the rising slab and then down to the other side.

"Way, way too dangerous a move, guys," I told them. I had already touched my ring to the icon that produced light in the passageway, so we had a clear view as we started off down the steep and narrow corridor. I kept in touch with Harry on my phone, while Ron maintained a constant chatter with his father, describing all that he saw. Jana scanned the floor ahead of us, I watched the right wall, Ron the left, and Hermione scanned the ceiling. Thal kept an eye on our rear 'just in case'.

We walked the two hundred feet downhill to the right turn which I had observed this afternoon. We saw nothing the least bit interesting on this trip, but the unevenness and pointiness of many of the stones on the floor, along with the obscuring and skid-causing dust and gravel on the floor made the walk treacherous and painful to both ankles and the soles of our feet. Ron slipped and caught himself, with the help of Bill, against the rough side wall, skinning the back of his hand and wrist. On the bright side, we saw no snakes or spiders - there was simply no food in this sterile, dry corridor. As we got to the turn to the right, I was expecting an archway on the opposite wall, but there was none. We turned and continued to descend at the same, very steep angle of more than thirty degrees. This leg of the tunnel also seemed to stretch about two hundred feet. Like the more recently constructed tunnels and stairs on the outside of the pyramid, this tunnel seemed to comply with some standard design. Since the tunnel was only about five feet high by three feet wide, I thought it might have been built by creatures smaller than modern humans.

We continued what was becoming an increasingly painful walk down the steep passageway. I kept expecting to see an archway on one of the side walls, which would link more directly to the Hogwarts castle or at least the series of stone steps and passageways leading from the common rooms and headmasters office, with which I had become surprisingly familiar. As I approached the end of this leg, I realized what a foolish thought that was. If the inside of the pyramid linked to Hogwarts, wouldn't the archway through which we entered this passage have responded to the rings that commanded all the other archways from the school? No I was dealing with something different and much older here.

We were about ten feet from the end of this passageway, when I saw a barely visible archway on the right. I was opening my mouth to announce my discovery when a very excited Jana shouted "Stop! Hole in floor."

I averted my eyes from the archway to follow Jana's eyes. There was a hole, only inches less wide than the passageway, which began three feet from the end of the passage and continued to within six inches of the blank wall at the end of the passage. As we bunched up three feet in front of the hole, Ron reported "also a small archway on the left, almost right up against the hole, in fact it would be difficult to exit the archway, without falling in."

Bill asked us to step aside, so that he could investigate the hole. I had been about to test my ring on the arch in the right hand wall, but Bill asked me to wait until he learned more about the hole. Ron and I updated Harry and Dad on everything we were observing as Bill took a spare wand from his boot and with a double 'lumos' inched up to the hole on his belly. I saw two balls of light emerge from his wand and disappear into the hole. "It seems to be an access shaft," Bill reported. "I can see the bottom, perhaps a bit over twenty feet down. It seems to widen out a bit to the sides at the bottom. I think I can climb down, although it's a little tight. I may have to apparate back up."

"Let's wait and see what Harry says," I cautioned Bill, but both Harry and Dad approved Bill's suggestion, merely telling him to take a lantern to test the air and to wear his breather. Ron handed over the lantern, Hermione attached a fifty foot length of rope to it, and Bill carefully lowered it all the way to the bottom of the shaft.

"I think there's an opening to the right, and also a hint of one to the left," Hermione announced.

We hauled up the lantern so Bill wouldn't step on it, wrapped Bill in the harness, and attached the rope to the clip on his back. I doubted we could pull him up in the tight quarters, but if he slipped we could at least prevent him from falling twenty feet and injuring himself. Bill squirmed backward into the hole on his belly, with his arms stretched out ahead of him. As his head was about to disappear into the shaft he announced "I've got a foot hold, these boots are really quite good for rock climbing." We were giving him lots of slack, just holding the rope to keep the fifteen foot mark from entering the shaft. With all of us holding on, we could jolt Bill to a halt just before he hit bottom.

The rope wasn't needed. Bill used the foot and hand holds and braced his butt or back against the opposite wall of the narrow shaft as he slowly inched his way downward. I heard his boots hit bottom and then his voice on Hermione's phone "I'm down. There's an open arch to the right that's about three and a half feet high and three wide. I'm going to crawl through."

"Wait, we'll send you down the lantern," Hermione told him. "Test the air in the crawlway, before you enter." The only other rope we had was the two hundred and fifty foot one that was wrapped around my waist, so I unwrapped about thirty feet of it and attached the lantern, lowering it to Bill. I pulled the rope back when it went slack and then made three quick jerks half a minute later. We were all clustered around Hermione, waiting for Bill to describe what he saw.

"I'm entering the crawlspace, pushing the lantern ahead of me. I've traveled about six feet. It's opening up into a bigger chamber. It looks at least four or five feet tall, with a black rear wall almost ten feet away. I'm into the chamber. It's bigger than I thought, almost thirty feet wide and close to six feet tall. I was wrong, the black rock isn't the rear wall. It's floor to ceiling, a black polished square column, I'd estimate eighteen feet on a side. I think it's a continuation of the central rock that Baal saw in the main circle cavern. I'm searching for the sort of little crystal that caught Baal, but the floor seems clear and rough. I've walked completely around this thing and it's perfectly symmetrical. It's as smooth as a mirror. Not quite sure what it's made of, but I'd say definitely rock. Don't worry, I'm not going to risk touching the stone, but I can tell it's giving off some heat. I don't see a joint at either the floor or ceiling. Oh! I've come around to face the entrance and there is writing on the wall. This is the only wall of the chamber where the stone has been finished, and the whole wall is filled with chiseled symbols. I can't read it, but I never studied runes. Send down the camera and I'll take some pictures of the writing."

We did this and a few minutes later Bill spoke over the phone "I've done everything that I can do down here. Stand clear of the hole, I'm going to apparate back. I'll have to kneel to apparate and come in half a foot above the floor."

"Bill – can you check the side of the shaft immediately opposite your crawl hole?" Hermione asked "I thought I saw a depression there, looking at the reflected lantern light."

We heard scuttling sounds from the cellphone, then "good eye, Hermione. There is a round depression that leads into another crawl way, but I can't possibly enter this one. It's round and about twenty inches across. Unlike the one that I went through, this one is quite smooth, when I wipe the dust and grit away. I've shoved the lantern almost four feet into the hole, which is as far as I can manage, and the little tunnel is perfectly straight, round, and smooth for at least seven or eight feet, I have no idea how much it goes on beyond that. I'm going to pull the lantern back and throw a light ball as deeply as I can… Ah! It's like a perfect stone pipe. I can't see the end of it. I'd say it goes at least twenty feet. Not up or down, just straight back. I think it was made for an Elf. Now, that really is all that I can do down here, stand back, I'm coming up."

There was a little pop and Bill was back among us. Jana was volunteering to explore 'the Elf passage' and Hermione was shaking her head no. I had been maintaining a running chatter with Harry, who had just reached the floor of the main cavern, and he seconded Hermione's rejection of Jana's offer. "I've lost enough Elves for one day. Besides, I suspect from the elevations that the archway you found will bring you out onto the floor of the main cavern. Why don't you try it and we can explore the cavern together."

This time Hermione nodded yes. I confidently applied my ring to the only symbol, a starburst at the level of my shoulder, on the small, barely visible, panel next to the almost equally obscure archway. There was a delay of almost two minutes, but the stone slid down and allowed us to pass into the main cavern. We were on what had been the blind side of the central stone, as we originally saw it from the hole in Snape's floor. I looked to my right and saw Harry and his team walking toward us.

"Don't touch the black block in the center of the circles and most especially don't get anywhere close to any of the crystals on top of it. Don't touch any of the wiring between the columns and crystals. Other than that, explore carefully. Report back anything you see, immediately. If in doubt, do not touch. Go to it, let's see if we can find a sign of Baal," Harry warned and encouraged us.

It was good to be back with Harry and I stayed by his side as we searched. Cotto stuck with us, also, as we had four teams scouring the floor of the cavern. Harry, Cotto, and I started in the area from which I had exited the passageway. This was the blind area that Cotto and I had not seen previously. I looked back at the archway to determine how the passageway was supposed to be entered from this side. The first discovery was beyond obvious – there was more carved writing above and on both sides of the archway. Despite what I suspected was the ancient age of the chiseled message, the message was easily visible, because the excised stone areas had been highlighted with what looked like black ink. I could see each individual character, but I understood none of the message. I phoned Hermione, both because she was carrying the camera and I wanted a moving picture of this, but mainly because she was the likeliest of us to be able to read these runes.

Hermione, which meant her whole team, came over to examine and photograph the runes. Hermione was very excited, walking right up to the runes, with her wand lit, and her face barely a foot from the wall. I could tell earlier that she was disappointed she could not go right down to the chamber that Bill had discovered for a personal look at the runes he had discovered, but was unable to describe to anything approaching her satisfaction. She would have happily returned to Hogwarts immediately to get and study the pictures that Bill had taken. Now she had her own runes. Runes that nobody but her, who had studied runic script, had seen for centuries. It was the sort of original research that both Hermione and McGonagall craved. I knew that Hermione would make dozens of pictures of the runes, but for now, she was engaged in an intricate study of exactly how the characters had been made.

"This is high quality chisel work," Hermione commented. I've seen symbols made in clay tablets from Mesopotamia in the British Museum, but those were very crude compared to this. A high quality metal chisel and mallet were used to make these. I'd say the blade was no more than a half inch by an eighth of an inch. I recognize many of the individual symbols, but the copies we studied in class showed far more variation in the reproduction of each symbol. This was carved with great care. You can see how the symbols are highlighted by some sort of black ink or charcoal, to make them legible at a greater distance. This is just remarkable. I know the Muggles can do some really precise analyses on old charcoal, I'm going to make pictures and then scrape some of the charcoal into a vial."

"It sounds like you're going to be a while," Harry commented with a hint of irritation in his voice. "I'll leave Ginny and Jana to assist you and get the rest of our teams back to the task of searching the cavern. The whole purpose is to find out what happened to poor Baal, after all."

"Fine," Hermione replied in an abstracted way that let me know Harry had very little of her attention. "This text may well give better clues about Baal than anything the search teams find, but go search."

Hermione had pulled out the camera and switched to picture making mode. She was so much in her own world that Jana and I kept away from her and performed a detailed search of the floor between the archway and the outer ring of columns. We first searched the floor as it was, using my wand to provide additional light, then brushed aside accumulated dust and grit to see what lay beneath it. Our initial search had revealed no footprints in the dust. Baal had not come this way.

The floor was unremarkable: simply semi-finished stones, about three feet on a side. It looked to be granite. Part of me wanted to continue the circuit around the circle, inspecting the area between the wall and the outer circle, but I knew Harry expected us to keep an eye on Hermione and provide any assistance she needed. I looked up, and finding her still involved with the camera, suggested to Jana that we explore the wall area to the right of the runes, to determine whether it contained less obvious clues or even a concealed passageway. I shone the light from my wand tip on foot square portions of the wall, and the two of us studied the illuminated area. We could only inspect up to a height of about seven feet, while the wall towered over three hundred feet above us. Still, I felt any portals or clues were likely to lie within that seven foot zone.

We weren't finding anything very exciting, so I was happy for the diversion when Hermione called to us for assistance. "Can you try to scrape some of the black coloring into this vial, while I work on translating the text?" she importuned me. I eagerly accepted the task, since it allowed me to be more active and working toward a definable goal. I took the vial and small knife that Hermione handed me and got to work. I suggested that Jana concentrate on seeing what she could discern at the higher elevations of the wall. I loaned her my lit wand to help her see anything of interest that might be present on the wall. I expected that she would do this from the floor, but she seemed to delight in apparating about a couple hundred feet into the air and somehow retarding her fall, so that she leisurely floated to the ground and could examine the wall as she floated past. I occasionally glanced over from my scraping and observed that Jana was repeating this procedure, moving about three feet to the right prior to each ascent.

The scraping was slow going, since the black highlighting was not all that thick and I had to scrape a lot of symbols to collect a noticeable amount of black dust in my vial. My hand was starting to cramp, so I paused to check on Hermione's progress.

"There are some symbols and quite a few words that I don't recognize," Hermione complained. "I'm just trying to decipher enough to guess at the basic meaning and will try to fill in the missing pieces when I can get to the Hogwarts library."

"What have you been able to make of the message so far?" I politely inquired, guessing that she wanted an invitation to expound on her discovery, and quite frankly dying of curiosity, myself. Like the prophecies carved on the stone tables in the Reception Hall, there was a very strong pull exerted by words in stone from the unknown past, especially those which might touch upon one's present life.

"We studied several different styles of rune in class. The language and the symbols evolved over the centuries. This text is closest to the oldest of the runes that we studied. Those went back to an unknown date, at least a millennium ago. I think these are older."

"How much older?"

"It's not possible to say, just from the runes, themselves. That's why I need for you to keep scraping… after you rest your hand, of course. Jana is certainly full of energy, isn't she? Did the two of you find anything?"

"Nope, just that nobody passed this way before Jana and me. Have you translated any of the writing?"

"A little, the bigger symbols on top say 'something… hall of path to new life', farther down I can make out 'new lands for each kind magical creature', and I see the symbols for Elf, Centaur, Unicorn, Witch, and Wizard. I also see 'not come here more', and 'Light Guardian provide' and 'Light Guardian say not fight more'. I've not made it through the whole thing. This will take me weeks, and I know I will need help."

I went back to scraping, while Hermione went back to taking pictures and Jana continued her apparation leaps skywards with the improbable drifting down to the floor. I hadn't taken that long of a rest break and so my hand was very quickly bothering me again. With Hermione's admonition about the importance of my task fresh in my mind, I labored through the uncomfortable and then downright painful muscle cramps. I was thinking I just had to allow my poor hand and wrist another break, when Hermione again punctured the silence "I've made out a bit more: 'for each a fresh Earth' and 'brave scouts' and a little below that 'Covenant of all creatures'. This is really exciting."

"Good," I answered. "I was just noticing the silence before you spoke. Apparently the search teams haven't found anything. I saw they were starting the search near the circles. That's where Baal should be, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it is. It pains me to say this, but I'm quite sure that Harry won't find Baal. I'm sorry Ginny. Please try to do a little more scraping."

I scraped, even though it felt as if I was converting my good right hand into a useless appendage. The quantity of black in the vial was increasing, but at a painfully slow rate. Something told me that I shouldn't give up on Hermione's need for this black powder. Still, I was relieved when Harry returned and admitted the inevitable "he's nowhere to be found on the floor. We searched the far corners, even though it was clear nobody had walked in those directions for centuries. We checked inside all the circles and all around the black rectangle. The only place left to search is the top. I thought we should get pictures before we apparate someone up there and disturb any tracks that Baal made. I was hoping you would be willing to harness up again and let us guide you over the rectangle. We'll use the same ropes we used for Baal, except one rope will be controlled by a team at the far end of the ledge, up against this wall. With the two ropes and your broom, we should be able to maneuver you over the rectangle. I know you must be tired, but you're the best person to do this."

"Don't worry, I can do it, Harry," I assured my husband. I allowed myself to be fastened back into my harness and lifted about seventy feet off the ground by the aurors in Snape's office pulling on the rope attached to my back. Harry and his team then started tugging on the rope attached at my navel, dragging me very close to the big black rock. I still needed to move to my right, so I mounted my broom and strained in that direction. Calling for slack from all parties, I fought my way slowly against the tension of the ropes to a spot about eight feet over the top of the rock, a little off center in the direction of the last little crystals that Baal had commented upon, before vanishing. I took pictures as I approached and then from directly over these crystals. I saw, and I was sure the pictures would show, the footprints left by Baal as he approached these crystals. They stopped a foot short of the array. I thought I could see another faint glow, coming from a spot about a foot or two in front of the crystals. Baal's footprints had stopped right on this spot. Whatever had happened to Baal had happened right here.

Having captured enough images of the top of the black block, I used my wand to generate a very brisk breeze, blowing the dust away from the crystals and the other source of light I was sure I had seen. With the dust gone, I saw that I was correct about another source of light being present. There was a clear, flat crystal embedded in the surface of the black block, and it was glowing. The glow revealed dark letters, which I was unable to read. I demanded that Harry and Dad give me more slack on the ropes and maneuvered to within three feet of the flat crystal. I realized at once that I had been unable to read the letters, because they were runic symbols. I relayed this information to Harry and Dad, took a couple pictures of the symbols, and demanded to be maneuvered back to the floor of the pyramid. This took a good ten minutes, even with the assist of my broom, to steer clear of the raised elements of the circles. By the time I was back on the floor, the others had decided that Cotto would apparate Hermione to the top of the block, where she would very carefully, without touching a thing, approach the crystal and attempt to decipher the rune.

By the time I had totally shed my harness, I heard Hermione's voice on Ron's phone. "I'm very sorry, Harry, it says 'good male Elf'. I'm sure Baal is gone and he isn't coming back."

"Are you saying he's dead?" Harry demanded, his voice rising in pitch and volume. "We looked for a pile of white ash, but we didn't find one."

"I don't think he's dead, Harry, but as fantastical as this may sound I think he's left our world, and I don't think he'll ever be returning. I can explain more after I've translated more. I'm too tired to think very hard. I'm coming down now."

As we took turns apparating back to Snape's office, I think bed was the foremost thought in all of our minds. However, Dad had no sooner spoken into 'the McGonagall phone' saying "we're done for the night, you can restore the defenses, Minerva, we're off to bed", than McGonagall had answered back, demanding an immediate update and strategy session in her apartment.

This turned out to be only the second meeting of the full Covenant Planning Committee which we had been able to conduct since Dad had managed to wring approval from the Wizengamot. I don't know how McGonagall organized it, but in the fifteen minutes from when Dad had told her to restore the defenses, until we reached her apartment, she had summoned the missing committee members. Even Tony, the Muggle Prime Minister, and the Goblin King were present. We took turns describing what we had discovered on this day. Cotto, Harry, Hermione, Bill, and I did most of the talking, although Dad began the discussion and tied everyone's commentary together. Professor McGonagall tried to lead the meeting, but Hermione said that was her job. After Dad reminded McGonagall of the reorganized government structure, she backed down and let Hermione direct us.

King Goblanze remarked after the last speaker had finished "you should have contacted me sooner. We Goblins have experience exploring magical caverns. You don't just break in and run around touching everything in sight and scuffing through the dust and clues left by centuries of history. Who knows how much knowledge you destroyed? It's a wonder you only lost one Elf. We Goblins would take a year to investigate that which you blundered through in less than a day. I say shame."

Dad apologized on behalf of all of us, agreeing that it should have been apparent sooner than we realized that this was a matter for the full committee. He claimed that 'most of the banging about was due to our desperation to rescue Baal."

"I think Hermione is correct, Baal is gone," King Goblanze concluded.

Tony was the next to speak, inquiring "is this thing a weapon?"

"I don't think so," Hermione replied "although any great magical circle can provides the means for a qualified magical creature to enhance the power of his or her existing weapons. I have a feeling that this particular circle can produce a great deal of magical power. However, I think it is primarily a transportation device, like a reusable portkey, built inside an ancient magical circle, to satisfy a particular need. I'll know for sure when I finish the translation. Perhaps Madam Babbling, the Runes Professor, can help me with my translation."

"I'm sure she'd be happy to help," Professor McGonagall replied. "However, she's a Ministry employee who only teaches at Hogwarts alternate Spring terms. "You'll have to ask the Minister for the loan of her services."

"She'll be at Hogwarts tomorrow morning," Dad promised. "Like Parseltongue, the ancient runes are an obscure field that the Ministry tries to keep alive, in the unlikely event that the field suddenly becomes of great use, as I suppose it just has. We have a couple dozen Ministry employees who cultivate arcane studies, such as this, and are periodically loaned to Hogwarts. Some students show an interest and we need to train a successor expert every other generation or so."

As the meeting appeared to be over, Professor McGonagall spoke. "We've yet to hear from Harry about his attempts to unlock the magical lock boxes."

"It's a very quick report," Harry replied. "There's been no progress, apart from elimination of combinations of things that don't work. Tomorrow, I'm going to add Umbridge's Hogwarts and house keys to the mix of the things that I try. I believe Madam Pomphrey saved one of Umbridge's little pink bows, and I'll try that as well. I'd like to try that pen she made me write with, which bloodied and scarred my hand. That hasn't turned up. I was hoping one of you could search her Hogwarts apartment tomorrow."

The meeting was now truly over and it was off to bed, although I felt a combination of over-tired and super-revved that I realized would make sleep difficult. My concerns notwithstanding, I slept. Tuning into the whales was a huge help.


	33. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER 33 – UMBRIDGE'S APARTMENT**

We were all a little late to breakfast, arriving just as the students and the staff members who had not attended last night's meeting were preparing to leave. We sat at the head of the Gryffindor table, taking the seats of students who were departing. Hermione caught her parents' attention, just as they were leaving the staff table, and motioned for them to join us.

Hermione turned her full attention on her father, explaining that we had been involved in 'an archeological adventure of unknown importance, but one which seemed to raise some important questions'.

"Could you," she asked, assuming her perfect daughter guise, "possibly help us and get your Oxford friend to date this sample of charcoal or soot, which we collected during our little adventure? It makes a really big difference how old the site we found turns out to be. I need an answer really, really fast. If this sample is as old as I think it is, we'll have something to show you, which I'm sure will astound you. I'm sorry that I can't say anything more for now. It could be nothing but a product of my fevered imagination. Anyway, here's the vial of the stuff which I need to have dated. Can you take it off to Oxford right away? I can apparate us there and join you in visiting your friend. Can we leave right away?"

Mr. Granger had little choice but to agree.

Turning to Harry and me, Hermione added "there really isn't anything for me to do here, until Madam Babbling arrives. Old Reg, I called him Uncle Reggie, was very partial to me when I was younger, although it's been three years since I've seen him. I think I can persuade him to run the test today. Be sure to check Umbridge's apartment. Ron will help you."

It was clear that Ron would much rather go with Hermione and her Dad, but he was not given that choice. As soon as we finished breakfast, Harry set off for the Ministry, Hermione led her Dad to Gryffindor to apparate, and the rest of us set off for Umbridge's apartment, with a stop at Mr. Filch's office to pick up a guide. Harry had Umbridge's house key, and I promised to drop by his office with her Hogwarts key, just as soon as we had used it to invade her apartment.

Most of the Hogwarts master keys did not unlock any of the staff apartments, but McGonagall had earlier discovered that Umbridge had somehow altered the key so that she could use the one key for all the Hogwarts general locks as well as her office and apartment. This gave Harry added hope. If Umbridge had altered the key to unlock her apartment, she could also have altered it to unlock the magical boxes. Umbridge's apartment was almost virgin territory. McGonagall had tried the key, and finding that it worked, given the apartment a cursory search, while Umbridge was in a coma. Since that time, the apartment had remained locked. Knowing how Umbridge had hidden her house key in her office, and coded messages on the reverse of the framed cat pictures in her Ministry office, encouraged me that we might well find something significant which McGonagall had missed. Certainly the pen that Umbridge had used on Harry and other unfortunate students, likely would not have meant anything to McGonagall.

A chastened Cissy set off for class, but Ron, Luna, George, Jana, and Thal joined me as we set off for Filch's office. Mr. Filch was quite willing to help, being on much better terms with us, and especially me, since his summer flying lessons. He was leading us back past to the Entry Hall and up the main stairs, when we were ambushed by Professor McGonagall, who seemed to be taking the view that her prerogatives had been trod upon.

"I know we agreed about searching Umbridge's office today, but I'm not able to go at this time and think you ought to have some, umm, adult supervision if you're going to invade a staff apartment. Even the apartment of as odious a former staff member as Delores Umbridge. Professor Longbottom will escort you."

"I'm as old as Neville," Ron objected, while Mr. Filch looked both bemused and annoyed and tried but failed to avoid asking "when did I go back to the status of a child?"

McGonagall muttered something that sounded like "didn't quite come out right…. my representative…"

Neville was snagged in passing and sheepishly accompanied our crew. We went up several flights of steps, then down the left hand corridor on the third floor, then up another set of stairs, then to an 'academic trophy case', which I hadn't known existed. Mr. Filch instructed me to place the key flat on the front glass of the trophy case. As I did so, the case slid to my right, revealing a relatively wide set of stone stairs, compared to what I had experienced at any other Hogwarts apartment. Mr. Filch commented "I'll leave you to it. Up the stairs to a landing and the apartment you want is the one on the right. Wouldn't want to have too many children running around up there."

I led the parade up the stone steps to what must have been the 4th and three quarters floor on some up jutting of the castle. There was indeed a landing, and my key did indeed open the door on the right. As we entered, I realized that this apartment was a bit larger than even McGonagall's apartment. The sitting room was a little bigger and had two fireplaces, but there was also a good-sized office, in addition to a largish bedroom and bath. Each room had its own fireplace and wood for a fire was laid in each. Unlike the other apartments, this one was equipped with a lot of very old looking wood paneling, in a wood of indistinct original coloration, which had been thoroughly darkened by the fireplace effluvia.

Turning to Luna, I suggested "Ron and I will search the office, why don't the rest of you tear apart the bedroom and bath. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find a hidden compartment or two. There has to be some practical reason for this place to have so much wood."

"I don't know," Luna replied. "Someone with so much pink and so many cat pictures probably isn't altogether practical. I love secret hiding places. If there's one in her bedroom, I guarantee you I'll find it." Neville took the hint that he was to go with Luna and the others and not disturb my ransacking of the office.

The office did not have a window, although the room became brightly illuminated as soon as I crossed the threshold. Around all the walls, as high as I could reach, and I was sure that I could reach half a foot higher than Umbridge, were dozens upon dozens of cat pictures. Umbridge could not possibly have had this many cats. I told Ron, "You know the drill on inspecting the picture frames. Look for coded writing on the reverse. Also look for hiding spots behind the wood. I've got the desk."

There was a large green blotter board at the center of the desk, with a very elaborate pen and ink set behind it. I had not previously seen such an elaborate brass desk fixture, with its three ink wells and six different pens held upright at a sixty degree angle. Four more pens lay in front of the fixture, lined up parallel to it. I didn't know exactly what the pen in question looked like, so I grabbed the stack of white writing paper to the right of the blotter and sat down to test each pen. Thinking that the pen's actions might be governed by the message it was asked to transcribe, I wrote two lines with each pen: 'I will not be such a bold, naughty girl. I will obey Professor Umbridge'. I used each of the pens from the brass fixture and found my hand to be perfectly fine. With the second loose pen, I felt an irritating scratch on the back of my hand. I saw a drop of blood and read 'I will not be such a bold, naughty girl'. I was certain Harry would get a chuckle out of that, tonight. I placed that pen in the inside pocket of my robes and quickly tested the remaining loose pens. They were just ordinary pens. I had done all my writing with the black ink, so I now used the last pen to fish around in the blue and red ink wells to see if anything but ink was inside them.

"I moved next to the fancy brass wastebasket to the right of the desk, since I intended to dump the ink into it, but wanted to check its contents first. On top of the garbage were several balled up sheets of the writing paper. I spread them out one by one. The first was an almost-completed version of the phony advertisement, which purported to come from Mr. Ollivander. It had been tossed, because she had foolishly misspelled Ollivander and then realized her mistake. The second paper was the beginning of a numbered list. It was a very distressing list:

'1. Capture Lucius

2. Imperius

3. Kill Potter

4. Replace McGonagall

5…'

I knew that 5. was bound to be something truly awful. I was almost afraid to look at the third sheet of writing paper, thinking she may have progressed further with the list.

She had changed gears with the final page. It was the beginnings of a note:

'_My Dearest Thicky,_

_It pains me to have to be separate from you and to go to my chilly bed, without your hot body beside mine own. I still have important work to complete, but will rejoin you at the earliest possible time'. This last phrase was struck out and replaced with 'as soon as possible, my love'. The second paragraph read_

'_McGonagall suspects nothing. I told you she is such a weak-minded, over-sentimental fool. Not a match at all for my Thicky. I will complete our plan within the week. May the shadow of the Dark Lord, with whom I talk every day, bless this venture, and may he soon be whole-again in the flesh, and ready to lead us on to our ultimate victory!'_

The final paragraph was botched:

"_Lucius visits tonight, I heard the fool Mcgonog…"_

That was it. I called Ron over to see everything that I had found. He refused to touch the pen, but explored the notes in detail. "She's been here more recently than we thought, if she was here on the day that Lucius fought with you."

"Yes, I agreed, and she seems to know about the Voldemort ghost and to have planned to Imperius Lucius. No mention of Pansy or Draco. Have you found anything?"

"I've covered one long wall. Three of the pictures have notes on the back and I've saved those. No sign of anything behind the wood paneling. We should go back to searching."

I opened the right-hand desk drawer, which contained just a folded up Daily Prophet. I unfolded the paper and the top headline froze me in place.

POTTER SHOWS UP FOR WORK HUNG OVER

I regained my ability to speak, pulled out my wand for self-defense, and whispered "Ron!" That's all I managed to get out, but Ron rushed to my side and I pointed to the newspaper.

"Umbridge was here two days ago!" Ron shouted loudly enough that Neville and the others came running from the bedroom. I held up the paper and Neville jerked it from my hands, shaking his head. As the rest of us just stood there, Ron pulled out his cellphone and dialed Harry. As he was giving Harry a quick rundown on what we had found, Neville pulled himself together and phoned McGonagall. He turned to me, saying "she's dismissed her class and is coming right up here, with Trelawney and Sprout."

While we waited for McGonagall to arrive, I pulled open the left desk drawer. Its sole content was a big jug of potion. I pulled it out, pulled the stopper and took a whiff. "Polyjuice Potion," I announced to my companions. I bent over to whisper instructions into Jana's ear. With a pop she was gone. Meanwhile, I put the jug to my mouth and swallowed a mouthful of the vile fluid. "Might as well find out whom she is impersonating," I announced. There was a second pop and Jana was back by my side, holding a smaller bottle of potion. I took it from her and poured it into the larger bottle, replacing the volume, which I had removed. I restored the jug to the exact spot where I had found it in the desk drawer.

"Keep your wands handy," I warned my companions as we heard McGonagall coming up the stairs to knock on the door. "Let her in and show her everything but the Polyjuice," I instructed Ron as I ducked into the bathroom to wait for the Polyjuice to do its work.

I heard Ron explaining to McGonagall about the pen and showing her the thrown-away notes and the Daily Prophet. I heard her gasp as Ron unveiled the newspaper. "So she's been in and out of Hogwarts the whole time," McGonagall declared. "That explains a lot. You need to put everything back exactly the way it was, in case she comes back tonight. I'll tell Mr. Filch, as I'm telling each of you, to forget that anyone came to this apartment today. After you've restored everything to its proper place – we'll put a similar looking pen on the desk as a substitute for her torture pen, since Harry needs it this afternoon, Ginny and I will set up alarm charms, which will alert us whenever Delores returns. Where is Ginny by the way?"

"She had to visit the bathroom," Ron shrugged.

I knew my time had expired and I could feel my transformation coming to an end. I got up from the toilet and stared into the bathroom mirror. Staring back at me was the face of Professor Sprout. Realizing that either Professor Sprout or 'Professor Sprout' was standing with McGonagall in Umbridge's office, I quickly tried to decide whether it was best to stay hidden or to come out shouting curses.

"I need to see you, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall called through the bathroom door.

"Can't, I'm ill," I called back, stalling for time. Just as I heard McGonagall turn to go back to Umbridge's office, I decided that this might be the best chance we would ever have to catch 'Professor Sprout'.

I quietly edged the bathroom door open and moved toward the office as quietly as I could. As I turned the corner into the office, with my wand preceding me, my eyes searched frantically for Sprout. She and McGonagall were both standing with their backs to me. I took the opportunity, calling out "Off!" Sprout collapsed on the floor and the others turned in amazement to gaze upon a second 'Professor Sprout'. Ron and Luna knew it was me, since the real Sprout, or Umbridge for that matter, had never learned the 'off' curse. After a momentary look of bewilderment, McGonagall spoke "please explain, Miss Weasley."

"It's Mrs. Potter, and I wanted to find out whom Umbridge was impersonating, so I swallowed a slug of the Polyjuice Potion which I found in the left hand desk drawer. I knew that you were bringing either Professor Sprout or Umbridge impersonating Sprout to this apartment. If it's the real Professor Sprout, I'll apologize and buy her a hot chocolate. If it's the imposter, I felt that this was our best chance to catch her. In any case, we'll have to watch her for the rest of the day and see if she turns back into Umbrage."

"What is 'off'?

"It's a substitute for 'petrificus totalis', which Mom taught us," I replied.

"Very well, umm, Mrs. Potter, I must admit that you acted with remarkable quick wittedness, given the circumstances. If you've really stunned Professor Sprout, I'll explain the necessity of your actions to her. Now, I suggest that Jana or Thal apparate 'Professor Sprout' back to my office, while you, Luna, and I set some alarm charms. Ron can get all the cat pictures back into their frames and onto the wall, and then we'll leave the trap for Delores to walk into."

We did as Professor McGonagall commanded and left the office. As we were standing on the landing, about to descend the stairs, I cleared my throat to attract the headmaster's attention and jerked my right thumb at the other apartment door that opened off the landing. "What's that, and should we investigate it?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've never been in this precise spot," Professor McGonagall replied. "We could each try our keys and see whether or not they will open the door. It is strange that Umbridge would choose an apartment with the greatly reduced security that sharing the stairs with another apartment represents. These wooden doors aren't exactly difficult to get past, if you're sufficiently determined."

"My thought exactly," I replied, applying my key to the lock. It refused to open. Professor McGonagall tried her key with an equal lack of success.

"Let me try it," Neville suggested. As we stepped aside, he accelerated his bulk into the door. The door frame shattered and he fell into the room, but we were instantly greeted by a caterwauling charm. Holding our wands in front of us, Luna, Professor McGonagall, and I hurried in to protect Neville. Ron sprinted past us to check out the bedroom and bath.

I saw nobody in the sitting room. There was no place for anyone to hide, other than possibly behind the ratty crimson drapes which hid the window. I sent several 'petrificus totalis' curses at the drapes, in an abundance of caution. The only other furnishings in the room were a single overstuffed armchair placed about eight feet in front of the fireplace and a stool, topped by what looked like a dunce cap in the far corner of the room. I was taking this all in and spreading my hands in a shrug in response to McGonagall's questioning look after I cursed an empty room, when my brother called out "there's nobody in the bedroom." We could barely hear him over the caterwauling.

It was impossible to hear Neville, but I could tell that his lips were forming the expression "Oops! I'm really sorry about that."

"Let's find the source and silence that racket," McGonagall commanded. Neville and I quickly determined that the anti-tamper and alarm spells were anchored on the inside of the door. We disabled them, but the sound continued. Ron found the caterwauling charm anchored to the bathroom mirror and managed to dismantle it. He was becoming quite adept at magic – not at all the inadequate student that my parents sometimes assumed him to be.

"I guess having a splintered door lying on the floor opposite Umbridge's apartment sort of gives away the trap, doesn't it?" Neville spoke apologetically.

"I think so, Mr. Longbottom!" McGonagall replied sternly, as if he were still a student, rather than the adult supervision she had demanded for our little excursion. "Well, don't just stand there," she continued in a somewhat milder tone, "fetch Mr. Filch and you and he can do your best to make this door look normal. Meanwhile, the rest of us can give the rooms a quick once over."

I checked the draperies, which seemed to be the likeliest hiding spot in the sitting room. They were pleated and seemed to be weighted at the bottom seam. I tore at the bottom seams and the old fabric gave way. A torrent of galleons cascaded onto the stone floor. After the clatter stopped, I gathered them up. There were several hundred galleons scattered across the floor in front of the window. "A not insignificant stash, if someone needed getaway money within the Wizard world," McGonagall commented, as she walked up behind me. I continued to massage the fabric of the drapes, working my way up each panel from the floor to as high as I could reach. I found two stiff spots and tore at the fabric with my nails. My efforts revealed two wads of Muggle cash. "Or an escape into the Muggle world," McGonagall continued. We counted it out and came to 8700 pounds. "Enough to hide for a while," McGonagall concluded.

Ron and Luna emerged from the bedroom, shaking their heads. "Almost nothing there," Luna reported. "Someone slept there recently. I could smell her on the sheets. From the depression in the mattress, it was quite a short woman or girl, perhaps a little plump. The only other things we found were fluffy slippers and a cotton nightgown, both in pink. The hairs on the pillow were brown. Nothing in the bathroom, not even a toothbrush."

I saw that Neville had returned with a rather disgruntled Mr. Filch, who was carrying a tool case, while Neville carried pieces of old wood. "I certainly can't repair this so that it can pass anything more than a very distracted inspection on a poorly lit stairway," Filch complained. "Longbottom shattered the wood on both the door and the jamb. I'll do the best I can, then one of you can try a 'reparo' and see what that does."

"We'll also have to restore the tamper, alarm, and caterwaul charms. They'd definitely be missed very quickly," Neville lamented. Looking at me, he continued "do you remember exactly where and how they were anchored? Do you remember exactly what the charms were?"

"Fortunately, the charms are still there. I just bent them back from their anchor points. They'll decay over time, but they should still be fine if I move them back to where I found them. I'm not sure I can do it from outside the apartment, however."

"Not a problem," McGonagall encouraged me. "I can drop the defenses and you can apparate out of the apartment after you've completed restoring the charms. Ron will have to help you. He's the only one who knows exactly how he found the caterwauling charm."

With our trap re-laid as well as could be under the circumstances, we apparated back to Professor McGonagall's office. Harry, Dad, Shacklebolt, and a squad of aurors were there waiting for us. McGonagall arrived a little after us, having had to tarry wherever to restore the school's magical defenses.

I said "Hi, Dad," and was a little taken aback when he temporarily recoiled a step from me. Then I realized that I was standing before him as a second 'Sprout'. He must have already encountered the inert 'Sprout #1" on the office floor, but not yet received the full explanation of the events in Umbridge's apartment.

"It's really me," I told Dad. "I took Polyjuice potion that I found in Umbridge's desk. I wanted to see whom she was impersonating. This probably is the real Professor Sprout lying on the floor, but I couldn't take the chance that she was really Umbridge, so I stunned her, and we're waiting to see if she turns into Umbridge. It was action taken in an overabundance of caution as the headmaster would say."

"Well," Dad replied, "drinking a potion of unknown provenance, which may well have been poisoned as a trap for anyone who discovered Umbridge's secret lair, is certainly exactly the sort of overly reckless action that I've unfortunately come to associate with my daughter in recent months. Still, in an overabundance of caution, as you yourself said, I must assure myself that you really are whom you claim to be."

"Fine, ask me a question from my childhood, which only you and I could know the answer to."

"Alright, taking you back to the time of Harry's birthday, when he was staying with us right before your brother Bill's wedding, what was the birthday present that you planned to give to Harry."

I couldn't help flashing a little indignant as I replied "it clearly wasn't going to be nearly as big a present as you and my snoopy youngest brother evidently think."

"This is my daughter," Dad announced to his aurors. "Now, please explain in detail exactly what happened."

I gave Dad the complete story, including the unfortunate shattering of the door to Umbridge's second sanctuary. As I was just finishing, I leaned across his seated form, with my arm around his neck in a good daughterly hug, and whispered about the trap I had left behind in the form of the potion jug spiked with Draught of the Living Death.

"And that little plot didn't suggest to you that drinking from the jug might be unwise?" Dad whispered back. "Umbridge is every bit as capable of thinking of that little trick as you are. Get Madam Pomphrey to check you out."

I gave Harry the Umbridge torture pen and he replied "thanks, I'll test this in combination with the other things I've been using to try to unlock the boxes. Thus far, none have opened. On a lot of fronts, all that we can do is wait and keep plugging away at nearly mindless trial and error experiments. I should be getting back to the Ministry, but I want to hang around to make sure that this really is you."

{{Don't be silly, could anyone else message you like this?}}

{[relief, for some strange reason] No, of course not. I just had this frightening premonition that you were really Umbridge and the real Ginny was stunned and lying wired up to a generator somewhere.}

{{We've all practiced ways of avoiding that problem. You really have to learn to control how much you worry about me. It's comforting that you care and would do anything to protect me, but it is possible for concern and worry to enter the realm of the pathological.}}

{I know. It just seems that it took me forever to finally get to be with you and I don't want that to end. I also think that when you revert back to Ginny, we will know that the stunned Sprout really is Professor Sprout, since you took a nip from the same Polyjuice supply that Umbridge would have used. It's possible that she took a larger dose than you did, so we'll give Sprout a while longer after you revert back. Your father is right, you know. It is really dumb to drink somebody else's potion.}

{{Too much worrying isn't good for you or Ron, and it doesn't make Hermione or me any safer. It does increase the chance that you or Ron will try to kill a bad guy, thinking that makes us safer. We're not in as much danger as you fear, and we are better at defending ourselves than you think.}}

{Well, it is mainly down to dumb luck that Hermione is still alive. Ron feels really bad for not doing a good enough job of protecting her. We've talked a fair amount about this, when we're alone together. We know it's not healthy, but we can't stop asking, 'what if?' I think you can relax about us lashing out and killing someone. We both desperately want to avoid killing anyone. Ron has thought a lot about the Light Guardian's message and is very ashamed of his actions in Diagon Alley. He says it was an awful way to try to honor Fred's memory.}

{{Okay.}}

"The rest of the world to Harry," I heard Ron saying as he waved his hand in front of my husband's eyes. "Don't you think we should carefully search the rest of the school and grounds for another Sprout or even an Umbridge?"

"Um, sorry, yes that's a good idea, Ron. She may have other bolt holes that we don't know about and won't be able to find, but it would be a missed opportunity not to conduct a thorough search. If she was here, she certainly would have been smart to apparate away while the defenses were down, but unless she was close enough to hear you talking to each other, she may not have realized that she had that opportunity. I'll put this squad of aurors at your disposal. Why don't you round up some others and organize a search. Be careful though, Umbridge is extremely dangerous. Hunt for her in groups of three, keep your wands pointed ahead of you, and fire curses rather than verbal challenges."

"Right, I've no reason to take the nicely, nicely approach to Umbridge. I won't Avada Kedavra her, because I know you want to question her. And I don't want Madam Bones and Frakes to have another reason to hound me."

Harry, Dad, Mom, and McGonagall stayed with me, along with Jana and Thal, as we watched over 'Sprout #1'. "I never really understood all the detailed ins and outs of the 'off' curse," I told Mom. "Can Professor Sprout hear what we say and know what is going on?"

"No, dear, that is one advantage of that curse over 'petrificus totalis'. It is as if she is asleep and won't awaken until the curse is removed. Actually, in order for 'off' to qualify as 'not-a-killing-curse' it has to naturally wear off before the victim would thirst or starve to death. If you do nothing, she'll naturally wake up in about a day."

"We have to assume that anything that any of us has ever said in the presence of the person, whom we believed to be Professor Sprout, may have been compromised," Professor McGonagall seemed interested in taking charge, again. "You attended her class this week - did she appear to be her normal self?"

"Nothing stood out as obviously suspect," I replied. "The class was pretty much 'attention, these are the potions we'll be making today, it's a very complicated bifurcated potion, here are the bad effects if you do it wrong, turn to page X, get to work'. Then an hour and a half later 'your potions look fine, you may use them, don't know if they'll work for an Elf, not tested under controlled conditions'. Well, actually, now that I think of it, her lecture did contain a lot more bureaucratic caveats and minutia than Professor Sprout normally employed, it was like she was quoting from a Ministry circular."

"I see. Well we'll just have to wait and see who is lying here in a few hours. I had a fairly detailed strategy session, which included Professor Sprout, since the time of your last class. I'm trying to think whether anything was off about her behavior at that meeting, but she said very little. I also had a brief staff meeting, at which she was a bit more silent than normal. It's easy to read a lot into incidental behaviors. The terrible thing is that even if the woman at my feet really is Professor Sprout when she awakes, there is no way of knowing how many times I've inadvertently blabbed secrets to Delores Umbridge, believing I was having a private chat with Sprout. That could well be the source of our leaks."

"Some of our leaks," Dad corrected McGonagall. "We've had leaks of things that you were unaware of at the time."

"Oh," Harry exclaimed "it slipped my mind in all the excitement and my worry about Ginny, but I ran into Ernie at the Ministry and showed him the notes that Hermione had taken from Rita's notebook. He says the notes that he found on Frakes' desk were definitely in Rita Skeeter's hand. I think we can safely say Rita's bugging act is the source of many of the leaks."

That casually dropped bombshell was met with general astonishment, and we chattered on about the importance of catching Rita and how clever Hermione had been to figure this out so far ahead of the rest of us.

I was just beginning to revert back to my own form, when Hermione and her Dad arrived. She was staring so intently at my evolving face, that I self-consciously turned my back on her and covered my face with my hands.

"It looks like I missed a lot of excitement," Hermione enthused. "You must tell me everything that happened, but FIRST I have to tell you what we learned from Uncle Reg. The material that Ginny scraped from the runes was charcoal, as I thought, but even I was surprised by its age. Uncle Reg ran the test twice and says there's no doubt about it, that stuff is 5100 to 5500 years old. That's before agricultural settlements were known to exist in Scotland! So, what's your news?"

I was fully returned to myself before the tale of Umbridge's apartment was finished. Content to see and kiss my face again, Harry departed with Dad for the Ministry, vowing to test the torture pen in combination with his other captured spoils.

We waited another hour and then released Professor Sprout. McGonagall administered a short trivia quiz of by-gone Hogwarts events, of which Umbridge was highly unlikely to be aware. Professor Sprout passed with flying colors and the rest of us learned a bit more about Dumbledore's penchant for pranks in his younger days. Professor Sprout received profuse apologies all around and, since she had been totally comatose for all of the explanations, we had to go through the whole story, yet again. A further two hours were spent in a detailed quizzing of Professor Sprout, concerning her activities since the start of term.

McGonagall wanted to verify that it really had been Professor Sprout who had attended this or that meeting or to whom she had spoken in the corridor on this or that occasion. A few of the more detailed questions elicited the response that she thought she recalled the discussion in question, but was fuzzier on the details than was satisfying to McGonagall.

Professor Sprout was totally exasperated by the time the headmaster gave up on her questioning and concluded "while I can't be as sure as I would like to be, it doesn't appear as though Umbridge ever ran the risk of substituting for Professor Sprout in any meetings. Nor does it seem that I said anything significant to Delores at those times when I may have passed her in the corridors and mistaken her for Professor Sprout. I think we can safely conclude that little information was lost to the opposition in that manner. Since Professor Sprout is typically the staff member who meets visitors at the gate and as she is known to patrol the corridors at odd hours, it seems that Umbridge simply saw her as a person who was unlikely to be challenged if found wandering the third floor in the middle of the night. Having worked with Professor Sprout for a year, she doubtless could achieve a passable mimicking of her walk and mannerisms if anyone saw her. That is probably how she moved to and from her apartment, under our noses. It would be foolish to assume that Professor Sprout is the only person whom Umbridge is prepared to impersonate with Polyjuice. We would be wise to use challenge questions of everyone until she is caught."


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34 – Can't Henry Come To Hogwarts Right Now?**

Ron wasn't back by the time we headed to the Great Hall for dinner. Harry beat him back. I sensed the emotional excitement flooding from Harry's mind, before I actually saw him. I turned and saw him walking toward me, motioning with his left hand that I should leave the table and join him. Hermione and Luna got up as I did and McGonagall had soon come down from the staff table to join us as Harry led us to her office. We saw Ron returning from his quest and motioned for him to join us. As we walked up the stairs a dejected Ron said "no luck, we found nothing at all. Unless she has a super-good hidey-hole, Umbridge just isn't here."

As the door to McGonagall's office swung shut, Harry grinned "I, on the other hand, had a very successful afternoon. The Umbridge pen, along with the Thicknesse, Barty, and Silas wands and the key from Silas's boot opened three of the magical lock boxes. They contained a fair amount of galleons and Muggle money along with a trove of incriminating evidence. Silas's parents are now in jail. Even Madam Bones agrees there is more than enough evidence to convict them of leading the Grindelwald faction and overseeing the Diagon Alley bombings. There is also some additional evidence against Mrs. Parkinson. Nothing incriminating about Pansy or her father, however.

"Despite Madam Bones' reverence for a Witch's kitchen garden, the Parkinson and Stowe properties will be thoroughly searched. Shacklebolt and I both think it is very significant that we couldn't open the lock boxes until we acquired Umbridge's torture pen. She was indeed well up the organization if the Thicknesse, Barty and the Stowes couldn't even access their own lock boxes without her approval."

"Did the contents of the boxes shed any light on Pansy's guilt or what happened to Lucius Malfoy?" McGonagall asked Harry.

"There is a hint in some of the documents that Lucius was indeed Imperiused. One document suggests that Umbridge did the Imperiusing. It's very clear that they were all aware of the Voldemort ghost. We haven't examined anything yet that says Pansy is either an innocent dupe or deep in the plots. She just hasn't been mentioned. This trove of evidence certainly means we don't need Pansy's or her mother's help to convict both of the Stowe parents or to get a lengthy sentence for Mrs. Parkinson. I'm still willing to stick to our agreement to interview Pansy and see if she merits a softer sentence. She and her mother simply have nothing left to trade, so any favorable action on Pansy will have to be on the merits of what seems just."

"I assumed that was always the case," McGonagall replied, although she was clearly a little deflated by this turn of events. "I know that you want to review the rest of the papers which you found in the magical boxes, but you have Kingsley and Amelia to do that for you. Can you sit down with Pansy in the next day or two?"

"I suppose I could, if Hermione, Ginny, and Cissy are available. I had expected Madam Bones and Shacklebolt to participate in the interview, however, and they are definitely tied up at the moment. I think we'd be better off including Doctor White."

McGonagall quickly objected. "I doubt the Minister wants the session to be as 'official' as it would be if you included your two Directors. You're the Deputy Minister, but you can meet with Pansy as one of her victims, for the most part. I'd be happy to join you."

"I had thought we would go through Dumbledore's student files, before we sat down with Pansy," Harry replied.

"I think you can trust me at least far enough that I won't renege on our deal. Talking to Pansy doesn't commit you to recommending leniency before you see the files, in any case, so you don't lose any bargaining leverage at all."

"I know that," Harry replied, perhaps a little indignant and defensive. "I do think some of the files will shed light upon the subjects of the interview with Pansy, however. To interview her first likely is to conduct a less than optimally efficient interview."

"Fair enough, I didn't mean to accuse you of having that little trust in me. Which files do you need to see prior to meeting with Pansy?"

"Certainly Pansy and her mother, the Malfoys, and the Stowes," Harry quickly replied.

"Fine, you shall see them immediately. I'll have to ask the rest of you to excuse us. The agreement was that the files were for Harry's eyes alone."

Ron, Hermione, and I decided to wait for Harry in the Gryffindor common room. I whispered Harry to join me there, when he was finished with McGonagall.

Neville was already in the common room, discussing the Herbology homework with a trio of first years. He waved to us as we entered. I hadn't talked to the Gryffindors for a little while and Alice and Margaret seemed eager for a chat. Hermione said she would go find Cissy and that Ron and I should get together with them. Alice was having adjustment issues and still intensely feeling the separation from her twin.

"I heard from my parents and he is now doing magic. There is no other explanation for the little adventure that got him into trouble in the Muggle bookshop. Some girls teased him and without touching the shelf, he caused an avalanche of books to fall on them. He then helped one of the girls up and they say he moved some of the books off of her, without even touching them. The Ministry had to get involved to confund the Muggles. The police had been called and two policemen were also confunded. Dad got a nasty visit from someone at the Ministry, but they didn't take any action. My parents want to send him to Hogwarts right away, so that he doesn't miss any more instruction. The Ministry and headmaster McGonagall say starting next September would be the normal course of affairs, but to keep us more or less in the same level, they would allow him to start after Christmas break and catch up as best he can, recognizing that he may have to start over again as a first year next September. They said they'd try to work something out to allow him to practice magic over the summer if he starts Hogwarts in January. Meanwhile, I miss him so much and am not sure I'm fitting in well at all."

"Alice was very frightened by the last appearance of Cissy's phantom boyfriend," Margaret added. "He practically cornered her alone in the loo, before escaping. She was just huddled in a corner, wet, and shaking with sobs when we found her. We put her in bed under a pile of blankets, but it took a whole hour for her to stop shaking. It was frightening for us, think how bad it must have been for poor Alice."

"I'm sure you'll be able to help Henry catch up if he starts in January," I reassured Alice, who was looking quite pathetic. "Lots of students waste most of the first half term adjusting to being away from home. When Henry arrives, he'll have you to help, so that won't be as much of a problem. He probably needs to really focus on his studies and avoid Quidditch, but he should be able to catch up."

"I'm so very pleased that you remembered Henry's name," Alice gushed "it has seemed to me that Henry has become the boy that everyone forgot."

"I very well remember talking to you and your parents on platform 9-3/4 and with you and Cissy on the train. The story of splitting twins was very moving and disturbing."

Cissy and Hermione joined the group. "Cissy is willing to participate in our interview, tomorrow," Hermione breezily announced.

"Yes, it sounds like a great adventure, and since the headmaster suggested it, she can't object to my missing class. I've learned so much from all of you and from the Light Guardian, that I really don't think I've fallen behind much. Hi, Alice. Once again, let me say I am sorrier than you can possibly imagine that my boyfriend Alex has upset you again. He just seems to have an affinity for you and me. I found him a little scary at first, also, just materializing in the lower level bathroom as he does, but I can assure you that he would never hurt you. He's very kind and gentle. I'm just afraid that he has realized how upsetting his appearances can be to some of the other girls and that to avoid giving offense, he'll stay away and I'll never see him again."

"I wouldn't want that to happen. That would be terrible for you," Alice sympathized. "If I see him again, I'll remember what you said and make my best effort to be brave and not go all to pieces like I did the last time he appeared."

"Thank you," Cissy replied "I really think you frightened him as much as he frightened you. He's very shy around people he doesn't know well. You know, if McGonagall won't let your brother come to Hogwarts until January, he could stay at my castle and be tutored there. He is still going to need a note from McGonagall or the Ministry in order to purchase a wand from Ollivander, but Harry might be able to arrange that. Alternatively, we could teach him with a generic loaner wand."

"What about the prohibition against underage magic outside Hogwarts?" Alice asked.

"I don't think they can tell anything other than the location where magic was performed," Hermione explained. "If overage magicians were doing magic at your castle, I don't think the Ministry could tell who had done the deed. What do you do, when you're alone at the castle, by the way?"

"Neither my father nor I could do any obvious magic around the servants, in any case. I've only spent three nights at the castle since the start of term. I have some special privileges from the Ministry and the headmaster, on account of being the Keeper. They both realize that the Keeper has to be able to do magic. I have to be very careful not to abuse the privilege. Professor McGonagall is already concerned that I've missed as much class time as I have. I haven't fallen behind, I'm a very hard worker as far as my lessons are concerned, and I got a big head start over the summer from what you taught me and all of the Light Guardian knowledge. I'm certainly in the top third of all my classes, but as you know better than I, Professor McGonagall is very touchy about anything that smacks of special privileges for students. She accepts my Keeper status, but I don't think the Minister gave her any choice about that."

"I hope your hunt for Umbridge didn't give away our trap," I told Ron, changing the subject to the mysteries of the moment.

Ron got defensive, even though I had not intended to challenge him. "Harry said that searching the school was a good idea. I think we had as good a chance of finding her still in the school as we did of having her stumble into the trap. Besides, we were really careful not to attract attention, during our search. Besides, …"

"Yes," Hermione cut in, "I'm sure nobody notice you and six aurors scouring the school from top to bottom. If Umbridge was here, I think she knows good hiding spots that we aren't aware of. She might even be in the Room of Requirement."

"Nope, it wouldn't have let us in, if anyone was present inside. What I was going to say, when you interrupted me, was that the trap was pretty much given away already, when Neville busted down the door to her second apartment. If she had a local caterwauling alarm, you can bet she had a remote alarm to alert her. I also can't believe she would have the second apartment alarmed, but not her main apartment. And, finally, to complete my logical tour de force, with all of the leaks here and at the Ministry, how long do you think it will take her to find out that Harry successfully opened most of the magical boxes. If he did that, she has to realize that we found her torture pen."

"There is that," Hermione was forced to reluctantly agree.

It was a few hours until Harry joined us and I think we were all very surprised to find that McGonagall was with him. She rarely entered the Gryffindor common room anymore, unless something major was afoot, such as a Gryffindor stealing a painting from a Professor's apartment or the need to steal a Quidditch match.

"I just tagged along with Harry to finalize the plans for tomorrow. I checked the schedule and Cissy has no classes between breakfast and 11:00 A.M., so that seemed the perfect time to interview Pansy and, perhaps, her mother. I thought it would be easiest to schedule if you met with her here at Hogwarts."

Harry seemed taken totally by surprise. "No," he gulped, with a long pause before he elaborated "it makes the aurors job a lot harder to bring Pansy and her mother here. I would have thought you wouldn't want two convicted criminals brought to Hogwarts, where the students could see them and be in danger, or at least frightened."

"Well, where do you propose to hold the meeting and won't it take up more of Cissy's time to meet anywhere else."

"Really just the time to walk to and from the gate to apparate. I suppose if we are to meet with both of them, we'll meet where they are being held, otherwise, I think we'd meet at the Ministry. For security purposes, I'm sure the meeting location will be known in advance only by me and the aurors. We don't want this interview to turn into another prison break. We've had all too many of those."

"I'm not to be invited to the meeting, am I?"

"I really don't know what purpose that would serve, and the aurors aren't going to want you visiting the place where the Parkinsons are confined. It's secret for security reasons."

"I just wanted to assure myself that Pansy was being given every benefit of the doubt and perhaps to speak on her behalf."

"On the first, you'll have to trust my good faith. On the second, you can speak on her behalf when we return. You've already spoken a great deal on her behalf. I'm afraid it's late and if we're to meet with the Parkinsons right after breakfast, then we should all be off to our beds."


	35. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER 35 – WE TALK TO THE PARKINSONS **

I was eager to hurry back to our apartment. Among other things, I planned to pump Harry for information on the files he had just examined and to inquire how we could possibly be holding a formal interview right after breakfast, if nobody had determined either where the meeting would be or whether or not Mrs. Parkinson would be a participant. I started whispering at Harry, before we even reached the stairs to our apartment.

{{You REALLY don't want McGonagall at the meeting with the Parkinsons, do you?}}

{[amused by my curiosity in opening gambit] No, I don't, but my unqualified rejection came on direct orders from your father as the condition for our participation. And since I've been reading some of your thoughts, I'll save you the bother of deciding how to wheedle or mind-snoop the rest of the information out of me.

It addition to not wanting McGonagall to know where the Ministry is holding the Parkinsons, your Dad doesn't think Cissy should know, so we'll be meeting at the Ministry. We will talk to Mrs. Parkinson as well as her daughter. Pansy made a strong request that 'my husband' attend the interview. I saw Draco, before I came back to Gryffindor. He is willing to attend. We all leave Hogwarts at 8:15 tomorrow morning and the meeting takes place at 8:30 in one of the courtrooms next to the jail cells. I didn't want Mrs. Parkinson priming Pansy for the meeting, so she was unexpectedly sent for testing at St. Mungo's today. Mrs. Parkinson will be moved to the Ministry after Pansy is answering questions. Don't worry, Pansy's move to St. Mungo's is known by only a very few trusted staff members and she is very well guarded - more for her protection than to prevent her from escaping. She's gotten a bit depressed banged up with her mother, with nothing else to look forward to for six years. The Ministry Elf assigned to them has reported frequent spats between mother and daughter.

{Your father wanted me to bring Wood and Percy instead of my Directors to tomorrow's meeting, for some reason, and I agreed. Cotto wanted to attend and I said okay to that as well. The Dumbledore files were interesting. He had files on both Pansy and her mother. Okay, we're at the apartment. Let's go in and talk normally.}

"One last thing about the leaks… as you know, we've used the Muggle devices to look for listening devices at the Ministry – quite a few times, actually. Your father wants us to also check the Gryffindor common room, Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, and McGonagall's office. He very reasonably believes that with Umbridge at Hogwarts, the leaks could equally well be coming from this end. Aurors are coming tomorrow, while we're away, to check for spying devices."

{{Maybe we should only whisper the important things, even in our own apartment. We have just a wall between us and McGonagall. The aurors should check these two apartments, while they're here.}}

{Good points. I'll mention that to Shacklebolt when we get to the Ministry, tomorrow. If McGonagall tells Trelawney everything I tell her, when they go back to their apartment every night, a listening device there could account for at least half of the leaks we've had. I still like Hermione's idea about Rita. Hopefully the Elves will catch her snooping in my office. There is still one magical box that I haven't been able to open. With a dozen people in my office poring over the contents of the three boxes that I did open, all the baddies should know of my success by now. Leak or no leak, information like that is hard to keep secret.}

{{You aren't going to tell me what was in the files, are you? Even if some of it may bear strongly upon the mysteries and perhaps even our safety.}}

{[conflicted] I did promise to keep the information to myself, although I did say I would use it to help catch the bad guys. Alright, I guess I can ethically tell you a little, since you are both in danger from the bad guys and actively helping me to catch them. Mrs. Parkinson definitely was part of Lucius Malfoy's circle at Hogwarts, which meant that she hung out with a lot of little Death Eater wannabes. Dumbledore assumed that Lucius would marry her right out of Hogwarts. Lucius's father intervened during their seventh year. When Lucius returned from the Christmas holiday, he broke the news to Pansy's mother that he couldn't marry her – ever. No reason was given to her and she went around the school very upset for the rest of seventh year. Pansy's mother was still friendly with some of the young Death Eater wannabes, but made herself scarce when Lucius was around. Dumbledore doesn't think they spoke to each other for the remainder of term. The Death Eaters weren't really a group that sought a lot of female members, thinking them inferior as a group. If they did accept Witches, Dumbledore thought that Mrs. Parkinson would be near the front of the line.

"When Lucius formally became a Death Eater, that crowd completely cut off Pansy's mother, out of loyalty to Lucius. Dumbledore heard little of her after graduation, other than that she was living with her parents, until a year later she married Mr. Parkinson. Less than a year later Lucius married Narcissa. It was clear that Dumbledore had a very low opinion of Mrs. Parkinson and her husband.}

{{That's interesting, but I'm not sure it helps us a lot. What about Pansy, herself?}

{Dumbledore mused a lot about Pansy. He was surprised that she was as intelligent as she is, given her parentage. Mr. Parkinson is described as 'stupid and as unimaginative as a stick'. Dumbledore wondered if Lucius wasn't the real father. He regarded Pansy as acting stupid to fit into Slytherin and recognized a totally focused desire to snare Draco, from late second year on. He thought Pansy might be good for Draco, but that each was a potentially good person suffering from dominating parents, who would likely succeed in turning them bad. Dumbledore suspected that Lucius had a strong hold over Pansy and that Mrs. Parkinson, but not her father. He tried but was unable to learn the source of this hold. Not much of help there, either.}

I was a little concerned about transitioning right from talk of Death Eaters to sexy times with Harry. I suggested, for no apparent reason, that we might chat by the fire and share a glass of wine. Harry agreed. We had a happy talk about our future house, my future time with the Harpies, and whether or not Harry really wanted to be an auror. A little snog, then off to bed for a rollicking good time, with nary a thought of Nagini insinuating itself into my mind.

Right after breakfast, our group set off for the Gryffindor landing to apparate. Professor McGonagall seemed surprised and more than a little miffed to learn that although she must stay behind, Draco was coming with us. She voiced no objection, but other than a couple of sour looks, ostentatiously avoided us. Not knowing what would be available at the Ministry and how long the interviews might last, I filled a bag, brought for the purpose, with cinnamon buns to take with me. I had lucked out on the cinnamon buns, expecting to escape with just a dry scone.

Although we were meeting in a courtroom, and Pansy seemed surprised and worried as she was pushed into it, we ended up all sitting at a rectangular table on the floor of the courtroom. I don't know whose idea it was to not just use a less intimidating conference room. Despite sitting at a normal table, it was cold and dank in here and our voices echoed. A quick whisper to Harry revealed that our location was Shacklebolt's choice and designed to prevent all but a few from realizing that Pansy was even in the building. Pansy sat in the center of one long side of the table, flanked by aurors. Hermione sat directly across from her, flanked by Cissy and me, with Dr. White sitting next to me. The four of us would be responsible for assessing Pansy's demeanor and truthfulness. Harry sat at the head of the table, flanked by Percy and Wood. They had quite a few files and boxes in front of them. At the foot of the table sat Draco, looking a little bewildered and not knowing what was expected of him. To Draco's right was Callista, who appeared ready to take notes for the interview. The table could easily have held another half dozen participants.

"Do you know why you're here?" Harry asked Pansy.

"No. We heard that the Ministry might move us from the house to jail and take away our Elf. Is that what this is about?"

"No," Harry replied. "Our side honors its agreements. The former Lord Montaigne has been moved to jail, following his escape and recapture, but we will stick with the deal we made with you and your mother. On the contrary, I've had several people, including headmaster McGonagall, ask me to interview you to determine whether I could honestly say that there were grounds for clemency, in the form of a reduced sentence. It was also suggested that it might be better for you not to be living with your mother. Since your plea deal and your mother's were accepted, we uncovered evidence from magical lock boxes, which, while showing your mother in a guiltier light, doesn't mention you at all.

"A lot of people are wondering why you suddenly took a turn toward the dark side. I understand that you specifically requested that your husband, Draco, be present for this meeting, even though you weren't sure why you were asked to meet with us. Not giving you advance notice of the purpose of the meeting was largely a matter of security and a desire to reduce your mother's input. Also, this is not an official meeting. I am here, not as the Deputy Minister, but as one of the intended victims of the plot which you participated in. I, and the other victims of that plot, have been asked to consider speaking for clemency on your behalf. We won't be using Veritaserum. Hermione and Ginny, whom you know as victims of the plot, are also here in the role of truth tellers. Cissy Montaigne is also a talented truth teller, so we will know if you lie to us. Lies will not lead us to recommend clemency. Now then, is there anything that you wish to tell us?"

"Is this a trick to send my mother to Azkaban, by getting me to shovel all of the blame onto her?"

"No. Unfortunately, at a time when we had far less evidence than we do today, we agreed that your mother would not be sent to Azkaban or imprisoned for more than twelve years. Even with the new evidence, we can't change that deal. The evidence goes to the crimes to which she has already pled guilty, not to new crimes. Let me show you this file, which contains the new evidence concerning your mother, just so you know that I definitely am not bluffing and so that you also know that any consideration of clemency applies only to you, not to your mother."

Harry handed the rather thick folder to Pansy and she spent the next half hour silently examining it. I watched her for signs of an emotional reaction to what she was reading, but she gave nothing away. Finally, she looked up and commented, "This all looks genuine, and just confirms my suspicions that mother was in a little deeper with the Stowes and Frakes than she told me. It also shows she wasn't any sort of leader of the group and that the plot was not her idea. It's the Stowes who should be in jail."

"They will be," Harry assured her. "These files", and with this he raised three thicker files than the one Pansy had just examined, "all demonstrate the guilt of the Stowe parents, although I doubt they originated the plot either. I agree that they definitely outranked your mother. If it is of interest to you, I can say we found no evidence of your father's involvement. That made it very strange when he killed one of your former house Elves and threw his body through the window of the Leaky Cauldron, with a threat against the government attached. As far as we can tell, he hadn't set a foot out of line, prior to that."

"No, I'm sure he hadn't. My father is a good person, but he's not the smartest Wizard. Mother ran the family. I'm sure father was faring very poorly with mother and me locked up. Likely someone took advantage of him and convinced him that he could win our release by that stupid action. I certainly don't support what he said. I loved Cholly – he was with our family my entire life. I felt closer to him than to my parents. Dad liked him, also. He always treated both of the Elves very well. Mother sometimes hit them, but Dad never did. Somebody must have put a lot of pressure on him to make him harm Cholly. I can't believe Dad is in jail."

"Well he is. I don't know what will become of him. Apparently it is more of a crime to deliberately leave a dead animal in an establishment where food is served than it is to 'Avada Kedavra' an Elf. Still, I think we have him for threatening to overthrow the government and probably treason, as well."

"You should try to help him. He's really more innocent than I am. He's an innocent by nature. I can't believe he can survive much time in jail."

"If he tells us the truth and his involvement really is as minor as you say, I'll try to help him. I promise. But we're here to deal with you. So really, the question to you is 'why did you do what you did?' Also, anything that you'd like to say to show that you can be a productive, lawful member of magical society, if granted clemency, would be helpful."

"I knew that Professor McGonagall planned to speak up on my behalf, but told her it was just so much of her time wasted. I'm not sure how much I can help you, or myself. I'm not totally sure why I did what I did. I wouldn't say that I ever 'liked' Hermione, but living with all of you at Hogwarts over the summer and being reasonably well accepted by you, I'd definitely say I was feeling warmer toward her and didn't hate her.

"I don't know why I seemed to hate her so much at the time I was captured. I also don't know why I became so attached to Lucius at the end. Much of the time that I knew him, I disliked, feared, and even hated him. I was upset that he wanted to separate Draco and me. I had reluctantly been his lover in the past and found the experience more than mildly unpleasant. He was so old. As we worked together on the plot, which really wasn't more than several days, I did find myself strongly drawn to him and was his willing lover. When Lucius killed himself, I felt just totally empty and sad. A month prior to that, I might have been glad to hear he had died. He blackmailed and controlled me since I was eleven. Even two weeks earlier, I never would have picked Lucius over Draco – not even close. I thought Lucius was really old and really mean.

"Professor McGonagall asked me if I could have been Imperiused or confunded, but it's way too late for there to be any evidence of that. I don't remember any of that being done to me.

"I know that I really did love Draco and that I was very happy and proud to be married to him. I know that I also was getting annoyed that he was becoming overly docile and religious and friendly with your lot. I also was afraid how we would survive after Lucius said he would cut us off cold. I still remember being in love with Draco at that time, though. I was very surprised when Draco picked a fight with you, tried to make him stop, and was very worried afterward about what would happen to him. I certainly never egged him on to fight you. Although we spent a little more time with his mother than I would have preferred, I got along well with her and I think we liked each other. She was a little different toward me that last week, before I was arrested."

"Why did you volunteer to work on the repair crew for the Gringotts Circle?" Harry asked.

"My mother asked me to. She said it would give me a chance to slip away in London and meet Lucius. She said she had a special assignment that I needed to complete for her. She said Silas and Lucius would explain it to me. She said that her way of life, and father's, and perhaps life, itself, depended on my successfully completing the assignment. She said I couldn't discuss it with Draco and wouldn't tell me anything more."

"But you had already practiced mimicking Hermione's speech and motions for several weeks. Surely that must have given you a clue about your assignment."

"I know that I said that, but I really didn't practice imitating Hermione. I didn't even know of the plot for a week, let alone weeks. I've watched Hermione long enough that imitating her, especially since I tried to say as little as possible, wasn't that hard. I don't know. Part of my mind says that my mother told me to volunteer for Gringotts, but the rest of my mind says that this can't possibly be true. I mean, how could my mother ask me to volunteer for something that I only knew about for less than thirty minutes before I volunteered? My mother wasn't at Hogwarts. I hadn't even talked to her or had an owl for at least a week. I remember that I was angry at Draco that day and thought it might be fun to have a few days apart from him."

"I thought of that as well," Harry told her. "I didn't know that there would be students going to Gringotts until that day. That plan was developed as a compromise with the headmaster in order to borrow her magical engineering professor. So it is not physically possible that your mother asked you to volunteer. It is true that you were the only volunteer. The other students were nominated by the headmaster and Professor Henkel. I had concluded that the plot was originally planned to take place at Hogwarts."

"That's possible, but I just don't remember any particulars of such a plot at Hogwarts. It was always to be at the Ministry. But if my mother didn't order me to participate, who did?"

"You also said that you Imperiused Lucius on the night before Draco attacked me."

"Yes, I did that. My mother told me what to say to him."

"What did you say to him? You weren't very specific the last time that we spoke of this."

"I don't really remember. I think it was something like 'Imperious, you know what to do.' The words may have been a little different, but that was the general gist."

"You didn't tell him to go talk to Draco? You didn't tell him to urge Draco to pick a fight or to pick a fight himself with Narcissa?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. This was a while ago and I've talked so much with my mother since then."

"I hear rumors that you and your mother have been fighting. What is that about?"

"I'm not at all sure that's any of your business. I guess it really doesn't matter. I'm not thrilled about spending the next six years of my life locked up because I followed my mother's stupid plot out of family loyalty. It couldn't succeed in getting back our Elves or freeing prisoners. I didn't even care about the prisoners. We fought about Draco and why mother suddenly had wanted to mess up my marriage. We fought because she couldn't accept responsibility for getting me into this mess, and because she can't admit the fight is over, and still believes that the remaining Death Eaters will stage another kidnapping that will succeed in freeing us. Where would we go, once we were free? I couldn't hide out in caves like other fugitives have done. We fought because my mother is a very aggravating person to spend so much time with. You can't believe how whiny she gets. We fought because my mother blamed me for Draco going soft and abandoning the cause.

"I told her it was his mother and the Light Guardian, but she accused me of being too weak to be a real Parkinson, saying any wife who can't be a stronger influence on a husband than his mother is, well that daughter is just too weak to even marry and move out of her parents' home. It was impossible. I asked mother how she could order me to take orders from a younger student, who wasn't even a Slytherin and who hadn't supported the Dark Lord. I told her she couldn't begin to know how demeaning that was. She claimed never to have done that, and said we had to make a temporary alliance with the Grindelwalds, because Voldemort was gone and our faction was out of cash with the desertion of the Malfoys. She kept insisting that I 'actively manage' our Elf, even though she knew Elves were freed and 'our Elf' was a Ministry employee who reports back on us. She insisted Elf freedom would be short-lived and that I needed to learn to manage my household through an 'owned Elf'. I told her that I realized now that she was living in the past and trying to drag me back with her.

"I told her 'mother, we've lost and must make the best of it', but she insisted that I was too young to understand the back and forth flow of power. She promised that our side would once again emerge on top, and that she would live to see that day, while I would live most of my life in it. We called each other pathetic." Pansy burst into sobs and it was several minutes and a full cup of coffee, before she nodded that she was ready to continue "as long as you don't ask me anything more about mother."

"Did you plot with Silas at Hogwarts?"

"I don't think I ever spoke more than half a dozen words to Silas, while we were at Hogwarts. He was younger than me; I was married; he was a stuck-up creep. He wasn't a Slytherin and I didn't have classes with him in previous years. This term, I saw him in magical engineering class, obviously, but he didn't sit near me and he didn't eat with Draco and me. I met with him a lot after we went to Gringotts, because my mother told me to do that. At least I think that's what she told me, even though I know she couldn't have done so."

Ron interrupted Harry to ask, "When do you remember your mother telling you this? When did she tell you that you must obey Silas?"

"I don't know. My memories may not even be real. I remember her telling me that I must follow Silas's lead and instructions. I think I asked, 'why would I want to listen to Silas – he's younger, not a Slytherin, and from a bad family?' Mother said it was important to our family. She said it might seem a little strange but over the next few weeks, Silas would ask me to do certain things, and I should obey and follow his lead. When it was announced that Silas was going with you to Gringotts, he pointed at me and I took that as a signal to volunteer. At least that's how I now remember it. Don't look at me like that. I'm not lying or playing games with you. I really am confused. I've tried to figure out what really happened – I think about it whenever I can get a moment's peace from my mother. When did my mother tell me all of this? It was a few days before Draco attacked Harry. She came to Hogwarts to see me and caught me as I was returning to our apartment. She said a special friend who was a political sympathizer at the Ministry got her permission to visit me at Hogwarts. She said she had little time to talk, so I must listen carefully, not ask questions, and do exactly as she said. That's also when she taught me how to Imperius and told me that Lucius would be joining us for dinner in a day or so. She said that I must ask him to meet me at night, and that when I saw him, that I must Imperius him. I asked her 'why?' She just said 'because I'm your mother and the head of this family, and I've told you that it is important that you do this.' So that's what I did."

Harry's mind seemed to have wandered and slipped to the conclusion of the interview, as he asked, "Will you be a productive, law-abiding, good citizen if you are released from custody sometime during the next year?"

"I don't know. What am I to do with my life? I had planned to be Draco's wife. If you released me this minute, I haven't a clue what I would do. I don't feel a desire to continue my mother's fight. I'm not sure that she really does, either."

"I see that coffee and cookies have arrived. Why don't you sit here with the aurors and have a snack. Perhaps chat with Draco, while the rest of us take a short break." Harry signaled for the rest of us to follow us out of the courtroom. He led us up the stairs and leaned against the outer wall of the courtroom. "Is she telling the truth?" Harry asked us.

"Yes," Hermione answered, and Cissy and I nodded agreement.

"She seems to genuinely have difficulty sorting out her memories of her participation in the plot and her relationship with Lucius Malfoy," Dr. White told us. "I sensed some of that when I examined her immediately after her arrest, and also when I spoke to her immediately before she made her plea agreement. She is much more confused now, as she was when I spoke to her yesterday. Her story doesn't hang together logically, and she realizes that. She seems genuinely surprised, for example, that she was madly in love with Lucius Malfoy when she was captured. It is possible that she was Imperiused or confunded at the time, but I searched carefully for signs of such spells at the time of her arrest. I didn't find any evidence of them, although she did seem a little strange and confused."

"Did you check for a love potion, when she was arrested?" I asked Dr. White.

"I followed standard practice, which included trying to determine if she had been exposed to any potions. I checked my notes last night on this very issue. I have them with me. I wrote 'I find no definitive evidence of any potions, other than the residue of Polyjuice, present in the prisoner's body. Her blood and aura are not quite normal, but not inconsistent with a person who has taken large quantities of Polyjuice and been subjected to multiple stunning spells. I am unable to definitively say whether she was or was not subjected to any other spells or potions.' I perhaps should or could have done more, but in reality, I don't think there was any way of answering that question to a legal standard of proof."

"What is your best guess?" Harry asked him.

"My professional experience says I should not give a 'best guess' to the Deputy Minister, but there definitely was something a little strange or off about that girl when I saw her after her arrest. I didn't know then and can't possibly know now what the cause was."

"Did you also examine Silas that night?"

"Briefly, but I was forced to stop after he objected and Madam Bones instructed that I stop and return him to his cell. I saw no evidence that he wasn't fully in control of himself, totally devoted to his job, and fully unapologetic about what he had done. What stood out most and one of the few notes I made was 'convinced he is justifiably taking revenge for insults and injuries visited upon his family to benefit those who were less worthy'. That's the best that I can give you."

"Did you examine Mrs. Parkinson prior to the plea agreement?"

"Yes. She seemed in full possession of her mind and convinced of the rightness of her actions. She even asked me how I could be on the side which I seemed to be on. She said she was proud of her daughter's actions, although she didn't like to think of her daughter having to take instructions from someone like Silas. She then said she preferred to speak to Doctor Sprout. When I told her that this was not possible, she simply announced that she no longer chose to speak to me. I tried to get her talking again by asking her what she thought about Lucius killing himself. She looked at me for several seconds and then said something like 'I'm not sure whether I'm happy or sad that Lucius is dead. It removes a temptation and I'm not at all pleased with his influence over my daughter, but he was one of the few great Wizards left.' Then she lapsed back into silence for several minutes. I thought she was finished, but she finally said 'Lucius wouldn't kill himself to avoid Azkaban or to protect anyone. He always believed he would prevail over any adversity and he never put himself second to anyone. If you would only open your mind, it would become clear that Potter or Shacklebolt murdered him."

"One last question, doctor, did you examine Lucius after his death?"

"Of course, that is standard practice with a death under those conditions. It was a classic case of death by 'Avada Kedavra', no question whatsoever. I can't say if he was under the direction of an Imperius curse or confundus charm, since, not to be indelicate in front of the young Witches, he had no aura or mind to examine. Sometimes this is possible to determine immediately after death, but it was nearly three hours before I examined him. I tested his blood. He certainly had the residue of a lot of Polyjuice and possibly something else, but if there was something else, it was impossible to identify it."

"This will sound like a strange question," I told Dr. White, "but is it possible that the same procedure was used to allow Lucius to feign death, as was used with Delores Umbridge?"

"I don't know the answer to that, Ginny, since the St. Mungo's staff did not examine Delores Umbridge. If you ask me, your headmaster puts entirely too much faith in Madam Pomphrey. I admit that she has a great deal of skill, but she also has limitations and isn't on a par with a fully-staffed hospital. Anyway, I hope for Lucius's sake that your surmise is wrong. In his will he expressed a wish for a Viking funeral. His body was set adrift and burned at sea. I'd hate to think he was still alive."

Ugh, so would I.

"This has become a real mess," Harry said in a disgusted tone. "I clearly remember the night that we captured Pansy. It didn't seem possible that anyone could be more certain to be guilty of a serious crime than Pansy. Now it suddenly seems uncertain. She doesn't even seem to know exactly what she did and why. I still agree with Draco that his father's behavior was most odd. I also agree with Pansy that Lucius is just about the least likely suicide I can think of. Everything surrounding that plot is bizarre, but it was also extremely serious – Hermione was almost killed, and Ginny and I likely would also have been killed if the plot succeeded. I never believed anyone would take that level of risk to get their Elf back or free a few prisoners. We're not even holding all that many prisoners. Well, let's go back in and see what else we can learn. We'll be talking to Mrs. Parkinson a little later."

Harry led us back to the courtroom door and swung it open. He immediately raised his hand to stop me entering the courtroom and backed away from the door himself. "Pansy and Draco are talking intensely. I think we should leave them alone. They have issues to resolve and Draco may learn something that the rest of us cannot."

"Now that we know she's been hiding out at Hogwarts, I think it's possible that Umbridge had something to do with all of this," Ron suggested. "If the original plan was to kidnap Harry and Ginny at Hogwarts, Umbridge would know where to stash them. Snatching them from under McGonagall's protection would also be a blow at her, which would likely drive her out of the headmaster's office. That seems to be Frakes' and the Prophet's goal and they are likely taking their orders, directly or indirectly from Umbridge. She probably also knows how to escape from Hogwarts. She must have controlled the school's defenses, when she was headmaster."

"If the plot was pulled off successfully at the Ministry, it would be a devastating blow to your father and Shacklebolt," Hermione countered, "and they had to be higher priority targets. The risk of success was smaller, but Umbridge may not have thought she was sacrificing much. She didn't like Lucius and the Grindelwalds, like Silas, weren't her main love. We don't know what she thought of Pansy, knowing that she had married Draco and was living with Narcissa, under McGonagall's protection. Probably didn't viewed her as a traitor and not a great loss, anymore."

"But remember what McGonagall and her gang kept saying," I urged Harry. "Something about us confronting an arch villain who didn't like her type of Witch. Umbridge might well have seen dumping McGonagall as a higher priority than embarrassing Dad. Dumping McGonagall also would have flushed Draco and Narcissa out of their hiding place at Hogwarts."

"We don't have enough facts to reason our way through this, let's try to go back inside," Harry suggested.

As we entered, Draco, who had been sitting in my seat directly opposite Pansy, hurriedly rose and sauntered back to his own chair.

"Okay, let's resume," Harry directed as we took our seats. Focusing directly on Pansy, he asked, "The kidnapping was originally planned to occur at Hogwarts, wasn't it?"

"I don't know, Silas never asked me to do anything at Hogwarts."

"If we agreed to recommend clemency for you, say just keeping you in jail until the end of the school term, would you agree to immediately give Draco an uncontested divorce and to spend the rest of your sentence apart from your mother and not to communicate with her, until her sentence is served?"

"Yes, although I'm not sure Draco still wants a divorce. What's going to happen to me now?"

"You're going to permit Hermione to rip out half a handful of your hair and then you are going to be taken from here to live in a different location for the next few months. You'll have two Elves to guard you, take care of you, and prevent you from escaping or communicating with anyone."

As Hermione walked over to her chair, Pansy leaned her head toward her, and Hermione grabbed a fair amount of hair and yanked. Pansy screamed as she did so, but Hermione didn't appear upset at all, merely saying "thank you, Pansy."

Harry motioned to Cotto, and Cotto and one of the aurors led Pansy out of the courtroom. It wasn't long before Cotto and the auror returned. This time they were escorting Mrs. Parkinson.

Mrs. Parkinson had approached the table, but not actually sat down, before complaining "I demand to know why I was separated from my daughter. What have you done with her?"

"Nothing drastic," Harry responded. "We merely had her examined by Doctor White and interviewed her in front of my truth tellers. Professor McGonagall strongly suggested that some sort of clemency for Pansy might be in order, so we decided to interview her ourselves and determine whether, as the victims of her plot, we should request that Madam Bones ask the Wizengamot to reduce her sentence. She was separated from you for Doctor White's examination, and to prevent the two of you rehearsing your stories before you came to talk to us. I am not here as the Deputy Minister, but as one of the victims of your plot. You do not need to speak to us, and we won't be giving you Veritaserum, but you may be able to hasten Pansy's freedom. In any event, your sentence is fixed and anything that you say can't increase it."

"I like having Pansy's company. I'm not entirely sure that I want to have her released early, although she is my daughter and I should do what is best for her. Are you considering a reduced sentence for me? I can still help you convict the Stowe's and possibly help you to find Delores Umbridge."

"It wasn't our intention to consider recommending a reduced sentence for you. I've succeeded in opening three of the four magical lock boxes which we recovered from the captured Death Eaters and Grindelwald supporters. In addition to quite a lot of Muggle money and gold galleons, they contained documents that incriminate you and more strongly incriminate the Stowes. We don't need your help to convict the Stowes, and you seem guiltier than we originally thought. I would recommend some time off your sentence, in my role as Deputy Minister, if you gave us information that led to the quick arrest of Umbridge. I doubt that you have anything, however. We know about Umbridge sleeping in her old Hogwarts apartment."

"I think you're bluffing."

Harry shoved the folders of documents across the table, until they stopped in front of her. "Take your time and have a good look at them, while we have our coffee and cakes. You're welcome to refreshments, while you examine the documents." She took a cup of coffee and a cake and began skimming through the documents.

I was getting quite bored and exchanging silly whisper messages with Harry as she read. I felt repentant as one of my messages caused Harry to laugh audibly and drew all eyes in his direction. He got a little pink and motioned for Mrs. Parkinson to go back to her reading. She looked at one more document, before declaring "I've seen enough. You've definitely got the Stowes and know of my activities as well. I guess I needn't expect misplaced mercy. I was going to tell you that Umbridge was at Hogwarts, but I apparently don't have even that to trade. What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with who helped you enter Hogwarts to tell Pansy to Imperius Lucius and then to take orders from Silas. Then you can move on to telling us what Lucius was Imperiused to do."

"I haven't been within the Hogwarts walls since Pansy graduated. I keep telling Pansy that, but she won't believe me. She complains that I refuse to take responsibility for my actions, which have harmed her. She is confused. She may have been confunded or Imperiused, and I may have helped the person who influenced her. I admit that I did what I was asked to do to assist the plot against you, but that was a lot less than you think. Our family has a secret code that we use to send messages and to guard against Polyjuice impersonators. I gave that code to Thicknesse, along with some other personal information that would let Pansy know that whoever approached her had my blessing. I also told Thicknesse about a secret phrase, which rendered Pansy more susceptible to suggestion. You already know that I transported messages and bomb materials for Thicknesse and Silas, including planting the bomb at Sissinghurst. That was the extent of my involvement. I never thought that Thicknesse would put Pansy at such risk or send her back into Lucius's clutches."

"Pansy says that you worked with the Grindelwalds because the Death Eater faction was hurting for cash, yet we found plenty of money in Thicknesse's and Barty's magical boxes."

"Not money that they shared with the rest of us. Rowle had to hire out as a thug as did a number of others from the old gang. I spoke to Thicknesse about money to at least get some hired fighters on board, but he said the well was dry, and he couldn't access the funds that were left."

"Well, we did seize some money from his hideout, which he definitely had access to, but it turns out that not one of the magical boxes would open without Delores Umbridge's torture pen. Why do you think she had control of those boxes?"

"I think she had more rank within the inner circle of Death Eaters than most of us realized and rose in rank simply by surviving, while the rest of our side fought and died. That is a benefit of living in the shadows. I know that both the Stowes and Thicknesse took orders from and were more than a little intimidated by Umbridge. Mrs. Stowe commented that the best way to get out from under her heel might be to murder her. Actually trying to kill Umbridge terrified her. She told her husband 'we'll have only one chance and if we mess up, we're goners'. They didn't think I had heard that, but I had a listening device that Umbridge had given me. She would have known if I didn't reveal this plot to her, so I did. I'm a little ashamed of myself for that, since I don't particularly like Umbridge, but it's not as though the Grindelwald supporters were really on our side."

"But, but," Ron stammered "you ran as Deputy Minister on the Grindelwald slate."

"Umbridge, shall I say, 'strongly advised' me to do it. With Pansy so closely linked to Draco and the Malfoys regarded as the worst sort of traitors, there was always the strong hint that Pansy might be an appropriate target for retribution, if I were found to be less than fully cooperative, or if Pansy continued to support Draco so visibly. Umbridge accused the Parkinson family of publicly endorsing the traitorous actions of the Malfoys and announcing that our cause was dead. I had pretty much given it up for dead, although your lot riled my blood all over again when you freed my Elves. So, I cooperated with Umbridge. She had convinced me that she could harm my whole family, if I did anything else. Whatever you may think, I do love my husband, and he is a totally harmless old man who would not be able to protect himself. I was especially forbidden to reveal her existence."

"It seems to me," Harry observed "that the main reason you participated in the plot was to try to regain control of Pansy, whom you saw drifting away from your beliefs. You couldn't reach her at Hogwarts, but Umbridge could. You weren't totally unhappy to have Pansy's mind manipulated, if it pulled her back in the direction which you wanted her to take, even if that put her in significant danger."

"That's ridiculous! I love my daughter… Well perhaps that played a small part in my thinking. Pansy and I had always been very close and I was scared that she was changing and drifting away from me."

There was another hour of verbal back and forth, but we got no additional useful information and no apology or expression of regret from Mrs. Parkinson. She had, at least, scrupulously told us the truth. Like her daughter, she had some residual confusion and holes in her memory, although she seemed far more aware of consciously entering into her role in the plot than Pansy had been. I didn't like the woman at all and was saddened, and a bit angered at Harry, when he responded positively to her plea for a reduced sentence 'to be able to see the grandchildren, who will surely becoming along soon'.

"If you agree to spend the rest of your sentence in a jail cell, not Azkaban, instead of the house which you are now staying in, I'll recommend that the Minister ask for your sentence to be reduced to eight years," Harry promised her.

I instantly whispered an obscenity and my bewildered objection to Harry, as I felt Hermione's body go rigid at my side. She trusted Harry enough to remain silent.

After this very long morning, we all retired to Harry's office for lunch. Callista ordered salad, sandwiches, and dessert sent up from the commissary as we sat around Harry's office to discuss what we had heard. Harry began the discussion with a focus upon Hermione.

"You were the most severely impacted by the plot, Hermione, what do you think we should do in the way of possible clemency or deal-making?"

"I don't think either has anything to offer us in terms of a deal that helps us find and jail any more baddies. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Pansy may very well have acted with her mind under the control of others. I still think she loathes me, and I couldn't stand having her back at Hogwarts while we're still there, but I think McGonagall is correct and we should support giving her a break. I can't see giving Pansy's mother a break, but I realize that you don't want to spend so much to confine her. She probably isn't very harmful anymore. A reduced sentence for her just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, even knowing that she acted in part to save Pansy. She also acted, probably in larger part, to maintain her control of Pansy. She is not a good person, but I agree that she likely isn't very dangerous."

"What about you, Draco?" Harry asked, surprising me, since I thought he would next solicit my opinion or Ron's, although I guess my whispers had made my views abundantly clear to him. I still felt a little irked not to get to voice my thoughts to the others.

"As you know, we talked quite a bit after you left the room. I saw you duck your head in and then retreat to give us more time, for which I thank you. I'm more than a little confused. My head knows that Pansy was being controlled by Umbridge when she did the bad stuff that she did, but my heart still feels very hurt and I'm not sure that I can completely forgive her. The thought of her in bed with my father is a hard image to put aside. She also played a role, probably involuntarily, in his death. She had reason to hate him. He mistreated her badly over the years. I also hated him for mistreating her, although I can't really hate him anymore. Pansy wants us to get back together. I'm not sure that's possible. She says it's my decision. I can have a quick divorce, if I'm certain that's what I want. We agreed to meet again and talks some more. I have no objection to asking that she be released. I'm not sure how I would feel about her coming back to Hogwarts. Honestly, I don't know whether she wants to get back together because that is the easiest life for her going forward, or because she truly desires to be with me. All that talk of my being too weak for her and too much of a failure cut really deeply."

"What about poor Erin?" I asked Draco. "Where does she figure into all of this?"

"I just don't know," Draco lamented. "That's part of why I say I'm very confused. I like Erin. She is a very sweet girl and a better, more loyal person than Pansy. But… I have a long history with Pansy, and there isn't as much of a spark with Erin. At least not yet. I obviously need to talk to her about all of this. I know that I am likely to be a more honest, productive Wizard married to Erin than to Pansy. I also think Erin likes the current Draco more than Pansy does, or can. I know that they are both depending upon me and that I'm going to end up hurting one of them, for no fault of her own. I'm in a terrible situation."

"Yeah, it's tough, mate," Ron replied in a voice devoid of sympathy. "Forced to pick between two beautiful Witches, who both want to marry you. You haven't asked my opinion yet, Harry, but I'd give Pansy several more months locked up away from her mother, and then release her. I don't want her back at Hogwarts until we're gone."

Looking straight at me, Harry asked, "and what do you think, Cissy?" At least he gave me a wink and a whisper {[amused] I know what you think and I'm also saving my opinion for last.}

"I don't like Pansy at all. She treated me really badly last term, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that she was the one who murdered Promethius," Cissy replied. "And yet, I can't help feeling sorry for her. Her mother really messed her up as badly as my father messed me up. She also had over seven years of being blackmailed by Lucius Malfoy, who seems like a totally noxious being. I think she deserves an early release, but I'd be happier if she didn't return to Hogwarts. I'm not pleased about releasing her mother early."

I finally got a chance to say what was bubbling up, but it was anticlimactic, as was Harry's final summary that it seemed like we were agreed that Pansy could be released sometime within the next six months, but on the condition that she not return to Hogwarts. Harry asked Wood, Percy, and Callista whether or not they had any objections. Wood was set against an early release for Mrs. Parkinson. Callista said that Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall, as well as herself, would be so very pleased that Pansy was being given this extra consideration.

Harry grumped that "Madam Bones' happiness or unhappiness with the result seems entirely irrelevant, but I appreciate your point."

This prompted Callista to add, "This really isn't a Sisterhood solidarity sort of thing, Harry, just a shared feeling of what is just. I congratulate all of you on your open-mindedness. I doubt I could make the same decision if I went through what Hermione and the rest of you did."

Harry gathered Hermione, Ron, Wood, and me together, as the rest of the group returned to Hogwarts or their normal work. "I guess everyone knows that we got Pansy's hair in order to send a Polyjuice Pansy back to live with Mrs. Parkinson for a day. The job might be a little dangerous. If we have Polyjuice, do I have any volunteers? Hopefully we learned enough from Pansy to pull off the charade long enough to learn something."

"I'm not sure how much is left to learn," I told Harry, "but I'm willing to be your substitute Pansy. I can take care of myself well enough to be safe from Mrs. Parkinson. My condition is that I want out by bedtime. I can't protect myself while I'm sleeping. At least Pansy gave us the family recognition code."

"That's fine. Let's head over to Shacklebolt's office. I think we just need to send you back to pick up your things and tell Mrs. Parkinson that you're being moved to a different location, pending release in a few months. That should force her to impart any last instructions to you."

Shacklebolt agreed to the plan, with the warning "this has to go well, or your father is going to be furious at all of us."

Hermione produced some Polyjuice, to which she added half of the hank of Pansy hair, carefully stowing the excess in her carry-all. We waited for the juice to stop fizzing and then I quaffed a mouthful. Pansy tasted awful. I really hoped that Draco wouldn't choose her over poor Erin.

The same two aurors who had escorted Pansy to the courtroom, as well as Bill, apparated with me to the old Potter Homestead, where the Parkinsons were being incarcerated. I felt much better knowing that I had my wand secreted in my boot. Shacklebolt had warned me to be very careful, since the two aurors guarding Mrs. Parkinson wouldn't be read into our little scheme. This bothered Bill and he asked me to stow my wand in his boot, instead of mine. Which of course set Harry to thinking that he would join us to maintain a link with me, while I was out of sight. I was to give Mrs. Parkinson every opportunity to be the first to plead for a moment alone to say goodbye to her daughter. If she didn't, I would plead for a private goodbye with her. Bill, as the senior auror of the five, would immediately grant either request.

We entered the sitting room of the Potter house, having apparated to the front step and been met at the door by one of the auror guards. Bill announced that I was to be moved, pending release in the not too distant future, and was just here to collect my things. The auror asked Harry, "May she speak to her mother?"

"She may if she wants to," Harry replied. "We've interviewed both of them and I don't think they have a lot of secrets left."

One of the aurors stayed in the sitting room with Harry, but the other three accompanied me upstairs, where the remaining auror was outside Mrs. Parkinson's bedroom. The door was shut. The auror pointed Bill into Pansy's room and Bill led me in to collect Pansy's things. There was a big bag in the closet, which I opened up on top of the bed, and began to stuff Pansy's clothes into.

I was nearly finished, when I heard a door open and Mrs. Parkinson's voice inquiring "is that my daughter?" Being told that it was and that Pansy was packing her things in preparation for an immediate move to another location, Mrs. Parkinson took the bait and pleaded "may I at least have a few minutes alone with my daughter, in order to say a proper goodbye?"

I updated my 'shield' charm and reminded myself to use a wandless 'off!' if Mrs. Parkinson tried anything. I doubted she would spot me as a phony, but was less sure that she wouldn't harm her own daughter.

Bill agreed that Mrs. Parkinson could speak to me, warning her "she may not wish to speak to you, she's very angry. We'll be right outside the door, so don't try anything funny."

Mrs. Parkinson walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. "Hello, Pansy," she replied "I'm told you're angry."

"Of course I'm angry. I've just learned that you gave the family recognition codes to Umbridge and set me up to be Imperiused or confunded, or whatever it was she did to me. I'm not stupid. I know the participants in that plot were all expected to die, like Lucius and Silas died. I'm not sure why I'm still alive, but I know that it is no thanks to you."

"Think, Pansy. I knew that Umbridge was at Hogwarts. Had I not cooperated, she surely would have murdered you. I did what I did to save your life. But, let's not fight, we only have a few minutes to talk."

"Okay, first prove you're really my mother."

"The code word for today is Draco Malfoy, and your response to me is?"

"Professor Sprout."

"Fine, now that we have that nonsense out of the way, give your mother a hug. It may be your last chance for a very long time and you'll later regret missing this opportunity."

I approached a little awkwardly, allowing myself to be hugged and giving a small peck on the cheek in return, which Pansy had assured me was the appropriate response. I was about to break free of the clinch, as Pansy said she always did, when her mother held on for dear life.

Mrs. Parkinson began to whisper into my ear. "You have to help me gain my freedom. We may have something to trade. I have a magical box, for which an Umbridge key is not needed. It's at your Cousin Aurora's house, under a patio paver, the one beneath the purple flower pot. It has documents about Umbridge, conversations of hers, which I captured, and other conversations that I captured for her of various people with Bruce, Lucius, and the Stowe's. Get the box and trade it for my freedom. To open the box, you need my wand, your wand, and to pronounce the spell 'we Parkinsons shall prevail'. As you say 'prevail', you must visualize the side of the box with the 'rk' falling open. Will you do that for me? Our spare wands, which you know where to find, will suffice."

I whispered "yes, but I won't be free for several months. Draco is allowed to visit me, should I ask him to retrieve the box?"

"No dear, I don't think you should trust any Malfoy. My spare wand has killed. I don't want Draco getting his hands on it. I'll wait until you are freed."

"Alright, mother, but he is still my husband, and I plan to return to him. What else can I do?"

"You can stay true to the cause and live with your father, when he's released. He'll need your support. I'm surprised they've held him as long as they have for killing an Elf. I guess that stupid sign upset them."

"Even you don't like living with father."

"But you always got along so well with him."

Harry opened the bedroom door, announcing, "Sorry, time's up. Pansy has to finish packing and then we're out of here."

Bill led Mrs. Parkinson back to her own room. She slammed the door behind her and we were alone. I gave Harry a thumbs up and threw the rest of Pansy's belongings into the bag.

We went straight to Madam Bones to get permission to grab the box from under the Aurora's patio. I asked if we also needed permission to search the Parkinson house for the spare wands. Madam Bones said, "That's more questionable, if you have no idea where they are."

Harry said, "That's no problem at all - we confiscated the original wands when we arrested them."

It wasn't even dinner time when Harry opened the Parkinson's magical box in the presence of Dad, Shacklebolt, Madam Bones, and of course the rest of our gang. I was looking like myself by then and Dad was not quite fully over his displeasure of my volunteering for this particular mission, even though he had to admit I was never in any danger.

This box contained no money. It did contain pictures and documents and what Hermione described as Muggle sound recordings. It even had a device for playing them back. The pictures included one of a beaming Delores Umbridge, surrounded by Thicknesse and Barty, all of them displaying the marks on their arms, as well as one of Delores with Silas and his parents. Madam Bones was not impressed by the pictures or even by most of the documents, although the documents certainly suggested Umbridge had worked with Lucius Malfoy and other Death Eaters well before Voldemort's rise to power.

"The real treasure trove was the recordings. My favorite was Umbridge instructing Mrs. Parkinson on the kidnapping plot, especially the snide way she spoke of all of the Grindelwald participants. This conversation suggested that most of the plotters were not expected to survive and neither were Harry and I. Although there was discussion that Lucius, Silas, and to my surprise, Draco, were expected to die along with us, Mrs. Parkinson seemed to accept the possibility that 'Pansy might also be killed, although I think the plan minimizes those chances'. The plot was clearly intended to unfold at Hogwarts, likely on the night of Lucius's visit, although something had gone wrong.

There was also a recording of a romantic encounter between Umbridge and Thicknesse, which was quite frankly stomach turning. The other recordings were staged scenes in which Mrs. Parkinson tried, with varying degrees of success, to incriminate almost everyone she dealt with, from the Stowes, to our least favorite reporter Frakes, to Doctor Sprout, and even Barty. There was a recording of Madam Bones, which didn't contain any information which we didn't already know, but still turned Madam Bones a purplish cast of pink, with unflattering blotches around her nose and mouth. I was surprised by how pleased I was that the only recording in which Pansy appeared had her defending her marriage and her relatively peaceful coexisting with us at Hogwarts. It seems Umbridge had felt that Pansy had deliberately hidden from her on the day that I ran her down with my broom.


	36. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER 36 – AS SNUG AS A BUG IN A MAGICAL BOX**

I thought it had been a good day's work all around and was prepared to head back to Hogwarts, but Shacklebolt was intent on sharing what we had found with Ernie and Xenophilius. Harry compromised by agreeing to kick off the press conference and then leaving Shacklebolt and Madam Bones to carry on. Harry absconded with the recording of Madam Bones, lest Shacklebolt be unduly tempted.

We made it back to Hogwarts in time for a nice dinner. McGonagall cornered Harry over dessert, but he shed her by simply reporting "we're not unwilling to offer some relief to Pansy, but more chatter about it will only reduce our sympathy, Draco is conflicted, and we have a very solid case against the Stowes. The peach cobbler is excellent, my compliments to the Elves. We have some students who need to speak to us back in the common room."

It was very nice to be back in our own bed at a reasonable enough hour, when we both had enough energy to thoroughly appreciate why we had married in the first place. As I contentedly drifted off to sleep, Harry's Ministry cellphone rang, with the attention-getting, but truly annoying ring tone that Hermione had programmed into it. We had turned off the other phones, but this one could not be escaped or avoided. I quickly climbed up out of advancing sleep and linked to Harry's thoughts.

{[sluggish]'Excuse me, Sir. Sorry to bother you at this time. This is Robert, the duty auror, and I thought you would want to know right away that a band of Elves caught a Witch who looks an awful lot like that dead reporter, Rita Skeeter. She had broken into your office and smashed a recording and was about to burn some documents, when they caught her. I wouldn't believe this if I hadn't seen it myself, but as we were trying to get her totally secured inside a jail cell, she turned into a rather large beetle and tried to fly away. An Elf caught her and we have her in a glass jar, inside an insect net, in a covered empty fish tank, in a strong magical box, inside the cell. Is there anything else you want me to do? I've contacted both of your Directors and the Minister.'}

"No," my husband replied "you've done very well. I'm on my way to the Ministry, right now. I have to pick up a few things and people, but I'll be there within half an hour. Would you please alert Wood, as well?"

As I brightened the lights, so we could dress, I saw Harry's face bore a very satisfied expression. Just assuming that I was one of the people Harry needed to pick up and bring with, I quickly scrambled into my clothes and loaded a few potions and other supplies into the pockets of my robes. Hermione had taught me the value of preparedness. Barb was standing guard in the corridor outside the stairs to our apartment. Harry dispatched me to collect Ron and Hermione, while he told McGonagall of our imminent departure.

We apparated to Harry's reception room, where Wood, Callista, and Madam Bones were waiting for us. There was a large hole in the wood paneling behind Callista's chair, and a big scorch mark in the carpet in front of her desk. "Looks like there was quite a fight here," Ron commented.

"Yes. Before we set off for the jail," Harry declared "I want a quick look around my office to see what has been destroyed or disturbed."

We found that the door handle and lock had been very much disturbed, being partially melted and the wood burnt away from them. I entered the inner office, right behind Harry, and it was clear that the intruder had known what she wanted to destroy. The picture of Umbridge with Thicknesse and Doctor Sprout had the bottom third burnt away or scorched. At least all of the faces and upper bodies remained visible. The recording, in which Umbridge had instructed Mrs. Parkinson on the kidnapping plot, seemed to be irreparably damaged, although Hermione said she would ask her father to take it to a Muggle professor friend, to see if it could be salvaged. "Seeing this destruction, I'm almost glad that Kingsley went against my wishes and played that full recording for the reporters," Madam Bones confessed. I was considering this comment and considering just how 'reformed' Madam Bones was, when I heard Harry gasp.

I whispered this sentiment to Harry and was surprised, when he whispered back {She represents a different point of view, which is best not ignored, lest we become like those we fight.} Not very Harry, but he was soon jolted out of this philosophical moment.

"The remaining magical box has been destroyed. The one that I was unable to open," Harry's voice was filled with emotion. "It must have been designed to destroy its contents if subjected to a brute force attack." As Harry said this he pointed to a heavy hammer and steel chisel, which had been shoved under his desk.

"Rita do much damage, before Elves can stop her. Knock Elves out of way, lock office door. One Elf injured," Cotto spoke to Harry, although I hadn't noticed him entering the room and hadn't heard a pop.

"Will the Elf be alright?" Harry asked him "I'd hate to think someone was badly injured protecting my office and springing our little trap."

"Blissmo will be fine in few days," Cotto assured Harry.

Dad and Shacklebolt were at the jail ahead of us, talking to the auror jailers. "She's to be charged with breaking into the Ministry, destroying evidence in a criminal investigation, assaulting an Elf, and failing to register as an animagus," Dad was telling the head jailer. "I'm trying to think how we can contain her, while giving her enough space to return to her human form."

"I believe the determination of suitable charges is my responsibility, Minister," Madam Bones objected as we approached Dad. "There is also the issue of whether or not Cotto's Elves had the authority to apprehend the defendant."

"I'm glad you at least refer to her as a defendant," Dad replied. "Harry authorized the Elves to guard his office, Rita invaded the office and began destroying things, the Elves stopped her without killing or injuring her, they've given the aurors a statement describing what they saw. I don't see the problem."

"Her defense lawyer may well claim…"

"You'll certainly need a strategy to overcome any objections which her lawyer may raise, but we don't need to do his job, do we?" Harry interrupted her objection. "For now, we need to decide which crimes she has committed, for which we can reasonably expect to convict her. Do any of the charges that the Minister suggested fail to meet that hurdle?"

"Not necessarily, but I also can't necessarily get a conviction on all of them."

"Nobody's perfect," Harry replied, turning back to Dad and inquiring "when do you want to announce her capture?"

"If I hadn't been interrupted, I would have already told you that Prudence has scheduled a press briefing for 8:00 A.M. I'm sure you'll want to be there. So, you might as well stay and help us conjure up an effective container for Ms. Skeeter. On the plus side, the Elves managed to separate her from her wand as she was changing into her bug form, so she will be unarmed and also possibly unable to change back and forth."

We had soon created a transparent magical containment, big enough for the human Rita, and with no holes big enough for the bug Rita to slip through. We stunned the bug inside the jar, levitated it into the containment, and then released the bug from the spell. It fluttered around a bit inside its invisible container, which was still inside the cell. We had to wait four hours before Rita reverted to Witch form.

The reversion was nearly instantaneous, leaving Hermione to wonder "where does the extra mass go to and come back from? We saw the beetle Rita fly. How does a hundred and twenty pound beetle, the size of my fingernail, fly? I think we can safely charge her with breaking the fundamental laws of physics. This would certainly bolster the theories of some modern physicists who say that there are a lot of extra, hidden dimensions, which we can't see. These string theory physicists might say that there is a little puddle of Skeeter blood and bone lying on a flat, desolate surface, beyond our ability to sense it."

"Perhaps that's where Baal went?" I suggested "although I hope he isn't trapped and dying on some desolate surface, beyond our reach, that's too horrible…"

The head auror guard had heard quite enough of what he obviously felt was infantile musing. "I don't understand a word of what you're saying, and I'm not sure that you do either, but I can tell you that I carried that jar, with the bug in it, and it weren't any heavier than the empty jar. Even with the little piece of wet lettuce that I threw in for her. Do you think I could carry a hundred and twenty pound jar, with one hand? Don't be daft."

I hadn't realized that the Stowe parents had already been arrested, until Mrs. Stowe felt obliged to add her voice on the matter. "You young Witches think you're so clever, talking about nonsense that you pretend to understand. Rita is my friend and she has an appreciation for the traditional ways and the value of Witches and Wizards like me and my husband, which you'll never understand. I'm not sorry for what I did. I only wish Silas had succeeding in killing the Muggle-born Witch. She doesn't belong in our world and she's entirely too uppity. She comes here with Muggle knowledge, which she got for free, is given our Wizarding knowledge for free, so that she starts out ahead of good boys like my sons, who were born into this life and will willingly carry on its traditions. She'll end up as an important Hogwarts professor or Ministry expert, while my sons would have been left trying to scrape out a living on a too-small scrap of farmland. It's not fair, and I'm not sorry we fought to try to make things right."

"I realize that you are filled with hate," Harry responded to her, as Hermione and I were left spluttering "but you know that just isn't true. Both of your sons were experts in magical engineering and could have had very good Ministry jobs, just by asking. They certainly wouldn't have been forced to be farmers. One of your sons was already an auror. They knew enough that they likely could have been Hogwarts professors."

"And you think that's what Pa and I wanted for our boys? Leave the farm to work at Hogwarts or the Ministry? That would be like spitting in our faces and the faces of our parents. Abandon a farm that's been in the Stowe family for seven generations? That's who we are. A mother wants to pass on something of great value to her children. She certainly doesn't want them to look at the little scrap of farm that she's left behind and sell it off to the neighboring Wizard for a few galleons, like some piece of trash that has no significance in their lives. You grew up amongst the Muggles yourself, so you come by your perverse ways naturally. Shouldn't have let you come here, either. Now you're Lording it over the rest of us. I've heard the mean things you've said about that poor remaining Frakes boy, who at least reports the truth. Saving your good tidbits for your friend Ernie, so that an honest boy can't make an honest living. Your pal Ernie spit in his father's face, didn't he? Working the farm and learning from his Dad were just beneath him. He had to abandon his parents to go work for the Prophet. The Frakes boy had no choice in the matter, the Frakes farm couldn't even support two sons, let alone a third. But you persecuted the brothers for doing a little Elf hunting to keep the family homestead going. What else were they going to do? That ground could only produce so many turnips. But they fought for it. It was their life as it was their parents' and grandparents' lives. They understood tradition."

"That's nonsense. Their grandfather was a lawyer and a Gamot. I doubt he planted a turnip in his life. So, if you object to you and your sons living on a tiny farm and you also object to them getting a good job off the farm, exactly what is it that you do want, that you thought Bruce would give you?"

"There'd be no Muggle-born taking the land and jobs that good Wizard-born sons need and deserve to have. We would also simply take as much land as we needed to farm from the Muggles and whatever nice house we wanted, too. Witches wouldn't have to get jobs and young Wizards wouldn't have to leave the family homestead. Parents wouldn't grow old alone. Our traditions would be preserved. That's worth fighting for. A son should stay with his parents, marry a dutiful, traditional Witch who stays at home and raises the children, and then replace the parents after they die. A Wizard homestead should stay in the family forever. Your lot work to keep us poor and set hurdles so we have to send our children away to Hogwarts and they, girls as well as boys, have to work away from the homestead just to survive. It didn't used to be like that."

"Well, our administration created programs that would allow Wizards, like your family, to borrow money to buy more land from the Muggles to enlarge your farm, so that it could actually support all of you."

"You want my sons to go beg for money from the Goblins or a Muggle-raised Wizard like you, when they could just fight the Muggles and take it – act like Wizards who still have their pride. I don't think so! And now the Deputy Minister pals around with and even marries the sort of Witches I see standing before me. It's disgraceful!"

"If you say so," Harry replied, temporarily forgetting Rita's presence, as he added "and yet you like and support Rita Skeeter, who has never married and works for the Prophet."

Now Mrs. Stowe had amped up to a higher level of anger. "That shows how little you know about Rita. Didn't have a choice, did she, with her parents being killed while she was still at Hogwarts. Her brother got the tiny homestead, but already had a wife and kid and couldn't support the sister. So, she had to work. No choice about it. But I can tell that she would rather be living the life of the traditional Witch. She's suffered badly. Traditional Wizards, the only sort of husband a worthy Witch like her would consider, passed her by, because she had to strut about as a tough reporter. She's given a lot to our cause. Why she…"

"Please don't go into detail," Rita screeched. "It will all just become evidence at my trial. And I am not the pathetic creature Mrs. Stowe makes me out to be. Powerful Wizards fear me, and for very good reason."

"We know you've been feeding Frakes the material for his stories. Fortunately for us, he couldn't even write it up without making errors," Harry acknowledged "but that hardly makes us fear you. You were just another nuisance to be cleaned up. Not nearly on a par with Thicknesse, Barty, or even the Stowes."

"Frakes meant well, but he's kind of stupid," Rita agreed. "Still, between us, we obviously managed to keep all of the masses from adopting you as their hero. You'll never learn, Harry. Telling the truth and trying to help people will never be enough to cause them to believe you or to like you. I warned you of that at the Triwizard Tournament. You should have listened to me. Telling people an obvious truth, which they find inconvenient and would rather ignore, will cause them to hate you all the more. Did you really believe there were people who didn't want to know Voldemort was back and just had to be told in a louder, whiny little boy's voice in order to believe it? The Wizarding world enjoyed a couple of extra years of feeling secure by pretending that Voldemort was gone forever, and I helped to deliver that good feeling to them. It was a gift to my public and it hurt only me. None of my readers was in a position to stop Voldemort. So, a gift of two years of normalcy and happiness and no harm done other than to your sense of self-importance. Ergo, I was loved, you were hated. Nothing you said or did changed a thing."

"I KILLED VOLDEMORT!" Harry shouted at her.

"Yes, you did, but that would have happened anyway, maybe even sooner, if you hadn't gone around upsetting good Wizards with your talk of Voldemort returning. Fudge and Scrimgouer would both have helped you, had you managed a little humility and insight into how people think. They asked only that you give them the barest, minimum cover, so that they could remain in office and help you destroy Voldemort. If Scrimgouer was so awful, why do you think Voldemort had him murdered? I can assure you that Scrimgouer never supported Voldemort. He had been fed information and needed to be jollied along slowly and in private. He would have ended up right where you wanted him, but you were too proud and impatient to let him take his own approach. I've provided you many opportunities to learn, Harry Potter. Someday you'll grow up and take advantage of them. I'm not evil. I just tell the Wizarding world what it needs to hear, in order to make it through one day and into the next. There is so much I could teach you about how this world really operates. All I ask in return is a little clemency. I've always been just a poor Witch chasing enough stories to feed myself and ingratiating myself enough with the powerful that they don't kill me."

"We'll talk later," Harry assured her. "For now, I need some fresh air." I followed Harry out of the jail and back to his office. Ron and Hermione tagged along.

"Mrs. Parkinson and Mrs. Stowe certainly seem to share a viewpoint," Hermione commented. "No matter what I do, Witches like them are always going to hate me."

I commented, "I suspect we may have found McGonagall's particular villain who 'doesn't like our type of Witch'. When she said that, I assumed we would find an old-fogey Slytherin Wizard, not a couple of Witches."

"Odd, isn't it," Hermione agreed. "Some may fear Rita Skeeter, Umbridge, Voldemort, or even Harry, but others fear us most of all."

"You mean, what young Witch would want to be Mrs. Parkinson, when she could choose to be you or me?" I responded.

"Crudely put, but true, and I imagine something Mrs. Parkinson asked herself about Pansy over the past several months. Taken to its conclusion, Draco could well have been correct in predicting that the days of the Slytherin wife were drawing to a close. To a Mrs. Parkinson or Mrs. Stowe, that may be the most frightening thing in the world – more frightening than Voldemort ever was to them. Mrs. Stowe seems to be the Slytherin wife, without even having an Elf."

All of us were too revved up to consider sleep, so we passed on Dad's offer of beds in the auror quarters and camped out in the library, which happened to be available at this hour of night to the Deputy Minister and his party. Hermione researched Runes, while I slouched in a very old over-stuffed chair in the Muggle books section and chatted with Harry, Ron, Percy, and Wood. It was a pleasant chat, as that elusive scent of victory was back in the air. After an hour, Dad joined us and seemed more upbeat than I had seen him in months. I remarked on his mood, asking if the likely closing of the leak in the Ministry and the hope that the quantity of bad press in the Daily Prophet would at least slow a bit was really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things a Minister of Magic had to deal with.

"It's not just that, but that certainly helps. Harry has convinced me that it would be unrealistic to ever expect favorable coverage from the Daily Prophet, but a reduction in the attacks is a prospect that I savor. More important, however, is that this allows me to wholeheartedly trust the good people at the Ministry, whom I work with every day. You can't imagine how much it hurt me and sapped all the pleasure from my work, having to spend each day in guarded fashion, not being sure whether people I liked and respected, like Madam Bones, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall, even Prudence, Percy, and your group were either actively sabotaging me or not bothering to give a care about whom they told what. I trust Harry and Percy, but hearing of your meeting with Percy's breakfast buddies was disquieting, not just because of that leak, but because I could see that happening a dozen times a day, with a dozen different aides and confidantes, who, for whatever reason, didn't protect our secrets as carefully as I do. It hurt me not to tell your mother a lot of the things I kept from her, but I felt that if I expected others to keep secrets, then I must be extra vigilant myself. Knowing that it was literally Rita as a bug on the wall lifts so much weight from my shoulders. I feel better than I did when Harry dispatched Thicknesse.

"But, as I said, it's more than that. It pleases me to see how well you and Harry are getting along, how you've scaled back the dangers you face, while still doing what you need to do. I know that you impersonated Pansy, Ginevra, but Kingsley has explained all the safeguards that you took. I approve. I'm also pleased how well Harry has fit into the new role which I assigned to him, and how Amelia and Kingsley seem to be getting along a bit better.

"I feel better about all of us, just listening to how petty the opposition, like Mrs. Stowe, actually are. It's easy to fall into the trap of trying to please everyone, but as I listened to that Witch it became crystal clear that there was no way I could satisfy her and retain a smidgeon of my self-respect. I don't think the woman even understands what she wants, and to the extent that she does, I'm quite sure it is unobtainable. Listening to her was a very liberating experience. Bruce would have been a far greater disappointment to her than I have been. She's not even that old, but she's a bitter old Witch. Unhappy with her lot and not willing to make a single compromise to improve things for herself or her children.

"I'm also pleased to see how well Ron and Hermione work together and how much they respect each other. I'll be very pleased to add Hermione to the family, which reminds me that amidst the press of all the other things you're working on, it's past time for all of you to start planning your joint wedding. Your mother has been thinking about it, but I'm not sure any of you will be totally happy leaving the planning in her hands. You're a lot less pliable than Bill and Fleur were. You should know that I've also asked George if he really is interested in marrying Luna during Christmas break. He says that he definitely is. I gave him the same message, which I'm giving you now - not a lot of time left.

"I think that I'm finally starting to see myself as a successful Minister, at the same time that I'm seeing the successful conclusion of my role as father. I'll still be your father, of course, but you'll have your own families and I'll be more of a grandfather."

"Callista and I definitely want to get married with the rest of my siblings," Percy added "and we have begun to think about and plan what we want. I think we're better at planning than the rest of you, so if you're willing to sit down with us and discuss what you want, I'm sure we can reach agreement and Callista and I can work with Mom to make it happen."

"Thank you, Percy," Harry and I answered in unison. Ron was just a few seconds behind us, but he then added "I know Hermione has been doing some planning. She's very flexible, however. Since we have so many friends and relatives in common, it makes a joint wedding more doable. It's still going to be a bit bizarre."

We shared an early breakfast in the commissary, chatting with Percy's breakfast buddies, but being a bit circumspect in what we said. The papers were filled with the tales from yesterday's press briefing. Since only Ernie had most of the information, the Daily Prophet was unable to be too negative, although they led with the digs.

**McGONAGALL ORDERS CLEMENCY FOR PANSY, POTTER COMPLIES **

**POTTER FUNDS MINISTRY BY OPENING MAGICAL BOXES **

**TROVE OF EVIDENCE FOUND UNDER PARKINSON PATIO **

**RECORDING OF UMBRIDGE PLANNING KIDNAPPING **

**MRS. PARKINSON SETS UP OWN DAUGHTER **

**DOCTOR SPROUT TIED TO THICKNESSE, UMBRIDGE**

Hermione smiled and shook her head at the headlines. "When did our Pansy become like one of those Muggle starlets who are referred to in the press by just their first name. I mean, Harry isn't Harry, he's Potter. Do we have a new Witch celebrity or something? It makes me less eager to let her out of jail quickly. I'd hate to have to watch her bask in her new fame, which she earned by trying to kidnap and murder us. I think that might be worse than sharing Hogwarts with her."

The last four headlines introduced totally factual articles by Ernie, beginning with a description of 'recordings, which I heard personally' and reproductions of some of the pictures and documents from the Parkinson and the other lock boxes. Ernie walked the reader through the Ministry's case with deft skill, leaving little room for doubt. I thought that he might convince even Madam Bones that the prisoners were very guilty and should spend a lot of time in jail.i

His third article gave fairly convincing proof that Pansy was largely the unwitting pawn of her mother in the kidnap plot, totally repudiating Frakes' lead article. Harry was quoted as saying "I was originally quite skeptical that Pansy was deserving of clemency, but as the investigation continued, she seemed more and more to be a victim, herself. Her mother treated her very shabbily. It is terrible what can happen when parents try to dictate the lives of their adult children and fight to eradicate their free will, even to the point of having them Imperiused. If that's what it takes to preserve 'tradition', then I'm all for change."

Xenophilius provided very favorable and totally accurate coverage.

The press conference started tamely enough. Harry described the assault on his office by Rita Skeeter and the destruction of evidence. He said Rita had been captured by the Elves, whom he had asked to guard his office at night, with one Elf having been injured. He explained how Rita had transformed into a bug at the time of her capture, and how he had been present for her transformation back to Witch form. One of Cotto's Elves described the assault on Harry's office. Hermione did her side of beef demonstration, to show how Rita had feigned her death with the help of a corrupt auror and used her skills as an animagus to steal information from the Ministry, information which Frakes then got wrong. There were gasps from the reporters and demands to see Rita. As Shacklebolt and Harry had planned from the start, Rita was levitated into the Minister's conference room, still ensconced within her magical cage. All the reporters were duly impressed, although Frakes was cringing.

That was when things got really strange. As Ernie was asking Harry "have you gotten any useful information from questioning Rita", Harry was starting to stammer about "investigation in its early stages… happy with what we have learned…," when Rita decided to hold her own press conference. Harry and Kingsley decided to just let her talk, and it was very entertaining.

"Potter is just going to mumble meaningless trivia and platitudes at you, like how he can't give you any details until I am charged, and yet how it's super important to have finally captured dangerous little me. As if I'm the enemy. I take no political sides, other than the side of my readers, who want me to inform them, as they enjoy being informed. It is not some threat to Wizardom for the average Wizard to learn what is actually said inside this Ministry by the powerful, who run it. I've faithfully recorded what was said. Anyone will tell you that I am noted for the excellence of my notes.

"Let me tell you my story, which happens to be the real story. I am not an evil person. I am a solid, professional reporter who recognizes my duty both to inform and entertain my readers, while not confronting them with too many unpleasant truths all at once, which might cause them to feel discomforted that their most deeply held beliefs are being attacked. I admit that not everything that I've written over the years has been strictly true, but I've written more truth than falsehood and the small amount of falsehood was true in spirit and written with the best of intentions. As I was just telling Harry Potter: I've revealed the essence of Harry in greater accuracy than he is able to admit to himself. I've also uncovered my share of blockbuster breaking news.

"I think I've gleaned some important secrets that the public had the right to know, as I moved surreptitiously about the Ministry. If people at the Ministry were more open, such techniques wouldn't be necessary. Most of the distortions and falsehoods that my trusting readers have read in copies of the Daily Prophet, which have appeared since my untimely 'death', are the result of Mr. Frakes' stupidity and incompetence, not to mention his ongoing grudge against Potter. They are not the result of any intent on my part. I assure you that I delivered accurate notes to Mr. Frakes of conversations which I overheard.

"I apologize to my readers for writing certain untruths during the time of Voldemort's rise. I assure you that I had no choice. My life was threatened, and neither the Ministry nor my publisher had any interest in publishing the truth. All of the Ministers, from Fudge, to Scrimgouer, to Thicknesse paid Barnabas Cuffe to publish articles written by them under the names of Daily Prophet reporters. I never permitted my name to be used in this way. Still, I was blackmailed and threatened, with very convincing demonstrations of how easily I could be killed, into writing nasty things about Potter and Dumbledore. I tried to write in a way that a discerning reader could tell I was writing a fiction as jest. This brings me to my alleged plot to fake my own death.

"This was not a crime. I was not the subject of an arrest warrant, and the Ministry had charged me with no crimes. The simple truth is that I was disappearing to protect myself from the remaining Death Eaters, not to escape the law. I was certain that Thicknesse or Umbridge would have me killed within the day, unless I vanished. The auror who helped me owed me a favor and, having granted that favor, could not admit what he had done. He would have been pursued by both sides. I had just come from a meeting in which it became clear to a corrupt auror who was present for the meeting that I knew quite a bit about the Death Eaters and Grindelwalds, and would shortly be forced by the Ministry to reveal everything. I certainly would have cooperated with the Minister, had it not been for the corrupt aurors, who would have seen me dead. So, I did nothing the least bit illegal.

"I am charged with destruction of evidence in Deputy Minister Potter's office. I did this act, but I did it under fear of my own death. Delores Umbridge had found me and blackmailed and death-threated me. She caught me inside the Ministry the prior night. Yes, Delores Umbridge was inside the Ministry of Magic two nights ago. She used Polyjuice to appear in the form of Madam Bones, but I stayed with her long enough for the potion to wear off. I saw the true Delores Umbridge, as she intended me to."

Hearing this, Hermione whipped out her Goblin pen and touched Madam Bones's chin, as Ron and I pointed our wands at her. Madam Bones passed the test and our attention turned back to Rita.

"Umbridge said the Ministry had information that would allow them to find her and to convict her and other good people. She said that I would not permit that to happen, if I knew what was good for me. I had seen her before she discovered me. I saw her talking to Wendell Zabini. I heard him address her as 'Deputy Minister Umbridge', even though she was in the form of Madam Bones. I felt that was odd enough to merit my attention. She asked him to attack the Gringotts management for making risky loans to undeserving Wizards. She said it was most important that the loan program fail, so that the Minister and Potter looked like failures. Wendell said he would be happy to do as she asked. I then was moving to the elevator to see what I could learn in the Deputy Minister's office, when Umbridge caught me and told me that there was evidence that must be destroyed. She said there was a magical box that contained the names of all her Ministry contacts, everyone who had ever supported the Death Eaters and Grindelwalds in any way, with enough evidence to ensure their future support. The box also contained quite a lot of Muggle money, which would unfortunately have to be destroyed.

"We went to the Muggle shop and she gave me tools and told me to attack the magical box in Deputy Minister Potter's office. I did as she insisted. I'm sorry, but the box is lost. I also destroyed some pictures, documents, and a recording.

"I have more that I can tell, but I need Ministry protection. My life is in great danger. I'm really not a bad person and I'm a great reporter, it's not my fault that I had to pass my notes on to a lying idiot, because I'm supposed to be dead. Protect me. I promise you will not be disappointed. One last point – how can I be guilty of not registering as an animagus? The past four Ministers knew that I was an animagus. That includes Minister Weasley and Deputy Minister Potter. It is hardly my fault if they neglected to record that which they already knew."

As Rita stopped talking, Shacklebolt declared the press conference over and led his aurors in whisking Rita out of the room. As soon as the procession had left the conference room with Rita, Xenophilius asked, "Is he allowed to end this press conference, Minister? I have some questions."

"Of course you do, Xenophilius," Dad replied, "and Harry, Madam Bones, and I will stay here to answer them. Now, what do you want to know?"

"With some of the evidence destroyed, do you still have enough to prosecute Delores Umbridge, should you catch her?"

"We'll catch her," Dad instantly responded, "and there is plenty of evidence. There was plenty of evidence, even before we found the magical boxes and got the statements from Mrs. Parkinson and Barty. Isn't that true, Madam Bones?"

"Well, I certainly plan to prosecute her and I fully expect to gain a conviction," Madam Bones responded. "You may be a witness. You heard the recording yesterday."

"We have the other recordings, and none of the pictures was actually destroyed, just singed. I took some of the best stuff for safekeeping," Harry replied.

"My next question is for Mr. Frakes," Xenophilius continued. "Is Rita correct when she says that you're a lying idiot?"

"Shut up, you old fool. Delores Umbridge will create a victory for my side, whether you like it or not. The traditional Wizards believe what I write. Enjoy your time of triumph, it won't last long. Now, I must get back to the Prophet."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37 – Am I a Fierce Warrior or a Guidance Counselor?**

That ended the press conference and we headed back to Hogwarts. We arrived at the Gryffindor common room to find ourselves very much in demand. Jimmy Peakes urgently needed to speak to us. He would return from his last morning class in a half hour. Erin left a note expressing her 'desperation to speak to you, right away, on a matter of great personal urgency', for which I read the possibility of a Draco reunion with his wife. There was another note, left by Professor Celine, expressing a need to see us today, if we returned to Hogwarts. We were invited to her apartment after lunch. There was also a message that Draco was 'confused and need to speak to you, ASAP.' We sat down to relax, before Jimmy returned, but my butt had no sooner entered the comfy chair centered in front of the fire, when the headmaster entered the common room to leave a note, drawing up short as she saw us.

"I was going to leave a note, but since you're here, I'd like to speak with you immediately. Harry first and then Ginny, in my office, if you please. Don't worry, Mrs. Potter, I don't have a huge favor to wheedle out of your husband in a susceptible moment."

Looking at Harry, she stopped and changed course. "Alright, the two of you can come along together. Then I'll want to speak to Ron and Hermione. Two at once is definitely the most that I can handle."

As we were rising to leave, Alice and Cissy begged a word. I pointed to the headmaster in apology, mouthing 'later', but Hermione volunteered to chat with them.

Professor McGonagall didn't say a word until she was seated in her big desk chair and we had been motioned into the chairs in front of her desk. "I didn't get to say as much as I wanted, really I didn't get to say anything, when I stopped by your table. I want to thank you for agreeing to interview Pansy. I understand that you've come to the conclusion that she isn't as guilty as she originally appeared to be. I understand her mother set her up, in the guise of protecting her. That was a nasty business. Xenophilius had the full transcript of the recording in this morning's Quibbler. I'm sure you're considering releasing Pansy. Spending more time locked up with her mother as her sole companion will not be helpful at all. Her mother just can't let go and she'll destroy Pansy. She almost did."

"Pansy has already been moved to separate housing," Harry reported. "All that we have decided about Pansy is that as her victims, we will talk to the Minister and Madam Bones and say that we believe she was not as guilty as we had thought, and that we would support a greatly reduced sentence. In talking to Pansy, we suggested that she might be released in half a year," Harry replied.

"I know I seem very persistent on this subject, but I'd have thought you learned enough over the past two days to call for Pansy's immediate release. I hear she and Draco are talking. I had hoped that you would change your mind and allow her to return to Hogwarts, if Draco is willing to try getting back together with her."

"I think at the very least that Draco has some talking to do with Erin," I replied. "Having Pansy at Hogwarts would be painful to Hermione. I don't think I'd enjoy it either."

"So, where is Pansy and how long is she likely to be confined there?" McGonagall just kept pushing us.

"Can't say and don't know," Harry responded. "We haven't even spoken to the Minister, yet, and still have things to follow up from our meetings with Pansy, her mother, and the surprisingly loquacious Rita Skeeter. Apparently Delores Umbridge has visited the Ministry. Also apparently, the kidnapping plot was originally scheduled to unfold on the night you invited Lucius to dinner. Clearly, Umbridge had a part in that. I'm not sure which other Hogwarts residents did as well. We've got to head back to Gryffindor. Jimmy Peakes and some others seem desperate to speak to us. Then we're meeting Professor Celine at her apartment, after lunch."

"Very well, Mr. Potter, I understand by the Minister's rules that I may continue to call you Mr. Potter here at Hogwarts."

"That is my understanding as well, but you should realize that I associate its use with times that you are angry or exasperated by me, or are trying to manipulate me – usually to do something that is not in my, or the Minister's best interest. You should know that it is not all that productive an approach. A simple Harry will do just fine."

"Alright, Harry, I'll just leave you with the thought that as bad as her mother's company is for Pansy, being confined with only an Elf to interact with and a rotation of aloof aurors is likely worse and will cause her to be depressed and withdrawn. That is essentially solitary confinement, which should be reserved for only the worst criminals."

"I think that you vastly exaggerate Pansy's plight. She has a single young female auror, with whom she may develop some level of rapport. We're also going to arrange for Hermione's mother to look in on her and help her sort out her thoughts and emotions. Pansy is very confused, perhaps confused enough to be a danger to others or herself. Normally, I'd consider allowing Millicent Bulstrode to visit, but she's in jail and, even when she's released, which Madam Bones suggests will happen fairly soon, I no longer trust her. Any young Witch who would try to murder her Elf is either a hard core political opponent or mentally deranged.

"Of course, Draco is free to visit Pansy. I'm not all that concerned about Pansy trying to escape: I doubt she has the aptitude for avoiding a quick recapture. I feel it is important for her personal safety that she be somewhat isolated and with her location unknown. I also believe that this will help her in the necessary sorting out of her true memories from the false ones implanted in her. She needs to decide which side and which individuals she is willing to support, and whom she will oppose. Trust me when I tell you that I, and Doctor White shares my view, do not believe Pansy is ready to be released just yet. There may well be other little bombs planted in her mind and waiting to explode. She seems to have been more than simply Imperiused."

McGonagall looked at Harry a little skeptically, but took a reasonable tone. "Millicent is basically a good girl. Dumbledore left a file on her, if you'd care to read it. I will certainly encourage Mrs. Granger to visit Pansy. I've asked Professor Celine to refrain from inviting any more students to her apartment, but told her that I didn't object to her having the eighth years over on occasion. I think she behaved very unwisely with Jimmy, but he certainly mis-stepped. I would have expected more self-awareness and control from him. I'm thinking he may not have been ready to be Quidditch Captain."

"He certainly wasn't ready to be Captain, but you have to somewhat excuse his actions," I told the headmaster. "I'm sure you realize that Professor Celine is a Siren, and Jimmy was no more prepared to deal with a Siren than my brother Ron was to deal with the Veelas from Beauxbatons. You really should warn schoolboys before surprising them with such temptations."

"You may be right, Mrs. Potter. More caution might have been wise. Still, I recall Dumbledore gave no warning when he added a werewolf to the faculty. It's a fine line balancing the privacy of the staff against the susceptibility of some students. Professor Celine was brought here as much to recover her equilibrium as to add some fresh thinking to the school. She was in a quite fragile state and I doubt it would have helped her healing to introduce her as some sort of freak.

"Before you go, and I strongly approve of you chatting with Jimmy and Professor Celine, I also have some messages directly for you."

I sat forward, as the headmaster continued. "Two events have snuck up on me. First, the representatives from Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and the Irish academy will be arriving tomorrow and we will have a welcoming banquet tomorrow night. The day after tomorrow, we will have the planning meeting for the Quidditch Tournament. As the Hogwarts Quidditch Captain, you should attend that meeting. Second, we are a week from All Hallows' Day. As part of our celebration I have asked my Priestess friends to attend and discuss the old religions with the students. I was hoping that you, and the other students who met the Light Guardian, would participate and lead seminars. You wouldn't be identified as the Mother of the Future, but as an intimate of the Light Guardian."

"I'll make myself available for both of those events," I promised the headmaster. "I assume there will be a planning meeting regarding the All Hallows' Day seminar."

"Yes, that will be in the evening, the day after tomorrow, after the representatives from the other Wizarding schools have departed. The Priestesses will be here for dinner on that day."

My first words to Jimmy were "do you know what a Siren is, Jimmy?" Receiving a blank look in reply, I filled him in on the history and powers of the Sirens. I ended with "while this partially explains your loss of control and subsequent actions, it does not completely wash away your responsibility for truly reprehensible behavior. I'm sure the headmaster will tell you that.

"Now that you are better able to understand your actions, you can make sure they aren't repeated and try to undo as much of the damage as you can. I suggest a return to Quidditch to take your mind off of Professor Celine. I'd like you to play on the Hogwarts team in the upcoming tournament. There will be a tryout, of course, but I think you're good enough to make the team. Now, what did you want to talk to us about?"

"You covered most of it. I wanted you to know that I was able to remove all of the paint that I put on top of Professor Celine's self-portrait. There's a very small amount of damage, for which I am extremely sorry. I loved that painting and never wanted to damage it. Your talk of the Sirens makes sense. I guess I never was as interested in Professor Celine as I was in the Adrienne in that painting. I know I have to stay away from Professor Celine, but I'm desperate to keep improving my artistic skills. I was hoping that you and Harry could stay in her class and club and serve as a safe go-between for me. You know, let me know what Professor Celine teaches, bring me art supplies to work on in the dorm, and take my finished products back to the Professor for her criticism and suggestions."

"Good idea, but wrong targets," I told him. "Harry and I are too overcommitted to take on another tutoring situation. There are lots of young Witches in the club, who are way more age appropriate for you than Professor Celine, and whom I suspect will be quite willing to help you, as long as you're cool and don't creep them out. I really didn't understand how you could be the only single Wizard in that club of dedicated Witch artists, be the best artist of all of us, and not come out of it with a girlfriend."

"I was besotted with Adrienne. Now I've made a fool of myself, which will make me even shyer around the others. Besides that, I'm still a little shy around young Witches."

"Tell yourself you're a Quidditch star, and bravery comes naturally. And, by the way, I expect not to see you crying again. I can't have that on my team. I'll do you one perhaps favor, although I think it is assistance you're better off without. I'll go to the club this week and generally drop the word that you are in need of a tutor, or go between, or whatever you want to call it. I'll ask that the volunteers contact you directly. You'll have to handle it from there on your own."

{[amused] I don't mind attending art club again. I wasn't aware that you knew about the Sirens.}

{{Hermione looked it up in the Ministry library.}}

Harry decided that we couldn't possibly deal with Erin before finding out where Draco's head was at, so we set off for his apartment. He wasn't there, but we soon tracked him down at his mother's apartment. We had fifteen minutes before lunch, where running into Erin would be unavoidable. I let Harry take the lead with Draco, since Draco was more comfortable with Harry than with me.

"Your note said you were confused, which certainly isn't surprising under the circumstances. Have you spoken to Erin?" Harry asked. "She's next on our list of people who want to talk to us."

"I know I need to decide who I want to be with. I'm married to Pansy and we have a lot of history together, and I thought we knew each other really well. I sort of still love her, but I also sort of still hate her. I'm not as sure as I was who the real Pansy is. My father has been mixed up with Pansy in one way or another, since before I met her. I'm not sure if I can deal with that, but then I'm also not sure what I think of my father. It would help to learn more about how he died and his involvement in recent plots, especially exactly when he was no longer fully in control of his mind. He said some very hateful things to me that I really need to know whether the real Lucius meant. The problem is they're not all that different, other than degree, in things he's said before. He's never been an encouraging, understanding father. I was hoping you would help me figure this out, since I know you're also thinking about it. I know you also have at least a little suspicion that my mother was involved in his death. I don't believe she was, but I need to know for certain.

"I know that Ginny is on the Ministry education committee and that you're also interested in the Hogwarts changes. I should talk to you about that. You really don't understand Slytherin, or its place in Hogwarts, or even how the aristocrat families view Hogwarts. It's pretty much our secret. I'm no longer Slytherin, or at least I can't be until things change, so I'm willing to fill in some of the gaps in your knowledge. You've probably wondered why my father permitted Dumbledore to be headmaster for so many years. There actually is a very good reason, but now is not the time. I should be focused on Pansy and what I want to do about her.

"Then there is Erin. I don't know her that well, but I like her quite a lot and am growing closer to her, which is causing friction with my mother. Mother is not at all happy with a girlfriend who comes already pregnant. It doesn't matter that much to me. I wish I had a little more time to get to know Erin better, before I have to decide about Pansy. I'm not asking you to delay her release - I just need a little advance warning on the schedule, so I know how much time I've got. I'd also like to visit Pansy and try to better figure out what the real Pansy thinks, and how much of her recent actions and statements were voluntary and in line with what she really thinks."

"I don't know when Pansy will be released. Almost certainly not in the next two or three weeks, the doctors still have work to do with her. I think it will be at least several days until you can meet her again, but I'll let you know as soon as it's possible. So, you have some time to focus on Erin. I'm willing to share thoughts on your mother and what happened to your father, but can we save that for a later day?

"I think you should move out of your mother's apartment. Go to your own apartment or back to Hufflepuff. If your mother has that strong a view of Erin, she's not going to be a help in making your decision. If you have doubts about your mother and she is a strong Pansy supporter, staying around her doubly won't help you reach the right decision.

"We're going to art club this week, why don't you join us. The portraits that you and Pansy did of each other certainly caused some thinking. Perhaps you and Erin should paint each other. We think that Erin will probably try to corner us at lunch. It would be awkward to walk into the Great Hall with you. Can you give us a five minute head start?"

Harry's hunch was correct. Erin was waiting at the entrance to the Great Hall and snagged us as soon as we rounded the corner. "Let's get some food at the Gryffindor table and then head over to the empty Slytherin table," I suggested.

"This is awkward. I was hoping to talk to Harry, alone."

I think the tone of my reply conveyed in a friendly way that this was definitely not going to happen.

{[surprise] You're not jealous of Erin, are you?}

{{No, but I hadn't sorted out my truth teller skills prior to our other conversations with Erin. I want to get a better read on just how innocent she is and how opportunistic her interest in Draco is.}}

{[understanding] Good, have at it.}

We said hello to the early arrivals at the Gryffindor table, as we gathered plates of food. Hermione and Ron had not arrived yet, so we led Erin over to the vacant Slytherin table. She didn't speak until we were all settled in at the table.

"I'm sorry to ambush you at the door, but I'm desperate and didn't want to miss you. You were there when Draco talked to Pansy at her interview. I'm worried that Draco will want to go back to Pansy. I thought Draco and I were getting along really well, developing a solid relationship, but now I just don't know. It had seemed that he had pushed her out of his mind and was determined to get a quick divorce. Now everything seems so up in the air and I heard the headmaster commenting to Mrs. Malfoy that Pansy 'should be back at Hogwarts very soon'. Draco has been so withdrawn since he got back from seeing Pansy. I'm very worried and yet it seems selfish to be so upset about a married couple possibly getting back together again. Yet, it seems unfair that she gets a second chance, after everything that she's done."

"Well," I replied "it looks as though Pansy may well have been Imperiused when she did what she did. You're getting a second chance after being a minor player in the same plot. But you were duped by Silas, weren't you?"

"Yes, I had totally the wrong impression of him. I was sure he loved me and wanted nothing more than to be a good husband, father, and Ministry employee. When you explain it like that, I see Pansy is deserving of consideration."

"Yes, during the Voldemort wars, many Wizards did things that they normally wouldn't have done, had they not been confunded or Imperiused. Do you think you were confunded or Imperiused by Silas?"

"No, I don't remember anything like that. Isn't your mind supposed to instantly clear upon the death of the person who Imperiused you? I didn't feel any different after Silas died. I didn't even know he had died, until Harry told me."

Harry stepped in to ask, "There are other ways of controlling a mind. Perhaps Silas slipped you a love potion?"

"I don't think so. You'd know, wouldn't you?"

"It wouldn't be a very good potion if the victim was aware of being drugged. Sometimes, like when my friend Ron got too big a dose and almost died, it was obvious that someone had slipped a potion into a box of candies. I think that's the exception, though. You might know in retrospect, after the potion wore off, if your love for the person seemed to come on almost instantly, especially if you hadn't felt at all attracted to the person, prior to that time. Does that seem to describe how you fell for Silas?"

"I don't think so, well maybe. I noticed him before and thought he was handsome, then one day I just got a notion to flirt with him, I mean really obviously. Things moved very fast after that. But, I want to talk about Draco. Do you think he'll go back to Pansy?"

"Draco is confused and doesn't know what he thinks," Harry tried to be encouraging. "He certainly hasn't decided to go back to Pansy. I know it's not what you want to hear, but Draco needs time to think things over. You're going to have to be patient. There is still a lot that isn't known about the last days of Draco's father, and that is all mixed up in Draco's confusion. In terms of timing, I'd be surprised if Pansy were released within a month, and it is not at all a sure thing that she'll return to Hogwarts this term, even if she is released. I know that just waiting can be the most difficult thing to do, especially for something that's as important as this is to you. It gives you time to clarify your own thinking. Your relationship with Draco has moved very fast. Are you certain that he's the one for you? Are you sure that you love him? Can you live with the long trips he'll need to make into the Muggle world to get the family business reestablished?"

"Yes to all of that. I know that I love Draco and we get along so well together. He's so smart, and patient, and determined, and sympathetic, and loving."

"I don't remember Draco as being particularly patient," I couldn't help chiming in.

"He is. He says he's a different person without his parents trying to control him and fighting over him. He says he feels adult for the first time in his life. His mother thinks I'm the cause of the difference, but I really don't think I am. She's upset that he's gotten so religious. That's the Light Guardian, not me, but I'm perfectly happy with that. He's taught me a lot about the old Witch religions."

I interrupted my eating to comment again "You'll get to know more. We're going to have meetings on the old religions to celebrate All Hallows' Day. The headmaster has invited her Priestess friends and I'm going to lead a seminar."

"That sounds very interesting. I'm looking forward to it."

As we walked away from the table, Harry messaged me {Well, was she truthful?}

"Totally," I replied in the open, to Erin's confusion.

Our meeting with Professor Celine was pushed to after dinner, as we had to meet with Draco to dispel his curiosity about our meeting with Erin.

Hermione had a surprise for us, when we returned to our common room. "I'm working hard on translating the runes and Madam Babbling has been a help, but it's really slow going. I thought there might possibly be something that could help me in the Peverell storage room or even in the Ministry museum. The Minister agreed that this was worth exploring, but that the runes must be my top priority until we know for sure what happened to Baal. He agreed to loan me Ellie to help sort through the Peverell stuff. I didn't just volunteer her – I spoke to her, before I spoke to the Minister. She is VERY eager to do some more actual curator work and get away from the dusting and tea fetching. She said she would be happy to search her mind for anything related to old runes stored at the museum. She'll take me to view the appropriate artifacts, when she has her memories sorted out. The curator wasn't at all happy about all of this, but she is just a nasty old Witch who can do her own dusting and fetch her own tea for a while. I told her that I had the Minister's permission to borrow Ellie. So there!"


	38. Chapter 38

**CHAPTER 38 – DON'T PULL THE MASK OFF THE OLD LONE RANGER**

Dinner was a tranquil affair, except for Hermione's tantalizing suggestion that she had figured out the mystery of Cissy's disappearing boyfriend. "I'm sure that I've come up with the solution and I expect to prove it within the next two days. Cissy and I have more or less set a time and place for Alex to appear. I promised that I wouldn't hurt him, but I didn't promise not to stun him to get a closer look. That may not be necessary. I've arranged for him to appear out on the grounds in a spot from which he can't easily rush off to a hiding place and can't apparate. The solution is really quite simple, but I don't want to reveal it, just in case I'm wrong, which I'm certain I'm not. I should be working on the rune translation, but I'll keep my notes with me. Cissy, Alice, and Margaret are getting so overwrought about Alex that I feel I should end this before the situation deteriorates farther. Don't worry, Cissy and I will not be in any danger."

Although peppered with questions, Hermione refused to give any further explication, seeming to enjoy her secret, rather than fearing the embarrassment of a false hunch.

Ellie had sat next to Hermione and across the table from Harry. She found Hermione's comments about Alex totally mystifying. This required just about a total rehash of everything that all of us knew or thought we knew about Alex and his appearances. Cissy started off contributing a lot to the conversation, but became silent and embarrassed by the time Hermione finished the tale. The awkwardness was broken, when Ellie started gushing about how much she was looking forward to examining the 'Peverell treasures' and how odd it was that she was inheriting my bed in the Gryffindor seventh year girls' dorm room. By the end of dinner, Cissy was viewing her as a new friend, rather than a stranger who had just learned the more embarrassing parts of the Alex story.

Professor Celine appeared behind Harry and me, even before I had finished my dessert. Since dessert was pumpkin pie smothered in whipped cream, I didn't feel too bad making a professor wait. Besides, I was hoping Harry would wheedle more information out of Hermione. In the end, Professor Celine hastened things along by inviting Ron and Hermione to join us and suggesting that we bring the rest of the pie and a pitcher of apple cider along with us.

"You've probably heard that the headmaster slapped me down over inviting Jimmy to paint in the sitting room of my apartment. I apparently violated a prime taboo of Hogwarts. The headmaster started to say that students are simply never invited to faculty apartments, but then she realized that she had, in fact, invited me to her apartment, when I was a student. She thinks I was leading Jimmy on and allowing him to believe I had a greater interest in him than simply improving his art skills and trying to coax him to be less shy."

"I think the coaxing him to be less shy might have been what concerned her," my brother blurted out.

Hermione quickly jumped in to smooth over Ron's comment. "I don't think anyone can blame you. It's not something you do consciously and maybe not something you ever learned to control. You explained at the sweet shop about your Greek ancestry and the ability you've had over the years to either cheer people up or make them sad. You're a Siren and your emotional energy just naturally radiates to anyone in your vicinity. You were working on painting with Jimmy, and as you told us, that always makes you happy. It's only natural that Jimmy felt happier in your presence and also sensed your happiness at those times. He's young and inexperienced and misinterpreted that flow of emotion. It's nobody's fault, and I don't think Jimmy has a serious problem. He's shy and overly manipulated by his parents to do some dumb things, but he's basically a good guy."

"That's part of what I wanted to say. Having spent considerable time in very close proximity to Bruce, I can assure you, as I tried with only partial success to assure the headmaster: Jimmy is not a little Bruce. He is more like I was as a young student, a person who needs art to express himself and manage his moods. I fear cutting him out of art class and the art club, as the headmaster has suggested – no, really as she has demanded – will have a very negative impact on Jimmy. I thought he was beginning to show signs of improvement in his personality as well as his artistic expression. I deeply regret that my actions will close that avenue of expression to Jimmy. He has returned my painting, by the way. He very properly brought it to me in the Great Hall at breakfast time and apologized abundantly for the residual damage, which he hadn't been able to fix. I really had difficulty even finding any damage. He apologized for becoming a victim of a brief rage and lashing out. I accepted his apology."

"Rage can be a very bad thing," my brother told her. "I know that from experience. It is a difficult thing to overcome. You really need to develop a lot of self-confidence first, so you don't feel helpless. I killed two people in a rage. They were very bad people, but I didn't need to kill them. We have to be sure Jimmy doesn't go that way."

I explained how we planned to keep Jimmy involved with painting, and Professor Celine promised to help. She felt at least one of the girls in her class would happily work with Jimmy. She also thought that re-involving Jimmy with Quidditch would give a more socially acceptable way to work out his frustrations and aggressive feelings.

"I want you to know that I never felt unsafe around Jimmy, although I readily admit that his last painting of me was a little too creepy. Still, understanding the artistic temperament, it didn't freak me out nearly so much as it did you or the headmaster. I'm also glad that you'll be attending the art club. I think the presence of the four of you and Draco will help smooth things over.

"I intend to stay through the end of term and then we'll see what happens from there. The headmaster is agreeable to that approach. She says she is on probation, herself. I worry that I would have handled the Jimmy situation better, had I not been knocked off my equilibrium by my contact with Bruce. I have to admit that I am not as fully recovered from that as I had hoped. I should have spotted the problem with Jimmy early on, after his first portrait of me. Although, really, I think he was close to okay until he saw that hateful article in the Daily Prophet."

"He wasn't entirely okay, or he wouldn't have just stolen your self-portrait," Harry reminded her.

"Yes, although I didn't know he had done that. Anyway, it has been good talking to the four of you. Apart from Draco, and Pansy if she returns, you are the only students whom I'm allowed to meet like this. I think personal interaction can be a major element of teaching. I'm not all that chummy with the other staff. I'm actually considering commuting to Hogwarts and staying at Amelia's townhouse, rather than this apartment. I think that would help steady Amelia. You must be gentle with her – she hasn't really recovered from what the Death Eaters did to her. She is horrified of the prospect of sending an innocent person, or even a redeemable guilty person to Azkaban or even to jail. She views Azkaban as the equal of how the Death Eaters treated her and is afraid that it will once again be used as the standard prison. If you could close it down for good, I think that would help her a lot. I know she needs her work for her sanity, but I also know that she returned to work far too quickly. I know she has caused problems for you. I know that you would possibly be doing the sensible thing if you just fired her. I hope you will show an abundance of compassion and kindness and give her a little more time to adjust. I give no guarantees. I'm not totally sure that she is able to do the job right now. She is trying very hard to succeed, but her emotions get in her way.

"That sounds like I invited you hear for a special pleading on behalf of my lover. She would be aghast if she knew I said a word about her problems. That's not why I invited you. I invited you, because I'm worried about Draco. He was doing so very well and now he's so very confused. I thought he was getting over his father's death and his mother's meddling, but the re-emergence of Pansy and the evidence of your tapes has him in turmoil. I hate to see him in so much mental agony. He's torn between Pansy and Erin. That shouldn't even be a choice. Pansy is awful for him. She doesn't even like him. I think she's just grasping for something to keep her afloat and Draco is familiar."

We told her about the plan to have Draco and Erin do portraits of each other.

"I love that idea. I will be sure to schedule oil painting at the next club meeting. Erin is one of my favorite students. I will certainly tutor her when she has to leave Hogwarts. I'm so glad that you're taking action to help Draco. Anyhow, thanks for visiting, and I'll see you all at art club."

The morning papers were most entertaining. The Quibbler's main headline covered the entire front page in bold red type:

**RITA SKEETER COMES BACK FROM DEAD TO EXPLAIN HOW FRAKES ALWAYS GETS THE STORY WRONG: "HE'S STUPID, HE'S A LIAR, AND HE'S GOT A GRUDGE AGAINST POTTER"**

Rita's outburst at the press conference was reproduced verbatim. Xenophilius had apparently gotten to ask Rita a few questions, because he quoted her lament, "really, I ask you, how difficult can it be to write up a simple story, when you have notes of the quality that I am noted for, from which to work? Frakes is a moron. No wonder Barnabas let Thicknesse write articles and just had Frakes sign them. If Frakes wrote them himself, they'd read like the work of a blithering idiot."

The article also told the tale of Rita's capture as a stirring tale of Elf heroism. Hermione's side of beef demonstration was described in detail, with a picture showing the beef transfiguring into a bloody caricature of Rita, with the print of a giant boot sole appearing across her face and chest, until she was barely recognizable. This picture was presented as the centerfold, with a bold warning on the preceding page:

**The following centerfold is not meant for squeamish sissies. If that's you, don't look.**

An inner page headline asked

**TELL US YOUR FAVORITE FRAKES' LIE FROM THE DAILY PROPHET**

Under the headline, Xenophilius asked readers of the Daily Prophet to write in and tell him what they thought of all the lies that had been printed in that newspaper. He promised to publish the hundred best letters and to award a year of free Quibblers to the writers of whichever of those hundred letters his readers chose as the ten best. He promised to share whatever mail he received with Barnabas Cuffe 'so that he can try to clean up his paper, which is quickly spiraling down the drain'.

The Daily Prophet headlines were a tad different:

**BELOVED REPORTER RITA SKEETER IS ALIVE **

**DETAILS OF HER CAPTURE **

**FRAKES TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED PENDING INVESTIGATION BY PUBLISHER**

It had been a very bad day for Frakes and almost as bad for Barnabas Cuffe. Having learned quite a lot from Harry about how the aurors operated, I was sure that both men would have a shadow for at least the next couple days. They were the sort of suspect characters who could be expected to lash out at the authorities in a violent way, when their ambitions were balked.

There were some ews and ahs, raucous laughter, and even some yechs! coming from the Quibbler subscribers at ours and the other tables. One first year even lost his breakfast, leaving a big gap in the seating as the other Ravenclaws scrambled to distance themselves from the unfortunate lad.

After breakfast, we all went our separate ways. Harry, Ron and the aurors were going to investigate the pyramid and its fixed portkey. Hermione was off with Cissy, to await an appearance by Alex. Luna had been tasked by her father 'to innocently hang around the Ministry and see what you can learn about Rita and Pansy. Percy or Callista might be a good place to start.' I was off with McGonagall to plan the Quidditch Tournament and agree on a Junior Team Captain and suggested team members. The auditions for the senior team would be relatively easy, as only fourth year and up starters for one of the house teams would be considered. The candidates for the junior team were wide open.

McGonagall started with the suggestion that the junior team, should have a Captain who was at least a fourth level and that being Captain was just the thing to boost Jimmy Peakes' self-esteem and get his mind off the debacle that his 'special friendship' with Professor Celine had become.

I told her that I didn't really think their friendship was all that 'special', but rather the case of a shy guy falling under the spell of a Siren. I said Jimmy had already agreed to play for the senior team, and that I was fairly sure he would excel in the auditions. I said the junior team needed a very organized person, who could be a leader and make unselfish decisions. We didn't need a repeat of Jimmy's little brother as Keeper. She asked me if I had a person in mind and seemed mildly surprised when I told her "I really think Margaret Wright would be an excellent Captain. After her Joan of Arc stint, all the students respect her courage and determination."

We agreed on Margaret and an open audition, to be conducted over the next week. "It's most important that you find a strong seeker. The second most important thing is to find a first level who can play without pulling the team down. You'll have to have a first level playing at all times."

"The answer to both of your priorities is young Wood. I've worked him at Seeker, and he has excellent skills and is totally fearless."

McGonagall smiled at this news. There was a lot more discussion and debate, but it was fairly inconsequential. None of the others were back by lunchtime, so I ate with Margaret, sounding her out about her willingness to Captain the junior team. She accepted and was also positive about my suggestion to use young Wood as her Keeper.

By early afternoon, the foreign delegations were beginning to arrive. Viktor and Cho headed a Durmstrang contingent, which included Hans Decker and Rudy Krot, whom I had met on our visit to Durmstrang, as well as Hana Knodell, a second year, who had already gone home prior to our visit.

Beauxbatons was the second group to arrive, although their traveling party comprised only Madame Maxine and Audrey. The Irish Academy had still not arrived when Cissy burst into the Great Hall, where the delegates were chatting over butter beer and raspberry tartlets.

"Come quick! Hermione caught Alex and I don't want her to injure him. She's stunned him and he was transforming into another shape. I had to rush back here. Please save him. They're on the ground, under a tree, near Hagrid's hut."

I led the charge out the main entrance and across the lawn, beating the others as I raced toward the spot, where I could see Hermione standing over a body lying in the grass. As I drew up alongside Hermione, I immediately recognized the body as belonging to Alice.

"Alex transformed into Alice a few minutes after I stunned him," Hermione reported. "I was fairly sure that Alex was really Alice, she always seemed to be in the vicinity when Alex disappeared. I thought we might be dealing with a human version of Rita's animagus act, and suspected that Alice couldn't hold the Alex form for very long, which is why Alex had to keep vanishing mysteriously, even though that drew so much attention to him. We chatted pleasantly enough with Alex, but then he seemed to want to leave and quickly seemed in a near panic to leave. He had no easy means of escape, and finally took off running back toward the castle. That's when I stunned him. I think my Mom needs to have a chat with Alice."

"I think I need to have a chat with Alice," Professor McGonagall corrected her. "I also need to have a chat with you. The special privileges that I extended to the eighth years did not include permission to 'petrificus' the younger students. This must have been a terribly frightening experience for poor Alice. I know you wanted to solve this mystery, but I just don't understand how you could have considered stunning her to be acceptable behavior. Please release her instantly, and I'll take her to Madam Pomphrey."

Hermione, who had been quite proud of solving the mystery, now had a guilty, sheepish expression on her face and Cissy was staring at her accusingly. Hermione seemed to shake her head to clear it and then walked back to the castle, as Professor McGonagall was helping Alice to her feet. I followed Hermione all the way back to the Gryffindor common room, neither of us saying a word as I trailed two steps behind her.

As we entered the Gryffindor common room, I pulled up alongside Hermione.

"I really messed things up," she said in a very quiet voice. I guided her to one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace, sitting down in the chair next to her. "I thought it important to stop the Alex disruptions," she continued "and I saw the solution standing right in front of me, then he was leaving, before he transformed back. I just panicked, well not really panicked, because I always considered that I might have to stun Alex, but I wasn't thinking clearly enough to realize that I could keep him in sight all the way back to the castle. I even think I could have stayed fairly close to him, although I don't know what I could have done to prevent him hiding in the castle. I suppose I could have tackled him on the lawn, if I caught up to him. I sensed he was only minutes from changing back. I like Alice and really hope I didn't badly frighten her. I don't know what she thinks when she changes back. It would be awful if she just popped back into her own body, with no memory of being Alex and then found herself paralyzed on the ground and not knowing why I had attacked her and whether I would do worse. After my experience being petrified and hooked up to the generator, I can't believe I put someone else in that position, even for a few minutes. I was planning on releasing her as soon as she had finished transforming. I was afraid what might happen if I released the spell while she was in the in-between state. Please tell me that I'm not an awful person."

"You're not an awful person. Really. You may have gotten a little carried away and you may have given Alice about five bad minutes, which she may or may not remember, but I think you did what had to be done. You couldn't know, we still don't know, whether Alex was a fantasy created by Alice or someone was controlling Alice, like Tom Riddle controlled me. You may have saved their lives. Alex could be very dangerous."

"No, he couldn't. I was almost certain that Alex was Alice and Alice isn't dangerous, except possibly to herself. I honestly don't know whether I was trying to do the right thing to help everyone identify and address Alice's problem, or I was more interested in proving I had solved the mystery. I know Alice was causing a lot of petty turmoil and getting Cissy's hopes up about her new boyfriend, but was she really hurting anyone? I should have talked about my plan with the rest of you, especially Neville, and perhaps even McGonagall. I guess I was afraid that I would look foolish, if I were proven wrong. I think I was selfish."

Neville entered the common room and made a bee line for the two of us. He obviously had heard about the morning's excitement. He was bringing either news or an admonition to Hermione. I was hoping for news, especially the good kind. To Hermione, I quickly blurted, speaking as fast as I thought would be intelligible "Neville's coming, pull yourself together - you don't have to be a saint. I'm not sure you did anything wrong and if you did it was necessary."

"That seems to be the question of the day, doesn't it?" Neville asked, obviously having overheard the last of my remarks. "I'm not sure, myself, whether what Hermione did was a little cruel or very necessary. It was probably both. Cissy is very upset, but I'm not sure she's angry at Hermione or shocked and hollowed out to find her boyfriend is a first level Witch. Alice is very definitely upset. She was scared to 'wake up' lying on the ground and unable to move. Apparently she had no memory of meeting you and Cissy as Alex. She claims no knowledge of actually being Alex, although she admits to having been very worried about what she described as 'brief blackouts'.

"I know the feeling well," I told Neville. "That's exactly what it felt like when Tom Riddle took over my body. I know that must have been extremely frightening for poor Alice, and like me she was an overwhelmed first year, too afraid to mention the blackouts to anyone. I finally figured out for myself that the Riddle diary was connected to my blackout problem. Like Alice, I should have sought help. Looked at from that angle, I can definitely tell Hermione that she did Alice a big favor. I would have been far better off had someone been able to 'petrificus' me and find out that Tom Riddle had taken me over. The most important thing now is to find out who took over Alice, how he did it, and for what reason. This could still be repeated, and it might not end until Alice is dead, which is almost how my story ended."

"Yes, I'm leaning toward 'necessary act' myself, although I'm here on two missions. The first is to tell Hermione that the headmaster wants a chat – her office in ten minutes. I also want to give the Gryffindors a non-hysterical heads-up on what happened. I know Alex scared a lot of the younger Gryffindors and that the very obvious upsettedness of Cissy and Alice will cause a major stir. I thought a quick house meeting would be in order. I'll roust the boys out of their dorm, while Ginny gathers up the girls. I know we'll miss a lot, but I'll hang out in the common room as much as possible today."

We managed to gather half a dozen boys and almost a dozen girls together in the common room. As Neville began a very calm and reassuring explanation of what had happened, Hermione slunk out of the room, still wearing a very guilty look. Getting called to the headmaster's office, following suspected wrongdoing, must have been a new experience for her.

The Gryffindors reacted better than I expected they would to Neville's recounting of the unmasking of Alice/Alex. There were a lot of 'poor Alice' comments. I heard one 'poor Cissy' and looked up to identify the empathetic soul. It was Margaret and she appeared close to tears. I motioned to a third level boy to change seats with me, so I could sit next to Margaret on the sofa and place what I hoped would be a comforting arm around her shoulders. She leaned into me and sobbed softly. Many of the students seemed quite relieved that Alex had been caught and would not be making any more of his frightening appearances. One first level girl commented, "now you all have to admit that we were telling the truth about seeing him. I'm very sorry for Alice and Cissy, but I'm glad people will stop looking at me as if I'm a little unbalanced for claiming to see what I obviously did see."

Having heard the news and giving rather terse responses, which tended not to extend beyond 'Wizard!' or 'knew there was something freaky about that little Witch', the boys quickly dispersed, leaving the girls to continue chatting with us. Girls promised to stay with Alice and Cissy, and watch over them, and fight any students from the other houses who might find it appropriate to tease them, and to just generally 'be the best friend I can possibly be to them'.

I thanked the girls for their consideration, but reminded them that "Hermione is also going to need your support. She did what she felt was necessary to keep all of you safe and to protect Alice and Cissy from a possibly sinister outside influence that had seized control of Alice. This didn't turn out as well as she intended, but Hermione meant well. You all know what a good person she is."

This was met with a few moments of silence and perhaps a little skepticism, but one by one almost all of the girls pledged that they would also try to help and stick up for Hermione. I convinced them that perhaps the most important thing they could do would be to help Alice, Cissy, and Hermione to all be friends again. Still, I was very gratified when the girls had on their pleasant faces as Hermione walked through the portal a minute later. The girls greeted Hermione amicably, but seemed quite willing to quickly drift away when I indicated that Neville and I wished to speak to Hermione in private.

"So, did McGonagall haul out the school cane?" I asked Hermione.

"No, she was quite angry at first, insisting that I should have discussed my plans with her before doing something so rash with two of the younger students. I apologized and explained my thinking. In the end, I think she agreed that we were all better off having the Alice/Alex situation out in the open, so that she can try to help Alice. I told her that Cissy might need more comforting than Alice, and she regretted that this might well be the case. She directed me to come back here and tell you that she would continue the Quidditch meeting, and that you should wait here with me to talk to Cissy. She said she was going to have a few words with Cissy and then send her right over to us. She wants Neville to be in on the meeting. She said she'd like to have Harry as well, but can't summon him from the pyramid. Then she sent a Patronus to summon Harry, so he may be along shortly."

"Do we really want to meet Cissy here?" I asked Hermione. "There are upset students up in the dorms and I don't want them to witness a big scene with Cissy. Especially since all the girls pledged to both support Alice and Cissy and to remain friends with you. A public brawl wouldn't help that goal."

I was going to suggest meeting in Harry's office or our apartment, when Cissy came through the portal. "Everyone please follow me" I said, leading them up to our apartment. "I'm sorry, but we only have two chairs, so we'll have to sit on the floor." Cissy seemed a little reluctant to comply, but followed us back out of Gryffindor. I saw Margaret coming down the stairs and asked her to send Harry along to our apartment when he showed up. Cissy started to speak as we were ducking out of the portal, but I shushed her, saying "prying ears, let's not talk until we're safely inside the apartment."

As we entered the apartment, I saw that two more chairs had magically appeared and we would not have to sit on the floor. The second my door snicked shut, Cissy bubbled over "I've been good, but it's been really difficult not saying anything. I know you were afraid I would start a fight with Hermione in front of the young students, but I'm not interested in fighting her. I'm not even angry. I'm sad and confused and I need to talk things out. I know Hermione was trying to be helpful and protect me from a boy who was something very different than he claimed to be. She was right, but that doesn't make me stop loving him or make him dangerous to me. I can't know what to do until I can understand what Alex is. I know he's Alice, I saw him change back into Alice, but he has to be more than that. I know Alice well and there's a huge difference between Alice and Alex. I don't know what to think. I'll never see Alex again." At this point Cissy started sobbing. Throwing her arms around me, she sobbed into, well more my left breast than my shoulder. It felt a bit awkward, especially since Cissy had arrested our movement toward the chairs and the four of us were clustered inside the door, with the sobbing Cissy in the center. Hermione was rubbing her back, while Neville was standing uncomfortably with his arms crossed in front of his chest. As I looked at him, he took a step backward to lean against the wall. Nobody was speaking and Cissy's soft sobs seemed very loud in the quiet stone room.

It took several more minutes before Cissy was calmed enough for me to steer her to a seat. Thinking it best not to put her right next to Hermione, I placed her between Neville and me, motioning Hermione to the far end of the semi-circle. Hermione was very ill at ease, but ventured "it is possible that you will see Alex again. There is no reason to assume he will stop appearing just because his identity is known, although I doubt he will choose to appear when I'm anywhere nearby."

"I really hope you're right," Cissy replied with a sniffle "there are so many questions that I want to ask him, now that I know he's really Alice. This is especially awful for me, because my father always accused me of only liking girls and now I fall in love with a mysterious boy, who turns out to be a girl. What does that say about me? I know I'll miss Alex, but the big reason I must see him again is that Alice can't tell me anything that happened when she was Alex. She says she began to realize that she was losing bits of time and that the missed time was getting longer. She knew she had a problem, but was afraid to mention it to either Margaret or me. The three of us are best friends in the dorm, although I really feel closest to Harry and the three of you. I wish Harry were here."

"Professor McGonagall sent for him," I assured her, "and I left a message with Margaret to send him here as soon as he arrived at the common room."

"That's good. If you don't mind, I think it would help to have Margaret here."

I walked to the door of the apartment, opened it and sent my Patronus rushing down the steep stairs. When I returned to my seat, Neville had his hand on Cissy's arm and was talking to her in a low, reassuring voice, of which I was getting the bass notes and soothing cadence, but not any of the words. They both looked up at me as I sat down, with Neville speaking for them "Cissy was essentially thrown out of the infirmary, because the headmaster felt she and Alice were upsetting each other. They need to talk and compare memories. We have to get them together as soon as possible. They are best friends and they can work through this together. Alice is desperate not to be sent to St. Mungo's, and Cissy thinks the headmaster plans to send her there. I'm off to speak to the headmaster. If I see your husband, I'll tell him he's needed here. Good luck."

Good luck, indeed. I lacked Neville's experience at comforting the younger students and felt ill-prepared to take his place. I opened my mind and let out a cry of help to Harry. I was surprised to get a reply: {[worried] I'm on my way, I'll be there in five minutes.}

Cissy turned to me, demanding a detailed recounting of what it felt like to be the person possessed by the disembodied spirit of Tom Riddle. I was on sounder footing here, and unembarrassedly recounted every detail that I could remember of my ordeal, from the puzzlement at the blackouts, to the dawning realization that I must have committed the mischief in the castle, to my pleasant bewilderment, upon awaking from near death to find Harry with me.

"That's what I fear most," Cissy cut in as I reached the ending. "Without Harry, you would be gone and Voldemort would be walking about in your body. It worked out for you. You were saved. But who will rescue Alice? I want to see Alex again. I still want to be with Alex forever, but I can't let him steal my friend's body. I'm not sure I'm strong enough to protect Alice. Harry wasn't in love with Tom Riddle."

Harry arrived with news, saying, "I'm sorry to be late, but I got a very significant call from the Ministry. Spencer collapsed at his Muggle school and appeared to be having some kind of fit at the same time that Hermione petrified his sister. He was unconscious for roughly as long as Alice was petrified and then suddenly awoke in the school infirmary in something of a rage. He was rushed to hospital and sedated. The Ministry moved quickly and arranged for the Muggles to transfer him to a specialist hospital, at his parents' urging. He has just arrived at St. Mungo's and Doctor White is examining him. The Ministry is hastening about the task of confunding the Muggles who saw objects flying around the school infirmary, without being touched, while Henry Spencer was having his rage."

"Wow!" Hermione exclaimed. "He is in contact with his sister at all this distance. I wouldn't have believed that was possible."

"It's definitely something new," Harry admitted. "It may be related to all of the magical circles being retuned, or even to our unintentional restarting of the circle and transporter inside the Hogwarts pyramid. Anyhow, quite a few Wizards are feeling more magical than they have ever felt. Your father is scared and a little angry. He called Professor McGonagall down to the Ministry to explain how her department could have missed a child with obvious magical talent, when that child seems to have stronger magic than Voldemort. We'll have to keep an eye on Cissy and Alice – both may be in great danger. By the way," Harry addressed this directly to me. "Professor McGonagall told me that I should relieve you. Since she's at the Ministry, you have to entertain and negotiate with her guests. I guess we'll all see you at the banquet."

I got up to leave, giving Harry a hug and a kiss. Cissy called after me "please make sure that Margaret is on her way." As I descended the stairs, I sent my Patronus racing ahead of me. I had no choice but to wait in the corridor for Margaret. My Patronus would lead her back to me.

While I waited for Margaret, I messaged Harry. {{I assume I am not to show our guests either the inside or outside paths around the pyramid.}}

{I think that wise. No problem with Viktor seeing it, but I especially don't want our Irish friends to learn those secrets just yet.}

{{That's what I thought. I find Henry's skills very frightening. His link with his sister is stronger than our link, and we've exceeded anything previously recorded.}}

{[worried] Yes this could be trouble. Also, we should be careful that our skill remains relatively secret. If Henry turns out badly, it could become a most unpopular skill to possess. The Wizard community could turn on us.}

{{I hadn't even thought of that problem. Do you really think that possible?}}

{A small chance, but best to choose an abundance of caution. We lose nothing by keeping the secret, secret. By the way, the password for McGonagall's office has been changed to 'Hermione's error'. I guess that tells us a little something about the headmaster's state of mind.}

Seeing Margaret approaching, I broke my link with Harry and quickly brought her up to date. She said the Gryffindor common room was calm. I let her through the wall and we went our separate ways.

I was brought up sharply upon ascending the stairs to McGonagall's office, when the first face and outstretched hand to meet me were those of Erasmus. Realizing that we had left our tent in his yard, promising to return long before now, I felt myself blushing as I commented "I'm really sorry that we've left our tent in your backyard. We do plan to return, but things have been insanely busy since we left your house."

I felt myself growing redder as Erasmus replied with a sly grin, "I don't mind the tent, none of the neighbors can see into my backyard. I'm glad it's just the press of business that kept you away. Kingsley suggested that you and your husband think I might be a secret Death Eater. I admit it's odd that Barty was living just down the road from me, but he had a lot of charms to keep us from seeing him and when he left his house, he was on the juice."

"How nice of Kingsley to share my husband's concerns with you," was the best reply I could come up with. "Please don't be offended - Harry has learned to suspect everyone when there are loose Death Eaters running amok. We also suspected Kingsley."

"Yes, Kingsley told me that, as well. We both got had a good laugh, then we got good and drunk. No harm done. It doesn't pay to be too trusting in times like these. Still, if it's any reassurance to Harry, you can just remind him how many Wizards walked by Grimmauld Place, without ever knowing it was there. The same charms protected Barty. I didn't have your super-secret spyglass, did I?"

"No you didn't," I admitted. "Kingsley did convince us that you're really on our side, and we really did stay away because of problems back here. As you know, I'm to fill in for the headmaster, because of just such a problem. Welcome to Hogwarts, by the way. How far did the headmaster get in the negotiations?"

The negotiations had basically ended before McGonagall was called away, so I was needed largely as a tour guide and as the Hogwarts student face to be introduced to the other schools' captains. I had already met everyone, except for the Irish delegation, who had arrived while I was with Cissy. I took our guests to lunch and gave them the grand tour of all the non-prohibited areas. I had to use the ruse of finding Hagrid to give us a tour of the forbidden forest, in order to launch my Patronus to warn the aurors not to be obviously hanging around outside Snape's office. I spent more time chatting with the other captains than with the headmasters, who seemed happier chatting amongst themselves. I knew Audrey from Beauxbatons and Rudy from Durmstrang, so I was really just renewing my acquaintance with each of them. The Irish Captain, Sean Murphy, was new to me. He was also different from the others, in that he was not a student, but a member of one of the Irish Quidditch clubs.

Since the Irish school did not enroll students in the upper levels, we had negotiated an agreement that allowed any Irish Quidditch Club member under age twenty five to play, as long as they only had one over-twenty player at a time. Sean was a huge beater, who might have had a little giant in his ancestry. He had to be at least six-foot-seven-inches and close to three hundred pounds. I was thinking that we'd have to play Hagrid to have a chance of controlling him. I couldn't help thinking that, with Sean sitting there right in front of her, McGonagall had done a lousy job of negotiating in my absence. I certainly would not have allowed this over-aged monster to play against us.

I had hoped to join Harry for dinner, but McGonagall had other ideas. This was a feast for our guests, and anyone who might make our senior Quidditch team was to meet them. Thus, all of the starting Quidditch players for all three houses joined our guests for dinner at the enlarged Slytherin table. It was heaped high with a wide variety of fragrant foods, from roast wild boar, presumably in honor of Durmstrang, to fish, curries, roast turkey, and spicy crab cakes, which I heartily recommended to one and all. There were flasks of Witch sherry in honor of our guests and just about every vegetable, with the exception of mashed turnips, that I could think of.

McGonagall was at the head table with Erasmus, Madame Maxine, and Viktor. McGonagall had also helpfully arranged the seating assignments at the Quidditch table, placing me between Sean and Rudy Krot, with Audrey sitting directly across from me. Since Sean was at the end of the table, unfortunately he had only me and Jimmy Peakes, who was seated directly across from him, to talk to over dinner. Jimmy was in one of his quiet moods. To be polite, I'd have to spend most of dinner chatting with Sean, who appeared to be dense as a log. I'd have much rather been sitting back at the Gryffindor table, where the quality and quantity of food had everyone in a jubilant mood. As I looked that way, I felt I was missing a lot by being where I was.

The thought of dinner with Sean dampened my enthusiasm for the crab cakes, although I still managed to eat three of them. My discomfiture did not take the form I had expected. Sean was extremely bright, well-spoken, and knowledgeable about Muggle society. By the end of dinner, I was the one feeling dense as a log, as Sean unsuccessfully tried conversational gambits ranging from the poetry of Yeats and Byron, to the plays of Shakespeare and Arthur Miller, to the novels of James Joyce and Hemingway. I had to confess to knowledge of none of these gentlemen, and after soaking up interesting literary tidbits from Sean through most of dinner, had to beg for a shift of the conversation to Quidditch over dessert. At least here, I could soar rhetorically as I described my career as a Seeker, leaving Sean to talk about Chasers he had bashed and opposing Beaters who would not fly again this season. This allowed me to thoroughly enjoy my crème brulee.

As I finished my dessert, Sean ended our conversation with the totally unnecessary news that he was studying modern literature at the University of Ulster, with a minor in museum curation. He said Erasmus taught that a strong knowledge of the Muggle society was a very good thing. I was smiling in response and getting up to leave, when Sean dismissed me by saying "I hope I didn't bore you over dinner. I just expected, as the wife of the Deputy Minister, that you would be more, um, literate."

Thanks a lot, Sean.

Professor McGonagall came down from the head table to mingle with us and, after greeting Madame Maxime and Viktor again, I nodded to Professor McGonagall to excuse myself "to see what Harry has learned about Henry."

As I hurried over to the Gryffindor table, I quickly found Ron, but there was no sign of Harry.

"He's in the infirmary," Ron informed me. "Doctor White has moved Henry there. Harry thinks that reuniting him with his sister will calm him down and likely also help Alice. Hermione, Cissy, and Margaret are in the infirmary with Harry. There are a whole bunch of aurors with them, which is why we've got these two new aurors down here with us. I guess the Ministry is afraid that some of our guests may cause trouble."

Much as I wished to hurry up to the infirmary, I knew I had to return to our guests. I took the time for a brief contact with Harry, during a trip to the girls' bathroom.

{{What's happening? I hear both Alice and Henry are with you in the infirmary.}}

{[amused] I expected to hear from or see you much sooner. Henry is fully recovered from the drugs the Muggles gave him and seems calm enough, now that he is with Alice. They've been seated on a cot, hugging each other for the past ten minutes. Actually, I think they're whispering back and forth.}

{{I'm still stuck with the Quidditch delegations, or I'd be up there. I don't think I'll see you until bed time. Wait a minute; if Alice and her brother are whispering to each other, then they don't have our kind of whisper talk.}}

{I think you're right. Alice doesn't seem able to receive her brother's thoughts, unless he takes her over. The brother seems a little confused by the whole situation. He denies intentionally taking over Alice. Cissy and Hermione say he's telling the truth. I'll see you later.}

The Quidditch meeting was a bit tedious, dealing in rules minutia, such as those governing substitutions and player injuries as well as special field rules for both the junior and senior teams. McGonagall and the others had already decided in my absence that the tournament would take place on Saturday and Sunday, two weeks hence. They had also decided that each team would play two games, the pairings for the first game to be chosen by drawing lots. The winners would play the winners and the losers would play the losers. To win the tournament, you had to win both your games. Qualified players and age limits on the field at any time were also decided. I was left to wade through trivia that was unlikely to affect the results of any games.

Thinking McGonagall had given away too much by playing the good host, I soldiered on from the position she had placed me in. For reasons of safety, the snitch would be limited in altitude for the junior team matches and all players at both levels must always remain within the limits of the field and a height of three hundred feet. Patrols would be established to prevent magic from the spectators from influencing the players and to arrest the fall of any player separated from his or her broom. There was a longer list of fouls than I was used to, including any attempt by a Seeker to interfere with the opposing team's chasers. Beaters were also not permitted to attack the opposing Seeker. I could see this as possibly necessary for the junior team, but some of these safeguards seemed very out of place for a senior team, not that I didn't feel a little better knowing Sean couldn't launch his three hundred pounds of beef at me from my blind side.

On entering our apartment at the end of this long day, I was initially surprised to find that Harry had still not returned, and then surprised again as I decided to sit and read by the fire and noticed that the extra two chairs had vanished as mysteriously as they had appeared. I must have been lulled to sleep by the heat of the fire, because the next thing I knew, Harry was shaking me away and I could tell by the light streaming through the windows that it was morning and fairly far into the morning. I had missed breakfast and my neck was stiff and hurting me, my head having apparently flopped to the side as I slept. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?" I accused Harry.

"Just returned from the infirmary," he answered in a pleasant tone, kissing me on the tip of my nose. "Neither of the Spencer twins was in the mood for sleep and they chattered away with each other and us all night. When Alice says she and Henry were close, that is a great understatement. They apparently were never apart. They played together, ate together, were bathed together, slept together in the same double bed in their own room, learned to read together, sat at adjacent desks at the Muggle school each of the five years they attended. Their mother dressed them identically, so that the Muggle school teachers thought Alice was a lad. They apparently finished each other's sentences, had the same favorite books, colors, songs, and plants in the family garden. They happily shared a cocker spaniel, who was unable to tell them apart. Most of the time their parents couldn't distinguish them either. After all this identical togetherness, it was a tremendous shock and blow to Alice when Henry wasn't chosen for Hogwarts. She had done noticeable magic and Henry hadn't, but she had put this down to Henry's superior self-restraint. I assure you that I spent a most unusual night," Harry concluded.

"Doctor White seems truly bewildered. The Ministry has determined that Henry will start Hogwarts immediately and bunk in Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall brought back that decision from the Ministry, although I don't think she is entirely pleased. She is also totally mystified about how Henry's magical powers were overlooked, given that he grew up in a magical household, with parents who desperately wanted him to attend Hogwarts. It's quite possible that Henry saw his parents punish Alice for using magic, a possibly tragic action which they regret, and decided to hide his own skills. It's also possible that all the outages and surges of the magical force triggered his latent talent. Both of the twins are still a little frightened, as much as anything about being regarded as freaks. Alice does not appear to be angry at Hermione, which has to be considered an unexpected plus."


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39 - Bonfires**

Since today was supposed to be planning day for the All Hallows' Day seminar and festivities, I quickly tidied myself up, kissed Harry goodbye and raced off in search of food and McGonagall. I tried the Great Hall first and lucked out. McGonagall, her two Witch Priestess buddies, Professor Trelawney, Cissy, Luna, Margaret, Hermione, and Draco were all seated at the Gryffindor table. Coffee, tea, and pastries covered the center of the table in abundance. I took a place next to Luna, which was as far away from McGonagall as etiquette permitted. I fortified myself with strong black coffee and a buttered and jammed scone and tried to catch up with the conversation. Professor McGonagall was discussing an outdoor celebration around a bonfire beside the lake and next to the tombs of headmasters Dumbledore and Snape. I was just starting to catch the flow of what she was saying, when she paused to comment "how nice of you to finally join us, Mrs. Potter. You look awful by the way. Did I make a mistake in putting sherry on the tables for last night's banquet?"

All eyes turned my way and most of my tablemates nodded or said hello, in a pleasant manner, which seemed to mildly annoy McGonagall, who was apparently expecting me to suffer a universal rebuke. I considered offering a defense, but simply responded "thanks, I fell asleep reading in my chair waiting for Harry to return from the infirmary and really kinked my neck," which had the effect of irritating McGonagall more than just about anything I could have said. I smiled sweetly, returned to my scone, and waited for McGonagall to continue.

It had been tactically unwise of McGonagall to interrupt the flow of her planning to vent on me, as Hermione leaped into the break to challenge the whole idea of a bonfire. "In speaking to the Light Guardian, I got the distinct impression that dancing around and leaping over bonfires is not at all what it expects of us. We are to respect and assist all magical and intelligent creatures and teach them that they are not to kill or even harm each other. Dancing nude around a bonfire and leaping over it is not something which I intend to do. I might singe my privates."

McGonagall's scorn was redirected from me to Hermione, which I gathered was the plan, seeing Hermione turn her head to wink at me. "I'm sure, Miss Granger, that I never suggested that you or anyone else was expected to dance or leap about without benefit of your clothes. Even in the old days, I believe such events were reserved for the warmer nights of summer. I don't think there has been clothes-less bonfire dancing for over a century."

"Actually, I danced and leapt the bonfire au natural, as it were, at winter solstice festivities when I was home from Hogwarts at term break," Professor Trelawney interjected. "I well remember how…"

"Yes, I'm sure you do," McGonagall cast her a withering gaze, which served to silence her, but not the ancient religion Priestess who chimed in "Professor Trelawney is quite correct, Minerva, observant Witches still dance the bonfire, even in winter, and often without clothes. Why, just this past…"

"I'm almost sorry I raised the topic of a bonfire," McGonagall cut across her. "I was thinking of something a bit less pagan and perhaps a bit more along the line of good fun and school spirit."

"What does school spirit have to do with the Light Guardian?" the Light Guardian Witch Priestess protested. "And what exactly is wrong with pagan? I thought the whole purpose of the event was to learn about and celebrate the religious beliefs of our ancestors."

"Well, that's true," McGonagall replied, unsure of her verbal footing, "but we must tread lightly. A third of our students are Church of England. Others are Jews, Jains, and Hindus. I'm not sure we have any true Witch adherents of the old religions among the student body. The purpose of the event is to gently introduce them to these old traditions. Why, the parents…"

"I'm a Witch and a true believer in the Light Guardian," Luna was so bold as to interrupt the headmaster "and I intend to be a Light Guardian Priestess. My parent has no objection whatsoever to my plans. In fact, he rather approves."

"That's very good," McGonagall answered her, with a strained look on her face, "but, Xenophilius is hardly the typical Hogwarts parents. Many view him…."

"As quite the best journalist of his generation and a very trusted source of opinion and the truth," Luna saved McGonagall from sticking her foot in her mouth.

"I'm determined to spend at least part of my time as a Light Guardian Priest," Draco announced to the amazement of all of us. "My mother also approves, and I think she is a fairly typical Hogwarts parent. I think that you greatly overestimate our community's devotion to the Muggle religions."

"Does anyone support my idea of a bonfire?" an exasperated McGonagall asked the table at large.

"I do," Cissy replied, "but only if we dance the old-fashioned way, instead of trying to turn it into a Muggle-style pep rally. We are all gifted Witches. I don't think we need to fear singing our privates."

"Perhaps, if Mrs. Potter is finished devouring scones, we should move on to the topic of the lectures and symposia roundtable discussions and come back to the bonfire a bit later," Professor McGonagall for some reason glared at me, although I certainly had not derailed her plans. Attention was diverted from me again by Hermione, who was proving a true friend in my time of need.

"I think we're close to resolving the bonfire question, if we stick with it just a bit longer," Hermione insisted. "I'm willing to remove my objection to dancing about the bonfire. If the others are game, I'm willing to dance in the altogether, although I'll leave the leaping to the more athletically inclined."

"You choose to forget," McGonagall addressed her icily, "that given my recent problems in the press and the Minister's need to come to my defense, that the last thing that Hogwarts or I need is any intimation that I have permitted, much less encouraged, young Witches to cavort around the bonfire in the altogether, as you so nicely phrased it." Hermione seemed taken aback, but Draco leapt into the silence.

"Not a problem, I'd be willing to leap the bonfire. I think I can persuade Harry to join me. He's usually up for a little horsing around. We can maintain the actual tradition and leave the young Witches entirely out of it."

"Mr. Malfoy, I can see that I was entirely correct in my misgivings about last night's sherry. Since I see that Mrs. Potter has finished her breakfast, perhaps we should take a break and reconvene after lunch."

Luna failed to suppress a giggle, which led to McGonagall stalking away and dragging Trelawney with her.

The old Witches remained seated and Mafalda suggested, "Perhaps it's best if we continue the discussion without Minerva. She seems out of sorts today. I understand Hermione is the chair of the appropriate committee, anyway. I was thinking we should invite the other magical species to join us at the bonfire. The Centaurs simply delight in jumping the fire and some of the Unicorns are likely to partake, as well."

"Then, we're definitely doing the bonfire," Luna concluded.

"Yes, I think so, dear," Mafalda replied. "The fire is very symbolic, and has a key place in the old religions. It throws its light into the darkness, revealing what we otherwise cannot see. It pushes back the curtain of fear that nighttime in the wooded outdoors so often caused our ancestors. For that reason, I'd prefer the bonfire be in a clearing of the Forbidden Forest, or at least just outside the forest, rather than at the front entrance to the castle, as your headmaster suggested. The bonfire is a wondrous thing, when viewed at night, with your nerves all on edge. Its flickering light puts the whole world in motion, allowing us to shed our fixed images of ourselves, our friends, and our surroundings. The young Witch jumping the fire, with the light leaping on and off her face, becomes a wild thing, fully integrated with nature.

"We bare ourselves before the Gods, our fellow Witches and Wizards, and the other magical creatures. Enough of the properly herbed wine and the participants feel one with nature and all sentient and magical beings. I wonder if we could entice a small cetacean to temporarily enter the lake. I have the talent of amplifying whale song. It just perfectly sets the mood around the fire. Young Draco here will be like a God himself as he leaps the flames. Young Potter won't be at all bad, either. You haven't fully experienced the Centaurs, until you've seen them cavorting about the fire. They risk a lot more singeing than Hermione, but on their honor would never back down from the challenge. I remember once, many years ago, a Centaur quite set himself afire and had to leap into the lake. We had that fire right here at Hogwarts, right beside the lake, with a juvenile whale singing to us. That was before Minerva's time, or even Dumbledore's for that matter. It was a glorious night – winter solstice, not All Hallows'. I'm sorry some traditions have been allowed to drift away. I daresay the population of magical creatures might not have dwindled as severely as it has, if we had kept to the old ways."

Within an hour, we had a detailed plan for the bonfire to present to McGonagall, and of course Harry. And the Centaurs and Unicorns. Hermione had taken detailed notes as we wrapped up the planning. She stuck them into her robes to give to McGonagall at lunch. That gave us a free hour. Mafalda and the other ancient Witch felt the need for 'a lie-down', and I let them into Harry's office, as the rest of us scurried off to the infirmary to check on the Spencer twins.

Harry, Hermione's Mom, Doctor White, Madam Pomphrey and Harry's aurors were with the twins. As we entered the infirmary, I asked if we could visit with the twins. "They might enjoy some different faces for a short visit," Harry answered me. "Their parents are arriving this evening. We don't know if they'll want to take them home, or not, but we will all advise against it."

"Hello, Alice," I said, inching closer to where she and her brother were sitting side by side in visitors' chairs. "I'm sorry that you got such a nasty start yesterday, recovering from your blackout to find yourself unable to move. That must have been very frightening."

"Yes, it was. I didn't know what to think, but I saw Cissy and then Hermione, so I didn't think it could be too bad, especially when Hermione sent Cissy to run and get help. I didn't realize then that Hermione had used the 'petrificus' curse on me, or rather on Alex. I was a little angry at her, when first told of this, but then realized that I was better off knowing what was happening to me. In the end, if that's what it took to get Henry here at Hogwarts with me, then it was a very small price to pay. This is far better than Henry having to wait until after Christmas break. Henry's magical talent may be a little odd, and didn't develop at the normal time, but now nobody at Hogwarts or the Ministry can deny it exists. That means so much to both of us. We're not stupid. We know we have a problem and that we scare some people, a little. You have the Light Guardian knowledge, and I'm, we're, hoping that you will use it to help us. We want Hermione's and Cissy's help too, although I can tell Cissy is a bit frightened and put off by us. She's already coming around."

"And how are you feeling, Henry?" I asked her brother.

"I'm fine. I've had dead times the last few months, but nothing as bad as what just happened. It was scary. I don't hurt or anything. I'm happy to be here with Alice. I just want to go to school with Alice."

"Again, I'm really sorry about my part in all of this, and for the fright that I must have given both of you," Hermione apologized to the twins yet again. "Of course, I'll do anything I can to help. We all will."

"I think that's enough of a visit for today," Madam Pomphrey declared, gently herding us toward the infirmary door. "You can visit them again tomorrow, unless their parents take them home."

"No, don't want that," Henry declared. "We both want to stay at Hogwarts," Alice expanded.

Harry followed us out of the infirmary. I noticed that two of the four aurors remained behind. "Did you spend all morning here?" I asked Harry.

"No, I arrived fifteen minutes before you. I've been inside the pyramid. We followed the ledge in the opposite direction that you took. Yesterday, we found a stairway that led down to the floor of the pyramid. Looking closer today, we found an archway halfway down those stairs. It didn't open to our rings. I'd like you to try your ring, later today. Today we explored the stone stairway which you discovered, thinking it might also conceal an archway. It didn't.

"After I left yesterday, Cotto and another Elf explored the Elf passageway that you found at the end of the passageway from the ledge portal. I didn't get his report until this morning. That tunnel stretched over a mile out and several hundred feet downhill. It ended in a natural cavern, perhaps ten feet by twenty feet and four to five feet high. We think the height may have been increased in some spots. There were no other entrances to the cavern and it appeared to have been lit magically, with a faint glow from all of the rock walls, floor, and ceiling. The light began when Cotto entered and vanished when he left. There was a little stone altar at the front of the cavern and half a dozen rows of low stone benches. Cotto thinks it was an ancient Elf worship site. Torches or wicks had been used to provide light at the altar. Cobbo grabbed samples of the char for Hermione to get dated by her Dad's professor friend. Cotto assumes the site is very ancient, because no living Elf has memory of it.

"The other news is that the Runes Professor has made a breakthrough in deciphering the messages we found inside the pyramid. She wants to get together with Hermione this afternoon to finish the translation. Hopefully, by the end of today, we'll know what we can do to try to get Baal back."

"I should go meet her right away," Hermione told Harry, her rising excitement evident in her voice.

"She said she'd join us for lunch, which is not that far away, why don't you stay with us and we can spend a little time strategizing?" Harry suggested.

"Okay," Hermione responded "I guess my big lesson from the Alice affair is that I should be quicker to share my theories with the rest of you, rather than trying to get complete confirmation. I've been working on a way to get Baal back, although it is an extremely risky approach. It involves sending a real port key through the transporter to what we think is the Elf world that Baal traveled to. Hopefully, he can then ride the portkey back home. The problem is that I was unable to think of a way of transporting the portkey, without running the risk of sending another Elf to that world. I was hoping that the texts which we are translating would provide a way to transport objects to a particular world, without having to send a magical being along with them. It doesn't seem fair to risk yet another Elf life. That's really all I've thought of so far. If Cotto gives me the char, I'll see that my father takes it right to University."

"Do any of you have any theories on what's involved with Alice and Henry? You truthtellers are telling me that neither of them understands what is happening. I'm thinking if Henry can fool his parents and the Ministry about his magical talents, perhaps he can also control his mind enough to successfully lie to a truthteller. I don't know if he could thwart the effects of Veritaserum as easily."

"It's clearly a twin thing," I replied immediately. "Fred and George often seemed to have a bit of a special link, although nothing remotely like the Spencers. It's pretty awesome for totally untrained talents. Henry doesn't even own a wand. I'm guessing the Ministry is very anxious to get Henry enough training that he can control his talents as soon as possible."

"That certainly qualifies as the understatement of the month," Harry lamented. "What the Ministry is most interested in finding out is whether Henry is able to control minds other than Alice's. That would make him extremely dangerous. If he has that skill, I'm certain he'll do his best not to reveal it. Shacklebolt is worried that we may be witnessing the dawn of the next Voldemort. Not that I've seen anything notably bad about Henry. He seems like a nice lad who missed his twin terribly and couldn't control what his mind did. Sort of like the things that I did, when I was angry at the Dursleys. I desperately didn't want to do them, but they just happened. I knew I had done them, because I was there and I was the only Wizard present.

"With a little training at Hogwarts and learning to focus my magic through my wand, my mind stopped its extracurricular magic. As you know, I had to work really hard re-learning how to perform magic without my wand. Today, I wouldn't even begin to know how to blow up my aunt without a wand. I wouldn't know what spell to use to achieve that effect even with my wand. I'm hoping Henry can be tamed as easily.

"It's really insidious what happens at Hogwarts. You concentrate so hard on doing magic with your wand and flying your broom, that your ability to perform magic without props is totally destroyed. It is the rare Wizard, like Voldemort, who learns to fly without a broom. If Hogwarts didn't exist, I wonder how many Wizards would naturally develop skills like that, without ever seeing a wand or broom. I know I was certainly doing stranger and stranger things, until I got carted off to Hogwarts by Hagrid."

"It sounds like you think the purpose of Hogwarts is to…" Hermione began, but Harry finished for her "to isolate us from Muggles and to tame and direct our wild magical skills into acceptable channels, so that we don't give the Wizard game away to the Muggles."

"I'll really have to think about that," Luna replied. "That is either incredibly deep or totally, paranoid, insane. Really, if the Hogwarts staff and the Ministry were so desperate to control young Wizards, don't you think the Deputy Minister would be read in on the plot?"

"You'd think so, but perhaps they think I'm too young," Harry replied as we headed off to lunch.

"That would explain why the Ministry is so hot to recruit Muggle-borns like me," Hermione commented, with a look on her face that implied she saw the solution to the universe's puzzles. "I always wondered why they didn't just leave us to fend for ourselves in the Muggle world. I thought it was a kindness to prevent us withering away in a Muggle asylum, but now I think they may do it to protect themselves. What would the Muggle government do with magical children whom they discovered in their midst? They'd certainly look for more, after they identified the first half dozen. They'd try to figure out what made them that way, perhaps even try to use them as some kind of military weapon. They'd inevitably stumble upon the Wizard communities. Their own Muggle-born Wizards might even find Hogwarts and the Ministry. It would be the end of the magical world. I'm not sure that recent Ministers haven't already told the Muggle Prime Minister too much. It is not like the Muggle government to ignore such unexplained powers. They'll be curious, then afraid, then greedy. You've given me a lot to think about, Harry. Come to think of it, I have some Muggle science fiction books by Charles Stross at my parents' house. You really have to read them. I think you'll find them chilling."

"Wait!" Luna commanded. "Exactly what are you suggesting that we do, Harry?"

Harry stopped walking and we squatted against the wall of the corridor, waiting for what we expected would be a long answer. The answer was short. "I really don't know, other than keeping our minds open and finding out as much as we can. And making a vow that we will do whatever is necessary to protect the Spencer twins."

"I'll do whatever I can to help the Spencers," Cissy responded instantly. "They're already a part of me. I can't expect everyone else to be as committed as I am, but I don't intend to let them down. I assume we are not to share our thoughts on these subjects with the grownups."

"I think that best for now," Harry reluctantly replied. "I know we can trust Arthur and Molly, but there are a lot of people at the Ministry who are very wed to the old ways. I certainly don't intend to mention any of this to Shacklebolt or Madam Bones. You'll notice that I've kept my aurors outside hearing range. Be very guarded in whom you talk to and what you say. We need to be sure we're not overheard. Now, let's get off to lunch, before we're missed or my aurors decide I'm acting too strangely and report me to Shacklebolt."

"One last question!" Hermione demanded "why are you suddenly so jumpy about the Ministry being a threat to the Spencers?"

"Those two aurors who stayed with the twins are part of Shacklebolt's special detail. They're not as likely to follow all the rules or to take orders directly from me as the typical auror is. Also, I know that Shacklebolt is very worried about the Spencers. He directly compared Henry to Tom Riddle. He thinks the parents warped the twins a bit and I would be very surprised if the twins are allowed to be taken home by their parents. Nothing certain, just a feeling that I have and my feelings are very often correct."

{[agitated] I hadn't been planning on going in to the Ministry today, but I think I'm going to try to catch your father alone. You'll have to have lunch without me.}

{{Okay, but it's worrying me to see you so worried. Any other advice?}}

{ I'd turn off the cellphones, if I were you. The Muggles may be monitoring them. Certainly no mention of Henry should ever be made over the phones. If I'm not back by then, turn on your phone at precisely 4:00, but turn it off again in ten minutes if I don't phone.}

Harry kissed me goodbye and waved for his aurors to catch up. I heard him speaking to them as I turned and walked away. "Just updating Ginny on my plans. I've decided to skip lunch and go back to the Ministry. We can leave from Gryffindor. The others will have to go ahead with exploring the pyramid and helping the Spencer twins. Ginny knows her ring is needed in the pyramid. By the way, don't use cellphones until further notice, unless it's an emergency, and definitely don't mention Henry. In fact, perhaps we should quickly duck back and pass that message to the other aurors. I don't want the Muggle government knowing about Henry."

Break, break, break

What perverse joy do I take in having my protagonists bedevil McGonagall? Perhaps posthumous jabs at my old high school English teacher. It seems natural, however, that the most powerful young adults in Wizarding society would bristle at being controlled by their headmaster. Revolt against authority is natural and McGonagall is a fitting target. McGonagall needs a counter to her over-weaning ambition and if our heroines tweak her sufficiently, she may yet become a great headmaster. It's clear that Harry is unwilling or unable to be the necessary counterweight.


	40. Chapter 40

**CHAPTER FORTY – HARRY'S TROUBLES**

At lunch, I passed the message on to Mom and McGonagall to turn off the cell phones. Hermione presented her bonfire notes to Professor McGonagall, who basically held them at arm's length and then placed them face down on the table, as far from her as her arms would reach. We went from lunch right to McGonagall's office to continue planning for All Hallows' Day.

"I think perhaps it would be more profitable if we moved on to planning the classes and seminars. What did you plan to present, Ginny?"

I replied "I thought I'd talk about what it was like to meet the Light Guardian inside the Sacred Cavern and the messages that it gave to us. In particular, I thought I'd talk about the need for all magical and sentient beings to cooperate and live in peace. That naturally brings me to an explanation of the magical circles and their role in promoting magic. All of the students have experienced the unexpected failure of magic, so the functioning of the circles will be very significant to them. I thought I'd briefly touch on my experience in repairing the circles. Then, I planned to speak very briefly of the three forms that the interspecies Covenant has taken over the years and to mention the roles of each species, including the responsibilities of the Wizard Keeper, but leaving the details to the other speakers. I planned to end with a discussion of the Elf and Goblin sanctuaries on our land and the work that Durmstrang and the Irish Academy are doing to establish more secure sanctuaries for the Giants and Leprechauns. If I have enough time, I thought I might also touch upon the importance of freeing the Elves, in terms of coming into compliance with the Covenant."

I was pleasantly surprised when McGonagall commented "that's excellent Ginny. What did you plan to discuss, Hermione?"

"I was going to pick up where Ginny left off on the Covenants, getting into some detail, and talk about what my Ministry committee is doing to negotiate Covenant revisions and implementation. I planned to discuss the Wizengamot's approval of the committee, its composition, and what we were currently working on."

"I think that also will be fine," McGonagall concluded. What are Cissy, Luna, and Margaret going to talk about?"

Cissy spoke for the three of them. "We thought we'd talk a little about our personal experience in meeting the Light Guardian, our determination to become Light Guardian Priestesses, my experience as the new Keeper, and some ancient religious history which we learned from the Light Guardian. Luna will cover the history, I'll focus upon my Keeper duties and some history. Margaret will talk about her Joan of Arc experience, a little history, and her efforts to become a Priestess."

"I think we have the student roles settled, then," McGonagall sounded pleased. "I'll want Harry to talk a little about what the Minister and he are encouraging in terms of religious history instruction. I'll talk of what my committee is doing to change the Divination curriculum. I thought each of the ancient Witch Priestesses could talk of their religious views and practices, and the life they have lived. Am I missing anything?"

I suggested, "I think it might be good to have Firenze, the Goblin King, Cotto, and perhaps a Unicorn speak on the religious views and Covenant responsibilities of their species."

"I'll see if I can fit that in. That may be a push with some of the parents. I received a few objections, when Hagrid brought the other sentient magical species into his Advance Magical Creatures class."

"I don't see the problem," Hermione spoke without even attempting to hide her indignation. If we are focusing on the Covenant and the ancient religions, then we have to make the students aware of the roles of the other species. How better than to hear from their leaders? I attended Hagrid's classes and felt they were truly excellent. Anyone who paid attention learned an awful lot about our fellow magical creatures."

"I think we should show the students a circle, possibly the Reception Hall under Hogwarts and the Gringotts Circle," Cissy proposed.

"Well, I'll see if we have time to incorporate Ginny's and Cissy's additions into the schedule," McGonagall concluded, without a great deal of enthusiasm.

"If I might," Mafalda stepped into the fray, "I don't think the students can get a full appreciation of the old ways without seeing a Circle and listening to the other magical creatures. When you read the notes we prepared on the bonfire celebration, you'll see that we agree on including the Centaurs and Unicorns and holding the bonfire in the forest, if at all possible. If not, just outside the forest. The forest really sets the mood. Without that mood, the students can't understand the celebration. I was hoping we could arrange for a young cetacean to enter the lake during the day and serenade the students. The merpeople might also be persuaded to join in. I might add that Hermione's committee might want to consider including the mer-race and the Leprechauns. They were both part of the ancient pattern. The essence of the ancient religions is balance."

The nature Goddess Priestess heartily concurred with these sentiments, saying the trees and the lake would add immensely to our All Hallows' Day observances. "Witches and Wizards in peace and balance with nature and their fellow magical creatures. That is what is most important. That is what I plan to talk about. That and a very little about herbs that promote health and introspection."

"Well, I see I may have to adjust my thinking a little," McGonagall concluded, as much in irritated exasperation as in acceptance. She clearly had a strong mental image of how she had expected the day to progress, and we had deviated significantly from her plan. I could see that she also feared some political repercussions from some of the parents.

It took until dinner to reduce these almost agreements to writing, as I learned from Hermione when I sat down in the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table. I had excused myself in mid-afternoon to try my ring on the portal off the second stone stairway that Harry's group had found inside the pyramid. I had entered the pyramid by rope with our alternate auror Ellen, who had been spending most of her time protecting Hermione and me while Harry was off at the Ministry. Having told the crew working at the pyramid that Harry did not want the cellphones to be used, we had to signal with big light balls from our wands. When my ring opened the portal, I was set to explore, but Ellen instructed, "Your father was very clear that you are not to go exploring. Step inside, mark the spot so that you can apparate in future, and then come out and wait for the entry team."

The entry team consisted of two Goblins, Cotto, another Elf I had never seen before, and two aurors. I let them into the passage and waited for them to knock to be let out, in the event that they were unable to apparate. They were gone for two hours, which gave me plenty of time for chatting with Ellen. I asked Ellen why the auror corps seemed so concerned about the Spencer twins.

"Well, I'm not read into the Director's thinking, you'll likely get a more accurate view from your husband. But, if it's just the two of us talking just for our own ears, then I think there are several reasons. First, being back here at Hogwarts, you don't have a full appreciation of how much effort the Ministry had to undertake to cover up for Henry's actions this time. Muggles at his school, Muggle police and ambulance crew members, and doctors and nurses at the Muggle hospital had to be confunded. That is an incredible undertaking that would have involved dozens of aurors and other Ministry staff. We don't know how many people in the Muggle government might be aware of the incident. It is interesting that both your husband and the Director ordered that Henry not be mentioned in cellphone discussions. I don't think that discipline was maintained.

"Second, we have no experience with the skills that Henry and his sister have exhibited. A human animagus operating without Polyjuice, and controlling a mind over that great distance without prior imposition of an Imperius curse were both unheard of until yesterday. That frightens the Director. This is like the Muggle bombs, in the sense that the auror corps is not at all comfortable with a new type of threat that we haven't trained to deal with."

"How do we know that Alice wasn't Imperiused, before she came to Hogwarts?" I quite reasonably asked.

"Unless the parents or someone else did the deed, that would be another unheard of feat for an untutored young Wizard, such as Henry. It's possible, and maybe as scary as him acting at great distance. The third cause for concern is the fear that the parents will snatch Henry, and possibly Alice as well, back home. This would prevent the careful taming of their wild magic. The Director has long felt that we would have avoided a lot of trouble if the young Voldemort were dealt with more carefully. Both he and the Spencers seem to have had a far from optimum childhood."

"So did my husband, for that matter," I told her. "But why are the aurors watching Henry so closely? Surely Hogwarts is equipped to deal with young Wizards and their wild magic. Few young Wizards still commit spontaneous acts of wild magic after their first years at Hogwarts."

"I think the Director hopes that Henry and Alice will remain at Hogwarts, including spending Christmas here. I think he wants your gang to pay particular attention to the twins, both for their safety and the safety of others. I can tell you that I expect a conflict to erupt if the Spencers announce an intent to take their children home with them. They should be here on the evening train, right after dinner."

"It seems your Director was very selective in choosing the aurors to watch…"

The exploration team had returned and knocked on the stone door to be let out, cutting off my inquiries to Ellen. She did not seem at all upset to end the conversation, which likely seemed to have passed the line of insubordination from her perspective. I would just have to find out the rest of what I wanted to know directly from Harry. I used my ring to reopen the portal, wondering that the searchers hadn't apparated back to our side of the ledge. Before I voiced this question, my interest was grabbed by Cotto, who was reporting on what the explorers had discovered.

"The passage moves up, between the inner and outer walls of the pyramid," Cobbo informed me "it is very narrow and very steep, with the one wall in not very good condition. The stairs go up to within about five feet of the inside top of the pyramid. There is a stone landing at the top of the stairs, with a stone bench that might seat four Wizards or twice as many Elves. Sitting on the bench, you can look out through three narrow slits in the inner pyramid wall and view the circle and the big black rock. There was a very faint glow within the landing, as soon as we entered it. No other exits from passage."

Harry was not at table, when I arrived at the Great Hall for dinner. I learned from my classmates that Professor McGonagall had reluctantly bowed to the common will and expanded the All Hallows' day celebration to a day and a half and moved the bonfire to a clearing in the forbidden forest. Bane had approved the plan and assured the headmaster that the Centaurs and Unicorns would participate fully in the festivities. The headmaster had been rigid in her opposition to dancing in the altogether but consenting to us "frolicking in our undies, if that is what we were determined to do." I wasn't disappointed in this turn of events, since I had been dreading the necessity of telling my husband of the role we had planned for him in the festivities.

Hermione pronounced the newly discovered landing as "obviously an observation deck. To have a separate passageway built to it, it must have served an important purpose, probably housing dignitaries or those responsible for running the Circle or the transportation device. I would have expected that the device could be controlled from there. Are you sure there weren't controls up there, perhaps an indentation for a ring? I think we need to check it out thoroughly ourselves."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Harry standing behind me. I would have asked my fellow Gryffindors to squeeze down to the end of the table and let Harry join me, but I saw he had both Shacklebolt and Madam Bones with him. The three of them moved to the end of the table. I messaged Harry {{How was your meeting with my father?}}

{It was fine. He hadn't ordered Shacklebolt's actions, which is what I was afraid of, and was a little put off that Shacklebolt didn't at least inform me… He was very concerned that Shacklebolt sent his personal guard to Hogwarts without telling me, and that the aurors in his guard were snippy and refused to follow my instructions when I encountered them in the infirmary. They even immediately called Shacklebolt on their cellphone after I specifically said the cellphone should be turned off and not used except in dire emergency. Shacklebolt told them to turn it off as soon as they called him and they gave me this 'well, if the order comes from the Director, I guess we'll comply' attitude…

{Your father said he was very upset, but that it was best that I handle matters myself. I marched right down to Shacklebolt's office, interrupting a meeting with Madam Bones, which Shacklebolt's assistant wasn't sure she was going to allow me to barge in on. I barged in and told Shacklebolt that we needed to speak immediately and that it was up to him whether he wanted Madam Bones to stay.

{He looked a little surprised and said she might as well stay as she would certainly learn of our discussion sooner or later. I told him I found it totally unacceptable that he had sent his personal guard to Hogwarts, without informing the headmaster or me, and that his guard had taken the attitude that they could disregard everything I said to them. I insisted that they be removed immediately and replaced by normal aurors, who would accept orders from me and maintain at least a semblance of politeness. Madam Bones commented, 'that sounds distressingly close to a coup, Kingsley'... Shacklebolt apologized profusely, saying it was a misunderstanding brought on by the press of time in an emergency situation, in which he needed Henry to be watched by his best people. He said that the aurors in question had already been replaced and severely reprimanded by him, both for their insubordination to me and for disobeying Shacklebolt's own order about using the cellphone. I'm not sure if I have a problem with Shacklebolt or not. The three of us are here to deal with the twin's parents… Can't say more now.}

Harry's response had been dragged out and split up as he was conversing with Shacklebolt and Madam Bones. I was trying to follow that conversation, but kept being dragged back by comments from Ron and Hermione and confused looks in my direction from Margaret and Cissy. I finally gave up my eavesdropping, commenting to the younger girls "sorry, I'm just daydreaming, or more accurately musing over the day's events. I did snare enough of the conversation from the trio at the end of the table to learn that Madam Bones was opposing Harry's and Shacklebolt's demand that she issue a writ forbidding the parents from going home with the twins, citing either the need for further investigation of a possibly criminal event, the need for medical supervision, or state security.

Before dessert appeared on the table, Harry walked up to McGonagall at the head table and she got up, leading the trio out of the Great Hall. As they passed near us, I picked up Harry's thought {[incredulous and more than a little annoyed] I can't believe you actually agreed that I would dance around and leap over a bonfire naked, and with Draco, of all people. And stop snooping.}

I really should have objected when Draco dragged Harry into the bonfire activities. I knew it wasn't Harry's thing and Draco was just saying what he did as a lark, but McGonagall could be depended upon to retell the tale to Harry, in a way that made me seem most disloyal. He must be quite annoyed to call our joint investigation of the many mysteries snooping. Surely, he would not have given me such a complete rundown of his meetings with Dad and Shacklebolt if he intended to exclude me. Of course, he was also concerned about making our whisper link too obvious.

I snapped out of my reverie as my mind took in Cissy saying "… has to do something. They can't be allowed to drag Alice and Henry out of Hogwarts. Home schooling definitely won't work for those two, and I think their upbringing was worse than mine."

"Probably so," I agreed. "I'm sure Harry will try to keep them here and McGonagall is bound to help."

I felt a glow behind me and turned to see Harry's Patronus, beckoning me to follow. I excused myself and got up from the table, taking a chocolate mousse with me, but the Patronus continued to beckon and it became clear that the rest of our group was also expected to follow. We were led to the stairs to McGonagall's office, then the Patronus turned, and cantered back into the Great Hall. We didn't wait to see who else was being summoned, as we were all very curious to find out what Harry and his Directors had been discussing with McGonagall.

We bounded up the stairs expectantly, but the room lapsed into silence at our arrival. McGonagall waved her wand, producing seats for us. "I'd prefer to wait for the others, rather than repeat myself," is all that she said to us. I exchanged puzzled looks with the others, wondering especially why Margaret had been included in this gathering.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and turned to see Neville, Hermione's Mom, Madam Pomphrey, and Doctor White entering the office. As chairs were produced for them, we nestled together for a very intimate gathering. McGonagall turned to Harry, who began the meeting.

"The Hogwarts Express will arrive in half an hour, bringing the twins' parents. We are agreed that it would be unwise to allow Mr. and Mrs. Spencer to take the twins back home. So unwise, in fact, that if need be, the Ministry is prepared to intervene to at least delay that action. We all realize that for that approach to succeed, Alice and especially Henry are going to need a lot of extra support to succeed at Hogwarts. They've both had a nasty shock, and are confused with what happened to them. Henry has to catch up two months' work. You're all here, because all of us are going to have to help them. I hope you are all willing to volunteer your help.

"The first chore will be for a group of us to take Henry wand shopping at Ollivander's. I'm certain Alice, and most likely the parents, will want to accompany us on that trip. There may be some unpleasantness if the parents come along. I'm asking some of you to make a commitment that will run for at least several years, so don't automatically say yes, without seriously thinking it over. It's a big responsibility. The future of two children and perhaps the entire Wizarding world may depend upon our dedication to successfully see this project through to a good conclusion. Now, I'm going to be quiet and let the others speak."

"Before we get into the details," Director Shacklebolt began, "I want you to know that I have apologized to both the headmaster and the Deputy Minister for sending my personal guards here without warning any of you. Also, they did not behave in the manner that I expected them to. I'm afraid that their close association with me gave them an inflated sense of authority. Again, I'm sorry, but what I really want to tell you is why I felt it necessary to take that action.

"Henry is a very powerful Wizard, with a power we have not seen before, and at present he has no control over what he does with his magic. Henry can be a step forward or, a very great threat to our community. It all depends on how well he is educated and nurtured. I think his parents were doing an absolutely awful job and, in following the standard rules on squibs, the Ministry and Hogwarts made matters far worse. Henry and Alice should not have been abruptly ripped apart as they were, but that is a past mistake, which we must attempt to correct. It is essential that we keep them together and at Hogwarts.

"Many a young Wizard has come to Hogwarts with wild talents that they needed significant help to tame. Harry Potter was one such Wizard. He turned out fine. Voldemort was another and he most certainly did not turn out fine. The thing is, you have to be very close to the child, both professors and fellow students, to judge how he is doing. Tom Riddle hid the sour path his mind was taking and most of his professors just saw a great student and fine lad. I can't overstate the importance of this: we must not allow Henry's mind to take the same sour turn that Riddle's did. If we fail in that, we must not fail to see the turn to the bad. I want very much to save that boy, but if he is going to be the next Voldemort, then I'll kill him myself."

"I don't think we need to think of that approach, Kingsley," McGonagall cut him off, before he could go further down that path. "We all know the dangers, and I thank you for stressing the importance of getting this right, but now that we are forewarned, I'm confident that Hogwarts can do right by the twins. I called you all here, because you are currently the closest to the twins and the best positioned to help them. This will require a lot of time and patience. I am going to do everything that I can, including breaking the rules to start Henry here immediately and, avoiding the Sorting Hat, simply assign him to Gryffindor. Kingsley has convinced me that it would be disastrous to sort Henry into Slytherin, and, since I plan to reopen Slytherin after Christmas, it is worthwhile to act now to forestall the risk of Henry entering Slytherin. In any case, the twins should not be separated again."

"I'll definitely help," Cissy exclaimed. "I'll be here until the twins' fifth year, and I'd happily stay an extra year, like Harry did. I love Alex and his thoughts have to be inside Alice and Henry. Don't worry – I'm not going to harm the twins by trying to pry Alex out of them. I know he's gone and needs to stay gone, but my experience with him makes me feel especially close and sympathetic to the twins. I feel totally committed to helping them, as much as I do to my Keeper responsibilities."

"I'm Alice's best friend and I will certainly stick by her," Margaret promised. "I'm here another four and a half years and will definitely stay close to her after I graduate. I'm willing to stay here an extra year. I will consider this both a responsibility of friendship and a Light Guardian Priestess duty. If I can help two young children, while protecting the Wizarding world, I can't possibly turn away."

The rest of us were in the process of agreeing to help in any way we could, when Professor Trelawney came up the stairs and announced that the Hogwarts Express had arrived and Professor Sprout was on her way to the gate to admit the Spencers.

Doctor White spoke. "If I might offer a word of advice, before the Spencers arrive, I think the Potters should be the first to approach the Spencers, since they had a pleasant and helpful discussion with them on the train platform. They gave them hope that Henry would develop normally, so they are likely to be more willing to accept any suggestions that they offer. I think the headmaster and I should be the other people to step forward. Director Shacklebolt and Madam Bones should stay out of sight, unless they are needed. If the headmaster suggests that Henry start Hogwarts immediately and stay here over Christmas break to catch up on what he's missed, I feel certain that Alice will support that plan. Harry can then suggest the expedition to Ollivander's.

"I know that it breaks tradition, but the headmaster may also see fit to suggest that the parents stay here for a week, while Henry settles in, and return for a Christmas celebration. You were overrun by parents at the end of last term, so it won't be a first-time exception. For my part, I'll tell them that I need to continue working with the twins, and that the least intrusive way to do that is for me to travel to Hogwarts once a week, with Mrs. Granger filling in for me while I'm away. I think Mrs. Granger's late introduction to magical skills will appeal to the Spencers."

Harry thanked him for the advice and, as we left the office to greet the Spencers, Shacklebolt and Madam Bones remained in their chairs.

The Spencers recognized us, as Harry greeted them, saying "it's good to see you again. You may remember Ginny and me from the railway platform, when Alice set off for Hogwarts. We're in the same house as Alice, although we now have our own apartment. I'm sure you'd like to see your children. They're in the infirmary. If you follow me, I'll take you right to them."

The Spencers said that of course they remembered us, especially how nice we had been to Alice on the platform. Of course they wanted to be taken right to the twins. They were naturally very worried. As they took a moment to gush over being greeted by the Deputy Minister, Harry introduced them to headmaster McGonagall and launched into his major pitch, as we started walking toward the infirmary.

"I've been working with the headmaster and the Ministry to win approval for Henry to be admitted to Hogwarts immediately. It's been agreed that he can enter now, stay in Gryffindor with his sister, and catch up on what he's missed by spending Christmas break at Hogwarts. That way, Henry and Alice should be able to take classes together and graduate at the same time. I hope you're pleased with that result."

The Spencers seemed a bit taken aback by Harry's news, but with just a few moments of pause, Mrs. Spencer said "of course, that's all we've ever wanted was for the twins to attend Hogwarts together. We were afraid there would be legal trouble with Henry."

"He's just a young child," Harry assured her. "The doctors still need to spend some time with him, but they can come to Hogwarts to do that. There will be no need to send Henry to St. Mungo's and separate him from Alice."

"That's, um, wonderful," Mr. Spencer finally declared. By that time we had arrived at the door to the infirmary. I knew that Madam Pomphrey had hustled back to the infirmary ahead of us and would be on duty, obviously attending to the twins' needs, when we entered.

The Spencers raced ahead as soon as the door was opened. By the time I had entered the infirmary, one parent was embracing each child. Putting part two of the plan into effect, Harry announced to Alice "I've just learned myself, and just told your parents, that Henry will be able to enter Hogwarts immediately. He'll be in Gryffindor with you and you'll attend the same classes together, that is, at least, if Henry is able to catch up on what he's missed. We'll all help him and I'm sure you will too. If you and Henry stay here over Christmas break and work very hard, I'm sure we can get Henry caught up enough to stay in the same classes that you'll be taking after the break."

"Isn't that wonderful, Mummy," Alice squealed. "Aren't you happy, Henry?"

"Yes!" Henry shouted, "I want us to be together always. I couldn't bear to be in a different house than yours or to be a year behind. That would almost be like being separated, again. Please say I can stay, Mummy."

"Well, we had planned to spend Christmas together. We haven't seen Alice in months. If it means that much to you, perhaps your father and I…"

"It's most unusual," McGonagall interrupted, "but we only have about a dozen students stay here for the holidays, so there is plenty of room at table, and Draco isn't using his apartment at the moment. I'd be pleased to have you and your husband be guests of Hogwarts for the holidays, so that you don't miss Christmas with the twins."

"That's… really very nice," Mr. Spencer agreed. "We'll do that. I know it's highly unusual to have parents at Hogwarts, but do you think my wife and I could stay for just a day or two, in order to see Henry settled in, after the shock he's had."

"I think I can permit that for a day or two," Professor McGonagall replied. "It will be about time for Henry to go shopping for his wand then. Perhaps you could make a family trip with the Potters, into Ollivander's in Diagon Alley, then Henry could get the almost normal Hogwarts start, with a trip back on the Hogwarts Express."

"That sounds wonderful," Mrs. Spencer gushed.

"Well, I think we should leave you to say hello to your children," Professor McGonagall concluded. Please meet me in my office, when you've finished your family get together. You can bring Henry and Alice with you. We might as well move Henry into the Gryffindor boys' dorm tonight. His sister can show him the common room and introduce him to his housemates. Professor Longbottom will be waiting outside in the corridor to guide you back, when you're ready. If you don't linger too long, I'm sure I can persuade the Elves to pull together dinner for the two of you, then I'll show you to your apartment."

We left Neville on patrol and returned to McGonagall's office to let Shacklebolt and Madam Bones know how well things had gone.

Three days later saw us setting off for Ollivander's with the Spencers, Margaret, Cissy, and Harry's aurors. I would have little time to finishing preparing for my All Hallows' Day lecture after we returned to Hogwarts. The train trip would be an unavoidable waste of time. McGonagall was beaming over her breakfast, obviously glad to see Mr. and Mrs. Spencer gone. They had spent time with Mr. Granger, sat at the Gryffindor table during meals, attended a couple of classes with their children, been allowed to spend an evening in the Gryffindor common room, and generally been underfoot for two days. I was sure that McGonagall did not want them in attendance at the bonfire, even if undies would be mandatory.

The visit to Ollivander's was pleasant and uneventful. Seamus was glad to see us and spent a great deal of time finding exactly the right wand for Henry. Mr. Ollivander informed us that Ron's new wand would be finished in a few days.

We visited other stores to get books, supplies, and an owl for Henry, and then stopped by George's shop to say hello to Lee and see the latest line of novelties. The Spencers were very impressed by Lee and the shop, but the parents absolutely forbade any purchases. Leaving the shop, we had to rush to reach platform 9-3/4 on time. This at least cut the teary Spencer farewells to the bare minimum. I was a little surprised that, in the end, both parents were able to let go and put the twins on the train.

There were so few of us that we sat in just two compartments, across the aisle from each other, and with the corridor doors pushed fully open so that we could talk back and forth. Henry looked very excited perched on the bench seat by the window. He waved at his parents as the train pulled out of the station, the sudden bumping as the train picked up speed seeming to stoke his enthusiasm. He chatted happily with us, but spent most of his time staring out the window at the passing scenery. After we had been in motion for an hour, the refreshment cart pulled up outside our compartment. I was surprised to see it make an appearance on this trip, but it was a big hit. Alice explained the selections to her brother, telling him which items she and her traveling companions had enjoyed during her first ride on the Express, and which items had disappointed them. She loaded Henry up with two pumpkin pasties, three chocolate frogs, a bag of Bertie Bott's beans, and several Weasley novelties, which had somehow been added to the cart. Alice fed Henry the Bott's beans one at a time and delighted at his reaction, whether he pronounced the bean 'very tasty, vanilla I think', or spat it out on the floor. They would share a smile and burst into giggles. Alice tried one of the Weasley pastilles and her brother roared with laughter as her nose was transformed into a quaffle-sized red ball, which she had trouble peering over. Henry chose a pastille and had no sooner bitten into it than tears began to flow copiously, rolling down his cheeks and saturated the left leg of his trousers, as if he hadn't been able to find the loo in time.

I looked up from all of this twinly frivolity and was struck by the level of security on the train. In addition to Bill, Barb, and Ellen, I noticed at least four other aurors on the train, including the older woman who pushed the refreshments cart up to our compartment and had the air of an auror. Clearly either Harry or Shacklebolt felt Henry, or possibly Harry and me, were an inviting enough target on a moving train to warrant laying on added protection. I doubted Umbridge had sufficient Death Eaters or Grindelwalds at her command to mount a serious attack and was taking a very relaxed approach to the trip, until I saw an auror draw up along the outside window of our compartment on his broom and announce to Bill that the 'advance team' had cleared the track and trestle bridge ahead of us. While Henry was thrilled to see the man on a broom pull up just outside his window and had eagerly raised the window to speak to him, I was a little chilled.

I drew Ellen into the corridor and inconspicuously asked, "how much of an advance crew is preceding us?"

"I think about ten aurors and four magical engineers," she replied matter-of-factly, grabbing a butter beer from the cart and returning to her seat. Despite these elaborate safeguards, the train was not challenged and we rolled into Hogsmeade right on schedule.

Since we had only Henry's school supplies and many hands to carry them, I thought we could quick march up to the castle in time for the start of dinner. McGonagall, however, had decided that Henry should not miss the boat ride. Margaret, Cissy, and the Spencer twins traveled with Hagrid by boat, while Harry and I trotted up to the castle. One advantage of whisper talk was that you could sprint or trot a considerable distance, without getting winded by talking. This gave me the opportunity to air a sore point with Harry.

{{We were bait on that trip, weren't we?}}

{[unconcerned] Shacklebolt felt that if news of the trip leaked out, it might be too tempting for Umbridge to let pass. We were safe, with us and seven aurors on the train, eight if you count the conductor. There were also aurors on the track ahead of us.}

{{So Ellen told me. Over a dozen Ministry employees on the track ahead of us. I guess we were perfectly safe, but it would be nice to let me know when you decide to turn us into bait.}}

{[surprised] We had already agreed the train trip, with whatever risk that involved, before Shacklebolt decided to add additional protection. So, basically, we just got a lot more safety than we signed on for. Before you ask, we were also very discretely protected in Diagon Alley. There were apparation barriers in place the whole time we were there and half a dozen aurors scattered among the shops.}

{{Oh.}}

As we rushed to our seats at the Gryffindor table, McGonagall flashed us a look, which demanded to know what we had done with the Spencers. I made a hand gesture of a boat rocking on waves and sat down to dig into the chow, only to find the table devoid of food. "We apparently have to wait for McGonagall to speak," Ron reported. We waited about five minutes, until Hagrid entered the Great Hall with Henry, who was marched up front to McGonagall. Alice took a seat next to me.

McGonagall announced "I know many of you have already seen or even met Henry Spencer, as he attended classes with his sister Alice for two days this week. Today, however, marks the official start of Henry's time at Hogwarts. He has just been to Diagon Alley to purchase his wand and school supplies, and traveled here on the Hogwarts Express. Since the Sorting Hat is only used at the start of term, in this extraordinary circumstance I am merely going to call out 'Henry Spencer' and assign him to Gryffindor. Henry's magical skills have just been recognized, so he needs to make up the work he has missed. He'll be staying with us over Christmas break to receive extra tutoring. You can go sit at the Gryffindor table, now Henry."

Henry sat next to his sister. I expected that the food would now arrive, but either because she had been balked at the official start of term or because she felt students' adherence to the rules had been overly lax, the headmaster repeated much of her start of term speech, with a special emphasis upon the school rules. By the time she shouted 'let the feast begin', I had become quite annoyed. The quality and quantity of the food that appeared on the table quickly brightened my mood, however.

"This is a second start of term banquet and only a few days after we had the banquet for the Quidditch Captains and the special lunch for the ancient Witch Priestesses. I thought McGonagall was claiming to be on a very tight budget?" I asked my husband.

"She is," Harry confirmed, "but she wanted Henry to experience the full start of term banquet and Shacklebolt is paying for everything. I think it's his way of making up for his intrusion into Hogwarts operation and the actions of his personal aurors."

"In that case, I'll enjoy the food all the more," I responded.

We lingered in the Gryffindor common room after dinner, as Henry mingled with his fellow Gryffindors. They already knew him, of course, but this was his first evening at Hogwarts without his parents. As we were heading toward the portal at 11:00 P.M., Alice came up to me and thanked me "for everything that you and everyone have done to make Henry feel welcome. I can't tell you how grateful I am. I was afraid my brother would be treated as some kind of criminal, but you have all been so kind."

I didn't know what to say in return, so I just grabbed her and gave her a big hug. Harry patted the top of her head, and then we left. I felt a little guilty knowing how manipulative we had all been, while putting on the appearance of super helpfulness and compromising of the normal rules. I was thankful at least that the elaborate show had eliminated the need for Shacklebolt, Madam Bones, and possible even Harry to intervene to keep the twins at Hogwarts. That would have been extremely awkward and, worse yet, would have launched Henry's Hogwarts time on a distinctly sour note. If the twins and their parents were happy, then I was happy.

As we walked to our apartment, I whispered to Harry about my talk with Ellen and the passageway to the observation landing. I told him that it felt a little dangerous for me to have the only ring that opened the passages inside the pyramid. I told him that I thought I could tune his ring to also work inside the pyramid or that I could make a new ring for him. My main question was how many rings he thought I should make for other allies.

"That's a tricky question. I'm going to say not McGonagall for now. I think for now you should limit the people to Ron, Hermione, Cissy, and your father and I guess your mother, so that someone on Hogwarts staff has a ring. I don't want McGonagall to know that your mother has the ring, however. She has tried to keep one step ahead of us, keeping her Sisterhood a secret. I think this is a time to return that favor."

I managed to adjust Harry's ring before we went to bed. He would need to test the ring, but I was quite sure it would work. I would adjust and test at least one other ring before I entered the passage. It was concerning that today's exploratory crew had not apparated out of the passageway. They could just have been concerned that Ellen and I were standing in there landing zone, but I suspected that they had tried to apparate and had failed. I wanted some backup rings, before I entered the passageway.

Fortunately, I made very quick work of adjusting Harry's ring, so he and I had time for a very nice romp, before falling off to sleep. I had taken to waving through the partition wall to McGonagall on such occasions.

At breakfast, Hermione's thoughts seemed perfectly attuned to mine. She was in a mood to explore the passage and landing to see if yesterday's explorers had missed anything. Harry was unsure of the safety and quite sure that my father would disapprove. Ron volunteered to escort us and Cissy thought it a natural extension of her Keeper duties. Harry said he wanted to be with us, but had to spend the morning at the Ministry and would leave right after breakfast. I persuaded him to come to Snape's office with us before leaving, so he could instruct the aurors to assist us. He was reluctant, but agreed to do it, if we would allow him to finish his breakfast in peace.

I did not disturb Harry's peace, but the morning owls certainly did. I paid the owls for our morning papers and decided to shake open the Daily Prophet. I tried to hide the banner headline from Harry's gaze, but he saw it as I hastily refolded the paper, pointing it away from him.

**POTTER AND McGONAGALL PROTECT FREAK **

**HOGWARTS EXPRESS TROTTED OUT FOR ONE CONFUSED BOY **

**DON'T VIEW THE CENTERFOLD ON THE NEXT TWO PAGES IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH, NOT OF AGE, OR SUFFER FROM A HEART MALADY, BAD NERVES, OR DIFFICULTY FALLING ASLEEP**

As I read this warning, I could hear Xenophilius's voice continuing his instruction on newspaper reading and speaking directly into my head 'you should know that most people don't read beyond the first few pages and the back page of any paper. People are too busy and trust the editor to put the good stuff first or on the back page. I guarantee you this, after reading my warning, there won't be a single reader who doesn't immediately turn to the centerfold. Beyond that, this is so much more tasteful than running a headline 'gore inside'. The best thing is, I'm totally blameless. The picture is just of a side of beef and I've given every warning possible to children and the squeamish. This is how you sell papers.'

Of course, I turned right to the centerfold. It was Barnabas Cuffe's artistic impression of 'nude Harry'. It was notably lacking in any development of musculature and the strategically placed blurry spot was notably small.

The rear page had the headline:

**MANY HOGWARTS TRADITIONS SHATTERED IN A SINGLE DAY **

**POTTER TO DANCE NUDE**

The first article named Henry Spencer explicitly and detailed the commotion he had caused in the Muggle world, as well as the commotion caused by Alex, and the potential hazard associated with the twins' "peculiar and not at all understood talents". The Prophet was unsure what tack to take toward Hermione. She was both accused of assaulting a first level student and credited with bringing a serious threat to a relatively safe conclusion 'at least for now.' Several parents, notably those of two of our proto-Slytherins, were quoted as saying "I don't feel safe sending a child to Hogwarts with that Spencer boy living among the students."

The second and third articles denounced the 'awful extravagance' of the extra feast, train ride, deployment of a dozen aurors and magical engineers, and 'taking up of the Deputy Minister's time' that this 'unfortunate pampering' of a criminal child represented. The final article tilted toward the lurid, but also attacked Harry for 'arrogantly presuming that he has anything that the other students would care to look at'. I felt really bad about my inadvertent participation in this last disaster.

Any hopes I had experienced that the Daily Prophet might mute its antagonism toward our side with the suspension of Frakes were dashed. I noticed that Ernie didn't appear at all in this edition. Xenophilius had either not caught wind of yesterday's excitement or viewed it as not newsworthy. It was basically a 'snarglehorn' day for The Quibbler, although it did feature a lengthy interview with Madam Bones on changes she intended to make to the prosecutor's office and some legal changes she would propose to the Wizengamot.

I think Harry's snarly mood is what got me permission to explore the newly discovered passage with Hermione. After Harry's encounter with Shacklebolt's personal guard yesterday and their subsequent reprimanding by Shacklebolt, the other aurors seemed unwilling to question whatever an obviously out-of-sorts Harry requested. Harry grudgingly agreed to apparate down to the ledge with us, in order to test his ring. Barb and Bill came with us, leaving Ellen to chat with the two aurors in Snape's office. I was glad that Harry had spoken very politely to the aurors, despite the bad day he was having, since I felt more than a little guilty for not telling him that Dad had apparently forbidden me to explore the new passage. My best excuse was that I came by this information second hand, because Dad hadn't said anything directly to Harry or me. To tell Harry would be to break Ellen's confidence, or so I told myself.

Since the apparation point which I had marked was about as far from the new passageway as one could be and still be on the ledge, it took us awhile to walk to the spot. Hermione, Cissy, and Ron were eager for me to 'fix' their rings, but I wanted to wait until I knew that Harry's ring would work. It did. The problem was that this left me halfway down the narrow stairs and sitting on the rough stone to work on the rings. Harry kissed the top of my head and then he and Bill apparated back to Snape's office. Barb was left with us.

As soon as Harry was gone, she commented "I was fairly sure your father didn't want you to explore this passage."

"I heard something to that effect," I mumbled "but Dad didn't say anything to me. I'll be very careful. That's why I'm fixing these three rings. One of us will stay on the ledge to open the portal from this side, should that become necessary. I'm also going to walk off and fix a location on the ledge at the top of the stairs for an attempted return apparation. I'll show you the spot so that you can keep clear of it."

I completed these safeguards, assigned Cissy to stay outside with her ring while Ron and Hermione explored the passage with me. Barb corrected that to Ron and Cissy would wait outside and she would join Hermione and me in our explorations. She also extracted a 'sincere promise' that we would not do or touch anything without telling her first and getting permission, saying "I wouldn't want to have to explain how you went the way of Baal, while I was protecting you." With her career on the line, I vowed to be good.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41 – Finding Trouble**

I opened the portal and we lit our wands. I told Barb that we planned to carefully examine the side walls of the passage, searching for any difficult-to-find portal or a cleverly hidden indentation intended to receive our rings. I told her that we might need to use our wands to blow away sand and dust in order to conduct a thorough inspection. This was accepted, with the proviso that we give advance notice of dust blowing, so that everyone could shield their eyes. We followed this protocol as we very slowly moved our way along the very narrow and very roughly hewn passage. By the time we reached the little landing, we had found nothing, but my feet, legs, and back ached terribly.

"I thought there was a decent chance we'd find a portal or some runes," Hermione lamented. "Still, the landing was the likeliest spot to find something. I think we'll start by sitting on the bench and surveying the landing."

"Wait! Shine your wands on the bench," Barb ordered. We did so, revealing nothing but dust and sandy grit, which apparently was Barb's point.

"The first exploration team obviously did not sit on this bench, or the dust would have been disturbed," Barb cautioned "therefore we can't be certain the bench won't transport you off someplace. I know your muscles are sore, but you can't sit on the bench. Use the floor if you must."

Remembering the prophecies written on the stone tables in the Reception Hall, I suggested that our first action should be to clean off the bench and examine its surface. Hermione supplied wet cloths to wrap around our faces as we blew the dust off the bench. Under the light of three wands, some runic writing was apparent, although faint. "I'm sorry I forgot to bring a camera, you'll have to try to copy the writing by hand," I commiserated with Hermione, as I turned to see her hauling the camera from her carry-all bag. She took several pictures, before explaining what she thought we should do next.

"If this is some sort of control room, the controls are likeliest to be near the slits that the viewers would be looking through, or on the bench. I don't see anything obvious on the seat of the bench. I suggest we start by examining the supports, sides, and underside of the bench for places that a ring might be inserted."

Barb and I agreed, with Barb insisting that she'd inspect the underside of the bench. We lit the underside with our wands as Barb lay on the floor on her back and scooted forward, so that her head was under the bench. "I think I see something," she commented almost immediately. "I'm going to get up for a minute, so we can blow off the underside. Then I'll get a closer look and take some pictures with the camera."

We did as Barb requested. When she rose, she reported that she saw what looked like a series of four ring sockets arranged in a square, with a deep conical depression in the center and that this square pattern appearing at each end of the bench and exactly in the middle. The depressions were located in squares that began an inch from the front of the bench and extended back another four inches. "I thought I saw pictographs under some of the depressions, although they were faint. I would say Elf, Centaur, Unicorn, and Human. That's assuming each of the three squares is the same. None of the squares had all the pictographs legible. Farther back under the bench, there was a line of runic writing."

"That's great, we're really making progress," Hermione chirped in delight. "Let's scan the rest of the bench, before we move on to the walls. I'll take the support pillar on this end, Ginny can take the opposite support, and Barb can check the edges of the stone."

This effort took about an hour, but revealed nothing. "Let's check the wall around the slits," Hermione suggested. Our first pass was made with lighted wands and seemed to reveal depressions under the lower slit and above the top one.

"Time to dust again," I declared. Barb nodded ascent and we attacked the area of the depressions with jets of air from our wands. We applied our lit wands to the bottom row of depressions. There were six depressions, arranged in horizontal groups of three. They appeared to have pictograms beneath them showing a starburst, a Roman-fascisti style sheaf of wheat, and a plain circle. There was a single line of runes running the entire length of the slit. Hermione and I held our lighted wands, while Barb took several pictures. Another half hour of work revealed that the same set of depressions, pictograms, and runes ran above the top slit in the inner stone wall. More pictures were taken.

"I'm going to have to quit, really soon, if we can't even sit on the bench," Hermione declared, "but I want to do a quick scan of the other walls for difficult-to-find portals.

We each took a section of unexamined wall of the roughly square landing and gave it a quick once over. We were not rewarded with any new discoveries.

"Let's stand really close together and I'll try to apparate us back onto the ledge," I told the others. We pressed our chests together, with our arms wrapped around each other, except for my right hand on my wand. I knew at once that I wouldn't succeed in apparating from this spot, but focused my mind harder and gave a second chance. "No go," I finally told the others, we're going to have to walk back to the portal.

The walk down was more painful that the walk up, but I was soon fitting my ring to the depression beside the archway. The door slowly slid into the floor and I was stunned to be confronted by – Dad. I saw Harry and Shacklebolt were standing behind him.

"I'm glad to see you're still alive," Dad told me "but I'm sure I forbade you from entering this particular passageway, and that was before the first exploration team found it impossible to apparate out of it."

"I heard an authoritative rumor to that effect," I responded, "but neither you nor Harry told me directly that I shouldn't explore the passage, and Harry gave his okay this morning. Since I was the only holder of a ring that actually opens the portal, and it was the Light Guardian who taught me and only me how to make that ring, I think it was my responsibility to see what the passage held. As it turns out, we've discovered a lot that the initial team missed."

"I didn't want you exploring in there, because it is simply too dangerous and the Ministry employs aurors who are trained and willing to take such risks. If you weren't a married Witch, I'd ground you for a month."

"Dad, I'm sorry if I upset and disappointed you, but I am not just your little girl, anymore. I'm a Keeper and Keepers have responsibilities, which carry risks, just as aurors do. The Light Guardian chose me for this job and I have a duty to do what must be done."

"I don't agree, but the three of us, and your mother, can talk more about this later." Dad gave me a hug and Harry gave me a look.

{[perturbed] It would have been nice if you had told me your Dad's view on exploring the passage, before asking me to help you.}

{{I know, but sometimes you and I have to make decisions on our own and ignore my father.}}

{[exasperated] I agree with that, but your father is also the Minister, which makes him my boss, and this is a Ministry matter.}

{{It's also a Keeper matter. I took precautions and I was safe, at least as safe as was possible, under the circumstances. We really did find some important clues that may help get Baal back.}}

We were able to apparate back to Snape's office from the stone stairs. As we left Snape's office, Harry said "we're headed for McGonagall's office, don't say a thing until we get there." Our entire party, which now included six aurors, walked quietly through the corridors, up the stairs, and into McGonagall's office. Two more aurors, Mom, Neville, Madam Bones, and McGonagall were waiting for us.

When the door closed, Dad released a rant, which had apparently been bottled up for some time. At least it wasn't directed specifically at me. "With the capture of Rita and the suspension of young Frakes, I was looking forward to at least several weeks of reasonably good news. Imagine my consternation, when Prudence showed me this, before I had even had my morning tea." Dad brandished the Daily Prophet and slammed it down on McGonagall's desk, front page headlines uppermost.

"I don't see how they could possibly know some of this, unless one of us is leaking to the Prophet. I also don't see how any of you could view it as remotely appropriate for the Deputy Minister to leap naked over a bonfire in the presence of first year Witches. I would have thought you would at least have secured Harry's permission, before committing him to such a stunt. I understand headmaster McGonagall, Ginevra, and Hermione were all present for this planning and did not object to Harry's planned performance. I don't know why I have to learn about such nonsense from the Prophet, along with half the Wizarding nation. It does not convey the level of seriousness that I want for our administration."

"There really never was a plan for Harry to participate. It was just a joke by Draco, after he volunteered to perform, himself," I told Dad. "Anyway, Professor McGonagall insisted that any bonfire leapers had to at least wear their undies."

"Well, I'm glad the headmaster has at least half a brain," Dad continued. "How could the Prophet know about your meeting? Were the plans for All Hallows' Day discussed with the school."

"They most certainly were not," McGonagall replied. "The plans haven't even been finalized yet. The Prophet talks about the celebration as some bizarre event, whereas it will be a very serious examination of our ancestral religious beliefs. Even the ancient Witch Priestesses will participate, as will Cotto, King Goblanze, Firenze, Bane, and the senior Unicorn. This will be a profound educational experience for our students. We are even going to have a young whale serenade the students. The Daily Prophet describes the bonfire quite luridly, but dancing at bonfires certainly is a legitimate part of our traditions as a people. Most of that dancing did not involve clothes. I made some alterations in respect to current proprieties, but our historic past is what it is. We did not rise up from the Church of England."

"You don't need to lecture me on our ancient history. The Ministry has a number of historians and students of the ancient religions and I consulted them after reading this article. The dancing may be traditional, but it most certainly will not be acceptable to today's parents."

"I was afraid of that Minister, so I took steps to properly tone down the ceremony. To your larger question, I am at a complete loss as to how the Prophet learned of the ceremony. They could not be aware of or deliberately ignored the agreed plan, since there will be no nude dancing by Harry or by anyone else. Our initial discussion, at which Draco made his suggestion, did occur in the Great Hall and it's possible that our somewhat heated discussion was overheard by a student and that an owl was sent home. I can assure you that the only mention of Harry was made by Draco and I'm not at all sure anyone present, including Draco, took that comment seriously."

"I'd still hope that my daughter, er, Harry's wife, would have made clear that this suggestion did not sound at all like something the Deputy Minister would wish to participate in. Harry's a shy lad, that's one of the reasons the voters like him so much. This story makes him sound not very reliable at all."

McGonagall reached into her desk drawer and drew out the detailed summary of the day and a half event, placing the papers before Dad, for his perusal. Dad was forced to stop shouting and start reading, or at least scanning the sheets. While Dad read, I looked at Harry, who was looking a little uncomfortable to be at the center of this particular discussion.

{{I really am sorry. I didn't think anything would come of Draco's suggestion. I never for a minute saw you dancing around the bonfire, even in your undies.}}

{I may not have a choice at this point. I've been publicly dared by the Daily Prophet. You'll have to make sure I have totally appropriate and politically correct new undies to wear for the event.}

{{Again, I'm really sorry I didn't tell Draco he was completely out of line. Many of us did push McGonagall to include the bonfire. The old Witches were particularly keen on the idea and the Centaurs were very enthusiastic. You know I take the Light Guardian very seriously and would not do anything to make a mockery of the old religion. I'm also sorry that I didn't tell you that Dad didn't want me doing any more exploring inside the pyramid. I do feel strongly that it is part of my job to do that and that Dad is being overly protective.}}

{You may be correct in everything you say, but your father has been on a rampage all morning. He just can't get used to bad press. I tried to tell him that the most damaging news in the Prophet was the headline calling Henry a freak and detailing his special talent. For a second he agreed with me and then he demanded to know how the Prophet had found out about Alex. I told him that the whole school knew of Alex, but that I hadn't realized that many students knew that Alice was Alex or that Henry was the power behind the switch. I still think that was closely held knowledge. Of course, that just sent your father into another rage about the intolerable leaks coming from Hogwarts and questions of whether McGonagall was up to the headmaster job.}

Dad had looked up from the notes and begun to speak "…not as bad as I feared. This looks like basically a sound and enlightening program, just the sort of thing we discussed at our planning meeting. If the bonfire is handled tastefully, I don't think we'll have a problem. I think Prudence is correct: we need to accuse the Daily Prophet of getting the story wrong again, and invite the press to observe the day and a half commemoration for themselves. I am still very angry about the leaks."

I inserted myself into the argument to spare Harry. "I think there is a strong likelihood that the leaks came from the auror corps. Nobody at Hogwarts knew about the aurors and magical engineers preceding the Hogwarts Express. Harry and I didn't know until one of the advance aurors flew back to the train. I would say that the Spencers could have been excited enough to speak to the press, but they had no knowledge whatsoever of the magical engineers being deployed for the trip and I very much doubt that they were aware of the extra aurors deployed in Diagon Alley while we shopped. The paper also talks about the headmaster paying for a second opening day banquet out of the school's diminished budget. Many of those, who might have leaked, knew that the banquet was paid for by Shacklebolt."

"I didn't realize that Kingsley had paid," Dad admitted.

"There are also very few people at Hogwarts who know as much of the Alice-Alex-Henry story as appeared in the paper. Certainly Harry, me, Cissy, Hermione, Luna, Ron, Neville, Margaret, the headmaster, Madam Pomphrey, Doctor White, Mrs. Granger, and I think that's about it. I'm not even sure Mom knew everything."

"No, I didn't," Mom concurred, "and I'm sure the other staff and faculty didn't either. That is the sort of news that travels very fast, once someone in the general student body finds out about it. You'd be amazed how fast rumors travel here, but I never heard the details of this one."

"Of course, Henry's parents and Shacklebolt's personal aurors also knew the full story. The Spencers may have blabbed, and the aurors may have been seeking revenge for being reprimanded," Harry told Dad. "I think it significant that The Quibbler did not get this story and that nothing written by Ernie appeared in today's Daily Prophet."

"I can vouch for my aurors," Kingsley stammered, before turning to an auror and commanding "please fetch them instantly and don't say a word about any of this. Better still, come with me, we'll talk to them at the Ministry."

As Shacklebolt departed with two aurors, Dad again rounded on McGonagall, with a more calmly voiced question. "Could the Sisterhood have leaked this information to the press?"

"I hardly think so, Minister," McGonagall answered politely if a tad coolly. "Given our recent problems with the Daily Prophet, I don't think any of members would care to have this school or myself in any way associated with the image of naked students cavorting around a bonfire or of those same young students watching the Deputy Minister cavort. I hope you can see that this is not at all what we would want, but precisely what those who oppose us would have the public read about."

"Yes, I can understand that," Dad continued in a milder tone. "But, which enemies of yours were aware of these facts?"

"I just don't know. It is possible that someone whom I've trusted has betrayed me, once again. I'd hate to think that Draco was responsible for this, and it's beyond understanding why one of the ancient Witches would want to go running to the Prophet. I suppose the Spencer parents might have learned of the bonfire, although I did everything possible to keep them away from that sort of thing. They were here for almost three days and would certainly know the whole story about their twins."

"I think Harry and his truthtellers should have a sit-down with Draco. I'd like to know if he leaked any of this, and what possessed him to volunteer Harry to dance with him. While you're all here, and I'm doing this merely in an abundance of caution, I'd like you all to look at the truthteller seated nearest to you and say, 'I did not leak any of the information that appeared in the Daily Prophet.' I know I'm being more that a bit crazy about this, but please humor me. It is hard to do the difficult planning necessary to run a government at a time we're chasing Umbridge and still recovering from the Voldemort wars, when nothing is secret. I imagine what I'm asking isn't even proper."

"It most certainly is not proper, Minister" Madam Bones replied, "and I say that as someone who had no knowledge whatsoever of the plans for the bonfire."

"It's alright," I said, turning to Hermione and reciting "I am not the source of these leaks." Hermione repeated the phrase back to me. Then others paired off and recited our new mantra. At the end of this ceremony, we truthtellers reported "everyone told the truth".

I could tell there was a fight brewing, when Dad commented, "I notice that you didn't participate, Molly."

Mom looked Dad squarely in the eye, before answering "neither did you, Arthur, but I'm willing to speak the words to Cissy, if you say them to Hermione." That was done and both of my parents passed the test, although the friction between them was impossible to ignore. I thought we were finished, but Dad said "you also did not participate, Amelia".

Madam Bones faced us and spoke our new mantra. The three of us were unanimous "she's not telling the truth!" we spoke as one.

"What did you do, Amelia?" McGonagall cried out.

"I knew and said nothing about your celebration at Hogwarts. I was asked by Barnabas Cuffe about "the commotion in the Muggle world that was caused by a supposed squib" and I did give him details of what needed to be done to confund the Muggles and cover up the event. I told him that Henry Spencer was just a young child and most certainly would not be prosecuted while I was Director."

"Which may not be a guarantee of very long duration," Dad pounced "I thought I had made it clear that such pronouncements to the media were to be guided by Prudence and that, at the very least, you were to inform her of what you had already said to a reporter."

"I know, I forgot when Barnabas cornered me, and then I was too ashamed to say anything."

"I'll leave it to Harry to deal with this," Dad said, "but I have to know how much you said about Alice and Alex and the events at Hogwarts."

"Nothing, I promise you."

The three of us indicated that this time, she was telling the truth.

"Well, that resolves the smallest portion of the leaks," Dad said, his posture and tone indicating that he was less than pleased with having looked under this particular rock.

There was a very uncomfortable silence, into which Hermione finally spoke "perhaps it would be best if we went off and spoke to Draco."

I eagerly got up to leave, as did Cissy, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who had no desire to be left behind. Nobody made an effort to stop us, so we set off for Hufflepuff. By luck, not even thinking to check his class schedule with McGonagall, we found Draco in the Hufflepuff common room. Harry told him that we needed to speak to him alone. I was prepared to lead him back to Harry's office, but the four Hufflepuffs studying in arm chairs around the fire got up hastily and vacated the common room.

I told Draco, "this is very awkward, but we just came from a meeting with my father, and he is very angry about this morning's Daily Prophet. He was especially upset about the story of Harry leaping the bonfire naked and wanted to know who had leaked that to the Prophet. Your name came up, so we are here to ask you a few questions. I hope you'll cooperate."

"Of course I'll cooperate, I need your and the Ministry's help with my Pansy situation and with getting the family and our finances back together. I'm hardly in a position where it benefits me to throw rocks and anger Harry or your father."

"Fine, in that case, I have three questions for you. Please look at the three of us, whom you should know are qualified truthtellers, when you answer. First, why did you suggest that Harry join you in leaping the bonfire nude? Second, did you tell anyone associated with the Prophet about the bonfire plans? Third, did you tell anyone else? I'm sorry, there is a fourth question - did you tell anyone about Alice, Alex, and Henry."

"Draco's face bore a look more of amusement than of concern or displeasure as he answered, "I said I would leap the bonfire, because McGonagall was making such a point of her past problems with young girls. I felt if of-age Wizards did the leaping, that this would avoid that problem. I realized the improbability of first year girls watching my performance as soon as the offer left my lips and threw in Harry to make a big joke of the whole thing. I spoke to nobody associated with the Prophet about this or anything to do with the Spencers, or anything else for that matter. I did mention both the bonfire and a bit about the Spencers to my mother. I didn't know nearly as much about the Spencers as was in the Prophet, not even about what happened here at Hogwarts. I had no idea that Hermione had cursed Alex. I did know about and did speak to mother about the problems Alex has caused with the younger girls in Gryffindor and about Cissy having a crush on this phantom. I didn't know that Alice was Alex or that Henry was involved. I did tell mother about the silly second banquet held for Henry and about how lost his parents seemed wandering about Hogwarts. That's all I can tell you. I suppose you're going to want to speak to mother, now."

"Unfortunately, yes, and believe me I realize how awkward this is. I've just left one of the most awkward meetings of my life. By the way you were speaking the truth," I told Draco. Hermione and Cissy nodded assent.

"Sorry to bother you," Harry told Draco. "I figured it was easier for you to talk to us than to an auror or the Minister. I also really needed to escape that meeting. How are you making out, by the way? Have you talked to Erin and Pansy? We'll be as gentle and discrete with your Mom as we can, by the way. Is she in her apartment?"

"That's alright, Harry. You have ample reason to be a little suspicious of me, and it was rotten to pull you into my spoof with McGonagall. I've spent quite a lot of time talking to Erin and half an hour with Pansy. Erin and I will both be at art club tomorrow, and I'll follow your suggestion about painting each other's portraits. I feel more comfortable with Erin than I do with Pansy. I think Mom is teaching Arithmancy now. Her class ends in ten minutes, so you should just be able to catch her."

We hustled down two levels and to the far end of the castle, but arrived outside the door of Mrs. Malfoy's classroom just as she was about to release her class. We stepped aside to avoid the charge into the corridor and then entered the classroom to confront Mrs. Malfoy. Harry explained the circumstances and our mission. I asked the questions and Mrs. Malfoy passed the test, having told nobody of the tittle tattle she had picked up from Draco. Her concluding comment was, "I'm sorry you asked Draco those questions in front of truthtellers. It must have pained him to admit that he shared such things with me. My son realizes that I'm safer here at Hogwarts and that I enjoy teaching Arithmancy, but I think my presence is an embarrassment to him. He stays only to ensure that I stay."

We headed back to Dad, with no answers to the questions he had raised, but having cleared two potential leakers. Harry told Dad that neither Draco nor Narcissa was the leaker. Dad nodded his approval, but I got the impression that tensions had simmered in our absence. A glance at Neville confirmed this thought. After another extended moment of excruciating silence, Shacklebolt arrived with his two aurors.

"I must apologize on behalf of my personal auror team," Shacklebolt began "I clearly put too much faith in them. They felt that the Deputy Minister had addressed them in an 'uppity manner' yesterday and that my reprimanding them was uncalled for as they were merely expressing loyalty to me. I'm afraid they took it upon themselves to tell some tales to Barnabas Cuffe. They are the source of the story about the Spencers and also about the bonfire. I have no idea how they found out about the bonfire proposal, but they are trained to keep their ears open and observe their surroundings. They took great pride in working directly with me and apparently felt slighted that I am now reporting to the Deputy Minister. I regret that I have allowed that attitude to fester in my department, in fact in those closest to me. I'll resign, if you want me to, Arthur."

"I'll leave that matter to Harry," Dad awkwardly replied. "Perhaps we should excuse the Deputy Minister and his Directors, so that they can conduct a much needed staff meeting."

"We can meet in my Hogwarts office," Harry suggested as he got up to lead Shacklebolt and Madam Bones out of McGonagall's office.

{And, don't you dare snoop on this meeting. I'll see you later.}

As the room had again lapsed into silence, McGonagall announced "I believe we've missed lunch. If you follow me to the Great Hall, I'll see what the kitchen Elves can whip up for us."

"You eat," Dad replied, "I have to get back to the Ministry." He and his aurors left us. Mom still looked a tad perturbed and uncharacteristically didn't even say goodbye to Dad.

When Harry rejoined us toward the end of lunch, his only comment was "Directors Shacklebolt and Bones had to get back to the Ministry. I thought I'd grab some lunch before I go. That tuna salad looks very good."

Harry ate in silence and I wondered if I should whisper him. I decided the silence was worse than anything. {{Are you alright? Are we okay?}}

{I'm frazzled. We're okay. Your Dad can be quite a load when he gets in this sort of mood. I'm not eager to get back to the Ministry quickly.}

{{I'm glad we're okay and I'm sorry for my part on this. I'm also worried that Mom and Dad are feuding. Dad is in a bad place again. I don't envy what you'll encounter when you get back to the Ministry. I'm going to talk to Mom.}}

{I think you should. I'm going to need to talk to the two aurors. I don't want to fire them and make two more enemies, but I also can't let them get away with what they did. I'm also going to be seeing more of your Dad, which I'm not looking forward to.}

Unlike Mom, I made a point of standing up to snog Harry goodbye. I whispered aloud "don't let my father get you down, he's going to have to sleep off his current mood and will be painful to be with until then. Just hope he's more temperate tomorrow."

As Harry left, McGonagall commented "your husband does have a very difficult job and by and large he handles it very well. I'm very sorry he got blind-sided about the bonfire. Those aurors were out to humiliate him."

"Harry's gotten pretty good about rolling with the punches," I told McGonagall. "Dad will make the rest of the day miserable for Harry, because he's angry that Harry allowed me to enter the pyramid. I'm either a Keeper, or I'm not."

"I realize that both you and Cissy have responsibilities, which you take very seriously, but you are still school girls," Mom said. As Cissy looked upset, Mom continued "Cissy is just a third, year and parents and Professors are normally very protective of third years. Your father is perhaps too protective of you, Ginny, but I worry about you also."

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione did more dangerous things as first years," I complained.

"And you'll well remember how upset I was about the risks to which Dumbledore exposed Harry."

As the lunch gathering broke up, I told Hermione that I would catch her later and followed Mom, who was headed back to her apartment. She heard my footsteps and waited for me to catch up. "I'm guessing that you're upset that your father and I are arguing," she told me. "I'm upset also, why don't you come back to the apartment with me and we can have a chat."

Mom lit the kindling under the three logs in her fireplace and we sat in the two chairs in front of the burgeoning fire. Mom waved her wand and a decanter of Witch sherry and two water glasses appeared on the table between us. "Sorry, I never bothered to supply this apartment with proper wine glasses, we'll have to make do with the water tumblers. I think one glassful will more than do you. Fortunately, I don't think either of us has any unbreakable commitments for this afternoon."

"Just a McGonagall class that I'd sooner skip. I know the history from my Light Guardian knowledge, so there really isn't anything to make up. After sharing today's meeting with her and yesterday's planning session, I'm eager to avoid her. She'll be on me tomorrow to see the notes for my talk, anyway. Let me say, Mom, that I got worried for you and Dad today. I've not seen the two of you like that, before."

"I know, dear. The office is changing your father and seriously fraying his nerves. This administration has had so many successes, but he keeps dwelling on every piece of bad press. I've tried to convince him to just let Prudence handle that, while he focuses on the bigger issues. Harry has told him that the Prophet will hate him, no matter what he does. They had too much invested in the old regime and denied the Voldemort problem for too long. Arthur used to be so light-hearted, but his worries have soured his mood. I'm really sorry he agreed to be Deputy Minister. I'm not saying McGonagall would have been any better, she has her weaknesses too. As does Kingsley. As things stand today, I'm not sure anyone is truly fit for the job.

"I don't know what to tell you. I was sure that Arthur would be much happier and less on edge after Barty and Thicknesse were dealt with. Now he obsesses about Umbridge. He needs to realize that there will never be a time when there isn't an opposition. His administration has more support from the Wizarding world than anyone in decades. Harry is partly responsible for that and I certainly realize how much you, Ron, and Hermione help Harry. We just all have to be patient. Your father was talking more to me about Ministry problems and I think I was soothing his spirit and keeping him focused where he needed to focus, but this latest flap is a big setback. I don't want you to worry about us. Your father and I have been together for a long time and we'll be fine. It will take more than the Daily Prophet and Delores Umbridge to drive us apart."

"I know that Mom, but I still worry, especially about Dad. He never used to get so worried or so angry."

"Well, you can do your part and make him believe that you are being careful and that he needn't worry about your safety. He expects Harry to keep you safe, and gets angry at both of you when he thinks you are exposed to unnecessary danger. Your father's a very brave man, but he's not a fighter. Remember, it was me, not him, who killed Bellatrix. I think that bothers him a little. He still doesn't quite believe that he deserves to be Minister. He thinks there were so many bigger heroes in the battle with the Death Eaters."

"But he was very brave at the Ministry and was almost killed by the snake."

"Yes, but he doesn't see that as a great success story. He's comparing levels of bravery within a movement that had a lot of very brave members. We had many heroes. Your father didn't need to be first in that department to be an excellent Minister. You might remind him of that."

Harry didn't return until well after dinner. He looked haggard when he walked into the Gryffindor common room. Harry snogged me and said hello to Ron, Hermione, and Neville, but I said it was time for us to go. Back at the apartment, I asked Harry if he was alright.

"I'm not totally sure," Harry replied. "This has certainly been one of the worst days since I became Deputy Minister, and the day that has me most questioning whether I am not simply too young to be taken seriously as Deputy Minister. The two aurors who leaked to The Prophet see me as just an uppity school kid. Shacklebolt seems less than completely convinced that I'm actually his boss and your father doesn't fully trust me, and isn't sure he's at all happy about how I act as your husband. I hadn't realized how much of a Ministry laughing stock I would be after that bonfire article. I'm hoping and expecting the jokes to pass, but that really hurt."

"As I said before, I'm really sorry about my part in that. I don't think Draco meant anything by it, either."

"I know you're sorry, but you and Draco being sorry doesn't improve my situation."

"What can I do to improve your situation? I want to help."

"Get me a great costume and a plan that I can dance two nights from now and not make a fool of myself."

"I promise, I'll come up with something. How did things go with Dad and Shacklebolt, when you got back to the Ministry."

"You also have to be more careful. Your role is Mother of the Future and Priestess, not super warrior. In addition to being your father, as Minister he has a responsibility to protect the Mother of the Future, and so do I. That passageway that you explored sounds like a death trap, with only one way in or out and no apparating. The portals inside the pyramid are balky from disuse. You could have been entombed alive. Surely you recognized those risks."

"I did, but I tested the portal multiple times and it worked fine. I had a strong feeling the auror explorers had missed important clues. My instinct was correct. I also feel that the device in the pyramid will help me organize and use my Light Guardian knowledge. I am sorry if I tricked you and caused more trouble between you and Dad. Are the two of you in a place from which you can't reconcile and work together?"

"Well, your father is a little sorry about everything that he said. He realizes I'm in a tough situation with Shacklebolt and the aurors, and that you are very difficult to keep as safe as he would like. We basically stayed out of each other's way, when we could, so I don't know how things will be tomorrow.

"Shacklebolt also knows he's put me in an impossible situation and would fix things if he could, but his aurors have challenged my authority in just about the strongest way possible, so I have to be the one to deal with it. I got the files on the two aurors who caused the problem and for Shacklebolt's other personal auror. I told Shacklebolt that I honestly didn't see anything terribly special in the records of any of the three and asked him why he chose them and gave them so much independent authority. He didn't have a good answer, just that he knew they were loyal and he enjoyed working with them. They didn't fight in the Battle of Hogwarts and haven't caught any serious baddies or been whizzes at solving tough crimes. I really think they just idolize Shacklebolt and flatter his ego, so he feels comfortable with them and trusts them too much.

"I told him that I wasn't sure that this wasn't Bron Turner and Stowe all over again, although I didn't see any obvious evidence of ties to the Death Eaters or Grindelwalds, but Bron had a clean record. We're going to talk to them tomorrow and I told Shacklebolt that I want them watched in the meantime. I said we are also going to take a very close look at his third auror. We spoke without any aurors being present. I met with Madam Bones and Shacklebolt together, right before I left, and told them that it was up to them to decide whether or not this was going to work. I told them that if they expected Arthur to reach out and save them, that they were mistaken and should realize that I was now their boss largely because the Minister would rather have me fire them than do it personally. They are to come back tomorrow with a decision whether or not they want to be a part of the team."

I cuddled with Harry for a couple hours, before he finally fell asleep. He was up and gone before I awoke, leaving a note that he wanted to consult with Percy, Callista, and Wood over breakfast. It was going to be a big day for Harry. It was going to be a very long day for me, worrying about both Harry and Dad.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42 - Noodling Out a Solution**

Hermione, Cissy, Margaret, and I breakfasted together and agreed that we would spend the morning in the library writing up our presentations for All Hallows Day. McGonagall had made it very clear that she was not going to chance our trying to wing it and forgetting what we meant to say. She expected both outline notes in big enough text to speak from and a complete text of what we expected to say. Letting both Cissy and Margaret skip morning classes was a sign of the importance she assigned to this task.

The morning papers were likely to put Dad in a better mood. The Quibbler was back on the attack:

**THE PROPHET GETS THE FACTS WRONG, YET AGAIN**

**PROPHET ATTACKS FIRST YEAR STUDENTS**

**PROPHET STORY A BLOW TO OUR SAFETY**

**WE'RE INVITED TO HOGWARTS ALL HALLOWS' DAY EVENT**

Xenophilius delighted in telling his readers that there had never been plans for nude frolicking around a bonfire, but rather a tasteful celebration of Wizarding heritage and study of our ancient religions. He expressed his delight to be invited to cover 'this fine event'.

He wondered why the Prophet felt it appropriate to attack two first year students and impede their adjustment to Hogwarts. The indignant parents, relatives, and neighbors were quoted at length. Mrs. Spencer poignantly asked how readers would feel 'if your innocent children were publicly attacked and ridiculed in such a nasty way?' The Quibbler explained how the Ministry and Hogwarts were handling the situation skillfully and sensitively and how the 'muckraking by the Prophet' could well endanger the safety of all of us, by making this delicate situation worse, rather than better. All of the Spencers came off very sympathetically in the articles.

The Prophet wrote:

**VETERAN AURORS SACKED FOR SPEAKING TO PROPHET**

**SHACKLEBOLT AND POTTER FEUDING**

**WE ATTACKED FECKLESSNESS OF MINISTRY, NOT CHILDREN**

**WHAT ARE THESE NOVEL ABILITIES? ERNIE EXPLAINS**

The first article claimed that Harry had fired Shacklebolt's aurors, basing this on the fact that they had been asked to stay home for the next several days. Disobeying Shacklebolt's instruction not to use the cellphone was not mentioned. The evidence presented for the feud was that Shacklebolt's personal aurors were sacked, and that Harry and Shacklebolt were seen speaking excitedly to each other at the Ministry and appearing to be unhappy.

Barnabas tied himself in verbal contortions trying to explain how a very nasty and specific attack on the Spencer twins was not an attack on them at all, but rather an attack on my father for promoting Harry. They explained that Harry had sacked two of the finest aurors in the corps, men with sterling records, whom Shacklebolt considered the best of the best, for doing nothing more than not saying 'yes sir' quickly enough to a hopped-up school boy, promoted beyond his competence, who had none of the necessary qualifications to be an auror, let alone give orders to expert aurors. Ernie's article was calm and well written, but it was clear that he didn't have a clue what was going on with the twins.

McGonagall had lunch with us to review what we had written, and with a few very minor changes to what Cissy had written, she approved everything. Hermione was anxious to show me the progress that she and her Rune Professor, Madam Babbling, had made on the texts.

This is as much of the main chamber text as we have been able to decipher:

[Hall of the Ancients and Portal to the New Worlds of Rebirth for Leprechaun, Goblin, Elf, Centaur, Unicorn, and Wizard. Those who cannot live in peace must leave. Be sure, thee who come here, for there be no returning. Live with only your own kind, if that be your choice, but let us live together. We gladly share our learning to start your new life.]

Another section in the main chamber reads:

[Climb to top of {unknown, but presumably the black rectangle} and touch {unknown, presumably the small crystals} chosen for your kind. {unknown, possibly pejorative}]

There was some faint writing under the flat crystal on top of the black rectangle, which we were able to translate:

[Check description is correct. Jump back if wrong.]

"Most of that seems pretty clear," Hermione ventured, "but we don't understand why, if there was a new world for each species, the flat crystal would say 'good male Elf' after the device transported Baal to ElfWorld. What difference would it make if he were a good Elf or a bad Elf or male or female? In any case, the news seems bad for Baal - the creators of this transporter did not have a return trip in mind."

"It could be worse than that," I shuddered. "If the travelers were segregated by sex as well as goodness and badness, this would have been a single generation New World. The pyramid chamber hasn't been visited in centuries. Baal could be the only Elf on ElfWorld."

"That would be horrendous," Hermione joined me in shuddering, "but, didn't the Light Guardian and Firenze suggest that a tragedy had left UnicornWorld devoid of life? That suggests that the new Worlds were intended to be multi-generational."

"The tragedy could have been that all the Unicorns transported to UnicornWorld died of old age," I replied, unconvinced by Hermione's logic. "Were you able to translate any of the other messages?"

"Yes, we were. In the access chamber that Bill explored, we've translated part of the runes. Here it is."

[Chamber of the Magic of Magic, Gift of Light Guardian to all magical creatures… more power than you can understand to fix a problem that should not be… provide a new beginning here and on far worlds… Mother of the Future will understand {can't translate}… new way of this world…. Peace… all creatures… {a long section we can't translate}…Hope and love and cooperation… low ceiling….place ring…]

"That's it, Ginny. We haven't tackled the writing from the observation landing yet. We're hoping to learn to send freight to ElfWorld, without risking another Elf. I had hoped the secret would be in what we were translating, but no luck. On the assumption that we'll eventually succeed, my father, George, and Lee Jordan are designing a package to send over to Baal. If your interpretation is correct, he'll be very lonely, but should be able to find at least water and probably food."

"I think you've accomplished a lot," I reassured Hermione and Madam Babbling. "I'm trying to sort through my Light Guardian knowledge for something that will help. I had hoped that yesterday's exploration would have triggered a memory, but no luck."

I was unexpectedly overcome by what my parents called my 'impudent silly moods' and couldn't stop myself from asking Madam Babbling, "why are some Witches, like yourself, called Madam, while most are not?"

"Ah," she replied. "That unofficial title is claimed by Witches of a certain age, who have grown weary of their given names. Madam suits me better."

Still curious about Hermione's secretive Professor, whom I had never seen at Hogwarts, before, I asked her "I understand you're a Ministry employee. Does the Ministry have other people who deal in runes?"

"No, I'm one of the Ministry's freak esoteric experts, like Mr. Bulstrode, the snake speaker. We are usually unique and hold down the post for several generations, training our successors in our later years. There are about twenty of us, mostly in obscure languages. It's really a pleasure to have new runes to translate. My predecessor only had some rocks from the New World to deal with, and until now the only new thing I had to work with was an inscription on a flat stone which one of the ancient Witches was drawn to on Iona. That was twenty-odd years ago. Other than that, I spend my time reworking old translations, trying to improve the Ministry dictionary of runic languages, and seeking a successor to train. This is a very exciting time – new scripts in a somewhat new rune alphabet. It's enough to keep me and my successor happily occupied for decades. Professor McGonagall (I fall under her department) is urging me that now is the proper time to start training my successor. I'm not near to quitting, but she's right that there is now so much work to be done."

"Now that we've drifted onto the more personal side of things," Hermione gave me a don't be angry at me look as she said this, so I braced myself for what might be coming, "I hope you will tell your husband that pestering me to spend more of my time on the translations isn't going to get them translated any sooner. Madam Babbling and I spend all of our time with at least part of our minds trying to noodle out the solution. This isn't like sitting down and reading through two chapters of a Hogwarts textbook to get your homework done on time. We're comparing unknown runes to several known Witch rune languages and even other ancient languages from around the world. We've been moving through this as fast as we possibly can, but just sitting in the library every minute focusing on the same pictures, won't make things go any faster. I know how worried Harry is about Baal. I'm worried too, but Harry is really getting on my nerves."

"I'll gently tell him to give you space to work out a solution," I promised her, "and thank you for making me aware of the problem. The Ministry is incredibly intense, especially with Dad in a bad mood, and it's easy for Harry to learn bad habits."

Harry wasn't back for lunch, so I decided to devote my afternoon to his costume. I spoke to Mafalda about what young Wizards wore to leap the bonfire, on those occasions on which they wore anything at all.

"Animal skins," came the instant reply, "but it was apparently standard and I believe so much more satisfactory that at least the chest and most of the legs be bared. The rule was, the fiercer the beast from which the skin was made, the more heroic the dancer. If the dancer had slain the beast himself, that was extra points to the lad. And the dancers were invariably young lads, within a few years, either way, of your Harry. I could teach you, or Harry, the ritual dance, if you like."

I would very much like.

She demonstrated, as best as an arthritic ancient Witch could, the elaborate prances and leaps, around the fire, followed by the magically assisted long leap over the bonfire, with the bare feet just grazing the flames. "The best young Wizards," she concluded, "would have their Patronus join them in the dance. Of course, since the dance predates wands, they would also carry a long, stone-tipped spear for the dance." I practiced the steps, until I was certain I could explain them to Harry.

Then, I was off to pick a suitable pelt from which to make Harry's costume. I tried to think of a fierce animal that Harry had slain, or at least defeated. He had slain the basilisk, but that carcass had somehow vanished. I doubted the possibility of finding another basilisk skin. There was one basilisk fang remaining and I could fashion Harry a necklace to carry it, with proper protection against an unfortunate accident. Harry had stolen a golden egg from a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon, so that was a possibility. He had sneaked past a three-headed dog, but a dog pelt would strike the first levels as creepy. A Giant pelt seemed in deplorably bad taste. I would visit Charlie and get some dragon scales to stitch together for Harry's costume. That was the best idea I had. At lunch I told Mom that I would be traveling to meet Charlie, but I didn't know where he was.

He was in Norway and she offered to apparate us there. She also volunteered to help make Harry's costume. Mr. Granger was seated next to Mom and volunteered that he would have a very fine spear for me by breakfast next. He could also put a thin plastic shell over the basilisk fang. I gratefully accepted both offers.

I spent a very busy day, preparing for Harry's dance and then practicing his dance steps with him, until he could repeat them perfectly. He thought it a rather strange dance, but said that if the ancient priestesses vouched for its authenticity, then he would willingly perform it. He was pleased with the necklace and costume, which we had made for him, although he thought the spear 'probably authentic, but undeniably stupid looking'.

Harry attended my Light Guardian lecture, which was held in the Great Hall and attended by the whole student body. I thought I did okay, but Harry said I was excellent. The students seemed to enjoy the talk and asked a lot of questions. McGonagall nodded approval as I sat down.

Most of the presentations were very well received, although Mafalda spoke too softly to be heard by most of the students. Those close enough to hear clearly were unrestrained in their enthusiasm, as much of what she said cut across McGonagall's Victorian grain. McGonagall did not nod as Mafalda sat down. I was very proud of the younger presenters. Cissy spoke clearly and loudly and never stumbled in either her presentation or her responses to questions. Margaret was a great hit, speaking in her Joan of Arc attire, something she had not mentioned to any of us beforehand. The younger students had a lot of questions about her fighting in the Battle of the Sacred Cavern, as well as the power of magical relics. McGonagall said her words on curriculum and OWL test changes to incorporate material on the ancient magical religions into Divination and history classes, between the initial banquet courses and the dessert. She got her only applause when she said that the reading of palms and tea stains would be eliminated as part of the change.

Witch sherry was served after dessert, as Mafalda said it was traditional for bonfire dances and would 'fortify the students against the cold'. I had the opportunity, prior to dinner, both to be warned by McGonagall

"I trust you made a sufficiently modest costume for Harry. It's never too late to add a little extra fabric" and to observe her tasting a random sampling of half of the sherry bottles. Presumably she was concerned that the ancient Witches had added herbs to heighten the authenticity of the night's revels. Victorian intent or not, McGonagall was more than a little tipsy and I think that some of the students had noticed the lingering effect during her before dessert remarks. She seemed particularly disturbed that a 'hic' passed her open lips, just as the Prophet's photographer was creating a picture of her. Harry and Draco had departed after dessert to don their costumes. They took a bottle of sherry with them to fortify their spirits as well as their bodies.

Ellie gifted Harry with the loan of an antique crown of hawthorn and herbs and a belt of silver disks and polished granite linked by a primitive simple silver chain, telling him "this is what the old priests wore at the bonfires. Wear them as my thank you for rescuing me from my dreary life of dusting and tea fetching. Since we met, I feel as though I truly am a professional curator. You have to pin the crown into your hair. The ancients used thin twigs, but you should use whatever works best. Please be careful with the belt – the chain is more fragile than it appears to be."


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43 – Harry Dances the Dance**

The students were chattering happily in anticipation of the bonfire, as the staff led them in groups into the Forbidden Forest. This was the sort of event that would have normally been quite interesting to the students, but reading the Daily Prophet's accounts of nude dancers and uncontrolled debauchery had really piqued their imaginations. The first level girls couldn't stop giggling and the second level boys couldn't stop mocking them.

Unicorns and Centaurs greeted the students at the edge of the forest. I knew the bonfire had not yet been lit, because I didn't see its glow. We walked farther into the forest, until we reached the biggest clearing, where the vegetation had been peeled back from a fifty foot circle, at the center of which sat a ten foot diameter pile of logs and kindling. As the students gathered around the cleared circle, with the Unicorns and Centaurs behind them, Bane and Firenze lit torches and slowly made their way through the circle of students to light the fire. It started slowly, but soon the kindling, and then the smaller logs were ablaze and the entire clearing was alight with the flickering flames throwing light, then shadow around the clearing in a way that made the forest seem even more eerie and threatening, than it had in the dark, with just the filtered light of a half moon. It was very comforting to know that we were here at the Centaurs' invitation and under their protection.

Mafalda and Professor Trelawney began dancing around the bonfire, pulling students in to join them and teaching the steps. This went on for about fifteen minutes, until half the student body and most of the Professors were dancing. Then the chant went up 'where's Potter, we want Harry, we want Harry.' A few minutes of chanting and Draco and Harry appeared in the clearing, clothed in their school robes. The circle of students parted as they strode through the outer circle of nonparticipants and into the midst of the dancers, many of whom moved back to the outer circle to watch. George, Ron, and Luna entered the clearing, carrying large primitive drums. They set up between the inner and outer circle of students and began to drum a rhythmic beat, that struck me as more African than Scottish. After a minute of this stage setting, Draco and Harry dramatically drew their robes over their heads and threw them to first year girls in the rear row saying "if you would kindly protect these for us." Harry looked resplendent in his dragon scales, which were iridescent as they shimmered in the firelight, reflecting the flickering light this way and that. The basilisk tooth was very visible around his neck.

Harry announced "this is as authentic a costume as we could create and it represents what the priests of old would have worn. In those days, you wore skins, if you wore anything at all. It was best to wear the skin of a beast you slew on your own. This necklace was made by my wife Ginny from the fang of an basilisk, which I killed when I rescued Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets in my second year at Hogwarts. The scales are from a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon, like the one from which I stole a golden egg during the Triwizard Tournament. That thing chased me all around the castle. The belt is two millennia old and was worn by an actual Light Guardian priest. This hawthorne crown was made by a nature religion priestess over four centuries ago. The spear is a replica of what would have been used in the dance in the time of Merlin, before Wizards used wands. Professor Granger made it for me. Professor Weasley sewed the dragon skin garment. I'll dance with my Patronus, but that practice is only five centuries old."

"Come on Potter, this isn't a fashion show," Draco shouted at Harry. Draco had chosen simple, black cotton briefs as his costume. Both Wizards held their wands as they conjured their Patronuses to dance with them. Harry shouted 'accio spear' and a most magnificent weapon soared into his hand. The boys proceeded to dance, or in the case of Draco, who hadn't really practiced any moves, simply leap around and cavort, as they moved round and round the fire, Harry's stag and Draco's snake moving in unison with their creators.

After perhaps five minutes of dancing and shaking their pelvises, the boys began a series of long leaps across the bonfire, touching each other's hands as the passed atop the flames. These were magical leaps of some thirty feet high, in order to safely clear the flames. Harry and Draco returned to more subdued dancing, basically just skipping around the bonfire, as Bane, Firenze, and two Unicorns performed a series of spectacular twisting leaps atop the flames. For the finale, Bane requested that Harry crawl atop his back and the two of them leapt the flames together. Firenze and Draco repeated the feat. Harry and Draco reclaimed their robes from the first years and warmed up under them. I reclaimed Harry and saw Erin following me into the inner circle to claim and dance with Draco.

I thought the festivities were starting to calm down, when the Patil sisters, who were covering the event with Xenophilius, doffed their robes to reveal skin-tight leopard print leotards, in which they danced enthusiastically and then leapt across the flames. They were replaced by Professor Trelawney and Mafalda, in just their undies, not a pretty sight to my mind, but they danced enthusiastically. The light glinted off Trelawney's spectacles. Luna joined the two older Witches. She hadn't prepared a costume and was also dancing in her undies. Victoria joined the dancers. Trelawney and Luna leapt the flames, but Mafalda announced that she was too old for such an energetic celebration. The students then started chanting "McGonagall, McGonagall, McGonagall," but the headmaster ignored the chant. As the flames died down, our drummers lapsed into silence, and the staff led the tired, but still excitedly chattering students back to their beds. Harry and I headed back to our bed as well.

{{Well, was my costume and dance training satisfactory?}}

{Yes, I think you discharged that debt very satisfactorily and I thank you for your help. The use of the Patronuses was truly inspired.}

{{That was actually Mafalda's idea. That ancient Witch was really into the whole bonfire concept. I know I haven't seen much of you the past two days, but we never even talked about how your showdown with the two aurors, Shacklebolt, and Madam Bones turned out. I'm not prying for deep secrets. I just need to know that you're alright.}}

{I think it went quite well. Shacklebolt and Madam Bones said they definitely wanted to remain in my department and help to make it work, and that they and their staff would support me in future, although Madam Bones hastened to add that she would definitely let me know when she thought I was going astray. I told her that I appreciated that and hoped that Kingsley would also speak up when he disagreed with my approach, but that I expected to hear it from them directly, not in the Daily Prophet and not from their staff.

{Kingsley and I met with the two errant aurors. I told them that I found their behavior totally unacceptable and regarded them as being on probation. One auror said he had no problems taking orders from Director Shacklebolt, but felt I was too young and inexperienced to be taken seriously or trusted. I told him that the trust angle went in the other direction. I had been elected by the whole Wizarding community and that it was he who needed to earn my trust. I told him that I had studied his record closely and that although this was at least his first recorded infraction, I also did not spot a lot of successes in his file. I asked him what he had done that entitled him to take the high and mighty insubordinate approach toward me.

He said he had 'paid my dues, working my way up through scut jobs, like walking the nighttime security beat at the Ministry and patrolling Diagon Alley during shopping hours.' He said he had accomplished a lot for an auror of his experience, listing the number of arrests he had made and declaring that having paid his dues he was now at the stage of his career where he was ready for truly serious work, as opposed to me, who had just leapt over him and Shacklebolt, for no reason but political favoritism.

{Shacklebolt then agreed with him that I had done nothing to justify my position, "unless you counted killing a basilisk, winning the Triwizard Tournament, killing the ghost of Tom Riddle, dueling Voldemort to a draw, killing Voldemort, killing Giants, fighting in the Battle of the Sacred Cavern, capturing Bruce Montaigne, discovering Barty Crouch's hideout and capturing him, discovering the hideout of Thicknesse and killing him in a duel, writing legislation, presenting it to the Wizengamot, and having it approved." Shacklebolt said that what impressed him most about my qualifications was that I had fought Voldemort during all my school years, while the press and 'Wizards like the two of you ignored the rise of Voldemort and ridiculed Harry'. He asked his aurors if they really felt their accomplishments came close to mine. He told them not to feel too badly, that he also felt my accomplishments outshone his own. He told them that he didn't really care what they thought of me, that he had pledged his loyalty and allegiance to me, and that if they were unwilling to do likewise, that he was unwilling to have them continue working for him.

{I said I did not require their allegiance, or their friendship, or their deep respect, but that I expected them to follow orders, adhere to the formalities, and not leak to the press.

{The other auror asked what was going to happen to them. I told them that I didn't know, that it largely depended upon them. I said that I would certainly insist that they be screened for Death Eater and Grindelwald sympathies, so we could be sure that they weren't just two more rotten aurors. Beyond that, they were either willing to respect the chain of command, act civilly to their superiors, and follow legitimate orders, or they were free to retire. I said that their actions, including telling the press about the Spencer's special abilities had harmed the security of the Wizarding community. It might be regarded as a crime. I said 'It certainly demonstrates that you are not to be trusted.'

{They bristled at these charges, but Shacklebolt cut them off saying 'I told you to maintain radio silence for a reason, and that reason was not to alert the Muggle government or Delores Umbridge to the twins and their talent. You got hissed off at my boss and decided you were angry enough to disobey a direct order that I had personally given you. I find that very hard to accept and it will be very hard for me to trust you again.'

{They are to come back to the office at the end of the day tomorrow and tell us what they want to do. We told them that their suspension would be without pay and would continue at least until they appeared before our panel of truthtellers.}

{{So, that turned out better than I expected. How did you make out with my father?}}

{Still a little frosty on that front. I think your father was withholding his final judgment until he saw how well I acquitted myself in the bonfire dance. He really hates embarrassing press articles. I did see him having lunch with your mother and they seemed happy to be in each other's company, so there's hope.}

I felt much better as I fell asleep.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44 – A Good Educational Program or Not?**

We all had breakfast together as we all planned to listen to the morning's presentations by Bane, Firenze, King Goblanze, Cotto, the Unicorn herd leader, and Harry. There was a lot of commotion over the morning papers, as they were writing about us and our school. Luna held the Quibbler aloft, so the whole table could read the headlines:

**I ENJOYED A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION AT HOGWARTS**

**OUR WIZARDING PAST REMEMBERED**

**AN EXUBERANT BONFIRE**

**UNFORTUNATELY, MORE ERRORS IN THE DAILY PROPHET**

There were pictures of Harry and Draco leaping the bonfire astride Bane and Firenze, of 'our own reporters showing their dance moves', of our drummers, and of Harry dancing alone, resplendent in his dragon scales. The major lectures were summarized, including 'thoughtful words from my lovely daughter'. Margaret was pictured in her Joan of Arc regalia.

Xenophilius said he had to reluctantly point out that the aurors lauded by the Daily Prophet 'have been suspended, not sacked; admit to being insubordinate; were never accused of not saying 'yes Sir' fast enough and that in fact the Deputy Minister did not require 'yes Sir', that their careers were good but hardly exceptional, and that they now claim to have been drunk when Barnabas Cuffe badgered them for comments and then proceeded to misquote them. He said he also regretted that, despite Mr. Cuffe's garbled self-defense, he did indeed attack first-year children. "I understand that many of his readers agree with my interpretation and have cancelled their subscriptions to the Daily Prophet. I don't glory in passing this venerable old paper in circulation. I do look forward to the day when they give up their support of the Death Eater and Grindelwald platforms and return to fairly reporting what is actually happening in the Wizarding world".

The Daily Prophet had attended a different event. They had no coverage of the lectures, whatsoever, and cast the bonfire as a lurid debacle.

**HALF-NAKED IMMORAL OLD HAGS DANCE IN FRONT OF YOUNG STUDENTS**

**BIZARRE DANCE BY DEPUTY MINISTER**

**HOW THE LEADER OF A ONCE GREAT FAMILY APPEARS IN PUBLIC**

**THIS NEWSPAPER DOES NOT ATTACK CHILDREN**

The Prophet had different pictures. They had Mafalda in her undies. They had Trew leaping the flames. They had Draco in his briefs. They had Draco in his briefs dancing with Erin. They had Harry tossing his robes to a giggling first year girl. They had Harry thrusting a spear to the heavens. They had the Patil sisters. They had Luna. Finally, they had Barnabas Cuffe observing the event, his posture and facial expression shouting his distaste for what he was witnessing. The article basically said: here are the actual pictures.

Judge for yourself, but be aware that Draco is a married Wizard, dancing in his briefs with an obviously pregnant student who is not his wife. Also be aware that the student to whom the Deputy Minister presented his robes is a first year. Also be aware that Wizards have not hunted with spears for millennia, and the suggestion that this is normal behavior is abhorrent. Also be aware that the girls in the leopard-skin whatevers are reporters for the Quibbler, and that the tramp dancing in her undies is their editor's daughter. What actual description existed of the day's events, dripped with disdain. The lectures by myself and the other students were not mentioned. There was an insinuation that the sherry was laced with a dangerous potion. There was more than an insinuation that 'headmaster McGonagall, herself on the verge of outright drunkenness from over-indulgence in the sherry, made no effort to restrain the participants in this bizarre and lewd revelry'. All in all, probably not the press coverage which Dad was hoping for.

There were just a few additional paragraphs discussing how Harry had fallen below the minimum standards of dignity expected of any Ministry employee, while demanding absolute fealty from members of the auror corps who were obviously his moral and intellectual superiors. There was a paragraph discussing how Draco represented the bitter end of a noble Wizard family and a final paragraph asking how headmaster McGonagall can permit a pregnant student at Hogwarts, let alone allowing her to dance with a married Wizard in front of young students. Barnabas questioned how the headmaster could permit "very old Witches of such questionable morality and taste that they see nothing wrong with dancing in their undies in front of first-year students " to even be present at such a fine ancient institution as Hogwarts. He answered his own question by stating "of course their morality is now worse and possibly even better than that of the headmaster. It is a vain hope to expect her to recognize proper boundaries between adults and students."

The last paragraph was: "I MUST DEMAND THAT MINISTER WEASLEY DISMISS DEPUTY MINISTER POTTER AND HEADMASTER McGONAGALL IMMEDIATELY. The dignity of the Ministry, of Hogwarts, and our entire community require nothing less. The time for talkings-to and second chances has passed. Either Weasley acts decisively or we can assume that he condones this deplorable conduct. Thinking parents would be well advised to withdraw their children from Hogwarts until the moral climate has improved"

The Prophet's current tack on the Spencer story was that it couldn't be considered an attack on children because it was largely truthful and didn't use any pejoratives in describing them. Barnabas said he 'wished the Spencer twins no ill will and hoped they had successful student careers at Hogwarts, after their unfortunate mental illnesses were remediated'. As they read the paper, Alice and Henry started to cry.

Cissy pointed to the Spencers and shouted, "I realized yesterday that my family businesses used to advertise in the Prophet. That error has been rectified."

A Ravenclaw girl got up and shouted, "Let's all send owls to our parents, telling them that the Daily Prophet lies about Hogwarts, and that yesterday's events were wonderful." I'd guess about three quarters of the student body followed the Ravenclaw off to the owl tower to message their parents.

The morning talks were highly entertaining and enlightening. The leaders of the other magical species had the students' rapt attention. Harry got applause and a couple seventh year girls shouting that they preferred him in his dragon costume. McGonagall had extended the festivities into a full two days, as the students spent the afternoon being apparated for a tour of the Circle of the Goblins and some of the inner workings of Gringotts bank. The students by and large loved the underground rail car ride, although a few first years were reduced to tears of terror. At the end of the visit, those very same cry babies were begging for a second ride.

Rather than accompanying me back to Hogwarts, Harry had to divert to the Ministry for his meeting with the aurors. "I'll probably have to meet with your father as well. I have no idea how he'll react to this morning's news coverage of my dance." I could do nothing but wish Harry well. I no longer knew how to get on Dad's good side.

At breakfast the next morning, McGonagall addressed the student body. "The past two days have been an educational experiment that I hope has given you a look into our shared past and some insight into the traditions and thinking of some of the other magical races. I hope you both enjoyed and learned from the experience. I especially want to thank all of the courageous participants who made the event possible, in the face of what I can only describe as hysterical press coverage by the Daily Prophet. I also thank all of the students who have helped and supported the Spencer twins as they came under the same sort of hysterical, savage attack by the Prophet. I especially want to thank each student who stood up for this school, by sending an owl home to your parents and telling them what really happened the last two days. I apologize to Erin for the nasty attack directed at her. Barnabas Cuffe has never been my favorite Wizard, but I never supposed he could be so mean and irresponsible.

"Today is back to normal. Your classes will resume where they left off."

Draco rose and led the student body in a standing ovation for the headmaster. We were just about to march off to our first morning class, when Harry popped into the Great Hall. "You just missed one of my better speeches, Mr. Potter," McGonagall told him, "but I would be remiss if I failed to thank you and Draco for being such good sports at the bonfire. I hope the Minister wasn't terribly displeased."

"He took it all better than I expected," Harry told her. "Molly has convinced him not to read the Daily Prophet. Prudence just summarized it for him as 'more tripe from Barnabas Cuffe' and refused to show him his copy, saying she had canceled the subscription, which I believe is true. I think we should follow her lead and share one paper. That would cancel about fifteen subscriptions, just at the Gryffindor table."

We turned to the morning papers, before we set off for class. The Quibbler was our first choice. Its headlines were gripping.

**DID THE PROPHET REALLY CALL OUR HIGH PRIESTESS AN IMMORAL, OLD HAG?**

**ATTACKING FIRST YEARS TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS IS STILL WRONG**

**WHO SHOULD RESIGN?**

**RITA SKEETER EXPLAINS HOW BARNABAS CUFFE SUPPORTED THE RISE OF BOTH VOLDEMORT AND BRUCE MONTAIGNE. WHAT DRIVES HIS SICK MIND?**

The first article proclaimed, "Even Wizard families who do not personally follow the traditions of our ancient Light Guardian or nature religion faiths have admired the devotion of the few remaining Priestesses, who forsake the material benefits of our world to maintain our ancient traditions. To Barnabas Cuffe, self-proclaimed defender of all that is traditional, these most traditional of all Witches are nothing more than immoral old hags. As they act in the purity of their faith, Barnabas sees naught but depravity. How a man who saw nothing wrong with Voldemort or Bruce Montaigne can find such fault in the holiest amongst us frankly boggles my mind."

The second article attacked the Prophet's charges of 'recklessly bad parenting' against the Spencers. It also said that, 'Barnabas seems to have forgotten that he is discussing ten-year old children, not hardened sociopaths such as Voldemort and Bruce Montaigne, who could always count on favorable press from him.' Xenophilius said most young Wizards displayed wild magical talents before being introduced to their first wand. Indeed, that was the admission ticket to Hogwarts. He recounted adults who had volunteered some of their own bizarre wild talents, all of which had since dwindled away under Hogwarts training. 'Given that history, it is very strange that Barnabas is opposed to permitting Hogwarts to appropriately channel the twins' magical talents. It is even stranger that he attacks a pregnant student by name and includes her picture in the same edition as claiming he doesn't attack children. As to the picture of my daughter, I am not at all upset. In fact I am very proud of her and find nothing wrong about the photo, except for it being lamentably out of focus. My photo of Luna is on the next page.'

The third article commended Headmaster McGonagall and Deputy Minister Potter for their roles in an excellent All Hallows' Day celebration, 'easily the most worthwhile two days of Hogwarts instruction in decades.'

He recounted that nearly eighty percent of Hogwarts students had messaged their parents and The Quibbler in support of the program. Letters from students and parents were printed. Xenophilius concluded that "I think it is Barnabas Cuffe who should resign in order to save what was once a respected paper. The defeat of the two monsters whom he chose to support, despite each of them conducting a reign of terror upon ordinary Wizard families, seem to have left him embittered, and all too willing to invent facts and stories in a vain attempt to discredit the duly elected administration that governs in place of his chosen tyrants. You will read below Rita Skeeter's detailed accounts of Barnabas accepting cash payments for favorable stories on Death Eaters, trying to gain acceptance in Voldemort's inner circle, and cozying up to the crazy Montaigne men. Is his real problem with the Weasley administration that they have failed to bribe him or to go overboard in flattering his considerable ego? My recommendation to Minister Weasley and to citizens in general is to ignore Barnabas Cuffe. Cancel your subscription to the Daily and Evening Prophets and force him to resign."

Rita went into chapter and verse at great length. The extreme political views and abject corruption of Barnabas were fully revealed.

As I walked with Harry and the gang to Hagrid's class, I whispered {{Just wow! That was a great edition of the Quibbler. I have no desire to even glance at the Daily Prophet. Since you didn't come home last night, I don't know how you made out with the aurors}}

{The Prophet had a very nice article by Ernie on the lectures and field trips which bracketed the bonfire. As for the aurors, they're suitably apologetic and anxious to return to work. I want to borrow my panel of truthtellers to interview them tomorrow morning. They've decided to stick by their story that Cuffe took advantage of them while they were drunk, and that they behaved in a less than professional manner toward me because of the stress of a very difficult day dealing with the Spencer twins. If they pass tomorrow's interview, Shacklebolt will reinstate them, but they will be on a shorter leash.}

Hagrid's animal of the week was a very large, nasty mountain troll, with snot rolling down his face. I kept my distance from him, because he smelled so bad. Hagrid tried very hard to cast the troll as a loveable, harmless creature, but none of the students was buying that story. I learned a fair amount about trolls, but considered the class a bust. When Hagrid asked for questions at the end of class, the only question was from a third year boy who asked "what's the best way to kill one of these things, if we should happen to encounter one?"

Our next class was Muggle studies, and I was looking forward to it, since it had been weeks since Harry and I had attended class together. We were diverted from class by Draco and Erin who needed 'desperately to talk to you.' The source of the problem was clear, as Erin was carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet from two days ago. "My secret is exposed and now McGonagall will be forced to expel me," Erin complained through tears. "I won't even make it to term break. I'm sure my parents will want to take me home. Draco was also humiliated."

"At least the other students have rallied round for the most part," Draco admitted. "It is at times like this that I am especially glad that Slytherin is vacant. They would have been merciless. I can't imagine Pansy's reaction to the picture. We do have her signed agreement to a quick divorce, don't we? Could you process it for me today? I may have to marry Erin very quickly."

Harry and Draco headed back to the Ministry to win Draco's freedom from Pansy, while I hurried to catch the last half of Mr. Granger's class. I was glad I made the effort. He called me aside at the end of his lecture to show me the device that the aurors hoped to send to 'good male ElfWorld'. It looked like a large tub, filled with supplies, and mounted on little wheels. It had a flag and a narrow pipe sticking out the top. I had learned enough from Mr. Granger to spot a car battery and a small electric motor mounted on the back of the tub. It wasn't at all elegant, but knowing Mr. Granger, I was sure it would do whatever it was intended to do.

At lunch, Hermione and Madam Babbling had further translations for us. Hermione told Harry "the writing above and below the slits is fairly simple. It says [Press ring to star mark to turn on {unknown rune, presumably refers to the transporter device} Press ring to grain to move things. Press ring to circle to leave]

"The writing under the bench says [Judges and kings only sit here. Press ring to proper mark to choose other world. Choose while {presumably the rune for the transporter} is not glowing.]

"I think Barb was wise not to let us just sit on the bench. The writing on top of the bench was much worn, but Madam Babbling and I agree that it seems to say [Danger, attest your honor before you sit.] We couldn't make it out, when we looked in person, but there is a faint spot in the middle of the picture, where I think you're supposed to put your ring. See, right here in the picture. I think you have to touch your ring and have the landing accept you, before you dare sit. I don't know what would happen if you just sat down, before touching your ring. You can tell Harry that this is why I take so much time working over the translations. A very small mistake could cause a disastrous accident. This is a new, never before studied, runic language we're dealing with, and the script we're trying to translate includes technical terms, which we have nothing to draw analogies from."

"I understand," I told her. "I think you've been doing a marvelous job. Nobody is better at this sort of problem than you are. I think we now know all we need to know, except how to turn off the transporter, and of course what the big deal about good or bad and male or female is. I think it's time to experiment."

I told Hermione about her father's tub on wheels, saying "since we won't be risking an Elf in this experiment, I'd say we're ready for our first attempt at retrieving Baal. We should make the try as soon as Harry gets back from the Ministry." I had been so focused on my discussion with Hermione, that I just now realized how sparse lunch was. I was eating watery vegetable soup, with semi-stale white bread, and a small portion of mashed turnips – not that I was seeking a larger portion. A short glass of milk for the beverage completed the luncheon offering. I couldn't help commenting to Hermione "there isn't even any dessert."

Hermione seemed less concerned by the quality and quantity of food than I was, and had turned back to Madam Babbling to suggest a slight tweaking of one of the translations. Madam Babbling was bobbing her head excitedly and I was feeling slightly left out as I felt a tap on my left shoulder. I spun around to find McGonagall standing over me.

"Mrs. Potter – I couldn't help noticing that your husband and Draco were missing from the table for lunch. I had understood they were both at Hogwarts today. Do you have anything to say to me?"

"There was no dessert," I replied, producing an offended look in return.

"I'll ask more directly, Mrs. Potter. Do you know where your husband and Mr. Malfoy have gone and what they may be up to?"

"Yes… They've gone to the Ministry to finalize Draco's divorce, they should return quite soon. Draco is afraid that Erin's parents will try to spirit her away from Hogwarts."

"And so they will. I received an owl just before lunch. They were not at all amused by yesterday's Daily Prophet. They will arrive on the evening train and plan to take Erin home with them. Please don't tell me that Draco plans to marry Erin before that can happen."

"Okay, I won't. Actually, I don't know exactly what Draco plans, other than to make himself a free actor, so Erin's parents can't accuse her of chasing after a married man."

"I pity poor Pansy. Mark my words – this will not end well. I'm surprised your husband would help Draco in this particular endeavor."

"Draco hadn't chosen between Pansy and Erin, but Harry and I suspected he was leaning toward Erin. We were going to see what sort of portraits they painted of each other in art club this afternoon."

"What does that have to do with anything, Mrs. Potter?"

"Even before Pansy got involved in her mother's plot to kidnap us, we could tell by the portrait that Pansy did of Draco, and to a lesser extent his portrait of her, that things were strained between them and that they saw each other as rather uninspiring."

"Adrienne is more of a force than I realized. I must take the time to examine her students' artwork some time."


	45. Chapter 45

**CHAPTER 45 – I TAKE CONTROL**

When McGonagall had left us, Hermione suggested "I don't want to cause more trouble with Harry and your father, but I think perhaps we should transport my father's device before Harry returns. You had the only ring that opened the portals inside the pyramid. The runes say the control room bench will accept only a 'judge or king'. I think we got that right, at least somebody special. Knowing how things worked back then, special people would have special rings. I think you are the person most likely to be accepted by the stone bench in the control room. I'm afraid something bad would happen if an auror tried to sit or to activate the controls. I know it's sneaky and will probably start a fight, but I think we need to act before Harry or your father tells you not to do it".

"That sounds very sneaky after the fights we had over our last entry into that passage and my not stopping the arrangements for Harry's bonfire dance. I'm not sure that now is the time to push my luck. We can have the aurors get the tub into position, but I don't think I can enter that particular passageway until Harry returns. I'd be willing to sneak on Dad, but not on Harry."

Harry was back an hour after lunch, well in time for art club. Draco had his divorce certificate clutched in his hand. Draco said hello to me, then dashed off to see Erin. I gave Harry a big hug and a kiss and told him what I needed to do. "Hermione and Ron agree that I'm the only one who we're absolutely certain can do this. No one will be safer doing this than me. I've got the one true Light Guardian ring."

"I agree that you must do this," Harry replied. "Let's get on with it, before Arthur can order us to stop."

Harry checked with the aurors in Snape's office and learned that Mr. Granger's tub had been placed atop the black rectangle, in the exact spot which Hermione had specified. Harry insisted that he would come with me to the control landing, while Ron and Hermione would wait on the stairway side of the portal. We found Mom to tell her what we planned to do. I gave her such a big hug and kiss, that as she pulled away, she studied my face strangely before commenting, "I sincerely hope you weren't thinking of that as a final farewell kiss, Ginny."

"Just an overabundance of caution, Mom."

Mom told us that she would have the headmaster lower the apparation barriers inside the castle in exactly half an hour. "The clock will chime 2:00 P.M.; when it finishes chiming, you should be able to apparate."

We assembled in Snape's office, with what seemed like all the appropriate gear. As the clock chimes echoed to a conclusion, we linked arms and found ourselves standing on the ledge, a few feet from the stone stairway. I walked down carefully, keeping a hand against the inner wall, to convince Harry that I was determined to be as safe as possible. As soon as we reached the portal, I touched my ring to the faint depression beside the arch and waited for the heavy stone door to move. As soon as the door was low enough, I clambered over it and led Harry up the narrow passageway. I thought I was the picture of caution, and was therefore stopped in my tracks as Harry chided me "there's no need to rush. Just take your time and be careful. Baal has waited days, a few more minutes won't matter."

"What?" I answered back.

"The way you hurtled yourself over the door before it was fully open, and then just raced into this passageway, just set off alarms in my head that you are too eager to do what you have to do for you to do it safely enough."

I thought he was probably right, so I said, "I get your message. I'll move more deliberately."

We were soon standing before the bench. Harry had a powerful flashlight pointed at the bench, while I had two pictures in my hand. Hermione had marked on one of them the spot where she thought my ring was supposed to be placed. I had to kneel on the rough stone to get close enough to be certain of the spot. Keeping my ring on my finger, I contorted my hand to place the ring flush against the faintest of depressions. Almost immediately a deep voice echoed in my head "Welcome, Mother of the Future."

"Did you hear that, Harry?" I gasped.

"I didn't hear anything," Harry replied. "What did you hear?"

"As soon as my ring touched the stone, a deep voice said 'welcome, Mother of the Future'. I guess that means I should sit down on the bench."

"I think you're right," Harry told me. "I'm not going to sit. As I understand the plan, you're going to sit for just a minute and then get up and activate the depressions above the observation slits."

"Yes, I think the bench may just need to sense my body heat." I sat gingerly in the center of the bench, right on the spot, which I had activated with my ring. I waited until the coldness that my bottom felt through my robes began to ebb. I rose and approached the controls. "According to the translation, this won't work if the transporter is glowing, which it is. Mr. Granger said a lot of Muggle push switches serve as both 'off' and 'on'. I'm going to touch the 'on' depression and see if that turns off the transporter."

"Go ahead, that seems reasonable," Harry reassured me.

I touched my ring to the depression and the crystals atop the black rectangle went dark. "Ah, so far, so good." I now touched my ring to the 'grain' depression, assuming that was the symbol for transporting any kind of freight. The stretch of stone where the controls were began to glow. "Now comes the big question. The transporter has to know to send the tub to ElfWorld. I think I need to touch the Elf symbol under the bench. I don't know whether I do that before or after I turn on the transporter."

"Try the transporter first," Harry suggested.

"That was my intuition, also." I touched my ring to the 'on' depression and the transporter sprang into life, the crystals glowing brighter than we had previously seen. The black rectangle was also glowing. The correctness of my choice was confirmed, when I again heard the deep voice in my head.

"Choose the destination world."

I sat back down on the bench and bent over to look at the square on the underside of the seat. I touched my ring to the Elf symbol.

"The tub just vanished," Harry told me, even before I could straighten back up.

As I rose from the bench, the voice again echoed in my head. "If the Mother of the Future has finished her business, she will kindly turn off the transporter".

I walked back to the still glowing control area above the observation slits and touched my ring to the 'on' depression. The crystals faded into darkness, but the black rectangle continued to glow.

"We're done, Harry. Let's get out of here. I want to try something. Hold my hand." As soon as I felt Harry's fingers close around mine, I touched my ring to the circle. I almost fell as my eyes were suddenly assaulted by bright sunlight. I felt Harry's hand tighten on mine and Harry turning in to me, to grab me around the back with his other arm.

I heard "What the, who are you?" in Goblinspeak and looked up to see a fierce young Goblin brandishing a curved sword above his head.

"We come in peace. It's Ginny and Harry Potter," I replied in Goblinspeak, slowly breaking away from Harry, so that the Goblin could see his face.

"I'm sorry, you startled us," the Goblin replied. "You just suddenly appeared in the mouth of the sanctuary cave." The Goblin had lowered his sword. I looked around and saw that we were indeed in front of the cave in the Goblin sanctuary. Looking out over the clearing and beyond another stand of trees, I could see where the houses that would be ours and Ron's and Hermione's were rapidly rising in the middle of the clearing. Beyond that, were small clearings where young Wizard families were building new homes for their families.

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed "the transporter brought us here. This cave and the Chamber of Secrets must have been really important in the olden days."

{[excited] There must be a way of getting from this cave or the Chamber of Secrets into the pyramid. We should check the walls near the cave mouth.}

{{Later. Ron and Hermione will be worried about us. We also should get Goblanze's permission before we hang around this cave too long. We should apparate back to Gryffindor.}}

{Sorry, you're right, of course.}

We said a hasty good bye to the Goblin guards, linked hands and were quickly standing on the landing outside the Gryffindor common room. I touched my ring to the icon and we entered the common room. Saying a quick hello to some startled younger Gryffindors, we raced through the corridors, back to Snape's office. A few reassuring words from Harry to the startled aurors, who turned to see us standing behind them, rather than appearing in front of them on the apparate spot, which had been marked on the floor and had a little protective railing around it. We hurried to that spot, apparated again, forced ourselves to walk down the stone stairs at a safe, slow speed, and thoroughly surprised Ron and Hermione.

The next half hour was spent in a detailed explanation of all that had happened to us.

"You scared me, coming up from behind like that," Ron admitted, "but I was really glad to see you. We saw the tub vanish, of course, and then the crystals went dark, and we kept expecting you to come through the portal, but you just didn't. I thought perhaps you had been transported, along with the tub."

It was time for art club. We arrived late and I noted with pleasure that Draco and Erin were in the process of painting each other. We all grabbed canvases, paint and brushes, although I know that I, at least, did not plan on using the brush. "What to paint?" Ron asked. Professor Celine's voice answered "whatever is most meaningful to you at the moment."

I set to work painting the black rectangle, with the assortment of crystals atop it and the stone circles and rough walls of the pyramid beyond. I included the little pile of Baal's supplies, just as I had found them when I first stepped out onto the floor of the pyramid. This would be trickier than any of the portraits that I had previously painted, both because the dimness inside the pyramid and the black of the rectangle would make the shading of the painting difficult and dark, and because the sheer size of what I was painting eliminated detail. Unless I exaggerated here and there, the coarseness of the floor and walls, and the little bright crystals would be lost. Perspective was also tricky. The crystals atop the black rectangle, which were my mental focal point, had to be seen from the air, but the roughness of the floor could only be revealed close up from the ground. The flat crystal sheet, which I saw no problem with translating into the English 'good male Elf', needed to be magnified. I decided that a darkish grey undercoat was needed and quickly applied that and helped it dry as my mind tried to sort out the general composition of the painting.

I decided it was best crafted as I had first seen it, flying my broom as I swayed on the rope. This allowed me to put the tip of my broom and a bit of Cotto in the foreground, with the top of the black rectangle and the crystals in the center of the frame. The crystals and the wording were exaggerated, as was my focus upon them. Beyond the far edge of the black rock, the tops of the pillars of the Circle were visible and beyond them, the dim wall of the pyramid was barely suggested above the grey of my background, mainly by the lighter mortared gaps between the big rocks of the wall. In the near field, between the broom head and the top of the black rock, and falling off in darkness at the sides, were the barest hint of a stone floor far below, the nearest stone pillar of the circle, and the dark flank of the black rectangle. I froze this image in my mind, a picture of shades of grey, except for the bright crystals. I would do this in two stages. First I arranged the image as a film of paint in shades of grey and pressed it onto the canvas. I used my wand to forestall runs and to hasten the drying of this coat. Next, I prepared to supply the light of the tiny crystals, which had glowed in shades of pink and rose. This touched a much smaller portion of the canvas and I got the paint neatly applied. Now, the shades of yellow and brown for the flat crystal with what would be its barely legible message. Done!

I was pretty happy with the result, but realized that I had seen the broom tip and bits of Cotto so clearly in my mind, because of the lit wand that I had been holding. I needed to capture the directionality of that light and the shadows thrown by Cotto's body. A little white for the light and some brownish grey shadow on the tip of the broom, and I felt I had captured the scene to the best of my ability. As I began the accelerated drying process, I stepped back from my intense mental focus to find out what Harry, Ron, and Hermione had painted.

Harry had me seated on the bench of the control landing, with the lighting and coloration of the bench and walls, as well as the nearness of the walls portraying a cramped, scary feeling. That was natural, as Harry had no way of knowing that I hadn't been about to disintegrate or vanish before his eyes, to go the way of Baal. I recognized how frightened Harry must have been, during our time inside the passage and the control landing.

Hermione had painted a collage of rune fragments, which seemed to float above the canvas, just barely out of focus. I thought that conveyed her prior mood perfectly. Ron was still working, but seemed to be depicting Harry and Draco leaping the flames. He obviously had a couple more color iterations to go. He had set a challenging scene for himself, since the dancers and audience were between the brightly flickering flames and almost total darkness. It was a more intense version of the problem that I had confronted in my own painting. I left Ron, drawn in the direction of my greatest curiosity. How did Draco and Erin see each other?

As I glanced at the portraits, I knew at once that Draco had made his decision and that it was the right one. The Erin on Draco's easel sparkled and her face was alive with a delight and a playfulness that had been totally lacking from Draco's portrait of Pansy. The Erin in this portrait was a very interesting young Witch, although I feared that Draco had depicted her with a bit more intelligence than she actually possessed. Erin's portrait of Draco was enough to make even me like Draco. He was sensitive, intelligent and strong, and looked far more handsome than he was in reality. They were obviously in a good place at the moment, while Pansy was but an unpleasant afterthought.

Professor Celine saw me visiting Draco and Erin and drew me aside. "If you've finished your painting, you might want to show me what you've done. Then I have some treats for you."

I gave her a surprised look, but led her back to my easel.

"This shows some real sophistication," she praised my efforts. "You've departed from the literal representation and emphasized what is most important to you. What's that? Ah, yes, 'good male Elf'. I see Baal is very much on your mind. Your use of dark tones and your depiction of the glowing crystals and your wand light are both quite good. You are definitely making progress. I see that your husband has dared to let some less than totally positive emotions show in his work, as well. Harry Potter publicly revealing a sense of dread. Most impressive, but come, I promised you a treat. I want to show you Jimmy's latest effort."

"So he found someone to carry assignments back and forth for him?" I commented, feeling happy for Jimmy.

"I'd say perhaps a little bit more than that, but come judge for yourself." She led me to a canvas in the front right hand corner of the room. It had been leaning facing the corner, but Professor Celine picked it up and displayed it on an easel. "I give you the lovely go-between."

I recognized a tall fourth year girl, who was seated in the front row. She was beginning to blush as she glommed onto what we were discussing and saw her portrait on the easel. Blushing, but also smiling, with the same sweet smile that she wore in her portrait. Jimmy had captured her very well and her portrait radiated contented happiness. There were none of the sharp edges or dark moodiness that had crept into Jimmy's portraits of Adrienne. He seemed quite relaxed in his admiration of this girl. I noticed that he had signed the work 'James Peakes'.

"That's very nice and shows quite a bit of progress, all the way around," I told Professor Celine, who seemed to understand what I was getting at and to share my view.

"Yes," Professor Celine replied, "Martha seems quite willing to continue in her role as the go-between for Jimmy and me. But, I said I had another treat for you. You might want to get your husband up here."

I motioned for Harry to join us and as he did so, Professor Celine lowered Jimmy's painting and replaced it with a canvas which had been propped front forward against the front wall of the studio. As Harry arrived, she placed it on the easel and I saw that it was a painting of Harry and Draco leaping the bonfire, captured at the moment in which they had passed and slapped their hands together. Harry looked magnificent in his dragon scales, with the firelight glinting off his spectacles. "A gift to the two of you for all that you did to help me and Jimmy through what could have been an extremely difficult time. Many thanks! I'm also grateful that Harry has treated Amelia so well." I gave Professor Celine a hug, before Harry and I returned to our easels.

When we arrived back at the Great Hall, Mr. Granger was seated at the Gryffindor table, with Lee Jordan on one side of him and George on the other. We sat across from them, because they seemed to be engaged in a most interesting discussion. Noticing me, George looked up.

"Hi, little Sis. Lee and Mr. Granger were just filling me in on the wondrous abilities of that ugly tub which you shipped off to ElfWorld. They included wheels to move the tub a safe distance from the apparation target, so the next package doesn't plow into it. That pipe on top of it will shoot off Weasley Super Bang Rockets every hour for the first day. That's to attract Baal if he's wandered away from the arrival zone. Inside the tub there's food, water, instructions on how to use the portkey, and a compilation of knowledge that Baal might need to survive, just in case the portkey doesn't work. The portkey is a big red ring in the bottom of the tub and it will bring Baal back to the floor of the pyramid the moment he touches it. If he doesn't touch it within two days, the portkey should bring the tub back to the pyramid. There are several Weasley rockets left for day two, in case Baal had wandered really far away."

"I had wanted to tell that story," Lee complained, "but George is right, it really is a marvelous little tub. At the very least, it will tell us if a portkey will work from ElfWorld. If we're really lucky, it should bring Baal back home. If we just get an empty tub back, then we face tough decisions."

"Like whether to risk an Elf on the next trip," Mr. Granger elaborated.

Although I knew that Erin's parents would be favoring us with their presence after dinner, our next guest caught me by surprise. I had worked my way through an uninspired dinner of a very little chicken, some vegetables, and lots of mashed turnips as filler, and was hoping to be tempted by dessert, when my attention was caught by motion in the corner of my eye. I turned abruptly to see Horace Slughorn making his way from the entrance of the Great Hall and straight to Harry.

"Could I trouble you to slide down a bit?" he commanded Lee and George. "I need a word with Potter." Mr. Granger excused himself and Slughorn slid into his spot at the table, snagging a banana custard, which was our sole dessert selection.

"Had to return," Slughorn gasped at Harry, too excited to wait until he had fully caught his breath. "I follow the papers from Germany and I haven't enjoyed what I've been reading. Two of my favorite students, you and Barnabas Cuffe, trying your best to destroy each other. I'm afraid the Prophet is circling the drain and Barnabas is too angry or crazy to care. I'm here to do my best to salvage the situation. The Daily Prophet used to be a great paper. Now it's become a joke and Xenophilius Lovegood has done a great job of leading the laughter and stealing Barnabas's customers. I've heard the Prophet has lost half its customers from its peak days. The Quibbler now has more readers. As well it should, given the current difference in quality.

"If you're willing, I'd like to visit Barnabas and arrange for you and him to get together and try to work out a truce. Barnabas is very stubborn and has a hard time knowing when it's time to stop fighting and march to the new drummer. You're a hero, my boy. Barnabas should be taking advantage of that to sell papers, not throwing insults at you in each edition. He embarrassed himself with his fuddy-duddy old fossil coverage of the bonfire. He can't succeed with just the conservative old biddies behind him and half the Wizarding world laughing to his face. Advertisers are jumping ship, too. Please tell me you're willing to meet with him and throw him a rope, before he drowns in his own pool."

"I've wanted a truce from the start," Harry answered honestly. "I've given exclusive interviews to Ernie at Barnabas's request. Of late, he's downplayed Ernie's role, even though he's lost Rita Skeeter and Frakes. Ernie was his best reporter. His only honest reporter. I'm surprised that Ernie hasn't already defected to Xenophilius."

"Yes, that certainly must be avoided," Slughorn replied, in a tone of real concern. "If Ernie goes, Barnabas really won't have anything left to build upon. I don't suppose you would consider an early release for Rita Skeeter, although I understand Barnabas has taken 'her latest betrayal' rather badly. "Well, thank you Harry. I'm off to find Barnabas. That was really a very nice banana custard, by the way."

As Slughorn swept by the staff table to say a quick hello and goodbye to all present, Harry turned to me. "I will of course consult with your father, before I meet Barnabas Cuffe. I think he'll welcome a truce. Barnabas has been destroying his enjoyment of his work. A truce should allow him to relax and get back on his game."

Slughorn had barely departed when Erin's parents arrived. Draco and Erin were seated together at the Hufflepuff table and her parents deviated from their beeline for McGonagall as soon as they spotted their daughter. Even though the Ravenclaw table was between us and the Hufflepuffs, her father shouted loudly enough that I could make out most of what he was saying.

"Get away from that married man. You're coming home with us right away… how we raised you … not the daughter I… not my daughter at all. A humiliation to your poor mother. Pregnant and dancing with a married man and your picture in the Prophet…..I'm making a scene? You dare to criticize my behavior… your mother….brother…so embarrassed… you'd show at least a little concern… lied….Get up this instant! You're not my daughter! I no longer have a daughter!"

A different voice, clearly recognizable as McGonagall's, was surprisingly able to drown him out and silence him. "Please! Control yourself, sir. Come to my office and we can discuss this…reasonably."

"I have nothing to discuss with you, Madam. I've seen how you run this school. Half-naked students and old hags dancing around a bonfire like they were savages. ... how we raised our daughter… left to you … Just look at her!"

"Again, please control yourself and come to my office."

"No! I'm taking my daughter and I'm leaving."

"No!" This voice was different. As Harry and I moved toward the Hufflepuff table to see if we could help, I saw that this latest voice had been Erin's. "If I'm no longer you're daughter, then there is no reason to go anywhere with you. I'm going to stay here and I'm going to marry Draco."

Draco and Erin took advantage of the slight confusion caused by our arrival, which had caused Erin's father to take a step backward, to slip out of their seats and head for McGonagall's office. It took her father just a second to realize what was happening and he yelled after her, "come back here right now, you tramp!" He moved to pursue Draco and his daughter, but a sea of helpers, including Neville, Bill and Barb were in his way. By the time he shoved Harry aside and got pulled off Harry by Bill, Draco and Erin had left the Great Hall.

"I demand that you fetch my daughter immediately, so that I can take her back home," Erin's father said, standing nose to nose with McGonagall. "I don't recognize your authority. I view you as a Witch of very questionable morality."

"Well, if you don't recognize my authority, why would you expect that I was able to simply fetch your daughter at the snap of my fingers? I understand that Erin is over the age of seventeen, so she is free to marry whomever she wishes and to go wherever she wishes. Neither you nor I have the authority to order her to go to your home. Now if you'll come with me to my office, we can discuss the situation."

As McGonagall turned to walk back to her office, Erin's parents had little choice but to follow her, as Erin was not in sight.

McGonagall suddenly stopped at the entrance to the Great Hall to turn and announce, "Potter, with me, if you please. Not you, Ginny." Harry stayed frozen in place, seeming undecided whether he wanted to comply with this peremptory demand, but after a few seconds he told me, "I'll see you back at Gryffindor," and followed McGonagall. Bill and Barb followed Harry.

I finished Harry's banana custard and walked back to Gryffindor with Ron and Hermione. Neville and Cissy joined us. As we approached the fat lady, I was mildly shocked to find Draco and Erin standing beside the portrait. "Thought it best to come here," Draco said by way of greeting, "but I was expecting Harry to be with you."

"He's with McGonagall and Erin's parents in the headmaster's office," I said. "I imagine McGonagall wanted Harry's aurors as a buffer against Erin's father."

"We want Harry to marry us, right away," Erin told me. "I know that it's not fair to the headmaster for me to try to stay here. I'm hoping that Cissy's invitation to stay at her family castle is still open."

"It still is," Cissy replied.

Draco and Erin waited in our common room for Harry to return. I was surprised and mildly worried that over an hour had passed before Harry joined us. My father wasn't going to appreciate Harry being so involved in a situation like this. It promised a truly awful article in the Daily Prophet, with my husband being accused of using Ministry might to help Draco steal Erin away from her parents. To Harry, I simply said "well?" Neville said the same thing, a split second ahead of me.

"Erin's parents, I mean her father, is more subdued. At first he actually tried to slap Professor McGonagall, but she had her wand at his chin, before he could bring his hand down. He just turned and sat in the chair she had offered. I told him he was a chief librarian, not a man of violence and urged him to try to set his emotion aside for the moment and to look at the situation logically. I told him that we had worked out arrangements for Erin to finish her studies, take her NEWTs and graduate. McGonagall asked him what he expected to accomplish by dragging Erin home – what was the best outcome that could come of that? He said that he had planned to wallop her and then salvage what little family honor was left, by marrying her off to a sixty-year old farmer in the next village, but that both actions would perhaps be rash. McGonagall convinced him that it was much better for all, if the newly divorced Draco were simply allowed to marry Erin.

The mother agreed, and eventually convinced the father. "McGonagall plans to marry them tonight and have the parents gone from here prior to the students' bedtime. I am to bring back Draco, Erin, and the divorce papers. As you can see, I left Ellen behind to keep McGonagall safe, although I don't think she would hesitate to put a binding spell on Erin's father."

Ron, Hermione, Neville, Cissy and I returned to McGonagall's office with Harry, Draco, and Erin to be the witnesses for the wedding. McGonagall wanted a very private ceremony. Narcissa was in McGonagall's office, talking to Erin's parents, in a rather strained way, when we arrived. Draco immediately produced his divorce paper, which warmed the atmosphere a tad.

Seeing this as her best shot, McGonagall launched right into the wedding ceremony. McGonagall looked askance at Cissy's presence, but was quickly told "I assumed you didn't want them living here after they're married. Since they'll be staying at my castle, I thought I'd invite myself to their wedding."

McGonagall let this slide, and performed an even quicker wedding ceremony than the one she had performed for Harry and me. She did have the appropriate papers in her file cabinet, and it took only fifteen minutes for her to make official copies for the newlyweds, for Erin's father, and for Harry to take back to the Ministry. Erin hugged her Mom, keeping her distance from her father, and then left with Draco and Cissy for the castle. Erin's father seemed grudgingly satisfied with the way things had worked out, and apologized to McGonagall for trying to hit her.

McGonagall turned to Erin's parents, saying "I don't wish to seem inhospitable, but under the circumstances, I expect it might be best if you were apparated into London and spent the night at the Leaky Cauldron. That will get you home sooner than waiting for tomorrow's train, in any case."

Erin's father was hesitant, but her mother hastily said that this offer would be satisfactory. "We can apparate home from outside the Leaky Cauldron and sleep in our own beds."

Harry volunteered to apparate them to the Leaky Cauldron. Bill went with them. When he returned, Harry said that Erin's parents had been very well behaved during the trip and that both parents had thanked him for helping their daughter. The mother specifically asked Harry to tell Erin and Draco that all was forgiven and they were welcome to visit, whenever they wished.

Slughorn moved quicker than I expected. and a day and a half later, Harry set off for lunch at Mrs. Bones' shop with Barnabas Cuffe, Professor Slughorn, and Ernie. Dad had given his blessing to the meeting. I had wanted to come with Harry, but he said that was out of the question. When I pointed out that he would be outnumbered and vulnerable to being misquoted, he agreed to take Wood with him. I attended classes with the rest of the gang, and then stood vigil with Hermione and Ron on the floor of the pyramid as we waited to see if Mr. Granger's tub would return, and if Baal would return with it. Aurors had been watching the intended landing zone for the past two days, as the rest of us had waited expectantly for word that Baal and the portkey had returned. Cotto was on the pyramid floor when we arrived.

"Harry's going to be really upset if the tub returns without Baal," I told Hermione.

"That's better than if it doesn't return at all," Hermione tried to give me a positive intermediate path.

"It's possible Baal misinterpreted the instructions and thought he had to return with the tub at the end of the two days," Ron suggested, but Hermione's look told me that she didn't believe this anymore than I did.

Cotto said "Baal is too smart Elf for that. Hope he is still alive."

Ellen was with us and she was counting down the time to the tub's return. She finally said "ten, nine, eight…"

Before she reached seven, the tub materialized in front of us. Baal was not onboard and neither the portkey, nor any of the supplies or documentation, had moved from the location in which Barb and Ellen had stowed them for the outgoing trip.

"No Baal," I moaned.

"Didn't expect him," Cotto replied.

"But, at least we know that return travel by portkey is possible," Hermione put a positive spin on our failure to rescue Baal. "My dad put two cameras on the tub. At least we'll see what ElfWorld looks like." Hermione removed the cameras from the sides of the tub and hurried off to recover the pictures. Cotto was right behind her. I took a more leisurely path out of the pyramid, with Ron and Ellen, as I tried to think how to explain these events to Harry in the most sensitive way possible. By the time I was back in Snape's office, I realized that there really was no sensitive way to convey the news that Baal was still missing.

I went back to the Gryffindor common room to await Harry. Hermione arrived a half hour later, bearing eight pictures of ElfWorld. The good news was that there was green vegetation, with what looked like a small stream in the distance. One picture even showed a small animal that looked like a hedgehog, but hopped past on two legs. The even better news was that we didn't see Baal's body or any remnants of the supplies he had brought with him. I hopefully assumed that this meant that he had moved on from his point of arrival. The bad news was that there was no sign of Elf habitation in sight. Since this was the delivery zone for both supplies and transported Elves, I viewed that as a disquieting sign.

"It's possible a settlement is uphill, because the stream is prone to flooding," Hermione suggested.

I was not convinced.

When Harry returned an hour later, I simply said "we got the tub, but not Baal. Hermione has pictures of ElfWorld."

"I already know," Harry replied "Cotto came to the Ministry. When Baal didn't return yesterday, I was fairly sure he wouldn't be returning on this attempt. He may have simply moved too far from the landing zone. We just didn't move fast enough." Harry studied the pictures. "At least this world is habitable. I don't understand the good Elf, bad Elf; male Elf, female Elf thing. I hope this is the world that Baal was transported to."

"So do I," I said, hugging Harry and rubbing his back. "How was your lunch with Barnabas Cuffe?"

"He said all the right things. He wants to make peace. He won't shy away from criticism if the administration messes up, but he'll make an effort to focus on the positive things. He admits he's been grumpy, and that he's not happy with the freeing of the Elves or what he sees as the shunting aside of the Great Families. He admitted that the administration has done reasonably well thus far, but griped that Arthur and I just aren't his sort, and that it grieves him that those he views as his peers are no longer in power. He views us as too weak to unite the Wizards and to fulfill the all-important duty of shielding our community from the Muggles.

"When I pointed out that the Death Eaters made themselves very visible in the Muggle world, he claimed not to be pining for the days of Voldemort or to have seen anything more in Voldemort beyond the necessary strong hand. He said that he especially misses the steady hands of Lucius Malfoy and Lord Montaigne, who were true aristocrats. He sparred with Dumbledore for messing about with administrations and aristocrats of which he approved, but respected Dumbledore, a compliment that he could not extend to McGonagall or her band of 'uppity, and in many cases perverted' Witch allies. He liked Fudge and Thicknesse. He viewed the closure of Slytherin as an abomination and the end of the last, best, chance for an appropriate future government.

"Slughorn told him he had to move on, and that a new generation of the Great Houses was rising. Barnabas said he had assigned Ernie to do 'make amends interviews' with Mafalda, your father, Shacklebolt, Madam Bones, and me. He commented that it had been awhile since I had met with Ernie. I told him that it had been a longer while since his paper provided anything approaching honest coverage of me, and that I saw little point in continuing the interviews. He said please give it one more try and I agreed that I would.

"Finally, Slughorn punched him in the shoulder and said, 'what's up man, this doesn't seem at all like the Barnabas Cuffe who is my friend.'

At that point, Barnabas actually began to weep and said that Delores Umbridge had at first paid him for the attack pieces, but recently seemed to be short on cash and now merely threatened to kill him if he didn't keep publishing them. He said a few of the articles had been written by Delores herself. I told him that the Ministry could give him some protection and that if he wanted to show his good intentions, that the Umbridge bribe and threat article was the one that he should be writing. He said that if I sent over an auror to protect him, he would see how courageous he was feeling. That's it. Your father's view of the meeting was mixed, but he said even a few days without more nasty articles would be a blessing."

"I have to admit," I told Harry, "that I preferred the days when we went out to confront the bad guys together, but I realize that there are some things that you must do alone."

"If you want another shared adventure, you're in luck," my husband promised me. "You and the other truth tellers can come to the Ministry tomorrow to help Shacklebolt and me interview the two suspended aurors."

"Great!" I replied, "I'll talk to McGonagall about allowing Cissy to participate."


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46 – Another Adventure for the Truth Tellers**

We had lunch in the Minister's conference room to accompany the auror interviews, as McGonagall wanted Cissy gone and back, with no classes missed. Bill, Barb, and Shacklebolt's third auror sat in the corner of the room and Callista kept a transcript of the interviews.

First interviewee was Ben, forty years old and an auror for eleven years. If he had experienced problems accepting the authority of a youthful Harry, he viewed Cissy's presence with positive disdain, which he tried, but failed, to hide. Noticing his reaction, Harry introduced the three of us, concluding by saying "all three are Light Guardian Priestesses, who got their truth telling skills directly from the Light Guardian, although Cissy was already an accomplished truth teller who vetted business associates for her father, the Montaigne, formerly known as Lord. As you may have guessed, the truth teller in the middle is my wife, and she has helped me slay rampaging Giants. So has Hermione, the truth teller on her right. But, we're really here to talk about you, aren't we?"

Ben lamely answered that he supposed we were here for that reason, adding that he was willing to answer any questions, if it got him back on regular duty. Harry motioned to Shacklebolt, who began the questioning.

"Did you support Voldemort or the Death Eaters? Are you or were you a supporter of Bruce Montaigne or any of the other Grindelwald factions? Did you help Ruppasta Minta to free the Montaignes or to revolt against King Goblanze? Have you supported Delores Umbridge or helped her to remain at large? Have you accepted bribes? Have you sold information from the Ministry or that you discovered in the course of your job as an auror? Did you participate in the plots of Bron Turner or Tom Stowe? Your partner was the auror who managed to deliberately not find Thicknesse's hideout: were you a part of that scheme? Did you tip her off that she would be questioned with Veritaserum? Are you willing to obey all lawful orders from the Minister, Deputy Minister, and me? Have you and are you willing to abide by the rules of conduct for aurors?"

Ben gave generally satisfactory answers. He admitted to taking small bribes from merchants for special legal favors. He admitted tipping his partner to the timing of her Veritaserum testing. He admitted selling minor scraps of information to Rita Skeeter and Frakes. He expanded on his answers to the later questions saying he would definitely be loyal to Kingsley and Harry.

Harry asked, "What is your relationship with Barnabas Cuffe? Why did you refuse to follow my lawful order? Why did you pass official government secrets related to public security to Barnabas Cuffe? What is the problem that you have with me? You have been on the Director's protective detail. You might be assigned to protect the Minister, or Madam Bones, or me, or even Barnabas Cuffe. How can I be sure that you will actually protect the person whom you are assigned to protect?"

Ben admitted that although alcohol had played a role, that he had wanted to talk to Barnabas to cause trouble for Harry, whom he resented for holding the position that he did at such a young age. He said he realized it was silly in a way, but that taking orders from a Wizard half his age at a time when he was stressed was just extremely annoying. So annoying that he had snapped for an instant. Then, when he was reprimanded and his new partner, Albert, had suggested amidst a lot of drinking that he knew a way to strike back, that it had seemed a good idea at the time. He regretted his actions. He was a professional. He would die protecting whomever he was assigned to protect. He wanted another chance to prove himself. He concluded, "I've discovered my weakness and I will work very hard to correct it."

I signaled to Harry that all of Ben's answers had been honest. My fellow truth tellers had given me the thumbs up.

"That's fine," my husband told Ben. "I'll reinstate you, and I hope you succeed, but you will be on probation for the next six months. You can start work this evening. Your job will be to protect Barnabas Cuffe. If you finish your probation in good form, and the Director wants you back, you may return to his special team at that time. Please send Albert in on your way out."

Albert was a little older than Ben and had been an auror for twenty years. He was a Slytherin and had more successes on his record than Ben. Albert was asked the same questions as Ben. Unfortunately, his answers were not as squeaky clean as Ben's. The three of us agreed that he had lied on several occasions. Why he lied two more times, after we had already caught him twice, will remain a mystery to me. I think he was a Wizard of questionable character. Each time we detected a lie, I signaled Harry, Harry told him that his answer had not been truthful, and either Harry or Kingsley zeroed in with more probing questions on the topic at hand.

It turned out that Albert had been one of the mid-level Ministry employees in the habit of doing favors for Delores Umbridge and that he had met with her a month ago, allowing her access to the Ministry. He had accepted more than trivial bribes over the years. He had been a fringe supporter of the Grindelwalds, willingly assisting Bron Turner. He had successfully evaded his previous Veritaserum interview with Liars' Milk, and had in fact ingested Liars' Milk prior to this interview, having somehow come to the view that it worked against Truth Tellers.

He had seen that Harry had annoyed Ben, and had done his best to rile Ben up to enough high dudgeon to go to Barnabas Cuffe. Barnabas had paid Albert for the interview, as he had for past leaks. Albert frankly hated Harry and Dad and was a little antagonistic toward Shacklebolt. He felt the government should be headed by a Slytherin of noble family and that the present administration was, in any case, not ruling with a sufficiently firm hand. An administration which allowed the Daily Prophet to hurl its daily insults was not an administration that a proper Wizard or auror could respect. Nor was an administration that permitted school children to perform the work of aurors. His sacred profession had been debased. An administration filled with perverted Witches like McGonagall, Madame Bones, and Adrienne Celine had forfeited any right to respect or legitimacy.

Harry thanked Albert for his 'eventual honesty' but told him that reinstatement was not possible, given his past behavior. Shacklebolt said he could do one better than that and arrested Albert on the spot, saying, "I don't know how long Madam Bones will allow me to hold you, but from my perspective your letting Delores Umbridge into the Ministry to snoop around and your actions with Bron Turner are ample cause to arrest and prosecute you."

Shacklebolt had summoned two more aurors and they escorted Albert off to jail. Shacklebolt apologized to Harry. "I don't know how I could have missed another bad auror. Maybe I should resign."

"Don't resign," Harry told him "but it is clear to me that you judge some of the aurors too much based simply upon how comfortable you feel with them. Liars' Milk is not common or easily obtained, and it has a limited shelf life. Enough aurors have been aware enough of your vetting schedule to slip past the Veritaserum by fortifying themselves with Liars' Milk. You have a serious security hole in your vetting procedures. If I were you, I'd double check everyone who had advance knowledge of the vetting schedule. I'd search all of the auror areas for a stash of Liars' Milk. Albert got his from someplace, and on quite short notice. I'd also do some more re-vetting, starting with the third auror from your personal squad."

That third auror, named Adrian, was sitting in the room with us. He instantly volunteered 'to face your Truth Teller Witches'. The questions were repeated and Adrian passed. Harry apologized to Adrian for subjecting him to that instant scrutiny, saying that "the discovery of Albert's betrayal at this late date has shaken me up quite a bit."

Harry suggested that he, Shacklebolt, and Callista would go inform Madam Bones of what had transpired. He gave me what was obviously a goodbye dismissal kiss. I headed back to Hogwarts with my fellow Truth Tellers. Cissy pronounced the lunchtime 'a thrilling adventure', adding "the headmaster was correct in deducing that our leaks and nasty press would lead back to those who hated Witches of a certain type. From what we heard from Albert and what you've said about Harry's meeting with Barnabas Cuffe, these are two opponents whose major beef is rights for Witches, rather than rights for Elves. I always suspected that opposition to Elf rights was too weak a cause to animate the opposition. I now know that I have many powerful enemies, simply for daring to take over the responsibilities of my family as a Witch. Apparently my brother's criminal madness was viewed as preferable to a Witch with real power."

"There certainly do seem to be a lot of Slytherin Wizards who are afraid that they will lose their status and that we Witches, especially we Gryffindor Witches, are the ones who will displace them. I actually see his point. Albert seems to have turned Slytherin connections, and the ability to suck up to powerful Wizards into a reasonably good career, despite not having a lot of ability. I'm quite sure that he enjoyed hunting down the Muggle-born during the Thicknesse years. He made my skin crawl. I can only hope he seemed more normal, when not surrounded by young truth-teller Witches. Otherwise, I really question Shacklebolt's judgement. I don't think Albert could have fooled me for a week."


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47 – Cotto to the Rescue**

The next day, Cotto decided that it was his responsibility as King of the Elves to lead a rescue party to try to find Baal. Three young Elves volunteered to help him. We spent a couple days fitting them out with multiple portkey belts, similar to the ones we had worn on our trip to Australia, and all the supplies they might need. Among these, Lee had devised an inflatable balloon that would carry an Elf to reasonable altitude and equipped it with a small telescope for searching the ground. The searchers would stay on ElfWorld for no more than four days. If they hadn't returned by then, the last of the portkeys would whisk them back to the pyramid, whether they were alive or dead, free or captive.

When it came time to transport the search party, Dad was agreeable to Hermione and me operating the controls from the observation landing. I was eager for the chance to return to the bench. I felt that my ability to sort my Light Guardian memories had increased from my exposure to the bench and the energized black rectangle. Although I had not sensed this at the time, the creeping recognition of more and more accessible stored memories was undeniable. I had practiced magic with Harry after coming to this conclusion, and Harry agreed with me that the strength of my Patronus had increased and that I could whisper to him at a greater distance. He vowed that we would continue to practice and test my skills.

I am convinced that I launched the search party properly. Hermione and I even went on top of the black rock to check the flat crystal. I gave a big sigh of relief as Hermione translated "good male Elves" and then adding in great excitement "it's changed. It is now plural. I'm sure you sent them to the same world that Baal was transported to."

The next several days passed comfortably. Press coverage in the Daily Prophet had been quite acceptable, and both Mom and Harry said that Dad seemed more relaxed. Harry was on edge waiting for news of Baal. I attended classes and conducted auditions for the senior Quidditch team. I spent a session with Alice and Henry, practicing basic wand skills. Our group had vowed that one of us would spend some extra time with the twins every day. Even McGonagall took her turn in the rotation. I was ridiculously busy, but enjoying it. I even took time to sit down over lunch with Hermione and Luna to talk about wedding plans. I hadn't been giving much thought to the wedding, apart from realizing that none of us could deal with another wedding at the Burrow.

The memories of the last wedding were far too fresh. Harry had told me that Shacklebolt had offered the use of his rented Muggle estate and promised to supply a great assortment of fruits, vegetables, and flowers for the event – all grown in the greenhouse and gardens of his estate. That was a generous offer, but I wasn't sure that's what I wanted. Although I wasn't a dreamer about my wonderful wedding and wasn't looking forward to planning for it, I nevertheless unreasonably had the sense that I would instantly recognize what was 'right' as soon as I heard it. Marrying at a Muggle country house didn't seem right, especially in winter.

I wasn't expecting to get caught up in the planning or to make much progress as I sat down to lunch, but as soon as Hermione made her suggestion I knew it was 'right'.

"The wedding should be significant for all eight of us and it should emphasize our interconnectedness, apart from half the participants being Weasleys, I mean," Hermione told us. "So I thought, the thing that binds us most together and that we share as a common history is Hogwarts. I think we should get married here at the school. That also has the practical advantage of allowing us to help with the Spencer twins over the holidays."

"Yes!" was my reply. Luna thought a little longer, but concluded "yes, that will work for me. This is where I met George and where I got to know the rest of you so well. It also meets our space requirements and will satisfy Harry's requirement for adequate security. I definitely approve. If we have the wedding at either the start or the end of the holiday break, any of our school chums who are interested in attending will be able to do so. Percy and Callista are now fairly removed from Hogwarts, so I'm not at all sure that Hogwarts will be acceptable to them. Harry could ask them."

Three days in, there was no word from the rescue team to ElfWorld. Harry was showing the strain and admitting a gap in the plan: "it's now clear in retrospect that what we badly needed was a system for the rescuers to send back a status message each day. It would have been easy to do, we did it with that massive tub, how hard could it be to send back a letter and a picture or two. It wouldn't even add to the weight the team had to carry. We could have packed lighter and sent them back whatever they requested in their last update. I was stupid."

"We were all stupid," I corrected Harry.

The Daily Prophet had presented another reasonably good edition in the morning, so Harry and I were committed to have dinner and spend the evening with Ernie. Ernie wanted to talk to me about the Quidditch Tournament, which was fast approaching. Happily I could give him the names of the full senior team and most of the juniors. As I had expected, young Wood would be the Seeker and Margaret would be a chaser and Junior Captain. They would be joining me for the interview. Ernie wanted an in-depth review with Harry of how well the two halves of his department were coming together, and where Madam Bones stood with the prosecution of all the Death Eaters and Grindelwalds we had caught.

McGonagall cornered us in the common room, right before dinner, saying she needed to speak to the four of us in her office. We followed her out of the common room, Ron a little upset that she had interrupted his chess match with Neville. Once in her office, McGonagall announced her intention to push for Pansy's release and return to Hogwarts, saying "I've laid back, while the doctors worked with Pansy and Draco worked out his feelings, but now that he and Erin have moved outside Hogwarts and their problems seem to be resolved, I cannot forget that Pansy has suffered another blow, and badly needs to get her life back on track. I think the best resolution is to release her and let her continue her studies at Hogwarts. Increased magical engineering education should at least allow her to support herself, now that she no longer is married. You've got Draco's divorce for him, there's nothing stopping Pansy's release, now."

"Other than the fact that she tried to kidnap me and almost got Hermione killed and that we still see her as a threat," I snapped back.

"We've been through that, Mrs. Potter. You witnessed her interrogation. She was not fully in control of her mind when she did those things. She's not a threat to you or Hermione."

"She hated us when she still had full control of her mind," I responded. "She was an enemy since my first day at Hogwarts. You weren't there when she was captured: you didn't hear what she said about Hermione or see the look on her face. That is very hard to ignore."

"I'm sure it was shocking," McGonagall responded, "but that wasn't the real Pansy."

"Get the Pensieve, Harry" I commanded. Harry hadn't seemed eager to step into the middle of this squabble, if he could avoid it, but he did fetch the Pensieve. I withdrew my wand, extracted the memory in question and dropped it into the Pensieve. "Take a look!" I demanded of McGonagall "and then tell me how easy it will be for us to associate with Pansy again."

McGonagall was taken aback by my vehemence, but did as I asked. After viewing the scene, she commented "I can understand how that event must have made a profound emotional impact upon all of you, and that seeing a happy Pansy flitting about Hogwarts would grate upon your image of that event. Having her back will not be easy for you, but I implore you to consider what a difficult time she will have putting her life back together."

"I think you need to consider a different rehabilitation plan for Pansy," Ron commented calmly. "If living outside Hogwarts, getting lessons and notes sent in, and just coming back for the exams is workable for Erin, it should also be workable for Pansy."

I looked back from Ron and McGonagall to see that Hermione had dived into the Pensieve. This did not seem to be a wise move at all, although I understood her compulsion to view this scene. Hermione was shuddering when she withdrew her head from the Pensieve. She looked straight at McGonagall, inches from her, and shouted "I will not spend one minute at Hogwarts with Pansy! The thought is totally repugnant."

McGonagall did not have an immediate answer and Hermione spun on her heels and stomped out of the office, Ron following closely behind. McGonagall seemed to still be at a loss for words as Harry and I also turned to leave. "Wait a minute! Please, I'll work on alternate arrangements for Pansy, which Hermione hopefully will not find so distasteful. I'd like to visit Pansy. Can you arrange for that to happen? I'd also like for Millicent to be able to talk to her. Obviously, it would be best if Draco saw her first and explained his decision first hand but I'm willing to be the bearer of bad news."

"Millicent has visited Pansy," Harry told McGonagall. "It turns out that, as obscene as it is, Madam Bones is correct, and that there was no way to keep Millicent locked up for more than a few days for as trivial a crime as attempting to murder an Elf. Even that would have been virtually unprovable, because an Elf's testimony counts for about a tenth of Millicent's in probative value to the Wizengamot. Madam Bones said it was a minor victory that Millicent was prevented from prosecuting the Elf. So, in summary, Millicent is out and about, and had ample opportunity to commiserate with Pansy about how awful the rest of us are, and how totally unfair it is not to be able to just kill an Elf when you take a mind to do so.

"At any rate, I have no problem with you also visiting Pansy, but an auror must be present. She's at Grimmauld place. I'll take you there, tomorrow, if you wish.**"**

"I'd appreciate that, Harry. One more thing: it may not be pleasant for Pansy, but I think she needs to see Ginny's memory from the Pensieve to know what she is up against. I'm not at all sure she has a clear memory of what happened. That would require briefly bringing her to Hogwarts."

"No, she's not leaving Grimmauld Place for the moment. You can describe what you saw in the Pensieve and compare memories with her. In fact, we can apparate the Pensieve to Grimmauld place."

The next morning Cotto and the rescuers returned safely to the floor of the pyramid. Harry had gone to Grimmauld Place with McGonagall and the pensieve, so Hermione and I rushed off to the pyramid to learn what Cotto had found on ElfWorld. "I see you didn't find Baal," were my first words to Cotto. "I'm sorry and Harry will be very disappointed. I am glad to have you back safely."

"No, we found Baal. He is living in Elf city on ElfWorld. Wants to teach them skills from here and learn from them. He say he come home soon. Have to talk to Minister about best way bring Baal back. Maybe not trust portkey not to bring back thousand Elves."

"So, you found a large settlement of Elves on ElfWorld?"

"Many, many Elves, perhaps million. Big city and big farms, but Elves not remember magic, or magic not work on ElfWorld. I discuss with Harry what to send back to help ElfWorld. I am not King, they have own King, but I still want to help."

"That's all great news," I told Cotto. "Harry had an errand to run, but was going to the Ministry. I think we should apparate to the Ministry now."

Cotto grabbed my hand and we did just that, arriving in front of Callista's desk with a loud pop. "He just went in and is talking to headmaster McGonagall, but I'm sure he'll want to see you right away," Callista told us getting up and sticking her head inside Harry's office to announce us. She flung the door open and we walked in.

"Baal is alive, but he wants to stay on ElfWorld a little longer. You and the Minister need to decide what you want to do. Cotto says there are a million Elves on ElfWorld," I told Harry. "He's afraid that the Minister will think he's plotting an invasion if he sends back another portkey."

"That is correct," Cotto told Harry. "I did not want to act alone. Could bring many Elves inside Hogwarts."

"I understand the issue," Harry responded. "For now, I'm just happy to see you again and to know that Baal is still alive. Did the Elves of ElfWorld seem to be living happy and prosperous lives?"

"Yes, but not magical lives," Cotto admitted, with obvious regret. "I wish to help them, if I can, but I don't want to frighten your people. I know we can't bring the Elves back. There is no room for them. I want them to be able to use magic on their new world."

"I'm not sure it's even possible to recreate magic on ElfWorld," Harry told Cotto. "That's certainly a topic for Hermione's committee. We should see the Minister immediately. We'll pick up the Directors on the way."

"We're not finished here, Mister, er, Deputy Minister," McGonagall complained.

"We'll have to finish later," Harry told her. "This is too important to delay informing the Minister. Surely you must recognize that the discovery of a million Elves and knowing that Baal and Cotto are alive is more important than where Pansy will reside next week. Get some perspective. We can talk after dinner."

Harry and Cotto swept out of the office, leaving me with an insulted and disgruntled McGonagall. I inconspicuously moved to the outer office, so that Callista could be a buffer against McGonagall's obvious upsettedness. Callista gave me a sympathetic look and asked us if we'd like some tea and biscuits.

Having followed me out of Harry's office, McGonagall continuing to complain, "I had really hoped to resolve Pansy's situation. Well, we might as well get back to Hogwarts. We have our own tea and cookies, after all. I can tell that I'm not going to achieve justice for Pansy by staying here."

Callista surprised me by commenting to McGonagall, "The Deputy Minister seems to have his priorities straight. I know you are visiting Harry, because the Minister wouldn't give a second thought to granting your request on Pansy. Reducing her sentence from 6 years to 6 months was very generous. She did plead guilty to her role in the plot against Harry. We've gotten flack for that. Everybody in jail thinks we're pushovers, and that they too deserve a slap on the wrist for murders and bombings. You really should stop inciting Madam Bones to release all the prisoners. You'll drive her out of her job."

"I didn't realize I needed your approval to speak to my friends or argue for proper treatment of a student," McGonagall huffed, as she walked to the apparation circle.

I let her go first, hoping to avoid her by returning to the Gryffindor landing. McGonagall certainly did go above and beyond to advocate for her friends. I wondered if she'd work this hard on my behalf. I didn't think so. After congratulating Callista on her loyal outspokenness, I stepped into the circle and was gone.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48 – More Special Pleading**

I had barely settled myself in the Gryffindor common room and inquired of Margaret about the twins' state of mind, when McGonagall was climbing through the portal. There was no avoiding the situation. Despite pleas that I needed to prepare for the auditions of the junior Quidditch team, I was urged to tarry 'just a moment'. It turned out that Draco had not visited Pansy since his marriage ended, and that Pansy had first heard of her divorce and Draco's and Erin' nuptials from McGonagall. "You husband saw her since the wedding, he might have mentioned it to her," McGonagall groused.

"I'm sure Harry felt it Draco's place to share the news," I reasonably replied.

"Maybe so, but that lapse certainly made my visit an uphill battle. Poor Pansy spent half the time weeping. She kept asking me, 'even if I were released tomorrow, what am I to do with my life?' What could I tell her? I mumbled platitudes about all lives having rough bumps and that overcoming these down times left us stronger. I told her that being so young, she had so many possibilities. Many possibilities that she couldn't even imagine today, would open up before her. She said 'that may be possible, but I see myself faced with caring for Dad while he grieves the loss of Mom or married to Erin's sixty year old farmer. I hope that you can tell me or I can imagine some bright alternatives tomorrow, but as of now, I cannot.' I felt so sad for the girl. A lot of her problems are not of her own making. She is largely a victim of the machinations of her mother and Lucius Malfoy."

"And possibly some errant mischief-making by members of your Sisterhood," I added. "Not to mention her infantile insistence about leading a totally useless life, supported by some wealthy husband. She almost lucked out and got a rich husband her own age. She ruined that choice herself. She was already down on Draco before she was Imperiused, if that ever happened at all. Most Witches who insist on being useless end up with much older husbands. She'll just be the Slytherin norm."

"Yes. It's that possibility more it's my knowledge of the Sisterhood's interference, more than anything, which drives me to help Pansy. I told her that I would love to bring her back to Hogwarts, to finish her education in magical engineering and to get her emotional legs back under her. Unfortunately, I told her, you and Hermione were not comfortable with sharing the school grounds with her. I can assure you that she was as shocked by what the pensieve revealed as Hermione was. She didn't remember saying those things and said that they certainly don't fully or totally accurately reflect her thinking."

"Which translates to 'they generally reflect her thinking, but she realizes it was unhelpful to her current problems to have voiced them quite as strongly as she did. And it's not just sharing Hogwarts with Pansy it's sharing the same class, more like, and you are not going to make me feel guilty about not wanting to associate with Pansy. This summer, at your urging, we let her be around us, despite the way she had treated all of us in the past, and you know how well that turned out for us. You saw how she behaved when she was captured. It was hateful."

"I know that you have difficulty reconciling your image of a very nasty and committed to Lucius and the conspiracy Pansy, with your certain knowledge that Pansy was not in control of her mind when she said those things at that time. I realize how hard it is to discount what you experienced, but I beg you to try. She almost surely was Imperiused."

"We also know," I couldn't stop myself from telling McGonagall, "that evil, committed Death Eaters like Lucius Malfoy were let back into society and positions of influence after the first Voldemort war, when they used the 'I was Imperiused' excuse. They promptly rejoined Voldemort at the first opportunity. Even before he thought Voldemort had returned, Lucius tried to kill me, just for old time's sake and to settle a score with my parents.

"What if Pansy's Imperiusing is an equally flimsy excuse for a girl who clearly sided with the Death Eaters when we were students together, and who gloried in the excesses of the Carrows and the suffering of the rest of us? It would be possible to excuse Pansy's actions if she exhibited good character in the times when she clearly wasn't Imperiused. She didn't. She's been a basically bad person for as long as I've known her. You're going to have to decide whether you want our group at Hogwarts or whether you'd rather have Pansy here. You can't have both. I feel very strongly about this and so does Hermione."

"So your husband and Ron don't feel quite as strongly?" McGonagall concluded. "Well, you had best be getting on to your Quidditch tryouts. It gets dark early this time of year." That was what I wanted to hear. Out of there. I completed tryouts for the junior team and got my mind back into a happy place.

Harry came back after dinner. He was amused as we were lying in bed and I was recounting my awkward conversation with McGonagall.

"I didn't give her any more support than you did," my husband told me. "She resorted to the 'Dumbledore got support from the Order, when he asked for us to support iffy-seeming characters like Snape' line.

"I told her that in the first place things were different now since we were running the government, so her leadership of the Sisterhood or remnants of the Order were less significant. Beyond that, we had accepted her judgment on Narcissa, and Draco, and even Pansy for a time, but that the evidence had shown that trusting her judgment on Pansy had almost had disastrous consequences. I told her, just before you interrupted us, that with all the issues that I and the Ministry were dealing with, the need to bring Pansy back to Hogwarts seemed trivial. I told her that the possible gain didn't seem to merit the risk or even the sense of personal discomfort. That's why she was in such high dudgeon when you came in. Her very last words, before Callista stuck her head in the door were 'well, I guess preserving the future of an innocent young Witch is of more importance to some of us than it is to you."

"So we each left things with McGonagall on a sour note?" I responded.

"No, I saw a lot more of Professor McGonagall today. When we reported to your father, he called an emergency meeting of his cabinet. The thought of a million Elves a portkey's leap away from Hogwarts is quite sobering. It presents a potential threat as well as a great opportunity. That many Elves could totally overwhelm all of the Wizards and other magic creatures in Britain. It could be the Elven wars all over again, with us on the losing side. On the other hand, it is a chance to work with and learn from inhabitants of another world, who have been going their own way for thousands of years. They aren't magical, but they've achieved solid technical advancements – nearly as much as the Muggles. There is also the possibility that if they returned to Britain, in proximity to the Circles, that they would regain their magical powers."

"That reminds me of questions that I forgot to ask Cotto. Did Cotto and his fellow rescuers also lose their magical powers on ElfWorld?"

"Yes and no. They still had magical powers, but they were greatly diminished. Apparently Baal had tried to teach Elf magic to the ElfWorld Elves without success. Cotto ordered him to stop trying until he decides upon the safety of such instruction. That nixed Baal's next planned project of trying to build the first magical circle on ElfWorld."

"Do the Elves on ElfWorld want to return to Britain, either to visit or for good? Is there a device like our transporter on ElfWorld that could send them here or to another world?"

"There is no transporter on ElfWorld. The landing zone is just a several hundred foot square area of flat stone and shallow sand. It is kept clear, because there are legends of what the place is and a semi-religious belief that more Elves or more supplies would one day show up at that spot. Apparently Elves were transported to ElfWorld during two several-year periods, separated by a couple of hundred years. Their legend said they were sent to ElfWorld from a bad place where Elves weren't sufficiently appreciated and were oppressed by more powerful beings. The Elves had fought for their proper rights and many, many thousand of them died in the war.

"By and large they had no desire as individuals to return to that bad place, although now that they know the place is real and that there are Elves who can travel back and forth and were enslaved by Wizards in the not so distant past, some of their more radical young toughs seemed eager to mount a revenge attack. At least that was Cotto's fear.

"That's why he didn't explain how portkeys worked or promise to send one back for Baal. He had the same vision as we did: a thousand angry and well-armed Elves all hitching a ride back here with Baal. The biggest debate at the cabinet meeting was whether we needed to present all that we've learned of ElfWorld and the power of the transporter to Hermione's Committee, including the Muggle Prime Minister. We decided that we had to do that."

"I think that's the right choice," I assured Harry. "It's certainly the brave choice."

"Yes, this is going to be extremely unpopular. Wizards who don't like the idea of free Elves are certainly going to love the thought of a million Elves just dropping in on us at some unknown time."

"Did the Elves of ElfWorld know anything about the other worlds for other magical creatures or the circumstances that led to magical creatures being transported out of Britain?"

"Cotto asked that question. This all happened a very long time ago and all that is left is what you might call myth or oral traditions that were viewed with great skepticism. There is a written historical record of ElfWorld, but it only goes back about not quite twenty of our centuries. They had records and artifacts in their old town, but most of old town was destroyed by fire twenty centuries ago. There is a legend that the Light Guardian brought their forebears from a land of strife and war to this bright new land of their own. The legend also says that they were once a people of great magical powers living amongst other magical beings, but that because they had misused their magic, the Light Guardian made the loss of their magic the price of their new life. The legend says they failed the Light Guardian by being bad Elves and that their magical powers will not return until the Light Guardian is again pleased by them. They repeatedly asked both Baal and Cotto if they had spoken to and been sent by the Light Guardian. They were excited when Baal told of the Light Guardian's visit, and even more excited when Cotto said that in one sense he was an emissary of the Light Guardian. They are determined to prove that they have been good Elves."

"That's very interesting, my darling."

"But, I was just getting to the most interesting part. Cotto carried pictures of all the different kinds of magical beings with him, to see which the ElfWorlders would recognize and what their mythology would say about each. The arch-enemy of the Elves of that time turned out to be the Leprechauns. ElfWorld legend has it that the magical creatures were all living in peace, until the Leprechauns decided to wage war to steal the Elves' farms. They recognized the Unicorns, saying that they sided with the Leprechauns and the Centaurs, who were their allies. They recognized Goblins, but said 'these be builders, not fighters. They not take side in battle.' When he showed them a picture of a Witch and Wizard, they always gave the same basic answer: 'these not be magical creatures. A few have little, uneducated magic, but nothing like us. They not fight in war. Leprechauns torment them and they kill a few on each side, but not fighters.' The Giants, trolls, dragons, and Aragog's clan were all described as 'dumb animals'."

"That is interesting. I guess I just assumed that the war that led to the transporting away of magical creatures was just an earlier Wizard/Elf war, with maybe other magical creatures butting in on one side or another. It's strange to think that we weren't even participants. I especially think of Leprechauns as an afterthought, not as a major magical power."

"It explains why the pyramid and transporter aren't part of Wizard myth and why you couldn't find the secrets of the transporter in your history from the ancient Priestesses. The transporter and pyramid are from a time when we Wizards were in our infancy."

"That brings me to something that I must do. You and Dad won't like it, but I just KNOW from the depth of my Light Guardian knowledge, which has been churned up by using the transporter, that I must go into the lower chamber, while Hermione operates the transporter."

"WAY too dangerous!"

"I fear it's more dangerous to refuse to do it. We need more knowledge, and that is the only path to finding it. You and I learned different things from the Light Guardian. If you were in my position, you'd know that I must do this. I'm asking you to trust my judgment and your knowledge that I am not a needlessly reckless person. I well realize that to be the Mother of the Future, I must live to be a mother, but I also know that I must do this."

"Alright, that's fair. You have my support. You've supported me when I've done things that seemed less than wise on the surface. I can tell that you've thought this out and weighed the risk. When do you want to do this?"

"The next time the transporter is used. I know there will be another trip to ElfWorld to retrieve Baal, but Bane was considering a trip to CentaurWorld. I have a feeling that for me to gain the maximum insight, I must be in the lower chamber when a magical being is transported, not when we're just shipping supplies."

"I forgot to tell you. Bane wants to travel tomorrow, if you and Hermione can make him a return portkey by tomorrow night. Firenze has told him that 9:37 P.M. tomorrow is the most propitious time in the next year to make the attempt. Firenze did another sleep-in in the Sacred Cavern two days ago, in order to confirm this reading of the celestial portents. Can you be ready by tomorrow night?"

"I'm ready now. I'm also sure we can finish the portkey by lunchtime, tomorrow."

"One last thing – I think that Pansy has a more realistic view of the problems associated with her return to Hogwarts than McGonagall does. When she saw your memory in the Pensieve, she was a bit shocked, but readily admitted that it was not totally out of character for her. She couldn't understand why she seemed to be so deeply in love with Lucius, but was not surprised by her hateful remarks about Hermione. She admitted that she has resented her success at Hogwarts and would prefer that she go back to the Muggle world. McGonagall tried to patch things over, but Pansy said that 'of course Hermione wouldn't want to live next to me. That would be most uncomfortable for her.'

"I took back your memory and have it in a bottle in my office drawer. I think we should take our cue from Dumbledore and store our key memories, while they are fresh. They may be of great value to our children, or whichever of our successors has to carry on the battle. I added my memories from the interviews with the members of the Sisterhood, Barty, the twisted aurors, and Draco. I also have my memories of what Lucius said when he was captured. I'm going to keep thinking what should be preserved. You and the others should do the same. I know it seems unbelievable now, but we will forget much of what has happened this past half year."

"I'll never forget, Harry. But may I just go to sleep?"


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49 – Bane the Explorer**

We finished the portkey in less than an hour. Since the guys were all still at Hogwarts, we decided to use our newly found time to firm up wedding plans. Harry, Ron, and George had yet to comment upon our tentative decisions. In truth I had barely mentioned them to Harry. Times were busy. That very busyness forced general acceptance of that which somebody else had already decided. Hogwarts was fine, dress robes were the easiest approach, any student who wanted to attend was welcome, the wedding reception could be catered by the Hogwarts kitchen Elves for the handsome extra remuneration which Hermione had prescribed, the actual wedding ceremony would be in the Room of Requirement, fathers could give away the brides, although I was already gone and that would have to be finessed. This brought us to the undecided question of who should officiate at the service and what if any religious content should be included.

"Not C of E," Luna replied instantly. "Since I'm going to be a Priestess, at least part time, I thought it would be nice if we asked Mafalda to officiate."

"Too old and fuddy-duddy," George blurted out.

"Not really fuddy-duddy at all," Hermione stood up for Mafalda. "She was the only adult who supported us on the bonfire plan. She even danced in pretty close to the altogether."

"Well, perhaps," George reconsidered, "although I had sort of expected something not all that religious or mystical in terms of a ceremony. Something more personalized for each of us."

"Yes, I certainly want to include our personal statements and vows in the ceremony," I supported my brother.

"As do I," Luna admitted, "but Mafalda can provide the ancient, mystical context to our unions. I think she would be quite happy to blend the two."

"Well we can certainly ask her about that," Harry concurred. "I know I don't want Professor McGonagall to officiate my second wedding ceremony. The whole point of doing it again, well other than including the family members who missed out the first time round, is to make it more meaningful and less utilitarian. I'd like to get permission from McGonagall and the Minister to invite my cousin Dudley to the wedding. He called right after breakfast, by the way, to say he had finally found a suitable Muggle house for us. We should take a look at it tomorrow."

"That brings up the important question of where we'll all live after we're married. I've assumed McGonagall would give us apartments. Draco's is certainly available."

"Luna and I can just live over the shop in Hogsmeade," George volunteered.

"I don't know," Luna was skeptical. "That would take us away from relaxing with our friends in the evenings and give us a lot of housekeeping and shop-keeping chores."

"The shop-keeping chores are there now," George corrected, "and we can invite our friends to our new home and they'll invite us back to Hogwarts. I'll bet the gang would enjoy the occasional evening in Hogsmeade."

"That sounds good," Ron agreed.

"Before we wander too far off track, does anyone object if I talk to Mafalda about officiating?"

Nobody objected and we broke off the planning at that point.

After lunch I encountered the unique circumstance that Harry and Ron planned to go to class, while Hermione and I said we just couldn't. We had to think about, and plan, and frankly steel our nerves, for Bane's evening journey and my experiment in the lower cavern. We went to the pyramid's control landing, so that Hermione could rehearse exactly what she had to do. We sat on the floor of the landing, wracking our brains for hidden nuggets of Light Guardian wisdom, which might increase our chance of success and reduce the risk of losing me or Bane. Hermione and I both had the strong sense that I had to stand flush against the black rectangle, wrapping my arms around as much of it as I could, while thinking as many Light Guardian thoughts as my fear would allow to float into my head. That decided, we considered additional safeguards.

"I think Harry and Bill should be in the passage outside the lower chamber, just in case you need help," Hermione suggested. "I'm not sure it would be safe for them to enter the chamber while the transporter is operating. Especially Bill, since he doesn't even have a working ring. Perhaps you should activate Bill's ring. If the worst happened and Harry were transported somewhere, Bill could be trapped in the passage. I think the really worst that could happen is that you could be transported to 'bad impudent WitchWorld'. We're all still wearing the portkey belts that we've worn since my kidnapping, but I'd feel better if you had something more substantial, like the portkey we made for Bane."

"That all makes sense," I agreed with Hermione, "but let's also make the robust portkeys for Harry, Bill, and you."

"And Ron, I'm going to want him with me, just outside the landing."

Except for a break for dinner, we worked steadily up until 9:00 P.M. to complete the extra five inter-world portkeys. Working helped me to relax and drive my worries from the front of my mind. I realized over dinner that Harry had gone to classes, rather than the Ministry, to avoid any possibility of Dad or Shacklebolt finding out about my plan. It was very clear what their reaction would be, if they learned what we were planning. Unless Bane or Firenze said something, I felt we were safe on that score.

We hadn't mentioned the need to drop the castle's apparation barriers to McGonagall until right after dinner, and we limited our explanation to the need for Bane and Firenze to apparate into the Pyramid. She reluctantly agreed, since neither Centaur was going to fit through the hole in the floor of Snape's office. Bane and Firenze showed up at 9:15, and we immediately apparated to the floor of the pyramid. Firenze told Hermione that he would apparate to the control landing with her if she had an image of where she could apparate to that would provide enough space not to merge him with a stone wall or the bench. Firenze was wearing a stone-less silver ring, its face sporting the image of a Centaur viewed in profile. I had never seen any of the Centaurs wear such a ring before. In response to my quizzical look after studying his ring, Firenze commented "something I learned about while communing in the Sacred Cavern."

Hermione told Firenze that she didn't feel competent to apparate them without an advance scouting trip. We waited as Hermione went on ahead. She was back several minutes later, saying she had been unable to apparate into the control landing at all and had to walk from the stone stairway. I told her "go back, identify yourself to the bench with your ring, sit for a minute, get up and turn the transporter on. Then see if you can apparate back to this spot. A few minutes later Hermione returned to tell us she had been successful. "I think our best chance to apparate onto the landing is if I get on your back and you splay your legs enough to straddle the stone bench," she told Firenze, giving me a piece of paper with the appropriate dimensions and a measuring stick for me to check Firenze's posture. I very nervously double-checked each measurement, before nodding okay. A second later, Centaur and rider had vanished. It was past 9:30 and we needed to hurry. The rest of us quickly apparated to our assigned spots.

Harry, Bill, and I found ourselves near the end of the stone passageway, about five feet from the pit which led to the lower chamber. Harry surprised me by insisting that I clamber into a leather harness, to which he attached a fifty foot rope. He also made me carry what he termed 'a supply sack' upon my back and shoulders. I told him that I couldn't possibly make it into the lower chamber thus encumbered.

"Okay," Harry agreed "I take your point. Drop the pack down the pit and push it ahead of you into the cavern. Put it on once you're inside the cavern." Thinking this would all have worked much more smoothly had Harry shared his precautions in advance, I threw the pack into the pit and quickly followed it.

By the time I had crawled from the pit into the lower chamber and hoisted the pack over my shoulders, my watch said 9:43. It was so easy to read the watch, without even lighting my wand, that I realized that the lower chamber was far brighter than it had been for Bill's explorations. Not knowing whether or not Hermione might act a trifle early, I immediately clasped my arms as far around the black rectangle as they would stretch. I centered my body on the corner of the rectangle closest to the door. It was a little uncomfortable, but I slowly positioned my feet and legs to give me the maximum contact with the stone. I expected the stone to be uncomfortably cold, but it was actually a bit warmer than body temperature. It was also vibrating and humming to a constant and very low pitch. The vibrations penetrated all the way through my body, in a not unpleasant way.

I thought that a minute or two had passed, but was in no position to consult my watch. I whispered {Harry, what time is it?}

9:45.

{Fine, please give me a mental countdown}

I remained fixed in an increasingly uncomfortable position, as Harry counted down …sixteen, fifteen, fourteen, thirteen…

At thirteen, the vibrations became much stronger. I quickly whispered {It's happening!} then tried to open my mind and think Mother of the Future thoughts. The vibrations continued to strengthen and to increase in pitch. Part of my mind had to focus on not letting go. I could feel a torrent of information rushing into me. I 'saw' Unicorns, Centaurs, Elves, and Leprechauns being transported from the pyramid in great numbers. The numbers of Leprechauns were enormous, the whole floor of the pyramid was filled as they pressed shoulder to shoulder and then were gone. Those creatures left not from the top of the black rock, but from a vast ring of beings pressed up against the outer stone Circle around the black rectangle. I saw a small number of Goblins and then two Giants vanished in similar fashion. I did see Bane vanish from atop the rectangle, thinking it a peculiar and undignified a pose for a Centaur. I even saw him arrive on a sunlit plain of waving grasses up to the bottom of his shoulders. Through his eyes, I saw a small herd of Centaurs at the edge of a wood, several thousand feet away. My mind drifted back to the rectangle, until I was following the continuing hum through the rock and into its intricate interior, filled with tiny clear crystals and a hair-fine three-dimensional web of silver. I traveled to the very core of the rectangle, a wrist-thick rod of some glowing, silvery metal. Then the humming ceased and my mind was expelled. The experience was over.

I assumed a more normal standing posture and stretched my aching limbs. As my head cleared I heard {[panic] Ginny! Are you still in there? Are you alright? Why don't you answer? I'm sending Bill down. I'd come, but he won't let me.}

{{I'm fine, stay there. It just took a little while to disentangle my thoughts from the rectangle. I'm fully myself again, although I can tell that I have a lot more information to sort through and digest. I'm going to crawl to the bottom of the pit now.}}

{[relief] Good! I was really worried. You were completely out of communication for over ten minutes.}

{{Sorry, I didn't have a good sense of the passage of time. I would have guessed less than a minute. I'm in the pit, you can pull me up. I'm a little weak.}}

I half climbed, half let myself be pulled out of the pit. As my right arm cleared the pit, Harry grabbed it and pulled me toward him. We ended in a big bear hug, with Harry kissing my mouth {[relief] I was really worried. For a few minutes there, I wasn't sure I would ever be able to hold you again.}

{{I'm sorry, the time just flashed by for me. We should apparate back to the pyramid floor and see how the others are doing.}}

We linked hands and were standing on the floor of the pyramid, waving to Hermione to turn off the transporter. A few seconds later, the black rectangle began to glow a lot less brightly and then Firenze, with Hermione atop his back, was standing in front of us. Ron was soon at his side. We all apparated onto the lawn, just outside the main entrance to the castle. Harry sent his Patronus ahead to let McGonagall know that she could raise the apparation barriers.

"I saw Bane arrive on CentaurWorld," I told Firenze. "He arrived safely on a plain of tall grass and within sight of a small herd of Centaurs. My vision ended before he contacted the other Centaurs. At least that is good news as far as it goes, we know that there is a CentaurWorld and that it has Centaurs. I learned a lot about the operation of the transporter."


	50. Chapter 50

**CHAPTER 50 – DECISIONS**

"What I didn't see while I was connected to the rectangle, was any evidence of Wizards being transported. I'm not at all sure that there is a WizardWorld," I told Harry. I also didn't see any sign that Wizards could travel to any of the other worlds, although I'll likely know more, after I get all the new memories sorted."

"I think you're standing on WizardWorld," Harry answered.

"But the Light Guardian transported Bruce to another world."

"Bruce was transported with Ruppasta, "Harry observed. "Perhaps learning to live on GoblinWorld with thousands of what he and his father regarded as inferior beings is part of Bruce's redemption process."

Breakfast brought another day of blissfully positive press coverage. The Young Wizard Loan Agency was applauded for half a dozen loans, as was Gringotts. Quite a few acres of Muggle farmland had been bought by young Wizards, with proper Muggle documentation. Wizard families were taking title to half of the Malfoy estate, and Draco had borrowed to buy the manor house and the other half of the land. Wizard and Elf tenant farmers would occupy that land. Among the first Gringotts' loans was ours for a Witch manufacturing business. Initially it would produce stylish household fixtures. The initial production could be incorporated into the new Wizard homes, including our own. Harry felt that our enterprise could employ ten of this year's Hogwarts graduates, with our first products flowing out the door by July. Ernie raved about this 'fresh wind of economic progress'.

I looked up from my Quibbler to comment to Cissy, "I don't see Draco or Erin and they weren't at dinner. Are they going to be at your castle full time? I wasn't aware that McGonagall had given Erin the boot just yet. She really isn't showing, despite what the Daily Prophet said. That was just the wind blowing her robes."

"They're off on their post-wedding trip," Cissy replied, seemingly surprised that I was unaware of this fact. "Draco has decided to show the Muggle world to Erin. They'll be visiting some of Lucius's old haunts in London, Paris, The Hague, and Berlin. Draco said not to expect them back for a week or three."

"We've never been on a post-wedding trip," I half complained to Harry, "unless you count being chained to a chair in the Sacred Cavern. I want to take a trip after our second ceremony."

"I do too," Harry agreed "but we're all committed to stay here and help Alice and Henry over Christmas break. I wasn't raised Wizard, but Ron told me it was more typical to combine the graduation and post-wedding trips and spend a good long time visiting other magical sites."

"Yes, it is, but then it's not typical to marry at Christmas break of your last term," Luna explained. "I think if we alternate duty back at Hogwarts, we can each get a week away for a trip. I'd like to go Nargle hunting in Norway."

"Do you know how cold it is in Norway that time of year?" George complained.

"Show a little adventurous spirit," Luna demanded.

"Where would you like to go, Hermione?" my brother asked.

Hermione instantly replied "if we've only got a week, I'd like to go to the Greek islands and try to chase down any remaining Sirens or seers – trace Professor Celine's roots, as it were. I'd like to know how many magical humans there are in that part of the world. We might even do a quick tour of the mainland. I think you'll enjoy the ruins in Athens. And best of all, it should be quite warm and sunny."

"What about us, Harry?" I asked, eager to see what latent dreams of travel lurked within my husband.

"If you get your memories sorted out by then, and if it's possible, I'd like to try transporting to one of the other magical worlds." Harry's answer shouldn't have been surprising, but for some reason it was.

"I also thought I'd get away to give the newlywed Malfoys some space," Cissy declared, although I'd rather not travel alone. I had hoped to visit the pyramids."

"They're great," Ron exclaimed. "Why don't you see if Neville is willing to make the trip with you?"

"I'll do that," Cissy promised. "It's not just that I want to let the Malfoys have the castle to themselves. I want to get away from the Spencers for a little while. I've enjoyed teaching Henry, but I can't help looking deep into his eyes, and Alice's too for that matter, and hoping to see Alex. I know it's not a good thing, I mean I want the return of Alex, which is exactly what everyone else dreads. I know it isn't healthy, but I miss him."

"Not to worry, we'll find you a traveling companion or two," Harry assured her. "If we can't travel to a new world yet, Ginny and I will join you. Meanwhile, I'm off to the Ministry. I need to at least give the Minister an after-the-fact accounting of what we did yesterday. I hope I can at least promise him that you took in a ton of valuable information that you'll have sorted into usable form very quickly," Harry implored me.

"You can tell my father that the reward was well worth the risk and that I am feeling far more like the fully empowered Mother of the Future. Hermione has also completed her first major hurdle as my muse. We're making progress, Harry. I have a gut feeling that we'll be spending New Year's Day on Elf World, or CentaurWorld, or whichever other world most appeals to you. And please don't run that thought past my father. What do you have to do at the Ministry?"

"I need to see how Shacklebolt is doing on re-vetting the aurors, work out details for the Minister for Hermione's next committee meeting – she'll be joining us for lunch - and visiting Pansy. I'll be back by late afternoon, so we can catch Dudley and see if the Muggle house he found will meet our needs."

Perhaps I should have gone to class, but I had so much unorganized knowledge rattling around in my brain, which was crying out to be dredged up, ordered, and re-filed in useful, retrievable form. The thought of trying to shovel yet more knowledge on top of the pile seemed worse than useless. I knew what I needed and set out in search of Firenze. I searched the castle, but Firenze was not present. Unfortunately, McGonagall nabbed me on my way out the main entrance. "If I'm not mistaken, you have a class starting in half a minute, Mrs. Potter. You're a normal seventh year and I expect at least your best effort at regular attendance."

I promised she would have my best effort, but that at the moment my mind craved more order, not more facts. It was impossible to fob off a partial explanation on the headmaster and she gave me no choice but to accompany her to her office and disgorge a detailed account of my activities inside the pyramid. When I had finished, including revealing my plan to try a Firenze-style nap at the heart of the Circle in the Sacred Chamber, she agreed that I had likely learned more than I would have by attending yesterday's classes, and that my search for quiet contemplation was well guided. She told me that Firenze was at Hagrid's hut, helping work out the details for a future Advanced Magical Creatures class. She promised that she would inform Harry, in case my sleep was more than a light nap.

Firenze was more than pleased to escort me to the Sacred Cavern and instruct me on the proper way to self-induce the prophetic dream sleep. Before leading me to the perfect spot in the Sacred Cavern, he detoured into the Forbidden Forest to collect a bowl of the herbal tea, which he consumed on such occasions. As we stood in the precise spot within the inner circle, which Firenze was convinced channeled the best prophetic vibrations, he handed me the bowl of tea, suggesting "I drink the whole bowl, but I'm guessing you're not much more than a quarter my weight and you have no built up tolerance for the herbs. If I were you, I think I'd limit myself to one healthy swallow of the tea."

I followed Firenze's advice, taking in half a mouthful of the tea. It was sweet, but I could easily taste the bitter herbs, which the honey was meant to render tolerable. It was lukewarm and thick, coating my throat as I swallowed it. I drew a sweatshirt from inside my robes and, using it as a pillow, I lay down in the spot indicated by Firenze. He removed a light blanket from his back and placed it across my body. "Now you just focus on the rhythmic hum of the crystals, clearing your mind, as you drift down toward near sleep. I sometimes find it helpful to overlay the sound of the whale song on top of the crystal hum. Take out your wand, place your keeper ring securely upon it, and stow the wand inside your robes next to your skin. If you can, keep hold of the handle of your wand. You're perfectly safe, I will stay here and guard you for as long as your dreams require. I cannot assign any priority to your house hunting. You may nap for a few hours or you may be in a deep prophetic slumber for two or three days. I'll not disturb you, unless I sense that your dreams are a threat to your well-being. I will monitor your aura as you sleep. Just allow yourself to drift off. I will be here when you awake."

I tuned into the hum of the Circle as I had previously become one with the black rectangle. I found that I could reach out and touch the resting vibrations of that rectangle and that pulse intertwined with the hum of the Circle as they filled my blanking mind. My body was numb and floating as the dark grey screen, which filled my closed eyes, was overlaid by large ribbons of muted orange that spiraled inward toward an intense red black dot in the center. I realized that I had merely to hop onto one of those swirling ribbons to be carried all the way into the core. I hesitated, but then saw Fawkes flying above a ribbon. He looked back over his wing and squawked at me to follow him. As he turned away, I thought his proud bird face transformed into the Dumbledore of my first year. That decided me. I hopped aboard and rode one of the ribbons right to the very center of the dot, so that all of me fell into that hot, glowing hole. The hole became a tortuous passage that sucked me along, improbably missing the hot walls as I snaked around turn after turn to finally be disgorged into a vast black. I landed softly on my back, feeling cool, soft grass beneath my shoulders. I opened my eyes and the black was pierced by a myriad of shining stars, more vivid even than during our night of observation on Iona.

I wanted to get up and explore, but my legs would not work. As I felt frustration and an increasing drive to move, I felt my body lifting off from the ground to float higher and higher. I rolled over and found myself looking down at barely visible tree tops and then the glowing remnants of a fire in a clearing. I commanded my body to drift lower, toward the guttering fire.

There were dark shapes, perhaps a dozen lumps, clustered about the fire. Lower and lower I drifted, until I was close enough to reach out and touch one of the dark heaps. My hand touched the sharp tip of a spiral horn. I didn't have the strength to pull myself down, but still drifted slowly downward, until I had landed atop the sleeping beast. I recognized the smell of Unicorn.

She awoke, without startling, and her mind gently probed mine. I told her that I was a traveler from far away and said I was surprised to find myself on the world of the Unicorns, since I had been told it had been destroyed. She told me that many Unicorns had once roamed this fertile land, but that many years ago a bright light from the sky had crashed to ground and nearly torn the world apart. The sky was dark for many days, the world grew cold, and the grasses sparse. The dying herds had moved to the forbidden center of the land, which had been too hot for Unicorns to survive, but was now the only place not covered by ice. Here, the remnants of a herd, once too vast to count, merely continued as a few dozen for as long a time as any could remember. The land was rewarming, but the herd still only numbered a bare hundred. She seemed to tire of this narrative and wanted to know as much of me as she could. I didn't speak, just opening my mind and letting her gentle breeze waft through my memories. Finally, I heard her think, 'Thank you Mother of the Future. It is time for you to go. I will reveal all that I have learned."

Before I could say goodbye, I was sucked back up the tunnel. I found myself not back on the stone floor from which I had come, but being drawn along on a warm current of air in a world of swirling mists in gradated shades of grey and dark blue. As I glanced to the side, one of the denser knots of swirls seemed to coagulate as the face of Dumbledore, long beard and all. I heard the headmaster's voice speaking within my head, "I'm not at all sure that you should be here, Ginny. You have much more yet to be accomplished, and Harry would miss you terribly. To enter the Beyond voluntarily is not to return. Why have you come?"

"This seems the next stop on the journey upon which Fawkes has led me," I replied.

"Well, if Fawkes brought you here, it must be alright. I trust he can lead you away. Promise me you will not try to return on your own, or allow Harry to attempt the journey. It is best that Harry never learn of our little meeting. I do think you've taken a wrong turning. From what I've learned, your next stop was to be within the mind of the stone. Perhaps I am simply to reassure you that there is nothing to fear. The stone was made by the Light Guardian, and it knows and will respond to your mind. You have nothing to fear. I know we preached the dangers of apparating into a solid object, but you truly can become one with the stone and then free yourself. After you have learned what you must learn and done what must be done, you have merely to imagine yourself elsewhere, and you will find that it is so."

I wanted to assure Dumbledore that I would be as brave as Harry was when he sought Voldemort in the forest, but even as that thought barely entered my mind, I felt myself free falling and tumbling down a chasm. It was a longer and more disorienting trip than even our apparation to Australia and it ended very abruptly. I just stopped, frozen in place, not able or needing to breathe, or to move so much as a finger. My mind was working faster than ever, exploring the detail of the stone and metal that surrounded and intruded within my person. I could tell that my body was a greatly expanded wispiness that was spread throughout the entirety of the black stone. It was bigger than we had imagined, extending far into the depths of the Earth, down to the very edge of its fiery core. I suddenly realized that the stone could think. It was speaking directly to my mind, telling me how I could speak to it and command it. My ring was needed by way of introduction, but it now would know me whenever I entered the pyramid or even reached out my mind to it, from whatever distance.

"Your concept of space and distance are alien to me. I reach out as easily to ElfWorld as to the control landing within my pyramid. I am now a part of you, wherever you may go. You will carry a piece of my stone and bits of my wire and crystal within your head. Now you may go. Choose where and when you wish to be."

I imagined myself back in the Sacred Cavern with Firenze, and instantly felt the cold, hard stone beneath my body. I realized in an instant that I had likely forfeited the chance of my lifetime to choose an exotic 'where and when' by too hastily choosing to return to the start of my journey. Then I realized that I felt something else. There was a warm arm draped across my waist and another warm body was spooning against my back and thighs. I was dragging myself out of my slumber and whispered {Harry! When did you get here?}

{[relief]Are you finally awake. You've been sleeping for four days. Firenze was afraid he had given you too much tea. I'll be right there.}

{{What? You are here, my love.}}

{[surprise]No, your father called me to the Ministry.}

I dragged myself up on one elbow and turned to see the sleeping face of Hermione. I slowly extricated myself from beneath her arm, and gently shook Hermione's shoulder to awaken her, but she continued her soft, shallow sleep breathing.

"You must let her sleep," Firenze spoke to me. "She has only been asleep for two days and needs more time to integrate her memories. You should go and eat, take this chocolate bar. I got the dark chocolate with raspberry, that you love so much. I will guard your muse as I guarded you."

"I'm still disoriented," I told Firenze. "When I awoke, I thought I felt Harry lying next to me, but I whispered and he is at the Ministry. Why Hermione?"

"She is your muse. That makes her as much your partner going forward as Harry is. You should leave her now and eat. You've only taken one bite of your chocolate. Hermione is one with the stone. She will rejoin you shortly."

"Are you certain? It seemed a dangerous process. What if she can't escape from the stone?"

"Be confident, Hermione's mind is very strong. You could speak to her now, through the stone, but you must refrain. Too much distraction could be dangerous. You slept so long that Hermione feared you were stuck somewhere along your journey. She sent Fawkes to guide you and then came herself. Did you sense her presence while you were one with the stone?"

"No, no I don't think I did. Perhaps as I was waking up, but I think that was her physical presence, here in the Cavern. Thank you for your help, Firenze, I'm off to the Great Hall for food and Harry."

{{I'm famished. I'll meet you in the Great Hall, assuming my father lets you go.}}

{He's coming with me. We'll be there before you are.}

They weren't. Without thinking about the problems posed by McGonagall's apparation barriers, I simply thought myself in the Great Hall and an instant later, found myself seated at the Gryffindor table. I was alone at the table. I looked at my watch. It said 2:30. I looked at the dome and decided it must be daytime 2:30. The first person to join me was Professor McGonagall. "You missed a whole week of classes," she laughingly admonished me. "Welcome back. Did you find what you sought?"

"I think so. I understand the pyramid now and some more about the other worlds."

Harry, Dad, Ron, and Mom arrived as I was completing this sentence. I found that I needed to hug Harry even more than I needed food. It turned into a prolonged snog. We all sat down and food appeared. I explained as I ate, telling them that I still had more sorting to do, but that the framework was all hung and that I could work with the pyramid to fill in the details.

"How's Hermione?" Ron demanded to know.

"I think she's fine. She was sleeping peacefully, when Firenze encouraged me to leave. He said she is one with the stone and needs to complete the sorting of her memories. He told me not to worry."

"But you just abandoned Hermione, while she was trapped inside a rock," Ron insisted. "That is no way to treat a friend. She is only stuck in the rock, because she went to rescue you."

"Firenze and Fawkes are with Hermione. They took excellent care of me. It was important to report back to the rest of you and to re-stoke my energy level. I can contact Hermione through the stone, but Firenze convinced me that it is safer to wait. I trust him, you should, also. Believe me, if Hermione lingers too long in the rock, Fawkes and I will go in after her. I really don't expect that to be necessary. Hermione seemed totally fine when I left her. I can see that you are very worried. Shall I apparate you to her?"

"I can apparate myself."

"No, you can't. Not from here. Take my hand."

It hurt that Ron seemed reluctant to even take my hand. I left my right arm suspended in front of him for a good minute and a half, before he finally grasped my hand. Half an instant later, we were standing in the Sacred Cavern looking down at Hermione. She was dreaming peacefully, with normal rhythmic breathing. "You can touch her, if you like," I told Ron. "Unless you shake her or something, you won't disturb or endanger her. She has to complete devouring the knowledge of the stone. It will become a constant part of her."

Ron tentatively touched Hermione's hand, then bent over and softly kissed her on the lips. She stirred gently, rolling a little towards Ron, to stop up against his knee.

"She is almost ready to return. You may speak to her through the stone," Firenze advised me.

"Hermione! It's time to wake up and return to the Sacred Cavern. You've learned enough for one trip."

"I know, I'm just saying goodbye to the stone and telling it where to send me. I feel myself traveling. I'm here with you."

"She's back," I told Ron.

Hermione opened her eyes, grabbed Ron's neck and pulled him towards her for another kiss. I touched her elbow, waiting until the snog was finished, before transporting the three of us back to the Great Hall.

"I think lots and lots of food," Hermione announced to nobody in particular. "And water – I find that I am very thirsty. That was a most exhilarating and enlightening experience, although I expect it will be several days until I fully understand it. I could tell that Ginny was just leaving the stone, when I entered it. I could sense our bodies crossing. It takes very little time within the stone to pick up a vast amount of knowledge. I doubt I was there more than half an hour. Like you, most of my time was spent on the journey. Unlike you, I didn't lose two days trying to launch and then getting lost. I'm not gloating. Fawkes recognized the problem and guided me from the start."

Dad and McGonagall were demanding an explanation from Hermione and me. With still partially locked minds, we replied in unison "Not now, perhaps later."

Dad did not seem pleased by this response, so I elaborated slightly. "We saw nothing that you need to worry about. We learned of no new threats. We do have a better understanding of the transporter and the stone and have acquired some additional knowledge. It needs time to stew and get sorted. We've burned a lot of energy and need to eat and rest."

That is exactly what we did.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51 – What Has Dudley Been Up To?**

When I awoke, the sun was so bright that I knew it must be almost mid-day. I wasn't surprised that I had slept that long – Hermione and I hadn't been kidding when we said that our mental travels had left us nearly totally drained. I'm sure that Harry regarded it as strange that I could sleep for days and awaken dead on my feet, starved, and in need of sleep. What can I say? Stone travel is very energetic sleep. Even with the help of an entity as powerful as the stone, it takes a lot of energy to send your spirit roaming across the heavens. Being one with the stone isn't exactly rest, either. Your brain hums as it has never hummed before, taking in more knowledge than Hogwarts could teach in a year.

What did surprise me was that Harry was still in the apartment. As I tossed off the sheet and struggled to a sitting position on the side of our bed, Harry walked in from the sitting room.

I told Harry, "really, I'm fine. You didn't need to stay and watch over me." I actually was rather pleased that he had stayed. I decided that I should just tell him that. "I'm really pleased that you did stay, however. It means a lot to me."

"You were out such a long time - a little worry is only natural. Also, I needed to talk to you and last night did not seem like the time for it. You clearly weren't ready to consider anything weighty."

"Is this going to be weighty, then? Not bad weighty, I hope."

"I'm hoping you won't find the first part bad at all, although I feel more than a little guilty for going ahead without you. As you know, Dudley found a Muggle house for us. It was in a very nice area, where houses don't stay on the market for long. It met all the criteria we set: it is only five miles from Dudley's house, it's somewhat secluded with tree and hedge barriers around the back and sides, it's not overly large but big enough that we can entertain select Muggles, there is enough space for a garden, there are a lot of vacationers coming and going in the area and so it is not unusual for a cottage to be used just on weekends and holidays, and there are no Wizards or Witches known to be living in the immediate area. I didn't know when you'd finish your trip, so I went ahead and bought the house. I really hope you don't mind and that you will like the house as much as I do. We can sell it later, if you don't. I just thought it increased our safety to have our own secret Muggle house sooner than later."

"I don't mind, Harry. I agreed that we needed a hideout. It's not where we'll be living, so the details of the house really don't matter all that much to me. I would like to visit the house today, both to get a better idea of what you like and to fix the apparation points in my mind."

"We can go right after lunch, if you like. Lunch is only a half hour away. I did slip out for breakfast. There is something else that I wanted to talk about. I had a very long talk with Dudley and he has been continuing both his visits to our grandmother and his investigation of our grandfather's death. I was not happy with what he told me. So unhappy, in fact, that I followed him on a visit to my grandmother. I used what I learned in the auror class on following a suspect. Not that Dudley's a suspect or anything, but I didn't want anybody to know that I was traveling with or following him."

"Do tell – I'm getting a delicious sense of foreboding."

"As well you should. I traveled to Dudley's new house and we left from there. I'm sure that Dudley wasn't followed on the way to my grandmother's house, but he was followed on the way home. I don't think the man who followed him was a Wizard. At least, I never saw him use magic, and he traveled by car. I didn't want him to learn where Dudley lives, assuming he doesn't already know, so I arranged an accident for him. I exploded one of the tires on his car, thinking that was the least suspicious action I could take. After I stranded the pursuer, I caught up with Dudley and told him what had happened."

"That does sound like Dudley may have drawn some dangerous attention to himself by investigating the murder of your grandfather."

"That's what we thought. We also decided that the man must have been watching my grandmother's house. I don't think the man saw me. At least I hope he didn't; Dudley would be in greater danger if somebody thought he and I were investigating together. Which we now are, of course. I've followed Shacklebolt's suggestion and used Polyjuice on these outings with Dudley. I bought the house on the juice, as well, using a phony identity that Hermione and one of her Dad's friends helped me with. I'm Aston Dyer and you're my girlfriend Stephanie Lee, by the way.

"Anyway, Dudley's story gets worse. The last time Dudley visited grandmother, she complained that she felt somebody was watching the house. Dudley checked, and the same kid who was sitting in his car up the street when Dudley arrived was still there. He drove away when he saw Dudley staring at him. Dudley entered the street from the opposite direction when he arrived, so he doesn't think the kid got his license number, but I'm sure it's no mystery that Dudley, and I suppose me as well, are the grandchildren."

"So the baddies know where Dudley lives from that last visit."

"No. Dudley bought his home, and helped me buy mine, using a false name, so Uncle Vernon would not be able to find him when he officially leaves home for good. Dudley was cautious to avoid being followed going to and from my grandparents' house. Of course, he was trying to evade Uncle Vernon, not a skilled Wizard. He said he used all the standard tricks, and then some, of a motorcyclist avoiding surveillance by someone in a car. He has multiple license plates for his bike and even a peel off strip material to change the color on his helmet and the side of his bike. His leathers are reversible dark black and light brown. He hates the light brown, but needed something that looks different at a distance. He keeps his visor down, until he's in the house. Our Dudley has been very cautious. He must be terrified of Uncle Vernon. My old Muggle family is really very badly split. The visit to Hogwarts did not please Uncle Vernon. Dudley hasn't officially moved out, but he is home only about two nights a week. He tells his parents that he stays at his girlfriend's house and, no, they aren't allowed to meet her yet, because they'll only make a muck of everything."

"I hope you reminded Dudley that a Wizard could certainly follow his motorcycle."

"He knows, and I also told him what to watch for. In the auror class, they taught us that reliance upon your peripheral vision is the best way to spot Wizards who follow you by apparating. That, and the casual but unpredictable backwards glance, if reflective surfaces aren't available. Dudley got two special rear-view mirror lenses, which gives him a wider and higher view. He always carries his special wand with him. I think, rather I hope, he'll be okay. It's grandmother I'm worried about. Catta is watching her now, but I think we need to move her."

"Where?"

"As with Hermione's parents, where is always the hardest question. Are you up for lunch? By which I mean not are you able to face food, but are you able to face Professor McGonagall?"

"Let's get away for the day. I want some time to think and chat with Hermione, before I'm cornered by McGonagall. Actually, I want to tell as complete a tale as possible to you, Mom, and Dad, before I say anything to McGonagall. I'd like to see the house, but first I want lunch in a Muggle restaurant. Let me try to find Hermione."

"Hi, are you awake, yet. Good. Harry and I plan to skip out, so that I have time to think and chat with you, before McGonagall catches us. Are you willing to come with? We thought a Muggle restaurant for lunch, then stop by the Muggle house that Harry just bought. It's supposed to be a super secret, but there's no reason you and Ron shouldn't know about it."

"I've been up and sitting in our Common Room, just thinking. McGonagall left a note, but I haven't responded. Ron's here. I'll apparate us to your apartment and we can travel together from there."

"Hermione and Ron will join us here in a few…" I was telling Harry, as they materialized in front of us.

Ron turned his back saying "I thought you'd be dressed, Ginny."

Oops. Quickly remedied and I'm ready to go. It's not like I was undressed, undressed, simply not dressed for the day or the Muggle world. Still, an embarrassing lapse suggesting I was not fully on my game.

"We should take some Polyjuice before we travel," Harry suggested. "I have our hairs." Harry handed me an empty vial and a vial containing at least a dozen individual hairs, cut to a length of about six inches. He produced similar vials for himself.

"I've got ours," Hermione assured Ron. "We should use them, whenever we want to sneak into the Muggle world as not ourselves. Here are your vials. Now I'll fill everyone's empty and you can just drop a hair into it."

We all did as she suggested. I was already moving my vial with all the extra hairs into the inner pocket of my robes, as Hermione suggested "we should keep the hairs and some Polyjuice on our persons at all times. That will facilitate an emergency escape."

As we waited for the Polyjuice to take effect, my brother started to complain about "the growing clutter of vials in my pocket. I clank when I walk."

"Wrap them in cloth, that's what I do," Hermione told him.

Meanwhile, I had a worry. "Should we pick up Bill and Ellen?" I asked my husband.

"We probably should, but we won't. It doesn't make much sense to have a secret hideout in the Muggle world, if the Auror Corps knows its location. I didn't take my aurors when I bought the house, or when I visited my grandmother. Hermione and I also gave them the slip when we set up the false identities for us. Given some of the doubts about the Ministry that I've had, with regard to Henry, I don't feel so bad about this bit of subterfuge and rule breaking. I'll just duck down the stairs and ask Ellen to cover for us. Now that I'm Shacklebolt's boss, it isn't asking her to do anything really wrong. I want to do that before the Polyjuice starts to work. Meanwhile, take the batteries out of your cellphones."

Harry was back a minute later. Then we joined hands and, under Harry's pilotage, found ourselves transported to the sitting room of our new cottage. The windows were covered with cream draperies, featuring purple flowers. My attention was drawn to them, because they were pulled all the way closed, making the room rather dark for mid-day.

The reasonably small room held two chairs and a sofa, all in solid dark blue. There were three brass reading lamps with rich red shades, as one might expect for a room furnished by Hermione. As Harry switched on the electric light, I saw that the room was brightened by two modern in-the-style-of mass- produced oriental rugs in beige, with bright red and green highlights. One of the rugs was in front of the sofa, with a table of warm dark wood atop it, as Harry had told me was fairly typical in Muggle homes. The second rug was off in a corner, in front of a dark wooden, enclosed bookcase, with a glass front. This seemed out of place, but Harry quickly announced its purpose.

"This rug is always to be kept clear," Harry announced, as he strode over to it. It is four feet by six feet. Stand on it and mark the spot. This will be our apparation target in an emergency."

We all did as Harry requested. As I was staring at the Muggle books on the shelves, Hermione announced "I moved my favorite books from my parents' house. Since we'll all be using this house from time to time, I thought it would make a great place to escape to, when I want to just crash and read."

Harry showed us the rest of the house. It had two bedrooms, two baths, a small kitchen, and an over-the-counter-from-kitchen eating area. The bedrooms and baths were on the second floor. There was a small attic and a basement, as well as an attached garage.

"You and Hermione have certainly been busy," I told Harry. "I like the result. Which bedroom is ours?"

"Left off the stairs. We only had a day after I bought the house, then Hermione had to guide you through your journey. I basically had two days in which I made brief appearances at Hogwarts, the Ministry, and the pyramid so that nobody really knew where I was. It was sort of fun, connecting with and losing aurors. Popping in and out on the headmaster, your Dad, and Shacklebolt. Which brings me to the purpose of this place. It's for the four of us. Catta knows about it, also. And, of course, Dudley. That's it. For now, I'm not planning to tell anyone else and I'm really hoping that the rest of you will keep it equally secret. I realize there may be an emergency that requires breaking that rule. We'll all trust each other to know what an appropriate emergency is. Also, never use your cellphone here, and take out the battery, before you come."

We all swore that we would. Ron seemed pleased for something that transported him back to the more intimate world of Harry, Hermione, and himself. Plus me, of course.

We were all fully Polyjuiced and observing each other's secret identities. We were all attractive, fit, late thirties Brits. I committed the phony faces of my friends to memory, dashing up to the bathroom to examine my own face in the mirror. I looked fine, although Hermione definitely chose the better face. She looked both wiser and more elegantly beautiful than I, although I sported great skin, and robust good looks. I guess our looks fitted our personalities, which is why she made the assignment of hairs, which she did.

"Lunch," Ron suggested. There were no objections and Harry said that he had seen an Indian restaurant about a half mile from the house.

Lunch being really breakfast plus lunch, I ate quite a lot of the very tasty food. I had a small amount of a chicken curry, along with several vegetable curries, featuring peas, chickpeas, potatoes, aubergines, and tomato. I even ate a little of Harry's lamb curry.

"What next?" Ron asked Hermione.

"We're going to duck in on Dudley and then visit Harry's grandmother. Dudley is expecting us in… well, we actually have about an hour to kill. Let's throw open the drapes, spend a little time in the front lawn and walking about the neighborhood. Give a feeling that the place is occupied. What we haven't done yet is purchase a car. Largely because none of us knows how to drive one. I'll work up a plan on that.

We apparated back to the house from a dark back corner outside the restaurant, using a refuse bin as a visual shield. We topped up our Polyjuice dose, before throwing open the draperies and setting foot outside. As Harry had promised, it was a very quiet neighborhood. We walked about twenty feet up a hedge-shielded lane from our car-less garage, before reaching a narrow road. There was a single house visible about a hundred feet to the left and two houses a couple hundred feet down the road to the right. We walked toward the pair of houses.

There was a young, blonde Muggle woman working in a flower bed in front of the nearest house. Although she was wearing a broad-brimmed hat, her long hair cascaded out of it on all sides, including falling across her eyes. We paused for a chat, learning that she and her husband, who worked in the City, had lived here for two years. She was 28, he was 40. She lived here full time, while he had a London apartment and spent three nights a week in this house. She was a Fine Arts major, who sculpted in a studio at the rear of the house. She wanted to show us the studio.

At first we begged off due to a prior engagement, claiming we were just stretching our legs after a big lunch. We finally acquiesced to a quick tour. She had a potters' wheel and a kiln, along with a work bench and some shelving with cabinets underneath that had been fitted onto the concrete slab of what had been a screened sun-porch. We admired the avante garde vases and mugs with fancy green, dark brown, grey, and black glazes, many showing patterns, such as bamboo or geometric designs. We were gifted a grey and black wide-mouthed vase as a house-warming gift.

For our part, we left her with the story that we were University chums, who had purchased this house together to use for weekend and vacation getaways. We said we were 38, lived outside London and were starting a manufacturing business for 'decorator items'. We promised to call in, when next we visited our new home.

We got back to the house with barely ample time to make our appointment with Dudley. We were only five minutes late, but Dudley was in a tizzy. As we landed in the assigned apparation circle, we found a worried Dudley staring right at us. "I tried to call, but you didn't answer. Gran is very upset. She's seen another watcher. A different one this time. I told her we'd be right along, but I didn't want to leave without you. I've got my stick, let's go. I've also got a pistol and some of your bang thingies."

"You head out on your bike," Harry suggested. "Ron and Hermione will shadow you. Ginny and I will go on ahead to make sure our grandmother is safe. She should be okay, Catta has been watching her."

Dudley grabbed his helmet and leather jacket and raced out the door. I took Harry's hand and an instant later was standing in his grandmother's sitting room.

I grabbed Harry's hand and he apparated us to his grandmother's house.

"Grandmother!" Harry shouted "Are you alright." Harry and I both had our wands out and had reinforced our 'shield' spells.

Harry hunted for his grandmother, while I checked the doors. The front door was locked and bolted. The curtains were drawn. So far so good. I walked to the rear of the house. The kitchen door had been busted in. I pivoted and rushed back into the house to reinforce Harry.

Harry was coming down the stairs from the sitting room with Catta, as I entered from the kitchen. Harry repeated Catta's explanation to me "Two men stormed the house, kicking in the rear door. Catta grabbed my grandmother's arm and apparated her to Gryffindor. She's with your mother. Catta has just returned and the men are not in the house. Catta was only away for perhaps ten minutes. She is concerned that I'm upset that she didn't fight the men, but I told her that she did exactly what I hoped she would do and congratulated her on her fast action. We should check outside the house and in the garage."

Before the three of us did that, I messaged an update to Hermione, getting the return message "Understood. We'll be there in an hour. Dudley is not being followed. He's cut across some fields and taken a different route than he did last time. He said it only adds a few minutes."

I suggested that we apparate to the roof to get a good view of the neighborhood. Harry objected "I don't have a good feel for the elevation or slope of the roof. We'd have to come in too high and double apparate. Too conspicuous, and way too dangerous."

A small voice answered "Catta can do." She grabbed our hands and we were standing on the roof. I quickly sat down and steadied myself, ending up lying on my belly, pointing head-first down the slope of the roof toward the front lawn. Harry's grandparents had a three-story house and I was momentarily startled to find myself so high above the ground. Harry had stooped down, clinging to the chimney. Catta had no problem, whatsoever.

I saw nobody near the front of the house and whispered that update to Harry. Harry messaged {I don't see anybody in the back yard. Can't see into the garage. Look up and down the street.}

Nothing to my left. There was a head visible through the front window of a car about a hundred feet to the right. {{There's a guy in a car.))

I felt Harry by my side. {Let's apparate over there and grab him. I think 'Off' is the spell of choice. I'll tell Catta to watch the garage from here.}

The street was clear. I grabbed Harry's hand and landed us just outside the car, beside the driver. We had both spoken 'Off', before the driver had a chance to swivel his head to look at us. {Get into the rear of the car. I'm going to get into the passenger seat. I wonder if we can apparate the whole car back to our new garage. I know the exact location. Hermione and I almost bought a car, just for decoration, so the house wouldn't seem so weird.}

Harry and I each grabbed both a piece of the driver and a piece of the car. I tried to establish a connection with the stone and thought I felt a little more energized. I tried to add my apparation effort to Harry's {{Feel for the spot. Okay, I feel it also. We go in three, two, one, now!}}

It was just stupid good luck that the car and we arrived almost straight up. We were at an angle and a little above the floor of the garage. First the left front side of the car banged down. Then the rest of the car really banged down. I hoped that our neighbor had gone back inside, fearing that she had heard the noise. I whispered these fears to Harry.

{{Yes, we can't leave our prisoner here. There is too great a chance that the neighbor will investigate. Grab hold, we'll take him back to my grandmother's house for questioning."

We left the prisoner in a corner of the sitting room, away from the apparation circle and apparated back to the roof. I've gotten pretty good at apparating, but this was one too many. I contributed my lunch to the roof. While I was retching, Harry and Catta were planning an assault on the garage. When Harry whispered {[very excited] We'll apparate to the side window of the garage and fire curses at…} I just returned {{Please, no. I couldn't stand another apparate. You and Catta attack. I'll cover you from up here.}}

Harry and Catta were gone, to appear at the window. I saw them fire a few curses through the glass, and then saw Harry retching into a flower bed. {I'm alright. You were correct not to do another apparation. That was just too much. The garage was empty. We filled the space with curses, just to be safe.}

I was thankful that Hermione had convinced me to always travel with a little Veritaserum. She and I had equipped ourselves with the spiked variety favored by Shacklebolt. As we waited for Ron and Hermione, we prepped our prisoner with a dose of the Veritaserum. I was quite sure that it would loosen his tongue.

Hermione and Ron apparated into the room. "We told Dudley to divert to the new house. We know he wasn't being followed. He's going to stick to the fields and country lanes, so he doesn't acquire a new tail," Ron informed us. "So, this is the guy you caught. Do you think he's the one who was spying on your grandmother?"

"We'll know very soon," Hermione assured Ron. "I see that you've prepped him. Let's just bind him up, and then you can release him from your spell. We should cover our faces first. I'll fetch small towels that you can tie across your faces."

We did as Hermione suggested. Harry led the questioning.

"Who are you and why were you watching the old lady's house."

"I'm Greg Jennings. I was watching the house because I was paid to do it and I need the money for, um, pharmaceuticals."

"You don't look like a druggie."

"That's why I'm the one that was hired. I fit into this neighborhood. Don't look out of place, if you know what I mean."

"Exactly what were you hired to do?"

"Watch the house. Take a photo of anyone that visits. I did that for a week. Then they had me drive two toughs here and look out, while they were inside."

"Describe them."

"Big blokes. Both over six feet, two-hundred fifty pounds. Older. Pushing fifty. One was mostly bald, the other partly grey over brown hair. Spoke like they was from Glasgow."

"Do you have their names?"

"Rodney and Bob. That's all I know. Never saw them before."

"What about the person who hired you."

"A little older. Not quite as big. Maybe 220 and just about six feet. Spoke funny. Almost proper hoity English, but like a really old grandmother talks. Black hair, black mustache – drooped at the edges. Really bushy eyebrows, starting to grey. Scar on his left cheek. Had a stick, like the ones you've got. Kept it tucked into the belt of his jeans. Thought he was going to stick it up my nose once, when I asked for extra money. That was to drive the two big blokes. That's all I know. Please just let me go. I won't say nothing."

"What did you do with the photos?"

"Gave in the first batch 4 days ago. The rest are still in the camera. The camera's under the seat of my car. Just put me back in my car and I promise you won't see me again. I'll go to London, or Amsterdam."

I pointed my wand 'Off!' Okay, what should we do with him? It sounds like the guy who hired him was Montaigne's man Roderick. We can't trust him to not go running right back to him."

"If I was sure that's what he was going to do, I'd release him and follow him there," Harry told me. "The best we can do is confund him, but I don't want Roderick to be able to reverse the confunding."

"I think I can do a most thorough confunding. He won't remember anything about us or your grandmother. He won't even know who he is. I'll convince him he's French. I can even give him enough French to pass as a very stupid Frenchman," Hermione assured us. 'That's it – a rural French drug addict, who knows how stupid and criminal he is and wants to avoid the authorities. It will take a while though. We should apparate him back to the house, so we don't miss Dudley."

This was turning into an awful day. I just knew that another apparation was an awful idea. Harry suggested that I fly solo. I did. It helped a little. But I still ended up retching. Just dry heaves this time. I excused myself and went upstairs to take a nap, while Hermione processed Greg, who apparently was about to become Jacques.

I focused on whale songs and the hum of the stone. I slept. When I came downstairs it was dark. Greg was gone. Hermione had transported him to the Delacour's house and Madame Delacour had apparated Greg to a country lane twenty miles north of Marseilles. Dudley had already left. Harry had suggested that he find a spot other than his new house to hide out for at least a few days. Catta went with him.

When Harry asked how I felt, I honestly told him that I thought I could make it back to Hogwarts. I was hungry, but I couldn't chance eating. I made it back to Hogwarts with my stomach intact. The four of us apparated right into our apartment. I grabbed a handful of rolls from my emergency stash and we headed straight to Gryffindor, to check on Harry's grandmother. Half the world was there to greet us. They were not at all happy.


	52. Chapter 52

"**Chapter 52 – Not As Bad As Things Might Have Been**

"Hi, Dad!"

"Where have you been, Ginevra? Kingsley and I have been searching for Harry much of the day."

Shacklebolt, Mom, and McGonagall were also present, as was Neville.

"We had to finish setting up our initial hideout in the Muggle world," Harry helpfully answered in my stead. "That required cellphones off and leaving our aurors behind. We were then confronted with the need to come to the rescue of my grandmother, who was attacked by Muggle hoodlums employed by Montaigne's man Roderick."

"I thought you had promised Kingsley that you wouldn't try to evade your aurors," Dad complained in a surprisingly even tone.

"I fully trust Bill and Barb," Harry assured Dad, "but still felt it best that the Auror Corps not know where my secret hideout is located. As you know, there have been quite a few bad aurors, and other aurors who don't accept me as their boss. Then there is the strange way the Spencer twins were treated by the aurors. It seemed best to keep my secret a secret."

"We can talk about that later. I know you are naturally suspicious and that this has served you well, but you're part of a team. You are in charge of the aurors."

"For now, I manage the department that includes the Auror Corps. We both know that doesn't put me in charge of them. We know many aurors resent me and feel zero loyalty towards me. I know you were worried that you couldn't find me and I'm sorry for that. We were gone a lot longer than I expected. We apparated too many times and had to rest. I also knew that if Bill or Barb knew where I was, that at a time exactly like this when you were worried because I was late, that they would take you to us and then my secret hideout would be very public. We took precautions to be very safe."

"I'll accept all of that… for now, but I do need to talk to you and Ginevra. I know that you have worries, as do I. It isn't healthy to let them fester. For now, I need to know more about your day and about Ginevra's and Hermione's last few days."

"Too big a group to discuss it here," Harry told Dad. "I'm not being impertinent, but it really would be unwise to discuss it here."

"That means you're not willing to speak in front of me, doesn't it?" McGonagall asked, in what seemed a really well acted attempt at wounded innocence.

"A lot blunter than I would have said it," Harry admitted the truth, "but I am not your agent any more. It is perfectly natural that we have secrets from you. Despite your promise, you certainly kept a lot of secrets from me."

"Yes, it certainly is," Dad agreed. "Who do you suggest we include in the meeting."

"You, me, Molly, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron."

"I'd prefer to include Kingsley, but he's part of your department and I won't insist that he be present."

"Thank you. I'll fill you in later, Kingsley. Much of this is quite personal. In part I'll be talking to the Minister, and in part I'll be talking to my mother- and father-in-law. I hope you understand."

Shacklebolt mumbled that he understood, but seemed less than totally pleased.

"Shall we go back to my office at the Ministry, then?"

"Please – not another apparate today," I begged.

"How about Molly's apartment here at Hogwarts?" Harry suggested.

"Fine."

"Hermione, please fetch Snape's anti-snooping device and meet us there."

As Hermione and Ron departed, an exasperated McGonagall complained, "That leaves me to babysit Harry's grandmother, here at Hogwarts. I also want an explanation of what Ginny and Hermione learned in the Sacred Cavern. It likely is very important."

"It is too disorganized to be discussed now and likely should not be discussed generally until the full Committee meets," I told her.

"Meaning you can tell your father, but not me."

"I can only tell him a fragmentary summary now. And, yes, he is my father and he is the Minister. I don't think Harry's grandmother will cause much trouble in the next few days."

"A few days!" McGonagall blurted out as she left our Common Room.

Mom led us back to her apartment. I whispered to her that Ron and Hermione had to make a quick stop, before joining us.

We were all seated in chairs, facing an unlit fire as Dad asked, "Well Harry, I sense that something is seriously bothering you."

"It's probably nothing. As you say, I worry about problems that don't exist and suspect people who are actually friends. Still, I've seen friends like McGonagall who have their own plots, which may be very dangerous to us, even if they don't intend us harm. So much has been not as it seems. I also fear that I lack the experience to be your Deputy, and that I get little respect because of my age. Lately, I've had doubts about the basic function of the Ministry, Auror Corps, and Hogwarts.

"The whole Spencer twin situation and the involvement of Director Shacklebolt's personal aurors really shook me. It started me thinking about whole mysteries that I've not been let into, such as the purpose of Hogwarts and bringing Muggle-born children here. It just seems that it's a big exercise in control and bringing wild talents to heel. I didn't ask the question of his aurors in front of him, and I didn't question Shacklebolt, but I got the distinct impression that those aurors were present to murder the twins if Shacklebolt decided it was necessary. Those aurors did not want me in the room with the twins and themselves.

"They immediately phoned Shacklebolt. It simply roused my suspicions. I wondered why would it be that you didn't know that special aurors were to be sent and that I was to be cut out of the process? I was right here at Hogwarts the whole time. Madam Bones was shocked at what Shacklebolt had done – she was meeting with Shacklebolt when I challenged him about his actions. His assistant wasn't even sure she was going to allow me to disturb his meeting. I had brought the twins here and persuaded their parents to allow them to stay. I promised that I would protect the twins. I just couldn't escape the sense that Shacklebolt planned to murder Henry."

"I understand why that event made you suspicious. I did not know what Kingsley was planning to do, and I am not at all happy about it, and I have told him so. I see Kingsley as a very honorable Wizard. However, it is possible that he thought he saw the potential for great danger from Henry and determined to deal with it solely on his own head, if that proved necessary. I agree – that wasn't his decision to make, but I'm sure he felt he was sparing us, or that we weren't tough enough to do what needed to be done. That last bit is awfully serious, isn't it?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it is. We can't have Shacklebolt murdering innocent children on his own authority, thinking he is protecting us from tough decisions. What about the purpose of sending the Muggle-born to Hogwarts? That isn't really altruism, is it? It's for our protection."

"It's a mixture of the two. Life would be very difficult for a magical child in the Muggle world, especially a child with no knowledge of magic or how it worked. It would be a terrible fate. Since many agree with you that the magical Muggle-born children spring from the squibs, whom our society has abandoned, we naturally feel an obligation to salvage their lives. You are correct that a lot of untamed Witches and Wizards running around Muggle society would be a threat to us all. So, yes, I think there is a strong motive of self-protection behind our policies regarding Hogwarts."

Harry's next question surprised me. I was even more surprised when Hermione reacted as if she hadn't previously considered the question. Harry asked: "There aren't a lot of Muggle-borns among the second years. There are a lot of first years, but not as many over-aged ones as I would expect. Really not as many total as I would expect. We know the Death Eaters didn't bring them to Hogwarts while they were in power – they didn't want them anywhere near our world. So… where are they and why haven't they caused a lot of problems in the Muggle world with all of that wild magic."

Dad got a really sour look on his face as he explained. "Mostly, they're dead. That was a big problem with the Muggle government, who finally suspected that we were responsible. It was the old slander brought back to life, but this time it was true. Witches and Wizards murdering children. When the Death Eater government detected magic from inside a Muggle home, instead of inviting the child to Hogwarts, they sent a Death Eater to kill the child. After a while it was just too many unexplained deaths of young children for the Muggle government to ignore. Then Thicknesse made it plain enough what was happening, even declaring it a necessary act to protect both societies. 'We don't want them and you certainly won't be able to control them' is what he told Tony. It was the horrible companion to the Death Eaters searching our community for Muggle-borns. Since our community couldn't see them killing the magical children in the Muggle world, there was nothing to stop the Death Eaters."

"And why wasn't I told of this? How many children were killed. They would have only been nine or ten years old."

"We don't think we are aware of every murder, but we know of nineteen. Fourteen would be second years now and five would be first years. I didn't tell you, because I didn't want to burden you as much as I have been burdened by this knowledge. It was too great a shame on my generation. It wasn't something you could fix and it was over. Kingsley didn't inform me of the situation until I was Minister and he had been in his new job for a week. Talking that out and working with Tony to do what we could to make up for what the Death Eaters had done – that's one reason I was always with Kingsley. It was our shared dirty little secret. We had done nothing wrong, but just knowing about that program made us feel very dirty. That's why I'm even more shocked than you that Kingsley would consider murdering Henry. In his defense, this whole situation with the arresting and murdering of the Muggle-born has weighed very heavily upon Kingsley. He drinks far more than he ever did to cope and it has him very worried about another Voldemort. That's also one of the reasons I worry as much as I do."

"That's quite a secret," Mom told Dad. "I can well understand that it would have you out of sorts. You should have shared that with me, I could have helped. Hermione's Mom could still help. You weren't responsible for what the Death Eaters did. You've spent your entire adult life fighting them. You shouldn't feel guilty. I really think you need to mention this to McGonagall. It falls under her department and should influence how we handle identification of wild talents from the Muggle world. I never dreamed it could result in so much evil."

"Really, it is a guilt that all Wizards must share, just as is the story that Hermione discovered about the old Muggle-borns of Grindelwald House. It's something our society allowed to continue. There is something about us that produced Voldemort and allowed him to flourish. It is a shared shame. It is far too easy to pass it all off onto Voldemort. It's why Tony can't trust us to run our own affairs and why telling him about the stone is going to be so tricky. Much of the money that Lucius rounded up for us went to the families of the murdered children. They don't know that it was Wizards who killed their children, but they know something was wrong and now we have done what little we can to recompense them. It has been a big burden on Tony. He couldn't say we killed the children, so he has had to take the blame as 'government accidents – defense experiments gone awry. Some of the children, another dozen or so, were merely rendered unable to speak or function. That was blamed on vaccines. It was an awful, sordid business. Even trying to set it right makes me feel totally soiled.

"Harry's next big question was why you weren't told about the purpose of sending the Muggle-born to Hogwarts. I don't think any of us is told officially. It is something that just is, and even the Minister or headmaster is never explicitly told. I think it is something that most of us gradually figure out, just as you have. For us, as for you, there is doubt about whether our perception is real or simply a matter of being overly suspicious. I think you're right, but I don't know for certain that you are. This is like the owning of Elves and the preferential treatment Hogwarts gives to the Slytherins, really that our whole society does. It is bad, but it is just accepted as the natural way of things. So, now you know some of my worst secrets and I'm sorry I didn't mention most of this much earlier. Now for your secrets.

"I don't want to sound overly hurt when I say this, but don't the four of you trust Molly and me with the location of your hideout? Can't you come to us to share your fears?"

"I think we do trust you, and we would certainly take you there if the need arose, but the fewer people who know, the better. Your aurors are always with you. They're right outside the door now, which is why Hermione brought Snape's privacy device. I trust Bill and Barb. They pledged to the Light Guardian to defend us, but they report through Shacklebolt, and at some future time, I will no longer be Deputy Minister or head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It's not that I distrust Kingsley as Kingsley. It's that I distrust the sort of people who Kingsley tends to trust. Actually, that's not totally true. I think the incident with the Spencer's, coupled with Ginny's little-understood new talents associated with the stone, could lead Kingsley to harm Ginny, if he decides she is potentially dangerous. He could just murder her or have his personal aurors murder her if he felt it was for the greater good – if he thought that a Mother of the Future was too dangerous to have in our times – if he thought she and her Muse could result in Witches having more power and aurors not being at the top of the Ministry heap."

Wow! That last comment caught me totally by surprise. As I thought about it quickly, I agreed with Harry that Kingsley could be a threat to Hermione and me. I was a little disappointed that Harry hadn't shared , these concerns with me, but then considered the context of his statement and concluded that he had spoken this fear at the very moment it had fully formed in his head – sort of an unidentified nagging dread suddenly become reality. I realized I was missing what Harry was saying.

"… wrong way. I certainly do trust you enough to share my worries. In part, I don't want to seem stupid or crazy if I bring what prove to be baseless worries. In part, you've been so worried and upset that you've not been very approachable and I haven't wanted to add my own fears on top of yours. That didn't seem at all fair. On the other hand, while I certainly trust Molly and you as yourself and Minister, I've not been quite as sure that I can trust you not to share what I say to you with Shacklebolt. You are extremely close to Shacklebolt. It's like you feel you still have a duty to not keep secrets from him and to not act without his approval. Well, I know that he keeps big secrets from you as well as me. I know he takes untrustworthy aurors into his deepest confidence. I know that some of your first governments secrets passed straight from Shacklebolt, to his pet personal aurors, to the Death Eaters and Grindelwalds. I trust you, but I really don't trust Shacklebolt. I'm coming to realize why Madam Bones and the Sisterhood felt they needed to move against him."

"I do want you to feel free to talk to me at any time. I promise that I will stop over-sharing with Kingsley. You are correct that he has kept things from both of us, which we needed to know. I can see that the Witches won't ever fully trust our administration if they think Kingsley is pulling the strings behind the scene. You and I need to meet alone more often. Really, the six of us should meet, without Kingsley. I think talking out our concerns would help me as well as you. Everyone imagines problems from time to time, but your intuition has been far too accurate in the past for me to ignore it or to tune you out because of an occasional blooper. I take your point on Kingsley. I ordered you to keep my daughter safe, so I guess I can't object too strenuously if you take steps in that direction. You have my permission to leave your aurors when you believe it necessary, although I think it would be best if you sat down with them and discussed the potential future problems. I think we should meet with Barb and Bill and tell them that they report directly to you and that I don't want them to pass anything up the line to Kingsley without your or my permission. If they have a problem regarding you, they should come straight to me, rather than Kingsley. Does that help?"

Harry indicated that it did.

"I'm sorry that our worries and differing personalities have driven us apart. I respect you more than anyone else in my government. I know that you respect me more than my family does and…"

"You know that's not true, Arthur." Molly immediately objected. "We all love and respect you. You are a great husband, father, and Minister. You've just been holding too much inside yourself of late. We all want to help you."

"I know that. But you've not recognized the vital side of me as much as Harry has. I'm actually quite effective as Minister and was a very creative Wizard before that. I fear that I hid too much of myself from you, as well as from the world at large, in order to keep my family safe. You know I love to tinker with Muggle artifacts, but you haven't put together how much effort I've spent trying to marry magic to Muggle technology. Next to my family, that has been my abiding passion. I've had some successes. Has any other Wizard ever produced a car that could be flown to Hogwarts? Have you ever stopped to think how many magical improvements were necessary to accomplish this? I'm the Wizard who created the shop at the Ministry. I've harnessed a number of Muggle gadgets. As a cover, I had to subject myself to a certain amount of ridicule as the man who dealt with the exploding Muggle toilets.

"I'm sorry that this embarrassed my family, but it was a ruse to keep you safe. If the Wizarding world realized what I was doing, you would have all been in great danger. The twins helped me, by rigging the toilets to explode, although they never knew why. They just saw it as a shared prank. The department, which I headed isn't glamorous. Wizard families don't tell their children to aspire to it. It is every bit as important as the Auror Corps and requires just as much knowledge. I always had at least two assistants, generally three. We didn't just chase after exploding toilets. When there was an incident, such as we just had with young Henry, my department was called upon to confund the Muggles who has seen too much.

"We moved in Muggle society far better than the aurors. So when there was a suspicion of Wizards conspiring with Muggles, we took the lead. If the wrong Wizards hid, or hid their wealth, in the Muggle world, we were involved. If a Wizard used Muggle weapons, we were called in. When the aurors needed to pass in the Muggle world, we got them phony credentials, appropriate clothes, a place to live. We tutored them in how to act. We had contacts among the Muggle police. We all had false identities as Muggles. I did a very important job, but much of it had to remain secret, for security reasons.

"This is really just a long-winded way of saying we all love each other, so we should trust each other and work together. Believe me, Harry, no Wizard knows better than I the pain and increased difficulty we cause ourselves and others through excessive secret keeping. I am just beginning to fully appreciate that, and I am far older than you. We each have something to bring to the table. I think that some of my inventions will work very well, if we can draw on the power of Ginny's stone. If we work together, we can accomplish great things on all fronts and have a lot more fun doing so. Being Minister and Deputy Minister should not be as big a destroyer of joy as we have allowed.

"Now, I really do need to hear about the stone from Ginny and Hermione. Is the stone a weapon? Is it a danger to us? Can you control it and are you safe around it?"

"It has very great power, far more than we initially thought, but it is not a weapon. I'm almost certain it is not a danger to us. It is the major manifestation of the Light Guardian left in our world. It links this world to the other worlds with magical creatures. We've just discovered how huge and complex the stone is. It's filled with tiny wires and crystals and extends half way to the center of our world. I think that Hermione and I can learn to control the stone, as we process our memories. We learned a lot more over the past several days. We don't understand enough of it yet."

"I totally believe that the stone is friendly," Hermione declared. "We should know more in a few days."

"I can accept that. We'll have to think hard about how much to tell the Committee. I am determined to keep control of it. Your headmaster believes that since the pyramid and stone are beneath Hogwarts, that the school and she are their rightful owner. I am trying to disabuse her of that notion.

"Now, to raise the headmaster's question – what are we going to do with Harry's grandmother? I understand that you don't feel it safe for her to return to her home."

"That's correct," Harry confirmed. "I don't understand why Roderick is so interested in her. I don't know where else to re-locate her at the moment . I don't know what to do with Dudley either. We told him to hide out, rather than returning to his new home. Catta is protecting him."

"That's good, although a little strange that we both instinctively trust Elves more than the Auror Corps. I think you should dispatch an Elf to guard your grandmother's house. Now, I think we need to let the others in on what we've discussed. Do you trust Neville, George, and Luna enough to tell them everything we've said? How about Cissy and Margaret?"

"I trust Cissy and Margaret, but perhaps we should save them for another day and give them a censored version. They are both very young and Cissy is too addicted to adventuring. She's also too close to the twins."

"Okay, I'll send for the others."

We reviewed everything with them and agreed that we would all work together. We would have a committee by way of a weekly family dinner. Neville, of course, was family. We met with Bill and Barb and then with Bill and Barb, along with Shacklebolt. Shacklebolt admitted that he had been terrified when he first learned of Henry. He thought he might need to die, before he caused great harm. He admitted that it was very wrong of him to think that he, or anyone, could just make a decision like that. He promised to follow the chain of command in the future. He was chagrined to learn of the revised working arrangements for Barb and Bill saying,

"I won't deny that I'm hurt by a certain lack of trust that this represents, but I can't deny that my actions have raised doubts. I hope Harry will still seek out my advice. You too, Arthur. I think I am making great progress vetting the Corps. Almost all the bad apples were already gone. I will be less trusting of the lads going forward. That Liar's Milk trick really undid me."

The last meeting of the day was the hardest. McGonagall was told the same censored version of the truth as I planned to convey to Cissy and Margaret. Although she welcomed the knowledge and accepted it as a measure of progress, I sensed that it had merely whetted her appetite for more.

As if reading my mind, she responded, "That does answer some of my questions. I know you are starting to think of me as over-controlling and mad for power. I really just have a thirst for knowledge and protectiveness toward the students. I know that I can be of help to you. I will lead Hogwarts and be a supporter in your other ventures. There are a few things you must understand about me.

"I know that the more I know and understand, the better I will do as a teacher and as a headmaster. I will always fight for all of my students – even the very imperfect ones, as long as I see hope for them to turn their lives around. That's why I'm so insistent about not giving up on Pansy. I know that Hogwarts is very, very important to our world and that I have been chosen as headmaster to defend it. Some of you have somewhat turned against Hogwarts, because of the Carrows and Snape. That is only natural, but as you recoil, I am drawn closer and made more determined to save our school. Hogwarts has endured a lot in its many years. I won't see it destroyed by what the Death Eaters did. That would be handing them an unearned victory. I know we will have our disagreements, but please believe that my heart is in the right place. I'm not perfect, but neither are you. I have learned from my many mistakes. You can learn from them, as well. I support the Minister and Deputy Minister wholeheartedly, but I won't hesitate to persuade you to do what I feel is correct.

"Finally, I really do know that I don't own the stone and that I am not its chosen intermediary. You should know how much that awesome presence beneath my school frightens me. I just know that, like the Circle in the Sacred Cavern, it has vast powers. Those powers could help save Hogwarts or they could destroy it. I must be certain that the students are safe. That is why I feel that I must be involved with it. I am not horning in on 'your thing'. I'm defending 'my thing'."

We told McGonagall that we viewed her as an ally and would be happy to continue working with her, but that she had to tone down the level of insistent urgency with which she addressed everything to us. She said she would try, but that it wouldn't be at all easy.

The meeting ended with Dad responding curtly: "Try harder."

As we headed back to our own apartment, I was surprised when Harry asked, "Was everyone telling the truth?"

"Yes they were, Harry. Whom did you suspect?"

"Nobody in particular, it just pays to be cautious."

My last comment to Harry, before we fell asleep that night, caught him equally by surprise. "What my Dad said – did you realize that his job was as important as it was and that he accomplished so much?"

"Yes, but I spend a lot of business time with your father. Your time with him was family time. He wanted to protect you. He doesn't want you to work in his old department. He thinks it's too dangerous. He just wants to be your Dad. He doesn't feel the need to impress you with what he does at the Ministry."

"I respect that, but it still leaves me feeling very ashamed that I so totally underestimated my own father's skill and accomplishments. To think, I almost agreed when Ron said he was too weak. I feel really bad – both disloyal as well as stupid and blind."

It would have been nice, had Harry elected to contradict me.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53 – To Grandmother's House We Go**

At least we started the day on time. My stomach felt fine, as we headed down to breakfast. I ate eggs, bacon, porridge, a banana, an orange, and a glass of milk. I felt almost myself again, which was good, since I had an important senior Quidditch practice scheduled for just as soon as the last class ended at 4:00. I was thinking of a leisurely day of classes, but Harry had other ideas.

"We should all head to the Ministry this morning to meet with those who weren't included in yesterday's discussion. I'm thinking of mainly Wood, Percy, Callista, Bill, Barb, Bill, and Cotto, but if there is anyone else we should sit down with, I'm agreeable to that as well. We'll take George and Luna with us."

Hermione told Harry, "I'd really like to include my parents. Since they didn't grow up in this world, they don't have competing allegiances. I am enjoying being with them again and re-establishing what was a very close connection. I don't want to exclude them from this."

We all agreed that Hermione's proposal made sense. I liked Mrs. Granger, but mainly I thought that Mr. Granger could become the neutral, technology dabbling friend, whom my Dad so greatly needed. Ron thought we should also take Mom with us and possibly pick up Dad, as well, once we arrived at the Ministry. We all trooped up to the staff table, both to inform McGonagall that we were off to the Ministry and to borrow several of her staff.

McGonagall was in a surprisingly good mood, viewing last night's meeting as more of a rapprochement than a slapping down by Dad. Perhaps my own gripes with her caused me to give greater emphasis to Dad's final comment to her than Dad had intended. Certainly Dad and the headmaster had known each other for a very long time and Dad was more interested in making peace with aggrieved friends than in fueling the conflict. She was pleased when Harry suggested that we would be meeting later with Professor Celine. That was news to me.

I had a few minutes alone with Harry, while all the cast of characters were being assembled. I had to clear the air and my comment to Harry shocked him.

"I get the impression that you think I'm a bad daughter, who doesn't fully appreciate and value my father."

My comment didn't hang in the air for more than a few seconds, before Harry replied, "no, I don't think that at all. Apart from being a bit of a risk seeker, I think you have turned into almost exactly the daughter whom your father wanted. He wanted to be a good father, and for you to see him as a kind, loving, and supportive father, whom you would feel comfortable talking to. He didn't really care whether you saw him as a super hero or great success at the Ministry. He just wanted you to see him as a great Dad. It's clear that you have always looked up to him in that way and that you want our relationship to be an updated version of your parents' relationship. So do I. Both your parents are pleased with that. The only way your father could be a super hero would be if his exploits were well known. That would prevent him from doing his job and would likely have gotten him fired from the Ministry by some of the less friendly Ministers. It also would have put his whole family in danger. I think you've been a very good daughter. I think you know in your heart that you've had a lot more freedom to be a modern Witch than even most non-Slytherin Witches are given by their parents. Your father is very proud that you have chosen the path you've chosen. He wasn't going to push you there, but he's very pleased that you've made the decisions that you have. You really do worry way too much."

My mood was improved by Harry's comments and I felt better about the meeting we were off to.

The meeting went well. Dad invited Prudence to join us. I no longer saw her as an open conduit back to McGonagall. Her loyalty to Dad seemed absolute. Percy seemed to be very happy at the promise of greater interaction with Harry and, of course, Callista. Bill said he sensed much of the action and turmoil that was unfolding around him, but was glad to get the full picture and surprised that he had heard nothing of the more advanced powers of the stone. Harry was elated that at least some secrets remained fairly secret. I had a sense that our circle was once again fully integrated, but with Dad as part of the team. This was almost a Weasley family enterprise, a fact underscored by Dad's announcement, "I've invited Charlie home for the weekend. I want him to participate in our first meeting. I also want to make use of his dragons.

Cotto told us that the incidents of employers attacking their Elves and some of the Elves fighting back had caused a dozen Elves to be looking for new work. He suggested that Harry take on one of the Elves, until Baal returned. Bisco was hired and immediately dispatched to assist Jana at Harry's grandmother's house. Cotto left with Bisco. I made a mental note to get together with Harry's grandmother, as soon as I got back to Hogwarts.

Wood drew me aside after the meeting, saying he had wanted to mention it before, but that he was grateful for all the help I was giving his little brother. I told him that the little guy was an absolute delight and likely to become the best Seeker Hogwarts had ever seen. This reminded me that I should be returning to Hogwarts.

I kissed Harry goodbye, as he went off to meet with his Directors. I found out later that Harry achieved most of what he wanted in that meeting. Madam Bones had scheduled a trial date for Pansy's father as a way of forcing a plea agreement. She had agreed that Barty would be imprisoned for the rest of his life, based upon his prior sentences. She still wanted to try him for his current crimes "just so the public understands what he did." The prosecution of the Stowes was moving forward. She thought she could go to trial in six weeks. She recognized the Minister's and Harry's right to use our circle as adjunct aurors, but called it the slippery slope to perdition. Harry agreed that we would all attend auror training on weekends, just as soon as my Quidditch obligation was fulfilled. He assured me that I would find the classes to be "totally fascinating and likely quite useful in our activities. You'll also get official Ministry credits, should you ever wish to become an auror." Most importantly, Shacklebolt and Harry were friends again.

Shacklebolt had gone into great detail concerning his fears about Henry, drawing on information about the young Tom Riddle of which Harry had not been aware. If nothing else, Harry got a better sense of how close Shacklebolt had been to Dumbledore. Harry happily reported that there appeared to be no friction between Shacklebolt and Bill and Barb, although Madam Bones complained mildly about 'yet another unconventional reporting relationship. You're a politician, Harry – not the head auror'.

My day was fine. Harry had delegated the somewhat delicate tasks of meeting with Cissy and Margaret to me. I caught Cissy in our Common Room and we set out together to find Margaret. She was just finishing Charms with Professor Flitwick, so we waited in the corridor for ten minutes. I had spent so much effort rehearsing in my mind exactly what I wanted to say, that I forgot what it meant to wait anywhere for ten minutes with Cissy.

Cissy had picked up enough information about my adventures with the stone, that this was the focus of her interest. I first put her off until Margaret joined us, but then realized that as a Keeper and Committee member, she naturally would learn more about the stone than I felt it prudent to tell Margaret. I gave her a five minute summary of most of what I had experienced and most of what I now knew about the stone. She got progressively more excited, especially at the thought of her spirit flitting about the heavens at her command. Also, just living with the male Montaignes had taught her to recognize power and she saw the stone as exactly that.

She was almost jumping up and down with excitement as she asked me 'when may I be introduced to the stone'. I tried to put her off, but compromised on 'soon'. This not-all-that-well-agreed-upon definition of 'soon' was hanging in the air as the classroom door sprang open and the class surged forth.

Like us, Margaret was wont to sit in the front row, so she was one of the last students to leave. I plucked her from the stream and guided her back to Harry's office. Margaret was thrilled to be an official part of our circle. I was equally thrilled to have her as a member. Margaret is the nicest, sweetest person I know, and a very loyal soul. I was able to get a reading on the extent to which news of the stone and our recent adventures had spread, by Margaret's level of surprise at my various revelations. She knew nothing of the problems with Harry's grandmother, other than that she was in Gryffindor for some unknown reason, knew nothing of the stone, and just hints about the pyramid. The latter knowledge was likely unavoidable, given the number of aurors present in Snape's office. Margaret was very well versed on the twins' situation. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the difficulties with the special aurors. That shocked her and caused her to swear her allegiance to defending the twins.

I did attend my herbology class. I found Neville calming, as well as informative. Today the class was planting daylily seeds, which would grow in the greenhouse until Spring, and then be planted in a trial bed near Hagrid's hut. Neville had decided to involve the students in his current genetics experiment. He had decided that the genetics of flower color were too complex and not representative of the genetics of magical talent. He was currently planning to evaluate the performance of various light cream colored daylilies in a series of potions. He told us that the specific active ingredient within the flower was not known. He had crossed Earlybird Lemon-Lime Parfait, which when crushed made excellent potions against another daylily called Arctic Snow, which while paler in color, was a complete dud as a potions ingredient. He wanted to know what fraction of the seedlings would make a satisfactory potion and whether or not any would do better as a potion ingredient than the Earlybird Lemon-Lime Parfait. Thinking that the greenish tone might be responsible for the good results, he had also crossed Arctic Snow with the very greenish Green Mystique. He told us that the use of the greenhouse along with very careful cultivation in the garden would yield bloom by the time the Hogwarts school term ended. He had structured eight different experiments, each to be pursued by a team of three students. Madam Sprout would assist in the project by incorporating the flowers we produced into a potions making class. "This will be a very useful potion for many of you," Neville promised. "It enhances alertness and mental acuity. There are a number of less common potions, which also use light-colored daylily flowers."

We planted our seeds – two hundred for each group, in order to have a reasonable sample size and watered them. Our group was searching for the perfect spot, where they would get the right amount of heat and sunlight, when Jana arrived in a state of great excitement.

"Come quick, Missy Ginny, we have invaders."

Barb was with me and Neville joined us. We linked hands and I apparated us into the sitting room. Jana arrived just after we did. I saw two truly massive intruders pressed up against the fireplace, with Bisco holding them in place. Neville and I each focused upon one of them, shouting 'Off!' without even pointing our wands.

"Thank you Bisco. That should take care of them. We searched them for wands. They didn't have any. One did have a Muggle gun. The other had a nasty looking metal mallet. We wrapped them in goop threads and transported them to Harry's office. Callista said that my Dad was giving Harry a tour of the shop. She ran off to retrieve him.

"I forgot to replace the spiked Veritaserum that I used yesterday," I lamented to Neville. It would be very useful in questioning this pair.

"Actually, the spiking agent is one of the rare potions which I plan to make from the flowers whose seeds you just planted. I happen to have a small quantity with me, since Professor Sprout and I made test batches with the starting parents in my experiment."

"That's great Neville, but I don't have any normal Veritaserum to add it to."

"Surely the Ministry has Veritaserum."

"We most certainly do," Dad declared. "Why don't you go fetch us some, Kingsley. You needn't mention this to Amelia."

Harry stared at the two comatose stooges propped up against Callista's desk. "These guys match the description that Greg gave us of the thugs he drove to grandmother's house," Harry exclaimed as if he was telling us something we didn't already know. He was continuing but I interrupted.

"Catta caught them breaking into your grandmother's house. Bisco had them pinned up against the wall, when we arrived."

"I guessed that," Harry replied, "although it is most strange that they broke in. Surely they knew that we took my grandmother away and that their driver and his car had gone missing. I wonder what they were searching for."

"I'm willing to bend the rules to get the answer to that question," Dad declared. "I fully appreciate Amelia's dedication to the legal niceties, but I have grown weary of attacks upon our families. These are Muggles and Amelia can't prosecute Muggles, in any case. If these are Wizards, well… I refuse to take the nicely, nicely approach to Wizards who choose to attack us with Muggle weapons. I regard them as Death Eater soldiers, not criminals."

"I'm proud of you Arthur," Shacklebolt cheered him on.

"I'm not sure I'm proud of myself," Dad replied "but let's get on with what needs to be done."

Neville added his potion to Shacklebolt's bottle of Veritaserum. "Hermione's right, I don't go anywhere without it," Shacklebolt admonished me.

Neville poured the fluid down our captives' throats and we waited for it to take effect. "They really are big, aren't they?" Dad commented as we waited. "It's a good thing magical strength doesn't depend upon physical strength. I'd hate to have to fight these two."

Neville and I undid our 'Off!'. I was surprised to hear, for the first time since we had started using this curse, that one of the oaf's first unprompted comment was "Whah? Where am I and how did I get here. Where is that damned little beast that attacked us?"

I thought it clever of Dad to attack this opening he had been given. "Are you crazy, Sir. Attacked by little beasts were you? Don't tell me that you don't know full well how you got here."

"But… I don't. There was a ferocious looking little man. No… I ain't had a drink in a day. I swear, he attacked me. Must have trussed me up, too."

"What were you doing when this supposed wee monster attacked you?"

"Me mate here and I, we was burgling this old woman's house. The monster is real enough. Bashed up the back of my head real enough. Am I dead?"

Shacklebolt kicked him in his rump. "Does that feel like you're dead, you crazy bastard. Coming here telling us a story like that. What were you trying to steal?"

"A book, a very valuable book. This old bloke promised five hundred quid for it."

"What does this book look like and why is it so valuable?" Dad asked.

"It's about so big," the thief replied, realizing he couldn't move his arms to show 'so big'. Remembering that he couldn't move his arms, he tried to explain "It's not thick. I was told only about half an inch. About six inches high by three and a half inches wide. Soft red leather cover. Very old. Written by hand in red ink. That's all I was told. Didn't have long to look, but didn't find it, neither."

That was about all we learned from him. He was a petty free-lance hood. The description of his employer matched Roderick. He had worked for him for several weeks. The house had been under surveillance for ten days. They had seen Dudley, but did not yet know who he was. Apparently Roderick thought Dudley was Harry Potter. I assume this meant that he thought Harry was on juice. They had a picture of Dudley at a distance. Better pictures on the camera, which we had. He had an address to which he was to mail a picture postcard, if he found the book. Roderick would then contact him and tell him where to take the book to trade for the promised payoff. The address was in Edinburgh.

His partner told the same story, although he knew less and had never seen Roderick. He had only been on board the plot for a week.

"What shall I do with them?" Shacklebolt asked Dad.

As Dad thought about this, Harry explained what we had done with Greg.

"We can do better than that with this lad," Shacklebolt declared. "We can arrange for him to meet with Roderick. A very careful and detailed confunding should convince him that he found the book in question and is eager to exchange it for his money. We can put the trace on him."

"That's serious if the Muggle government finds out," Dad hesitated. "Still, it's our best shot. We need to prepare a phony book for him to take with him."

Shacklebolt and Dad got to work on our prisoner, while we got to work making a reasonable copy of the book.

"It sounds like a personal diary," Neville suggested. Do we have a sample of Harry's grandfather's writing? I think it most likely that it was his diary and he somehow hid it on his person, when he was Squibbed out, hoping it would remind him of who he used to be."

We apparated back to the house, taking Callista with us, so that she could return with Shacklebolt and the prisoners. Fortunately, all the windows in the house were covered, so that any of Roderick's men who might be watching would be unable to see us, or to know that our prisoners were not hard at work turning the house upside down.

We found pages of notes about particularly interesting patients in the home office. Since the subject was medical, we assumed the author was Harry's grandfather. The ink was purple, not red, but at least the writing revealed a flamboyant taste in ink. I studied the writing, while Harry, Neville, Bill, and Barb searched. I thought that I could reproduce the writing. The real trick was to approximate what the hand of the eldest Montaigne son would have looked like, when he was a young lad.

Not wanting to do more apparating than absolutely necessary, I drew Barb aside and begged her to pop off back to Hogwarts to find Cissy and see if she could find any exemplars of her uncle's handwriting. To fill the time until Cissy arrived, I began a careful search of the desk. I found diaries, but they were larger, hard-cover models. The oldest was from 1965. It did show evidence of a younger hand. The ink was green, this time. He had used a nib pen to do the writing. There were several such pens in the desk, along with a variety of inks, including red. That was a start.

One drawer had a pile of correspondence from The New Start Society, largely dealing with tuition support, along with letters of encouragement about his academic success. One letter referenced a large payment to start his practice. Harry's grandfather had scrawled a note in red ink on this particular letter: 'Why? What am I to them? I deserved a scholarship, but who gives money to buy a practice? To a kid they hardly know? Is this the organization that the diary says will help me?'

Callista, Dad and Shacklebolt arrived with the prisoners, guarded by a pair of Dad's aurors. The prisoners were inert, so I hardly thought Dad required extra protection from them, but I was gradually learning the value of caution and redundant protections. Callista had brought a selection of oldish diary books.

"Percy scrounged old desks in the Ministry cellars. He found two reddish brown ones and a brownish red. I think this one is best. From the age of some other stuff in and around the desk, Percy thinks this book is about eighty years old. That isn't too far off what you're looking for. It's almost blank, just the first four pages are written in."

"This will do just great," I promised Callista as I got to work removing the writing from the book. I didn't want to just tear out pages, so I used a combination of spells and transfiguration to produce the desired result. Callista thought I had created an adequate blank slate from which to work. I didn't want to work until Barb returned with Cissy.

Callista and I continued to explore the desk while we waited for Barb. It was an old desk, with many drawers. It was made of thick, aged, darkened wood, with lots of ornate carving on the legs and the edges of the inch-thick top surface and the fronts of the drawers. Its appearance spoke 'hidden compartment' to both Callista and me. We searched hard, but were not finding anything. We pulled out all the drawers, checking both their undersides and the back of the hole from which they had emerged for secret nooks and crannies. We tried to detach the faces of the drawers. We were measuring the depth of the holes into which the drawers fit, to compare against the depth of the desk, when Barb returned.

"Hello, Mrs. Evans," I managed to stammer, as surprised as I was to see Harry's grandmother, in addition to Cissy. "I'm your grandson Harry's wife, Ginny," I informed her in my more normal voice. Granny wanted and received a hug.

Granny was also all business. "I was told that the thugs came back to my home searching for a book. I know the one they wanted. My husband studied it frequently. My husband was a joyous man, but that book always left him gloomy. It was a source of great discomfort and puzzlement to him. He couldn't stop going back to it, because he couldn't figure it out. He knew that the diary was in his handwriting and used many of the same odd archaic phrasings as he did, but he had no memory of writing it. Nor did he have any idea how it came to dwell in the sole of his boot. He said that the day he found that book was the unluckiest day of his life. Just plain bad luck that he wore those decrepit old boots, because the new ones his mother bought for him were still tight around the toes. The sole split open along the one side and he worried the thing, until he discovered the little book inside. Kept it a secret from his parents, for all those years. Always started the same way when he talked about the book. 'This book says my name is Montaigne, yet I know it to be Evans. I remember my life and I don't ever remember being Montaigne."

"I have two questions," Harry told his grandmother. "First, do you know where the book is? Second, do you have any idea how the man who employed these criminals would even know that the book existed. If Grandfather had had the book since he was a child, why would these men come looking for it today?"

"I showed it to Dudley. Dudley mentioned that a man named Montaigne murdered your grandfather. I recognized Montaigne as the name in that book. Dudley was all excited. He said he was still investigating the murder and was convinced that there was more to be learned. That was two weeks ago. And yes, I know where the book is. The false compartment isn't in that desk. It's behind one of the kitchen cabinets. I'll get the book for you."

"Dudley?" I said, looking at Harry in amazement. "Why would Dudley want to steal the book and why would he hire men to steal it, instead of just borrowing it, himself?"

"I can't believe Dudley is responsible for this, but I am going to have a talk with him."

The only being who knew where Dudley was hiding was Catta. Unfortunately, we didn't know where Catta was. Jana told Harry, "Cotto will know."

Harry and Bill went back to the Ministry to find Cotto, while I tried to create a phony diary. It was tough work with Cissy leaning over my shoulder, reading the diary along with me. I soiled the copy to match the original, although we all doubted the original was this soiled on the day it left Castle Montaigne for the last time. I duplicated the initials embossed on the cover.

I was surprised how easy the writing was to duplicate, using a variant of Witch painting. As I duplicated, I took in the content. The narrative started when Harry's grandfather was seven. The book had been given him by his own father, the then Lord Montaigne. Most of the book told of a pampered idyllic childhood, with a doting father and mother, although the boy sometimes wrote about worries for his mother's health. When he was ten, the tone of the story changed drastically. The doting father was always upset and commanding him to perform magic, which he could not. This went on for months, leading up to the climactic three pages.

'Father shouted that he knew what my mother had done. I was a filthy bastard. That was why I couldn't do magic. Any son of his would do magic. I was not his son. He didn't want to look at me. I would have to be sent away like the rest of the filthy Squibs.'

There was a happy day interspersed amidst the gloom. Unexpectedly, at age 12, this young Montaigne had undeniably performed magic. He excitedly told his mother. She arranged a demonstration for his father. Then, the most crushing blow, conveyed in all caps and underlined '**FATHER SAYS IT DOESN'T MATTER. I AM NOT HIS SON AND I MUST GO. HATE HIM!'**

The book talked about a week of extreme family trauma. The mother cried all day, not wanting her favorite son thrown out of her life. The father was determined 'to do what we must do, as a result of your betrayal of me. I agree it's not the boy's fault, but he must go. The doctor is coming tomorrow'.

On the final page the young writer declares, "I know what is done with Squibs. They take away your mind, so you can't remember who you are. I will hide this book, so that I never forget who I am. So that I can return and save my mother and claim what is mine by right. If I have to kill my father, then that is what I shall do. I will hide this book in the sole of my boot. If my new self finds this book, I swear to him that all that I have said is true. It will be hard for you to find your old world. It is carefully hidden. Please try. I don't want to die. What they will do to me is worse than death. They will make it as if I never existed and everything that I did or thought, never happened. I will be replaced by a phony, made up person.'

There were tear stains and a gap and then a final few lines. 'I take it back. Do not try to find Montaigne. He is too powerful and cruel. He would destroy you. Save our shared life. Stay away from my world. It is not for you. Live for both of us. I don't think it selfish to ask – never forget me, for your body was once mine. Enjoy it as much as I do.'

How unbearably sad. It was the poor Gryffindors all over again. The Montaignes were simply evil. Smoother than Voldemort, but just as evil. It was alarming how far certain Wizards were willing to go to rule our world. It made me wonder if secrecy from the Muggle world was really necessary or even desirable. Having to live in secrecy gave nasty Wizards far too much control over our lives. The Gryffindors had died without revealing our secret. Perhaps they should simply have told the truth. These evil Wizards used all the secrecy to their own benefit. It was the excuse for just about every bad thing that happened.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54 – Dudley Again**

Harry rejoined us, still looking bothered. "I think Dudley is alright. I won't say anything about our discussion. I want you and Cissy to hear it fresh, with your truth teller caps on. Catta gave me a couple minutes head start. She'll bring him here."

"What is wrong?" Harry's grandmother asked, with alarm. "Was it Dudley who betrayed me? I would have happily given him the book, had he asked. He seemed like such a considerate, loving grandson. Both of you stayed away from us. That hurt us terribly, but you and Dudley explained that you were given no choice in the matter."

"It will be okay, Gran," Harry told her. "Please just wait a little and here what Dudley has to say."

Catta appeared with Dudley, just as Harry finished speaking.

Dudley had been weeping and still seemed upset.

I hadn't even realized that Shacklebolt had left, but he now reappeared with Ron and Hermione. "I didn't want to over-reach," he apologized, I think somewhat mockingly, to Harry, "but I thought you'd want to have Hermione present for this meeting."

Harry missed or chose to ignore the tone. "Thanks, Kingsley. I think that will help."

Harry turned to Dudley, prompting him, "Please tell the others what you just told me."

"I didn't mean to, but I did a really bad thing. I think Gran's problems are because of me. You know I've been mainly living away from home and not getting along with Vernon – my Dad. I've got my own house, but I've also spent a lot of time with Gran and investigating my grandfather's murder. Vernon has been trying to follow me and trying to figure out what I do with my time, when I'm not at his house. First he thought I spent all my afternoons and nights at the local, drinking with the lads. He stopped by a few times and wanted to know where they were hiding me. Then he decided I had changed locals. He even asked the lads about me. He was convinced they were all lying to protect me.

"I didn't realize it, until he challenged me, but one night, he stole my cellphone and checked the numbers. He saw that I had a number listed for 'Harry'. At least you didn't answer when he dialed, but he was convinced that I was seeing you and in some sort of conspiracy with you and against him. He just kept at me. About two weeks ago, I let slip to Mom that I was seeing Gran. Mom must have told Vernon, because next time he saw me, he was all over me about why was I spending so much time with Gran, and he really didn't want me to see her anymore, and what did we do together, anyway.

"I told him that we were just catching up. I said I wanted to know what my grandparents were like. It wasn't natural to know almost nothing about them. He just kept at me, and finally I said that we just walked around the house and neighborhood and told each other stories about our lives. He was, like, what kind of stories. After about ten minutes, one of the stories that I mentioned was about Grandfather and the strange diary he had found in his boot. Vernon got really interested as soon as I said that, so I dropped the subject as fast as I could. But… that is why the bad men were spying on Gran and why they broke into her house…" I don't know if Dudley planned to tell us more, but he was now crying too hard to be able to speak.

Dudley's grandmother was comforting him, hugging him and saying something like, "It's not your fault Dudley. I don't blame you at all. You didn't pick your father. We never should have allowed Petunia to marry him. I knew he was bad from the start. When Lily married, your mother had to marry the first boy who came along, just to keep up with her sister. She even spited Lily by getting married a month before she did, even though she'd only known Vernon for four months. Not that Lily really cared any more what Petunia did. Petunia was so jealous that she just did terrible things to try to make Lily feel bad. Eventually she succeeded in driving her sister away from her. You can't imagine how awful that is for a parent. So, don't feel bad, Dudley. It is hard for a son to fully realize what an awful, unscrupulous man his father is."

"That's the problem, Gran," Dudley sobbed, although he had at least nearly stopped crying. "I know what an awful man Vernon is. I've known for at least a year. I shouldn't have told him anything. I'm so ashamed."

"I hate to interrupt this family discussion, or perhaps it's best that I do interrupt," Shacklebolt told us. "I think we've learned the basic particulars from Dudley. Now, if everyone hides out of sight from our prisoners and from the door, I think it's time that we sent these lads on their way. If you would be so kind as to reverse your 'Off!' curses as you slip away, I'll get on with the business of catching Roderick."

We did as Shacklebolt asked. From our hiding spot in the kitchen, we heard the front door open and then close again. Shacklebolt called us back into the sitting room, saying "Now we wait. You'll want to get that real notebook logged as evidence, Deputy Minister… or, I could do that for you."

It seemed as though a new bond was forged between Harry and Shacklebolt as Harry handed the diary to Shacklebolt, with nary a flinch, saying "I think this will be our secret for now. This is an on-going investigation and there are no Wizards in custody, so I see no reason to tell Madam Bones just yet."

"I concur," Dad replied. "Now we had best get out of here. I assume Kingsley still has the house under surveillance. Despite the headmaster's displeasure, I think it is back to Hogwarts for both Dudley and Mrs. Evans."

I apparated all of us to the Hogwarts grounds, just outside the main entrance. "I think straight to your headmaster," Dad announced. We found McGonagall in her office.

"I know you don't appreciate uninvited guests, but it is important to our community that Dudley Dursley and Mrs. Evans reside at Hogwarts until we catch Roderick. I don't regard it as interference in your running of the school to insist that you perform this service for the Ministry. I'll leave it to you and the Deputy Minister to work out the details."

"Um… yes, of course, Minister."

Dad, Shacklebolt, and the extra aurors were gone. I could tell that McGonagall was dying to demand an explanation, but unsure what she should say in front of Dudley. She finally decided upon "Ron, why don't you get Dudley settled into Gryffindor and show him around the Quidditch Pitch. I believe the junior team is practicing. I'm sure he'd enjoy watching them. Cissy, take Mrs. Evans to the Great Hall and get her something to eat. I'll alert the Elves. McGonagall's Patronus departed, along with about half our group. "Callista…" McGonagall continued "um, you might as well stay."

"Now then, please tell me what has been going on. Why has the Minister visited yet another guest upon me? Why are we suddenly giving such a high priority to catching Roderick?"

We told most of the story. McGonagall replied, "I can understand that Lord Montaigne did not want to have written proof that his father Squibbed out an eldest son, whom he knew not to be a Squib. I can also understand why he would not want to be embarrassed by written evidence that his mother had cheated on his father. What I don't understand is why all of that would matter to him today, with Bruce gone, himself in jail, and the inheritance settlement with Harry concluded. I especially don't understand why Roderick would think any of this still matters."

"It might have something to do with the Montaigne revenge plot for nineteen years from now, although I can't think how. Maybe… maybe like Thicknesse, he thought he could cause enough mayhem that we would not only release Bruce and him, but give him back his lordship. Having written proof that he never was the rightful lord would reduce public acceptance of his return. I realize that's a big stretch. Perhaps Roderick was simply just going on the last orders he was given, before he lost touch with his Lord" Harry suggested. "I don't think we should assume that this means Roderick has recently been in communication with the Montaigne formerly known as Lord. I am very interested to find out what Roderick has to say for himself."

"Speaking of which, I feel that I am safe to assume that you and Director Shacklebolt have been going behind everyone's back and illegally using Veritaserum, again. That is a dangerous way to treat Muggles."

"The Minister is aware of our activities and has approved them. I don't think there is a good way of dealing with Muggles who are paid to attack Witches by one of our own. It is vital to stop such attacks, but nothing we could do would make the Muggle government happy. What would you and Madam Bones have us do? Turn the little red book over to the Muggle police and let them read about magic and Squibs and Castle Montaigne?"

"No. I see you are in a bind. I just wish that Amelia were a part of the decision-making process. I'd feel more confident in the quality of the decision. You Wizards tend to think alike, whether you are right or wrong. It never hurts to consider an opposing viewpoint. The final answer is usually much improved."

"I sort of agree," Harry conceded, "but when the holder of the opposing viewpoint sees only black and white, it doesn't seem to lead to improvement. Working toward mutually acceptable solutions isn't Madam Bones's strong point. If she were willing to work with us to find the most acceptable way to accomplish what needs to be accomplished, I'd happily include her in such discussions, but she never takes that approach. Her attitude is what approach absolutely maximizes the rights of the bad guys and if it is a totally 100% proven to her satisfaction, with all the evidence collected according to her most perfect standards, then she'll consider prosecuting the case, but only after she's been pushed really hard to do so. Otherwise, she'll delay forever. Do you know how hard I worked to finally convince her that Barty could just be imprisoned for life, now that I caught him? It is as if the fact that he was twice sentenced to life in Azkaban, but escaped, wasn't relevant. She kept criticizing the evidence we had on this particular arrest. And we have a ton of evidence.

"She just kept arguing: 'But the search of the magical boxes might not have been perfectly legal', 'but it could be argued that as a non-auror you had no authority to arrest him', 'students cursing him off his broom could even be viewed as an unjustified assault'. That's the sort of nonsense I'm faced with whenever I meet with her. Wood's not a lawyer, he doesn't even have Percy's familiarity with the law, but it took him like an hour or two to find several clear statements in law books and a past case saying that a prisoner who escapes and is recaptured automatically goes back to jail to complete his sentence and time is added for escaping. When I showed that to Madam Bones, she was babbling, 'well that is normally the case, but there certainly can be exceptions. Why Barty's lawyer might well argue this or that'. It's just totally unproductive."

"I understand the problem. I'll talk to her. She seems not yet fully recovered from her ordeal with the Death Eaters. She really does have a much more precise mind than that and used to have a drive to lock up the criminals. Perhaps Mrs. Granger can be of help. For now, I understand why you don't want to involve her. Please understand that this puts an added burden upon you and Arthur to make sure your administration doesn't engage in criminal conduct. Kingsley will go every inch as far as you allow him to go, and then several more feet."

"I am fully aware of Director's Shacklebolt's approach to such matters and have strenuously objected on occasion. I won't go into detail, but I am not blind to the problems you suggest."

"Well good, perhaps we had best leave it at that, then."

I went off with Hermione to work on jointly making sense of what we had learned from the stone. I had the feeling that we were supposed to reach out and pull in added strength from the stone, in time of need. I just had no idea how to go about doing this.

Harry said that he would return to the Ministry. It didn't look as though he would be at peace again, until Shacklebolt's aurors had captured Roderick. Given Roderick's instructions for how our former captive was to contact him, it would be at least a day until contact was made. I knew Harry would just worry until then. He had grown closer to Dudley and was upset by Dudley's involvement in this. He was also seeing his hated Uncle Vernon in a different light – not that he was surprised that Vernon was evil – he was surprised that Vernon was in any way significant.

The weather was sunny and blue-skied, a lovely treat for November. As Hermione and I grabbed blankets from Gryffindor and headed out to sit in the sun in the wind-shelter of a hedge, we noticed that Cissy was following us. We allowed her to catch up, led her to the bushes, and shared our blankets as we waited to learn what was on her mind.

"My family was more evil and messed up than I even realized," she confessed. "I've been thinking. It's possible that my father recruited Vernon Dursley from The New Start Society. I think the Ministry has all the pertinent records of the Society. I can't suggest it, but somebody should ask Percy, Wood, or Callista to search the records for any mention of Vernon Dursley. I'd do it, but I want to go back to the castle and check my father's financial records to see if there is any connection to the factory where Uncle Vernon was the manager. If one of you could get somebody started on the Ministry search, I'll do my part."

We had only been on our blankets for less than five minutes. Hermione and I were now off to the Ministry. Cissy seemed quite pleased to have her suggestion acted on so rapidly.

Callista told us Harry was with Dad. Prudence said we might as well go in, that Harry and Dad were likely just making each other miserable waiting for whatever was going to happen with Roderick. They did both seem not unhappy that we had diverted them from whatever they had been discussing. Hermione explained Cissy's proposal. Dad immediately leapt to approve it, asking Prudence to find Percy.

That settled, Dad suggested that we sit and chat. What he wanted to chat about was whether Hermione and I thought it likely that we really could draw extra strength from the stone. He was happy to hear that we each had ideas for doing exactly that. We tried and were each able to communicate with the stone from his office. He was impressed, musing "Scotland to London, that really is quite an achievement. We might need this skill if we ever need to get a leg up on the Spencer twins. I encourage you both to keep working to perfect your new talents. For your father's sake, please focus upon improved protective spells. Harry explained 'Shield' to me. If you could strengthen that, I'd feel a lot better about your safety."

"I promise to work on that Dad. I think that there are a lot of ways that our new knowledge can make Hermione and me, really all of us, safer. I am more than a little concerned about Harry's fears equating the reaction to Hermione and me to the reaction to the Spencer twins. I think the least said to others, especially Shacklebolt, about the stone and the Mother of the Future and her Muse stuff, the better. I'd hate for Hermione and me to be murdered for something we don't even understand yet. I am very serious about being safe. I think we just have slightly different ideas of what it takes to be safe. Beyond Bill, Barb, and I guess Ellen, I don't have any gut-level trust in the rest of the Auror Corps. To me, they are just this fairly large, anonymous crew of tough fighters, from which the next assassin may step forward. I'm thankful that Kingsley Shacklebolt seems to at least like me, you, and Harry. I think he'd have a much harder job having me murdered off as a potential threat than he would have with Henry Spencer. Still, a little bit of that threat will always be there, won't it?"

"Yes, I can see how it would be," Dad replied "but, largely because you don't know Kingsley as well as I do. I'm not at all afraid of Kingsley harming you."

Speak of the devil, a very excited Kingsley burst into Dad's office, with Prudence nipping at his heals and telling him to stop. "We've got Roderick!" Kingsley shouted. "I had an inkling that the elaborate contact plan he gave to his thugs was just a ruse. He intercepted them as they were returning to their rooming house. The whole thing actually took a little longer than I expected. For some reason, the thugs thought it clever to meander around for a while before dropping their post. I didn't want to bring Roderick here. You know who has friends in the Ministry who would squeal on us, before we could interrogate Roderick. He's at Harry's grandmother's house. I knew you'd be upset if we started without you."

"We certainly would," Dad agreed.

My second apparate in less than an hour went problem free. I was feeling my normal self again. I think the travel between worlds just takes an awful lot out of a Witch.

Roderick was goop-trussed with his back up against the fireplace and three aurors in attendance. The incriminating little red book was lying in the middle of the nearest lamp table. Roderick looked belligerent, with a 'you can't break me, copper' attitude. He obviously was unfamiliar with the wonders of spiked Veritaserum.

"You may have turned my goons, but you can't turn me," he promised a smirking Shacklebolt.

Shacklebolt poked his fingers into the sides of his cheeks to make him open wide. The remainder of the Director's supply of super-Veritaserum went down Roderick's throat. The procedure left Roderick spluttering and choking, and Shacklebolt grinning. He was enjoying this a little too much. At least, that was my personal thought as we sat back to wait for the potion to take effect. I was sensing a wave of us uneasiness washing over Harry, the sort of uneasiness that comes from participation in something distasteful and embarrassing. Almost instantly, Harry seemed to steady his emotions.

{[very pleased at his sudden insight}I just realized that of course Kingsley is gloating. He and his aurors caught Roderick. I think he has been far more embarrassed than we realized that Barty escaped his aurors and we caught him, then Shacklebolt avoided his aurors until we caught him, then we and the Elves caught Roderick's thugs… the Elves even caught Rita Skeeter and it was our plan that caught her. I'm afraid we've made the aurors look very weak. I'll let Kingsley rejoice in his win.}

{{I really think you should, Harry. We both know how proud a Wizard Shacklebolt is.}}

I could almost read the same thoughts from Dad. As if to confirm my supposition, just as Roderick was showing the barest hint of succumbing to the effects of the potion, Dad commented, "Well done, Kingsley, but let's get on with this, then."

Kingsley stepped forward to question Roderick. He waited a few minutes, as he carefully studied Roderick's eyes, before asking, "Why did you want this book so badly?" I hadn't noticed that he had picked up the book, but he was now brandishing it only six inches from Roderick's face. As Roderick hesitated, Kingsley spoke louder: "Well?"

"It's nothing to me. I retrieved it as a last act of loyalty to a master who has provided well for me. You must know it's Lord Montaigne that wants the book, if you've gotten this far."

"Okay, let me rephrase that question. Why does Lord Montaigne still want this book?"

"Don't know that he does. Haven't seen him lately. I remembered he had me look for it once. All important it was. The Lord decided the book was burned long ago and stopped looking. Haven't thought of it for years."

"Why did Lord Montaigne want the book so desperately, those many years ago?"

"It was the former Lord first asked me to find it. The bastard was Squibbed and then the book couldn't be found. Knew the little bastard used to write in the thing. Hadn't seen it for a year. Thought he musta burned it, but had to be sure. The wrong person could destroy the family with that book."

"What made the book so dangerous?"

"The boy mighta wrote of making magic. That would be bad. Make his father a criminal, it would. And my Lord Montaigne might lose what was his by right. The old Lord feared what young Nigel would think of him. That was the biggest weight. Still loved his big brother."

"Then why did the new Lord Montaigne want you to find the book?"

"The old Lord had to warn him of the book, afore he died. Didn't mention the magic. Just that the book could destroy the family and Nigel's future. The old Lord told my Nigel that the book could prove that he did a very bad thing. The thing needed doin', but some folks wouldn't see that. The book had to be destroyed."

"How does Vernon Dursley fit into this?"

"My Lord good as bought him. Bought him an' threw him in that silly Petunia's face. Vernon was the charmer then, and my Lord gave him the potion. Petunia chased him from the start, she did. Let him explore the house, and herself, when the parents weren't there. He tried for a year, but didn't find the book. The parents never mentioned it. Petunia knew nothing. My Lord decided the book were gone before the bastard was Squibbed. Then Vernon comes to me ten days ago. Fool doesn't know my Lord is finished. Last he seen him, he be handing out piles of money. Vernon wants more money. He says the old lady has the book. His son seen it. Had to get it afore he read it. A chance he might understand. A chance he tells Potter."

"What did Vernon Dursley do for Lord Montaigne all those years between marrying Petunia and telling you about the book?"

"Kept Potter and the other boy away from the grandfather with the book. That's what he done. Can't be telling tales to boys he can't see. Made Potter run away. But that didn't work neither. My Lord couldn't ask me to kill Potter. I said 'just nod and I know what you want'. Couldn't do it. Felt bad about his brother. Potter were his brother's blood. Couldn't kill him. Course if he up and run away, run into some bad folks who want to kill him – that wouldn't be my Lord's fault, now would it. Just an uppity kid too dumb to be scared and can't fight good. I coulda killed him. I shoulda killed him."

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda," Hermione chanted. "And now you can't. How sad for you."

"Now what will you do to me?"

"Firstly, ask you some more questions," Shacklebolt told him. "Did you know that Lord Montaigne threatened that terrible things would happen years from now, unless Bruce was released on the Lord's schedule?"

"Yes. That be a problem for you. Can't set Bruce free, if he be gone. The Lord not be a forgiving man."

"What are these terrible things?"

"Bombs. Big, big Muggle bombs. He said 'and something else. A little surprise for them. They be doomed if they set Bruce free, doomed if they don't'. That what my Lord say."

"What is this something else, that's a surprise for us?"

"Didn't tell me, did he?"

"Where are the bombs?"

"Didn't tell me, did he?"

"Who planted the bombs?"

"Didn't tell me, did he?"

"Whom would he have trusted to hide the bombs? Who had the skill to hide them?"

"My Lord has many secrets. Didn't tell me, did he?"

"Did Lord Montaigne tell Bruce to kill Mr. Evans?"

"No. My Lord can't stop Bruce from reading. Bruce can be very angry."

"Are you employing any others, besides the two thugs who broke into this house and the man who drove them here a few days ago?"

"No. Caught them all, did you? That's bad on me."

"Does anyone else have any questions?"

"I have a question for Cissy's sake," I told Shacklebolt. He motioned that I should ask my question.

"Did Lord Montaigne ever plan to let Cissy be the Keeper?"

"You funny Witch. Cissy not my Lord's daughter. Another bastard."

There were no other questions.

"Take him to the Gringotts jail," Dad directed Shacklebolt. "Don't let him see his former Lord. We will have to speak to Madam Bones. Our investigation seems complete."

The three aurors, who had been guarding Roderick, apparated him out of the house. The rest of us got ready to apparate back to the Ministry to meet with Madam Bones. At least I assumed that was the plan, until Harry said, "It might be best if you and Hermione returned to Hogwarts, Ginny. No need to mention this to the headmaster. Or Dudley, I have to think about how to explain this to Dudley."


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55 – Back At Hogwarts And Out Of the Loop**

I felt as Cissy must feel when her student status caused her exclusion from what seemed likely to be an exciting adventure. Still, I recognized that the meeting to come would not be a comfortable one for either my husband or father. They were honorable Wizards who felt they had some soil on their hands, and needed to confess same to a prickly Witch, whom they did not see as a true part of the team. I could understand that they preferred that Hermione and I not witness this. We linked our hands and found ourselves in the apparation pocket. We scurried across the grounds and were once again lying upon our blankets, on the Hogwarts grounds.

The difference was that Cissy was gone and McGonagall was approaching. "I was going to accuse you of littering the school grounds, but now I see that you have returned. I suppose it would be too much to ask what you have been up to, even though one of you is still a student. A student, I might add, whose mother has no idea where she was off to. At least you took Barb with you. I certainly hope the Minister won't consider me presumptuous, if I inquire what you've done with Cissy. She is only a third year, after all."

"I'm sure Dad would be perfectly happy with your asking about Cissy's whereabouts," I replied, as sweetly as I could, as in you and I have our own disagreements, you can fight your battles with Dad directly. "When we left her, she was planning to return to her castle, to search through her father's financial records."

"Well, I can see that as legitimate, as long as she doesn't miss classes, but she needs to tell me before she leaves. I am responsible for her safety. Might I inquire what the two of you were up to?"

"We went to the Ministry to ask that some research be done in The New Start Society records. We wanted to check on someone whose name came up in the course of our investigations."

"You have the auror-speak down very well. I take it that's a long way of saying you won't tell me the name. Will it help you catch Roderick?"

"Can't give you the name now. It wouldn't be at all appropriate. Roderick has already been captured. That's what kept us so long."

"Ah, I imagine it wasn't a pleasant meeting with Madam Bones."

"We wouldn't know. We weren't there," I informed McGonagall.

"Well, it's good to know that Harry has some sense. What that tells me is that you were there when Roderick was illegally questioned."

"I prefer extra-legally," Hermione replied.

"Call it what you will. I call it very foolish. I don't know how Harry and the Minister expect to have any chance of convicting Roderick, given how you've all conducted this 'investigation'. Now you'll blame Madam Bones, because she's unable to make a case from the hash she's been given." Yes, McGonagall did make little finger quote marks around "investigation" in the air between us. I chose to convert them to single quotes, because I think that's more grammatically correct.

"Does it really matter?" Hermione replied in a very un-Hermione disdain for rules. She elaborated "what would he be prosecuted for? Hiring Muggles to rob a Muggle home? Lots of luck with that."

"I've never known you to be that cynical," a genuinely shocked McGonagall confronted Hermione.

"I lost some respect for the rules when I learned that murdering an Elf is considered less of a crime than leaving a dead hare on the floor of the bar. It didn't help when I subsequently learned that an Elf can't testify against a Wizard and have that testimony be worth anything, that an Elf who defends himself against a murderous attack risks assaulting a Wizard charges, and that an Elf preventing a Death Eater ally from tearing up the Deputy Minister's office and destroying key evidence is viewed by Madam Bones as having made an unlawful arrest and possibly being guilty of assault. I find it all disgusting."

"Well, yes, there are some rather distasteful old rules, which run contrary to how society should operate. On your prior point, I concede that Madam Bones was unlikely to prosecute and the Wizengamot unlikely to convict Roderick, in any case. So, perhaps you all did well to simply learn what you could from him. He's just a loyal puppet in any case. But, what will you do with him now?"

"We don't know," I admitted. "He's in jail for the moment, but I expect that to last about a day. Perhaps we'll get lucky and he'll try to escape and one of the dragons will eat him."

"Indeed." I record this as said, not knowing whether it was a positive or negative comment. 'Indeed' can be so very ambiguous in that regard. I noticed that McGonagall had forgotten Cissy and had sat down upon our blankets. I wondered what was to come next. I was stunned by McGonagall's comment.

"I suppose Harry wants to wait so that he can tell Dudley himself. I understand that he's become somewhat estranged from his father, but it must still hurt to have to listen to what Harry has to tell him about his father." My open-mouthed gape must have caught McGonagall's attention, as she continued "Well, what else could it be Ginny? I'm not stupid. Both Dudley and his grandmother are hiding out at Hogwarts. Dudley has been acting like he as good as assaulted his own grandmother. You won't tell me who the unidentified Squib is. Cissy's checking financial records. I overhear student conversations. I know how stupid Vernon Dursley is and how he went out of his way to mistreat Harry. I know Harry never saw his grandfather – the grandfather who was Lord Montaigne's brother. I can only conclude that Vernon is a Squib, who has been helping Lord Montaigne, in exchange for a job which is well above his intellectual level. You may think I have auror-blood, but it was also very clear to me the last time Dudley was here, with his mother, that something was very wrong with that family, and that Lord Montaigne knew Vernon, before he insisted upon hauling all of you on that ridiculous trip to inspect the Dursleys.

"And I'm very pleased to have so impressed you with my intellectual crime-solving abilities, Mrs. Potter."

I couldn't stop a "Just, wow!" from escaping my lips. McGonagall couldn't stop grinning ear to ear.

"Well," McGonagall continued, "I've thought about that Dursley family from the day we dropped Harry off on their doorstep. That's now eighteen years of thought. I'm surprised that Voldemort accepted the piffle that Dumbledore spread about: 'Harry is protected by his mother's love as long as he is living with relatives, who obviously don't love him, in a house in which his parents would most certainly not be welcome'. I was so worried that I sometimes spied upon the Dursley household. I almost intervened more than once. I did intervene once, but that's another story. I always felt that Harry would have been safer and better served if he had lived at Hogwarts permanently. I think Dumbledore was afraid, both that Harry would start to think of himself as the school mascot, and that he would think of himself as too special, too early. I think what you've learned from Roderick confirms that I was right and Albus was wrong."

I wondered if Mrs. Granger has used the 'awarding yourself stars' line with McGonagall as well as me. It seemed clear that she had just awarded herself a star.

"Well, that was a major but fruitful digression. I had been seeking Ginny to rather pointedly remind her that she has Quidditch matches coming up. I assume the seniors will be practicing this afternoon. I had hoped you would have been present for the juniors' practice."

"Yep, definitely holding practice today," I assured her. It was strange how unimportant Quidditch had seemed the past few days. But…I was still going to be a Harpy and I still took my Quidditch seriously. I vowed to have a great practice, starting… exactly an hour from now. Oops!

We had an excellent practice. After the first half hour, I no longer felt sluggish upon my broom. My team had obviously come with the thought of working hard. Jimmy Peakes was especially energetic, to the point that I had to tell him that the 'practice squad', all good souls who had tried out for and not made the team but still volunteered to help us get ready for competition, did not deserve to be bashed quite so severely. Jimmy Jones was putting in a very strenuous effort as he challenged me in pursuit of the Snitch. It was good to see that his fall hadn't broken his nerve and that he was apparently fully recovered from his many injuries.

Severus Marks, our Hufflepuff Keeper was getting a thorough working-over by the Chasers. I had decided to move the first-team Chasers onto the practice team for this and the next practice, so that our first team Keeper and Beaters would get to hone their skills against better competition.

I was oddly pleased to notice Professors McGonagall, Hootch, and Trelawney joining Neville, Margaret, and young Wood as the audience for our simulated match. I was less pleased when McGonagall blew a whistle and loudly announced that we had five minutes to dress for supper. As we landed, Margaret gave us a thumbs-up of encouragement.

Harry had returned in time for supper. I wanted to quiz him about the meeting with Madam Bones, but his grandmother, Dudley, and Cissy were sitting with us. I requested an explanation on our whisper channel, but Harry halted me, whispering back that he might as well explain about Uncle Vernon here at the table, to stifle the water works from Dudley. We were buffered from the other students by Ron, Hermione, Luna, George, and, for some strange reason, Neville.

Harry told the whole story, including reporting that Vernon was not a Squib. Still, he was one of the Muggle-world orphans served by The New Start Society. The realization hit me that, of course, the Society would have to serve primarily orphans who didn't come from our world. It would make it far easier to hide in plain sight. I was not at all surprised when Cissy reported that her father had indeed been a major shareholder of Grunning, when that firm had hired and aggressively promoted Vernon Dursley.

Dudley was stoic and dry-eyed throughout the explanation. Harry's grandmother was fierce, proclaiming, "I always knew that Vernon was a no-good bastard. I'm not surprised that he tricked Petunia with a love potion or that he was given his job as a reward for evildoing. He's too stupid, boring, and ugly for it to be otherwise. But, Harry, what are we to do with Petunia? She's stayed with Vernon, possibly of her own free will, but may well not know of his crimes. She could still be drugged, or at the least, badly deluded about the man. It's sometimes impossible for a woman to admit that she's married to a complete louse. I feel that we really must rescue her, before her husband learns what happened with Roderick."

"I totally agree, Gran. We'll go after her, right after supper," Harry promised.

"I'm coming too," Dudley declared.

"We need to talk about this. Shacklebolt and Madam Bones will be here shortly. We can't really arrest Uncle Vernon. Neither can the Muggles. We are left with threatening him to be good and not cause trouble. We think a combination of frightening him and bribing him is the way to go. There is the money that he got from Lord Montaigne. The records regarding that can conveniently disappear at the Treasury. We talked to Tony. He and the guy from Treasury will come with us. We'll basically give Uncle Vernon his choice of behaving and keeping quiet and keeping the money, or being bad or blabbing and finding himself in jail, or possibly dead. The tricky part is Aunt Petunia. We need to both find out if she had any involvement in Uncle Vernon's actions and determine if she wants to stay with Uncle Vernon, after she's been apart long enough to make sure she isn't drugged. Depending, she can either stay with Uncle Vernon, or start anew. That means she needs to trust us. For that reason, we all agree that it is important to take Dudley and Gran with us, when we go visiting. Here's the plan.

There were a few questions, a lot of resolve, and an excellent dessert. Shacklebolt and Madam Bones arrived with four aurors. Dad arrived with Tony and the Treasury man. Harry and Bill apparated to the new Dursley home. I had five minutes to wait, until my group reinforced Harry. I had a second loganberry tart with fresh cream and chatted with Tony and Dad. Hermione, who was the timer of this operation, gave me a nudge, saying "thirty seconds, Ginny."

Barb and I got up from table, joined by Dudley and Harry's grandmother. We walked back to the Gryffindor landing, held hands and were gone. When we arrived on the Dursley front lawn, I could see a fairly heated argument underway inside the house. The front door was ajar, so we let ourselves in.

Vernon was yelling to Harry to "get out of my house", while trying to soothe Petunia in a calmer voice "of course what he says is a pack of lies, dear. I sweated for that job. I wouldn't even know where to get a love potion. We didn't visit your parents, because I never liked your parents."

Uncle Vernon was interrupted by Petunia's own screams of, "Mom, Dudley. Is what Harry says true?"

"I'm not sure what Harry has told you," Mrs. Evans replied, "but we know for sure that Vernon is a rotter. He may not have been part of murdering your father, but he certainly committed a lot of crimes against our family."

"It's bad, Mom," Dudley told her. "You need to come with us. We can't be sure you're not drugged. Actually, I can't be sure you're not as responsible as Vernon for what's happened. I was nearly killed the other day. Two thugs invaded Gran's house. Vernon told them that Gran had grandfather's diary. The diary proves that the man who got Dad his job is a serious criminal. Probably murdered my grandfather."

"It's not true Petunia. None of it is true. I swear it," a red-faced Vernon screamed.

"Please come with us, Mom," Dudley pleaded. "Are you going to trust us, or Vernon?"

Petunia edged closer to her mother and Dudley. Bill prevented Vernon from stopping her.

"Are you willing to come back to Hogwarts with us?" Mrs. Evans asked her daughter.

Petunia nodded yes. She was crying. "Yes, please get me out of here!"

"Just take my hand, Mom," Dudley told her. Petunia did so. Dudley linked up with his grandmother, Ellen, and me. A moment later we were in the Great Hall.

"Once again, welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall enthused. "You must be hungry. The students have gone back to their houses, but there is plenty of food and dessert left. You must be very worried and frightened. Just sit here in this calming room and your son will explain everything. We can show you what we learned from the thugs who invaded your mother's home."

It was incredible how solicitous McGonagall was of Petunia, after her reaction the last time Petunia and Dudley had visited our school. I thought she was just happy to be back in the center of activities. Everyone else was off at Harry's grandfather's house. They would question, cajole, and threaten Vernon to the extent deemed necessary and decide what was to be done about him. It was up to Hermione, Mom, and me to make sure that McGonagall stuck to the agreed plan and that we stayed on Petunia's good side. We needed to make her feel comfortable, but we had other objectives. We had to make sure she fully understood what her husband had done. We needed to determine her role in these events. We needed to determine if she was drugged. Finally, we had to help her decide whether or not she wished to remain with her husband. Call it emergency divorce counseling

After Petunia had calmed down and eaten, both Dudley and Mrs. Evans told their tales. I then informed her that we had caught all three thugs: the one in the car who had spied on her house and the two who broke in to steal the diary. I also told her that we had captured the bad Wizard, who worked for Lord Montaigne and had hired the thugs. I concluded by asking if she would like to see a record of our interrogation of the baddies. She nodded yes, saying she very much wanted to see the villains who had almost certainly intended to injure or even murder her mother, had we not intervened.

McGonagall led us to her office. Hermione had our own wooden block filled with our memories of important history. Before we were finished, Petunia, Dudley, and, perhaps unfortunately, McGonagall, had viewed them all. I sequentially added to the Pensieve the questioning of the driver, the lead thug in the break-in, and Roderick. Petunia was especially shocked by what Roderick had to say. She was quite angry.

I took that moment to ask her if she would like to see the record of what we knew of her father's murder. I showed her the memories from the several vials dealing with Bruce's trial: Lord Montaigne's testimony, Bruce's initial defiant testimony, Bruce's later confession to killing his uncle, and finally, Lord Montaigne lashing out at Cissy.

As she turned away from the Pensieve for the final time, Petunia declared, "I shall never return to my husband."

That concluded phase one of our assignment, and brought us to the most sensitive part of our group's mission. McGonagall broke out the sherry and had the Elves bring coffee, tea, and biscuits to her office. We delicately shifted the conversation from how horrible all of this must be for Petunia to have to absorb, to tangential comments and questions of the sort "But you couldn't have known about any of this, could you?" and "How horrible is it to have your husband involved in trying to have your nephew murdered and not even know of it?" and "It must have been the drugs or fear of what Vernon might do to you or Dudley, that caused you to accept his treatment of Harry, hmm."

All the while, Cissy, Hermione, and I had to be locked onto every detail of Petunia's facial expression, body posture, tone of voice, and aura, while seeming to be paying her only peripheral attention as we drank our coffee and ate our biscuits. I could tell that this was an especially tense time for Dudley and his grandmother. They understood that Petunia needed to be tested, felt awkward watching the process, while fervently hoping that she passed every test.

Petunia's responses were quite innocent. "I just wanted to protect Dudley and hold my family together… Vernon frightened me… Convinced myself things weren't really so bad for poor Harry… I am amazed how much I didn't know and how much I misunderstood what I did know… Vernon can be very intimidating, when he's angry… I always wanted you to be a part of our lives, Mom… I'm so sorry."

"**She's telling the truth," **Hermione messaged me. Cissy gave me a surreptitious thumbs up. I agreed with them. Petunia had told the truth.

Our mission was complete. I announce "It's getting late, we should be off." Dudley and his grandmother took this as the positive sign that it was, rushing over to hug Petunia. They led her off to the apartment where Dudley's grandmother was staying. Dudley announced that he would spend the night there, rather than back in Gryffindor. Hermione escorted Dudley's family, leaving Cissy, Ellen, and me to wait with McGonagall for the return of Harry's group.

It was not an unpleasant wait. Cissy and McGonagall were both in high spirits, happy to have participated in what Cissy called "just another truly great adventure, and one with such a happy ending."


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56 – What about Uncle Vernon?**

Harry returned with his Directors, telling us that Mom, Dad, and Dad's aurors had escorted Tony and the Treasury official back to a Muggle government building, which Harry was not permitted to name.

"I think it went well. I'm glad it's over," Harry told us. "Uncle Vernon has chosen to keep his mouth shut, take half of Petunia's inheritance and their prior savings, and set up housekeeping in a location to be agreed with the Muggle government. He has promised to keep a low profile and expects dire consequences if he breaks that particular promise. He expected me to come after him at some point. He didn't expect that I'd have so many friends and aurors, not to mention Dudley on my side. He was really shocked to be threatened by the Muggle government. We told him that he wouldn't be prosecuted by any of us, if he behaves. Before we made that promise, we agreed among ourselves that neither government had a chance of a successful prosecution and neither government wanted the details of Uncle Vernon's crimes made public."

"Not to mention the details of how we learned of these crimes," Madam Bones chimed in.

"Uncle Vernon is guilty of a lot. Part of his motivation was actually loyalty to his sister. She's as dumb as he is, wasn't fairing all that well in care and didn't have great prospects. Lord Montaigne promised a better life for his sister as well as himself. Another motive was fear. Once Vernon bit on the first piece of bait that Lord Montaigne offered, it became harder and progressively more dangerous to say no.

"If he balked the Lord, not only would his sister suffer terribly, but he would lose his cushy job, his wife would realize she had been tricked into marrying him, and he suspected he would meet with more than a little violence from Roderick. Vernon told Roderick of the diary because he was too afraid not to. He admits to deliberately treating me badly, but says he never liked me anyway. He kept me because after my mother died, Petunia felt guilty about how she had treated her and insisted that Vernon keep me in the family. He wasn't sure that the potions he got from Roderick were strong enough to keep Petunia with him if he turned her down on this request. He's been giving her the potion from the day they met until a week after we jailed Lord Montaigne.

"Vernon first found out that Montaigne was out of the picture when I told him tonight. Roderick had been trying to hold things together, for the distant time when his Lord was once again free. Vernon found out that the Montaignes were responsible for my grandfather's murder, but he had nothing to do with it. He didn't like my grandparents. He knew how much they disapproved of him.

"Vernon's dislike of magic was very real. In part, it was a growing distaste for Roderick and the Montaignes. Vernon had convinced himself that he earned his manager job on merit, was the best possible person to do it, and lost it only because of me. He thought my mother showed him insufficient respect and that Petunia pined too much over not going to Hogwarts. He was happy to follow Roderick's dictum that the family totally avoid my parents and grandparents.

"I think Vernon is glad it's over. He thinks he no longer has anything to fear from Roderick, or from me. He is perfectly happy to walk away from Petunia and Dudley. He feels that he is better than they are and that they were holding him back. Wherever he settles, he plans to live with his sister. They deserve each other.

"The last thing is that I kept my pledge to Dudley. Kingsley poured the Veritaserum down Vernon's throat, and I followed it with a pint of bitter. I spilled enough of it on his shirt that he returned home smelling like a brewery. Dudley will be pleased.

"I'm happy to say that I don't expect to hear from or about my Uncle Vernon, ever again. I'd like to say the same about Roderick, but I can't. There's really nothing to charge him with. That's not just Madam Bones's view. Arthur and I agree. The best we can hope for is to prevent him communicating indirectly with Montaigne. Roderick will be released first thing tomorrow. He'll be monitored, but I doubt he'll do anything overtly bad, unless he gets further orders from his Lord. We have concluded that Cissy might be in some danger from him. We'll need to make sure that she's protected."

That certainly got Cissy's attention. All she said was, "Why, what have I ever done to him?"

"He has convinced himself that you've disrespected his Lord. It also seems that your father did not conceal his dislike of your present self during his last discussions with Roderick. One cannot ignore the parallels between my grandfather and yourself. Roderick certainly hasn't. I don't know how he could know, but Roderick has almost full knowledge of your last meeting with your father. He also shares your father's exaggerated view of the extent of your contribution to your brother's downfall. He views Bruce as simply dead. I don't think Roderick will try to kill you anytime soon.

"He's afraid that if you were to die, it would become harder for his Lord to pick up the reins of power upon his release from jail. Roderick is beyond loyal to your father, and takes the long view that your father will prevail in the end. He thinks his bombs and his other secret threat will be enough to secure his release within five years. Roderick isn't young, but he's willing to play the long game. We all need to recognize that the moment Roderick decides that your continued survival is not in his Lord's best interest, you will be in extreme danger. I don't pretend to understand how Roderick thinks, so it's difficult to surmise what might cause him to try to kill you. I didn't say this to frighten you, but you deserved to know."

"And now I know, but I can't live my life differently because of that knowledge. Still, you're a smart guy, with great intuition and fully briefed on what the Ministry knows – what do you think might cause Roderick to decide that I must die?"

"I can see him becoming very concerned if you get too close to me, or if he learns about the stone and finds out that you are close to it. I really don't know. Just graduating and officially becoming Keeper might be enough to do it, or being seated in the House of Lords. I can't think like Roderick. Sorry!"

"No, I agree with you. Roderick is unpredictable, because my father is unpredictable. You are right about the danger I face, but I think close to wrongly suggesting that I keep away from Roderick's sensitivities to protect myself. I think Ginny is following the best approach to danger. I'll be safer, not by hiding from danger, but by becoming stronger and beating back the threats. That's what you've always done. Don't say I'm only a third year. You did that as a first year. The more powers I have and the more I know about the source of the threats, the less danger I will be in. I want Ginny to introduce me to the stone. I'm a Keeper. If there are new risks involved, they are risks which I swore to take."

Well, I didn't see that one coming. Should have, but didn't. "I don't want to rush things with the stone," I temporized. "I am still trying to understand it myself. It has so much power. One misstep and the user could find herself alone on a strange world with no way home. Hermione and I are already taking that risk. Does it make sense for others to dabble in an unknown power?"

Too strong a warning! I could sense that Harry was now becoming increasingly worried about me.

"I also very much want to be introduced to the stone," McGonagall declared. "If there's risk, it's risk that the headmaster must bear. I also accepted that risk, when I picked up the Ravenclaw Keeper ring, left to me by Dumbledore. If the stone is as powerful as you say, then it is either a threat or a protector to my students. I would be a very poor headmaster if I didn't do everything in my power to harness the stone as a protector of Hogwarts. It's right beneath the school, humming away. I can hardly ignore it. I'm much older than any of you. If I'm marooned on a distant world, the time will be relatively short."

So, here I was, smack up against the issue which I both feared and knew to be inevitable. McGonagall wanted a share of my new power. My mother's advice on prior disputes rang in my ears. 'Object without being objectionable, dear. Try to rediscover you past friendship with your headmaster.' Good, as far as it went. I had certainly respected and gotten along with McGonagall far better during my earlier years at Hogwarts. I wouldn't have said we ever shared a friendship or that she was a trusted confidante. She had been a shoulder to cry on, and perhaps try to hide behind, when Snape was too much Snape."

"I don't think the stone is a Keeper thing," I replied. "It seems older than Keepers. I think it is a Mother of the Future and Muse thing. We've tested the Keeper rings on the portals inside the pyramid. They don't work. The rings that do work are the Mother of the Future and Muse rings, which I created myself, based upon knowledge from the Light Guardian. Hermione and I haven't yet… really are not even close to understanding the stone. There is a lot of knowledge to assimilate and we've only been able to give it little more than the briefest review, but we've seen nothing to suggest that the stone wants us to try to enable the non-Mother-of-the-Future Keepers to control it – none whatsoever. So that's what I'm going on. I'm not simply being arbitrary about this."

"Yes, the Keeper rings didn't operate the portals inside the pyramid. However, I know that you were able to and did adjust Harry's and Ron's rings to be able to operate those portals. That's what I want to have done with my ring."

"That was done as a simple safety precaution, not to allow Harry and Ron to operate the stone." At least she wasn't aware that I had activated any other rings. "I think it unwise to activate any additional rings at this time. I think my father prefers that I not increase the number of activated rings."

"I just can't help thinking that you and the Minister are being unnecessarily exclusionary. I think you are being selfish in not sharing a power, which has the potential to benefit us all."

"You could equally accuse my father of being selfish, by not sharing his Minister of Magic power with you. But those powers are deliberately vested in one person, who has been vetted either by all the citizens or the Light Guardian and given the responsibility to use those powers properly. One advantage of that system is the accountability of knowing who is responsible if the power is misused. I think it unwise to create a situation where everyone can operate the transporter and stone. I could equally accuse you of being too selfish to share your headmaster powers with me."

"That's nonsense. You're just months beyond being a child." A Harry whisper suggested that this wasn't the most successful argument for McGonagall to mount.

"I've been very accommodating to your and the Ministry's exploration of the pyramid. If you're so determined not to share the stone, making it impossible for me to assure myself that it is not a threat to my students, then I must reverse my stance. Henceforth, Snape's office will be locked and off limits to both you and the Ministry. I'll also not be heeding requests to lower the Hogwarts apparation barriers. I find such approvals inimical to my duties to protect my students."

"I can't tell you what to do with Snape's office. Go ahead and seal it off. If I were you, I'd replace the stone in the floor, before I sealed it, lest some unfortunate poor soul have a terrible accident sometime in the future. Then, if the Minister doesn't object to sealing Snape's office, have at it! I really don't need to visit the stone for my own purposes, although I rather doubt my father or Hermione's committee will permit you to leave Bane locked within the pyramid, when he returns."

"**And to think I was worried that you'd have a hard time convincing McGonagall to seal Snape's office. That was nicely done. Now she'll find a way to do it, just to spite both you and your father. It's a good thing she doesn't know that we can just apparate into the pyramid with the apparation barriers in place and access the stone and transporter from anywhere. We need to make a vow to each other – no more sharing of stone or Mother and Muse knowledge. Maybe with Harry, Ron, and your Dad. We have become something to fight over and pawed at until we disgorge the prized knowledge. This is not at all good. Secrets are fine.**

"I think it's time for bed," I announced. We have a big day tomorrow.


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57 – Reaching Really Hard For the Stone**

An added bonus of my fleeing to avoid further confrontation with McGonagall, was that Harry and I returned to our apartment in a friendly, conspiratorial mood, whispering messages back and forth to each other during the whole way back. It went from {Great job Ginny!}, to {Well, she is the last Victorian and Victoria was nothing if not bossy.} Somehow, Harry's mind leapt from Victorian to sex, to waving through the bedroom wall at McGonagall, to SEX, in a Harry free-association path which escaped me.

We didn't make it to the bedroom. A first for us, not counting the top of the pyramid. When it came to sexy times, Harry had seemed strictly a meat and potatoes kind of Wizard. Now it was bunny-style, also a first. I'd normally say great, way to go Harry, but my poor knees were saying 'we really need a rug'. Not the greatest, but Harry had read my disappointment and whispered {[concerned but also still HORNEY] don't worry. It's early - we still have plenty of time for a wave through the wall to McGonagall}. So we did and I didn't even have to wait. After a glorious half-hour romp, a half hour cuddle, with a little whisper-channeling back and forth, we both sunk into sleep.

"**Hi Ginny! Are you awake?"**

"**Now. What's wrong?"**

"**Nothing acute, I was just thinking and worrying about your exchange with the headmaster. You know she'll push this too hard and in the wrong places for her own good, but unfortunately also for ours. I think it could end up in your father or my Committee limiting our ability to work with the stone and transporter. If we want to introduce others to the stone and the transporter controls, we will have to move fast. I was thinking Harry, Ron, Cissy, Margaret, and the ancient Witches. It gives us some safety in numbers. Nobody will think they can wipe out all the people of the stone in one attack. We'll also be able to communicate with Ron and Harry from anywhere. We have to leave someone behind us at Hogwarts. Cissy or Margaret are the obvious choices." **

"**That makes sense. We need to push ahead quickly in sorting our thoughts first. I'm amused that you didn't suggest McGonagall as the person we leave behind us at Hogwarts."**

"**I'm still afraid she'll play her own game and we and the stone will be blamed for the consequences. ****Let's do it now. Reach for the stone, while I do. Get your wand, put both of your rings onto it."**

"**I love the ring I made, hate the Montaigne ring, but if it helps, I'll do it."**

"**I like the lovely calcite chip ring you made for me much better than the clunky Montaigne ring, also, but I want to give us every advantage. Now, I've figured out that we're supposed to imagine that our minds are sucking power out of the stone. Feel it flow through your chest, through your arms, into your wand. Now, make a Patronus."**

I did as Hermione suggested. Although I launched it into the sitting room, the bedroom became so bright that Harry started to stir and nearly awoke.

"**It worked! I nearly blinded myself, my Patronus was so bright. What about yours."**

"**Better than it's ever been. You're right, I don't want to wake up Luna."**

We talked back and forth as we practiced drawing power from the stone. We practiced the 'Shield!' charm. There was no way to really test it out, but it just seemed stronger. My body seemed to throb with power.

Our talk drifted to my surprisingly sexy time with Harry, as I wondered to Hermione how Harry's thoughts could so quickly swing from McGonagall to sexy.

Hermione said that she didn't understand either, but that it seemed quite common with young Wizards, even as normally distracted a young Wizard as Harry. **"It's certainly true with Ron. It doesn't matter what we're talking about. We can be having a long discussion about food, and I'm not talking bananas or asparagus or oysters or figs, and just like that, Ron is thinking sexy."**

We did a little more practice, but Hermione suddenly told me "**Go back to sleep. Sorry I disturbed you. I have to go find Ron."**

I fell back to sleep quickly, but still had both rings on my wand. My wand was against my skin. I had vivid dreams. I was battling Roderick, no surprise there, given yesterday's action, but I was fighting him with the stone on my side. I had raised my 'Shield' before he attacked me, but he had his wand pointed at my chest, while mine was still inside my robes. I hurried to extract my wand, but my fingers were fumbly. My wand caught in the folds of my robe and clattered to the floor. I called to the stone, in desperation. Picturing my limbs wrapped around a corner of the stone column, in the tiny space beneath the pyramid floor.

Roderick sneered at me as he whispered 'Avada Kedavra, bitch!' Green light struck me square in the chest. I was bathed in green light. It flowed around me. I smirked back at Roderick.

A soft, wandless 'Expelliarmus' and Roderick's wand was hurled out of sight. I realized that I hadn't learned the proper combination of curses to do what I wanted to do to Roderick. Still, he was lifted off his feet, spun half circle, and pounded head-first into the ground, several times. That was just what I had wanted to do. Roderick was barely alive, and looked to be dying. For some odd reason, this saddened the dream me. I no sooner thought my regret and hoped that Roderick would recover, than I saw him slowly getting to his knees, then his feet, and brushing the dust off his Muggle clothes. He turned and ran away in fear.

I thanked the stone and walked past the spot upon which Roderick had stood.

Despite all the sleep time which I had diverted to romping, chatting with Hermione, practicing stone power, and vanquishing Roderick, I awoke feeling totally rested. I was dressed and ready for food, while Harry was still struggling to haul himself out of bed.

{{You look like you didn't sleep well. I know it's rude, but I'm too starved to wait. I'll meet you down in the Great Hall.}}

{Yeah, sorry. I guess I had a bad dream. I was being attacked by this shiny ball of light. I thought it was the Light Guardian come to talk to me, but then it turned a nasty green that made my skin feel like it was on fire, when it grazed against me. I don't mind if you go down ahead of me.}

As soon as I entered the Great Hall, I realized that Harry wasn't being lazy, I was just up very early. The only others present were George and Luna, who were up early to work getting the inventory organized at the new Hogsmeade shop, since the first Hogsmeade day of the year would be right after the last Quidditch match.

I was telling George and Luna about my conversation and experiments with Hermione. They found my new-found stone prowess quite interesting, but George's attention really perked up, when I drifted off to mentioning our discussion of how easily Wizards' thoughts were diverted to the sexy. How could the most non-sexual, actually off-putting subjects cause a young Wizard's thoughts to drift toward the sexy?

"That's simple," George informed me. "Teenage Wizards think of sex almost all the time. We may talk to you about other things, just to be polite, but when that conversation is done, we go back to where we were before."

"So then a discussion of food doesn't cause you to think sexy thoughts."

"Absolutely not," my brother replied "but it can only blot them out for so long."

I was not surprised to see Hermione appear without Ron. Apparently, something about our nocturnal stone communion had generally recharged both of us. I doubt either of us had even two hours of sleep, but it was as if we had slept for a day. Well, not exactly, sleeping for a whole day often makes me feel languid, but you know what I mean.

I actually told this sidebar to hide my embarrassment, at the time Hermione arrived. I had continued on the food discussion with George, ending with the obviously naïve statement, "I understand what Hermione meant about the bananas and asparagus, but I don't get it with the figs and oysters."

George quickly replied, "I'd explain, if I didn't still think of you partly as my baby sister. You should ask McGonagall about that."

We truthtellers are very adept at recognizing nuances of spoken tone, and I instantly sensed that I most certainly didn't want to ask McGonagall. I must have blushed, because George continued, "Or, you could just ask Harry."

Hermione's first words were "What should Ginny ask Harry?"

Luna was kind enough to draw me aside and put me out of my misery.

The five of us seated ourselves and food began to appear. We all chose hot coffee, with milk and scones. They were fine, but there didn't appear to be more variety on tap for the very early breakfasters.

I suddenly noticed that food was appearing en masse and looked up to see that Harry, Ron, Mom and quite surprisingly Dad, were joining us. In response to my questioning look, Dad replied "I stayed over in your mother's apartment last night. Having dumped the Dursleys on your headmaster, I thought I should be here if anything bad happened. Plus, I was just missing Molly."

The headmaster appeared and made a bee-line for our table, stopping in her tracks as she saw Dad. Seeing that Dad had seen her, she started walking towards us again and sat down diagonally across from me. She appeared to be still gathering her thoughts into a version that was safe for Dad to hear. "I've decided to excuse your junior team from their early afternoon classes, so that they can practice before your senior team needs the pitch. You're getting very close to the tournament. I hope that you will be ready. You are planning on attending the junior team practice, aren't you Ginny?"

I politely assured the headmaster that I certainly intended to look in on the junior practice, but had no intention of stepping on Margaret's toes. It would be Margaret leading the practice, not me. "I mainly planned to work with young Wood," I told her.

As McGonagall returned to the head table, Dad commented "That isn't actually what she initially planned to say, is it?"

"Probably not," I agreed.

"I think the headmaster was surprised to see you at the table, dear," Mom explained to Dad "I think she's a little nervous, both having you at Hogwarts and speaking to the Minister's daughter in his presence."

"Ah! You mean she actually wanted to resume last night's discussion. I heard about that. Yes, the Minister has his sources, which he is not about to reveal to you. We do need to talk about the transporter, the stone and the Committee. This has the potential to get ugly. This can be topic A at our family dinner tomorrow night. In the meantime, I'd like a quick word with my daughter."

Dad didn't say a word, as he walked me out of the Great Hall, across the Entry Hall, out the main entrance and about a hundred feet across the lawn, motioning to his aurors to keep out of hearing distance.

"This is important, Ginevra. A lot of persons in a lot of species are going to be very concerned about you and your stone. I agree with your intent to keep McGonagall at a distance from it. I also agree that it will be safer to introduce others to the stone, once you and Hermione understand it better. I just wanted to tell you that you may not have the luxury of sufficient time for that to happen. If there are other persons whom you feel you must introduce to the stone, or if you and Hermione have other experiments to conduct, you had best do so in the next few days. News of Bane's trip is out. I should have anticipated that there might be negative reaction, and there certainly has been. The Muggle Prime Minister is not happy and neither are the Unicorns. I wouldn't be surprised if the stone is shut down within a week or upon Bane's return, whichever comes first. Your headmaster will blunder around and bring this matter to a head a lot quicker than any of us would like. I just wanted to warn you that as soon as Bane returns, I'm going to agree to allow her to seal Snape's office.

"I won't tell you whom you should introduce to the stone, but I want you to be aware that you may have to justify your choices to the Committee, or make certain that they remain totally secret. There are many, beyond your headmaster, who will want an introduction to the stone. You can't have it publicly known that you've introduced Anthony to the stone, and not be able to explain why Anthony made more sense than Jasmine, who was left out. As a Committee member myself, I would find it eminently logical if you decided to include the other Light Guardian-approved Keepers and even Assistant Keepers. Barb and Bill also have a special status with the Light Guardian. My last suggestion is to find a way to delay the inevitable McGonagall eruption. I fear that I made a mistake including her on the Committee."

"Thanks, Dad. It means a lot that you trust me so much."

"Well, good. I certainly trust your judgment and courage. I just felt you needed a heads up on the political considerations. Now I had better be off to the Ministry, before your headmaster erupts about my interfering with the running of Hogwarts. Say goodbye to your mother for me. I'll walk to the gate from here."

I returned to the Great Hall, feeling as hungry as if I hadn't eaten a thing in days. As I was loading my plate with eggs, bacon, broiled tomato, and braised asparagus, which detoured my mind to prior discussions, I was messaged from both sides.

{[concern] Is everything okay with you and your Dad? He was so dramatic and secretive, walking you that far away that I won't pry, but I just want to know if I should be concerned.}

{{All is fine. Dad was very gracious. He just wanted to nudge me ahead on the stone, before politics and McGonagall shut things down.}}

"**What just happened? I've never seen your father act like that. Is this connected to us and the stone?"**

"**Yes it is. He advised me that political considerations mean we have to move faster than we had planned. We should spend the morning on stone matters."**

I told Mom that Dad said goodbye, but needed to get back to the Ministry. Mom motioned toward the head table with her eyes as she replied "I understand."

Just the thought of McGonagall seemed sufficient to propel her back to our table. "I'd like to see Ginny and Hermione in my office… After you've finished eating, of course."

As we finished eating, I suggested to Harry that he hang close, until after our McGonagall meeting. "Please keep Cissy here, as well." Harry and Ron were chatting with Cissy as Hermione and I headed to McGonagall's office.

"Yesterday was an exciting day, and I spoke precipitously last night," McGonagall told us. "Of course I won't seal Snape's office until after Bane returns. I would never strand a friend. I do think the office should be sealed. I do this, not because I am upset that you refuse to introduce me to the stone, but because I see a danger to the school. Having an entrance to the pyramid, guarded by Ministry aurors, isn't acceptable with students present. More exploration over Christmas break and next summer is fine, but I don't want the parade of aurors in and out of Snape's office. The students are beginning to notice and ask questions."

"That's reasonable," I reassured McGonagall, bringing a look of surprise to her face.

"I thought you'd object and go running to your father."

"Not at all. The stone is the local presence of the Light Guardian. I don't want it to become a circus."

"Well, I'm very glad that we're in agreement on this. If I could be so bold as to take this sense of agreement a step farther, I'd like to ask that I be allowed to test my ring on the transporter. I know my ring won't operate the portal, but it might operate the transporter."

I again surprised her, replying, "Fine, but if we do this, we are going to do this properly. First, I think the stone pre-dates the Keepers, and is associated with the Light Guardian. That means the most likely persons to be accepted by the stone are the ancient Witches and the Keepers and assistants recognized by the Light Guardian. Those whom the Light Guardian spoke to directly. I think it is too early to test your ring, but if you are determined to do so, then I'm going to insist that we give the others a chance at the same time. Second, I believe the Light Guardian wants the stone to be managed by the Mother of the Future and her Muse. So, if you operate the stone and transporter, you will be doing so as our assistant. Finally, it must remain our secret that you and the others were given the opportunity to address the transporter. Do you accept those conditions?"

"I do. I'll make arrangements for the Priestesses to be here. I assume that you will arrange for the presence of the others. Can we do this later this morning?"

"No. Hermione and I have more work to do, trying to understand the stone. We can do that this afternoon, after I make a quick visit to the junior team's practice."

"I can agree to all of that," McGonagall told us. "Thank you for being so gracious."

"I'm surprised you agreed to that," Hermione told me as we headed back to the Great Hall.

"Dad suggested that we needed to postpone the McGonagall explosion. This seems the most straight-forward way. It is not unreasonable for her to want to test the Ravenclaw ring. I'm quite certain that ring will be rejected. At least if it's on McGonagall's finger. Contrary to her opinion, I doubt the stone recognizes the 'mantle of Dumbledore'. We also need McGonagall's help to quietly get the Priestesses and others into the pyramid, without apparating them. I don't want the others to know that we have this ability."

I explained to Harry, Ron, and Cissy that we wanted to test their rings on the transporter bench this afternoon. They, especially Cissy, were eager to proceed. Ron questioned including McGonagall in this exercise, but Hermione told him "It's unavoidable. It suits our purpose to do it now, rather than fight with her about it."


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58 – Testing Of the Rings**

I told Hermione of my dream. Her reaction was that my dreaming mind had made contact with the stone and learned how to invoke its power. We thought we knew how to repel attacks, but couldn't be sure. Since the stone could help both our offensive and defensive magic, we couldn't test our theories on each other. For that reason, we recruited Ron to help us with our stone-defense practice.

We told Ron that we needed to determine how impervious to attack we could become by using the stone to amplify the power of our 'Shield' charm. We told Ron that we would prepare to defend ourselves and at the time of maximum readiness, he should attack with the 'Off!' curse. Since it was my dream, I went first. I reached for contact with the stone. I imagined wrapping myself around the edge of it. I reinforced my 'Shield' as I signaled my readiness to my brother.

'Off!' Ron shouted to no effect. 'Expelliarmus!' 'Off!' Ron was unable to pierce my enhanced armor. Ron looked very surprised and even examined and washed off his wand, apparently suspecting that I had played an elaborate joke on him, using Lee's spray. I braced myself for Ron's renewed onslaught. 'Off!', 'Expelliarmus', 'Off!', ' Petrificus Totalis', 'Leviosum', spells assaulted me in quick succession. For some reason, 'Leviosum' worked to a degree, lifting me about a foot off the ground, until I made clear to the stone that this was occurring without my consent. I slowly drifted back to the ground. Ron shook his wand, declaring "I said 'Leviosum', now up with you."

"Very impressive, Ginny," Hermione told me. "Now it's my turn. Don't go as easy on me as you did on your sister," Hermione instructed Ron, sending me a whisper wink as she said this. Ron attacked her with a volley of varied curses. His fifth curse, 'Expelliarmus!' sent her wand flying and brought a smile to Ron's face. I suddenly realized that he had been attacking us with his new, improved, super-sand replacement wand from Ollivander's.

"I didn't do as well as you did, but much better than I could have done without the stone's help," Hermione appraised her performance. "I'll continue to work on my defensive charms, but I agree that your dream has unlocked at least part of the secret. I'm not sure that exact mental image will be needed to link with the stone, once we have more experience. It's probably just like training wheels on a bicycle. Thank you, Ron. Ginny and I now need to contemplate on our own."

I took Hermione up to our apartment. We lay on the bed and focused on talking to each other through the stone, gradually sliding over to speaking to the stone itself. It did appear able to listen to us and to respond. A couple hours effort, along with delving into our Light Guardian and stone memories, sufficed to discover that if we wanted Harry's introduction to the stone to be a success and didn't have time for him to hug the energized stone as we had done, that he would have to be introduced to the stone by joining my link. I used the stone to amplify my whisper channel with Harry, telling him that he needed to return from the Ministry before lunch, in order to prepare for the afternoon's activities.

We were joined at lunch not only by Harry, but also by Victoria and Mafalda. They both seemed excited to be back at Hogwarts amidst all the students. They were semi-famous or infamous as a result of their participation in the bonfire ceremony and the younger children at the Gryffindor table were especially eager to chat with them. Since they were too off in the boonies to keep up with the news, Luna provided them with copies of the Daily Prophet and Quibbler accounts of their exploits. Victoria thought the Prophet's name calling was a hoot.

The junior Quidditch team went straight from lunch to the pitch to begin their practice. McGonagall, by way of facial expression and body language urged me to follow them, and then inquired why not? I pointed to Harry as I led the way to Harry's office. Once in the office, Hermione and I quickly linked to the stone. I then established a whisper link with Harry. Just as I had done with the whale song, I relayed the stone rhythm into Harry's skull, using our whisper link. I guided him to the best frequency, let him eavesdrop on my conversation with the stone, then made the introduction. I'm sure the stone responded "Hello and welcome Harry Potter, consort of the Mother of the Future'. Nothing like being put in your place by a giant rock.

"I realize it's likely very inappropriate to simply summon an Elf King, who isn't really your personal Elf," I told Harry "but I think it important that Cotto participate in this experiment. All those low depressions for Elves must have a purpose and I doubt it is mere coincidence that there is a tunnel leading to a place for Elf worship, which is only accessible from inside the pyramid. Still, that didn't require that a portal be opened."

"Don't worry," Harry replied. "Cotto does not insist upon Kingly formality. I am allowed to summon him for important reasons. This seems sufficiently important that Cotto won't be offended."

Cotto appeared beside us. I explained the experiment and suggested that it would be a good time to learn if the Elf King could operate the transporter. I asked Cotto if he had any sort of amulet that might work to operate the portals and transporter.

"Perhaps, yes. Perhaps Elf not need ring."

Cotto vanished, only to return mere seconds later, with the Messenger Elf staff and robe clasp which we had seen in the Sacred Cavern. "I have a feeling that one or both of those totems will work," I assured Cotto. "Harry will explain the situation to you. I have to make a brief trip to the Quidditch Pitch."

My mission accomplished, I excused myself to put in an appearance at Quidditch practice. I told Harry and Hermione that they were responsible for keeping a lid on McGonagall until I returned.

I planned only a brief appearance at Quidditch. I promised McGonagall that I would observe the junior team and I did exactly that. I watched them go through their drills for about twenty minutes, offered words of encouragement, congratulated Margaret on the fine work she was doing as Captain, and flew a few laps with Wood, giving him a few pointers on proper angle of attack in pursuit of the Snitch. I thought the junior team had made a lot of progress in a very short time and had an excellent chance of winning the Tournament. I said my goodbyes and rushed back to the Great Hall.

It was clear that McGonagall was barely able to contain herself as she waited for me. She was fidgeting in a way that was totally contrary to her normally poised and serene bearing. As I approached the table, where everyone else was calmly chatting, McGonagall looked up and remarked "Finally, Miss Weasley."

I sweetly replied "I was just looking in on the junior team, as you requested. They are doing very well, by the way. So, do you want to crawl through the hole and skinny down the rope, or should we drop the barriers and just apparate."

"You may use the rope, if you so choose, Miss Weasley, the Priestesses and I will apparate. I've invited Professor Trelawney, by the way. She is almost a Priestess."

I should have expected that, but I hadn't. I just smiled and suggested, "Well, we should get started, or I'll be late for the senior team drills."

McGonagall sent out her Patronus, and then we waited until a high pitched bell sounded in the distance. McGonagall perked up at the sound as she urged us to join hands. I instructed the group to stand side-to-side in a long line, as I planned to apparate us onto the walkway halfway up the pyramid. I brought us in just a couple of inches off the ground. We hiked to the control-room portal on the stairway.

I was anxious to see if Cotto could open the portal to the control landing. There was a faint depression at Elf height on a small marble plaque beside the portal. Cotto placed the top of his staff against the depression. The door opened. Cotto also wanted to try the stone in his robe clasp. We waited for the door to slide closed. Cotto placed the clasp against the depression. The door did not budge.

I was going to simply use my ring to open the portal, but McGonagall insisted upon trying her ring again. I stepped aside allowing her to make another unsuccessful attempt at opening the portal. I was about to place my ring against the appropriate indentation, when Mafalda announced "I wonder if I might try my rock."

I stepped aside again and watched as Mafalda reached into her robe and withdrew a stone pendant, lifting the leather thong from which it was suspended over her hair. "May I?" I asked, holding my hand out. Mafalda dropped the pendant into my hand. As pendants go, this one was quite heavy and very simple. It looked like a piece of granite which had been smoothed in a river bed. It was about two and a half inches across, almost circular, and perhaps a tad over a half inch thick. It had a quarter inch hole drilled through it, with the thong passing through the hole. It was a rather attractive, but not extraordinary stone, although it felt quite nice in my hand. I thanked Mafalda and passed her pendant back to her.

Mafalda pressed the pendant against the indentation and waited. About ten seconds later, the door slid open. My surprised look triggered Mafalda's explanation.

"I've had this stone since just before the death of my predecessor. It's been passed down from Head Priestess to Head Priestess for a very long time. I was instructed by my predecessor that I must keep the stone safe, that it was very important and the chief totem of our order. I asked her what its purpose was, but she informed me that she was never told. The only hint she had been given was that she would know to use the stone at the appropriate time. I just guessed that this might be the appropriate time."

"It's very encouraging that your pendant operated this portal. None of the Keeper rings have done so. I think there is a good chance that you will be able to operate the transporter. It was left active for a reason. I doubt I was the reason, millennia after the fact," I told Mafalda.

"I have a very old ring that I would like to try," Victoria told me.

I stepped to the side to allow her access to the portal, just as the door slid shut. What Victoria pulled from an inner pocket, actually she ripped a pocket which had been sewn shut, was a very simple and primitive-looking copper ring, with a very small stone chip. I didn't doubt that the chip was from this world's first stone circle.

"It doesn't look like much and I don't have a story to go with it," Victoria explained. "It has been passed down among the Priestesses for a very long time, but it wasn't a symbol of rank and wasn't said to have a purpose. It was like a gift from sister to sister. Just a little bit of cheer as you shouldered your full responsibilities. I think it is so simple, so that nobody would be tempted to steal it."

She touched the ring to the depression beside the portal. After a short wait, the door slid open. As I glanced over, I saw that McGonagall had been deflated by the successes of the two Priestess rings. I doubt she held out any hope of her Ravenclaw ring being accepted by the stone.

Still, when we had climbed to the control landing, McGonagall was first in line to test her ring. I instructed all of the participants that it was likely dangerous to sit upon the bench before their ring was accepted by the stone. I told them that they would hear a message in their head, welcoming them, or perhaps a rejection message, or simply silence. I thought I might be able to listen in on the stone's message to them.

I guided McGonagall to the faint depression, where she needed to place her ring. She seemed to have summoned up a small bit of hope as she applied her ring to the bench. I heard the message from the stone "Leave this place at once". A dejected McGonagall left the landing and returned to the stone stairs.

Cotto was next in line. I pointed to the spot and Cotto placed the tip of his staff against it. Instantly I heard "Welcome Messenger of the Light Guardian." Next I showed Cotto the on and off depression under the lower observation slit.

"We have nothing to transport," I apologized. "I think it will suffice if you simply attempt to turn the transporter on and then off again. Touch your staff here to turn it on. Wait for the transporter to come to life, then touch the spot again to turn off the transporter."

Cotto did exactly that, and the transporter responded to his commands.

I showed Cotto the symbol which he must touch to be transported to the Goblin cave, suggesting "It is probably unwise to test it now. The young Goblins got very excited and almost attacked us when we were transported there. I'm sorry, but I forgot to warn them that we'd be testing the landing controls today."

Cotto gave me what I assumed was the Elf gesture for 'doesn't matter' and returned to the stone stairs, to give more room for the others.

Both of the ancient Witches and Harry were able to operate the stone. Ron, Cissy, Barb, and Bill could not operate the stone.

The last person to try her luck with the stone was Trew. I didn't know whether she even had a ring and was more than a little stunned, when she sat the big handbag she had been carrying down upon the floor and extracted her mother's glass globe. She plunked this most unlikely of totems atop the tiny depression. Surprisingly the stone answered 'Welcome, future-seeing Priestess'.

Trew's initial totally gleeful expression was quickly replaced by a look of concern, as she explained "I think it best that none of us mention this to Minerva. I don't think she could handle it right at the moment." In accord with this sudden reserve, Trew declined to test whether she could turn the transporter on and off. I think she was quite sure that she could and didn't want to risk McGonagall seeing her do it.

The old Witches did not want to walk down the stairs. We all left the landing and as soon as the door closed, grabbed hands so that I could apparate us to the lawn, in front of the main entrance. Since we had been standing on about six different stair steps, there was no way for me to avoid my end of the chain arriving at a point about four feet above the lawn. I gave fair warning prior to disapparating and made sure that we were arrayed so that Ron, Harry, and I arrived at the greatest elevation.

McGonagall was looking very unhappy, but she approached me determinedly "You were able to adjust Harry's ring, so that he could operate the transporter. I request that you also adjust mine."

"That wouldn't work. I also adjusted Ron's, Bill's, and Barb's rings and they couldn't operate the transporter either. I think it requires a higher level of authorization to operate the transporter than it does to open the portals inside the pyramid."

"Then why was Harry able to operate the transporter?"

"I don't understand the stone well enough to give you an answer. We're still in the speculation stage. Why were the ancient Priestesses and the Goblin King able to operate the transporter? Perhaps it's because Harry sat with Hermione and me throughout the entire ordeal in the Sacred Cavern. I'll have to see if Cissy and King Goblanze can operate the stone to test that theory. Perhaps it's because I told the stone that Harry is my husband."

"I want you to do the same for me."

"Sorry, I work very closely with the stone. I wouldn't want it to think I'm a slut."

McGonagall pivoted away from me and with a great harrumph strode into the castle.

"I really wish you wouldn't wind up the headmaster, dear," Trew mildly chastised me "I'm going to have quite enough trouble calming her. I'll have to find just the right time to tell her that the stone accepted me. That will be difficult for her to deal with."

Cissy approached, looking at me expectantly, but not speaking. I held up a hand to forestall speech, telling her "Later, I'm almost late for Quidditch practice."

It was a very good practice, exhilarating in fact. After being underground, standing on rough stone, the chance to fly through the sky was shear bliss.


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59 – Organizing the Stone Warriors**

Shear bliss or not, I made certain that I ended the Quidditch practice early enough to get the players to the Great Hall in plenty of time for dinner. I was mindful of McGonagall's behavior on the night of Lucius's visit and didn't want my prominent place on McGonagall's least-favorite-persons list to negatively impact the members of my team. I would give her no excuse to slap them down to spite me. As a result of this forethought, I was at the Gryffindor table before anyone but Margaret, who had been watching us play, and Cissy, who was anxious to talk to me.

"Can we talk about…?" Cissy began.

"You can come up to our apartment after dinner," I replied "I'd prefer not to discuss what you want to discuss, here in the Great Hall, with our table about to fill up. I'd also prefer not to have McGonagall observing our discussion."

"In that case, we can talk about Quidditch," Margaret suggested. "I think you are going to have a problem with Jimmy Peakes. He is being too aggressive, as if he has something to prove, which is more important to him than winning or even staying out of the infirmary. If you can't convince him that part of a Beater's job is to avoid being beaten on by the opposition, he is going to be murdered when you play Eire. Even when he is at a clear disadvantage in a likely collision, he doesn't even try to avoid it. It is not cowardly to engage when you have the advantage and to avoid when the odds are against you. That's just smart Quidditch."

"Yes it is," I agreed. "Thank you for noticing that. I guess I've had so much on my mind and been trying so hard to get Jimmy back to emotional equilibrium, that I didn't notice that. You're entirely correct. It's one thing to use Quidditch to rid yourself of frustrations through intense effort, and quite another to play stupid. He won't help the team if he plays stupid."

Cissy was saved from the necessity of thinking of something intelligent to say about Quidditch by the arrival of Harry. He was with Dudley, Petunia, and Mrs. Evans. "I thought Quidditch practice would be a good time for me to spend time with my family," Harry informed me. "We've been discussing where they might choose to live, and whether that location can be safe from Uncle Vernon. I think Vernon was thoroughly frightened by the Muggle government, but he may reach the point where he gets angry enough that he wants to strike back. Likely that will be at Petunia."

"I'll protect Mom, Gran too," Dudley vowed. "Harry and I have been talking about ways to make my new house more secure. Harry is trying to think of magical protections which will be discrete enough not to be apparent to, what are they called Harry?"

"Magical force viewers," Harry supplied the term. "I'm thinking simple alarm charms to alert Dudley if anyone enters the property or house. Dudley is also going to get a couple dogs, and more motorbikes, so it's not as easy to spot him when he's out and about. He also said that as a landowner, with some woods, he feels entitled to own a shotgun."

"I'm sure my father could put together a home security and surveillance system for you," Hermione had just arrived, with Ron beside her. "Dad loves to do that sort of thing. With his university contacts, he has access to experimental gear that is so tiny, it's virtually invisible. He can likely rig the system to also alert us, so that we can come and help your repel an attack. I don't want to spook you, but I'd be more worried about Roderick, than I would about Vernon. I almost forgot. I wanted to tell Harry and Ginny that Dad heard back from his University friend. That char from the Elf sanctuary – it's 9,500 to 10,000 years old."

"Wow!" Harry was stunned. "Why, that's far before the stone and the transporter. That means the pyramid was likely built by the Elves."

"The pyramid may well have been built by the Elves," Hermione agreed. "The stone and pyramid also could both be more than ten thousand years old. I know you're remembering the dating on the carbon that Ginny scraped off the writing inside the pyramid, but that just relates to the time of the transporter. I strongly suspect that the stone and the pyramid existed long before the transporter was built to resolve a particularly nasty war."

The table was starting to fill up, so we shifted back to light-hearted banter, not related to much of anything that was in the front of our minds. Dinner was satisfying, individual cottage pies and good sized ones. For dessert, there was baked apple with enough cinnamon to make a Goblin feel like a King. Lots of whipped heavy cream with vanilla and just a hint of sugar to pour on top. It was just glorious.

I was finishing my meal as I saw McGonagall starting towards us. She stopped and diverted to her office, as she saw Mom headed toward me. Harry slid over to make a place for Mom. That sounds very polite and gallant, but it meant a first-year Witch was evicted from her spot on the end and had to carry her milk and half-finished apple to the other end of the table. I sent a whisper frown to Harry for that.

"I take it you've bumped heads with the headmaster again," Mom said in a totally non-accusatory manner. "I can tell by her mood and that she chose to take it out on me. Can you imagine, she saw fit to chastise me at dinner because your father slept over at my apartment last night? I told her that I really didn't feel that my sexual activities, especially with my own husband, were any of her business. I said it was my understanding that I had been provided with an apartment, not a cell in a nunnery. She was all 'You know that's not what I meant. I'd just like to be informed when the Minister is at Hogwarts. I would be held responsible if anything happened to him.' I told her that Arthur has aurors who assume that responsibility, as, in fact do you, Harry, and me. I asked if she worried that Arthur posed a threat to the students. Just thought I'd let you know the lay of the land." Mom walked away, still clearly upset. I felt good for her. It was about time she stopped automatically deferring to McGonagall's authority about absolutely everything. McGonagall would have quite the foe, if she made an enemy of my Mom.

{{Even I wouldn't have imagined that McGonagall would have the nerve to interfere in my parents spousal interactions.}}

{Spousal interactions? I must remember that. Is that what we're calling it now?}

{{It most certainly is where my parents are concerned.}}

We led Hermione, Ron, and Cissy back to our apartment. Cissy wanted to speak, but I said "Not a word until we're inside the apartment and the door is closed. In fact, Snape's device would not go amiss."

Hermione made a quick detour. By performing two apparates, she was waiting for us at the top of the stairs, when I arrived. Harry winked at her, whispering "Show off," in a direction that I don't think Cissy could pick up.

I took the anti-snoop device from Hermione and placed it on the side of the sitting room nearest McGonagall's apartment. What I was going to say might be considered a tad seditious by my headmaster. "Okay gang, we have a lot of work to do on the stone, and very little time before McGonagall closes down the show. I had thought that Cissy's and Ron's rings might well work, since they were present in the Sacred Cavern with the Light Guardian. I've already adjusted Ron's ring to open the portals and that didn't do the trick. If Cissy gives me her ring, I'll make that adjustment while I speak to you."

"I tried and succeeded in introducing Harry to the stone in a three-way discussion. I'm not sure that I can pull that off with Ron and Cissy, but I'm willing to try. Before I do, I require a pledge of total secrecy on this. You may tell nobody, without permission from Hermione or me. The knowledge that I will try to share with you may contain great danger for all of us, if somebody blabs."

Cissy realized that I was looking directly at her as I said this. "NNo problem," she stammered. "I can keep a secret. I realize this is important."

"Even from Alex," I pressed her.

"Of course even from Alex," Cissy bristled. "I don't know what you imagine that the two of us talk about, but I can assure you it isn't politics."

"Alright then," I reassured her. "We'll test out this approach tonight. If it doesn't work, we'll have to try something more drastic tomorrow. I also want to try to introduce Bill and Barb to the stone, since they've had prior contact with the Light Guardian. I doubt that someone to whom the Light Guardian has not spoken could achieve a proper introduction to the stone. I'm excluding those, like the ancient Witch Priestesses who continue a long line of Witches who had contact with the Light Guardian millennia ago. I must admit, I was as surprised as anyone when Professor Trelawney's globe did the trick. We'll have to look into that." I said this with an air of absolute assurance. In truth, I hadn't a clue whether or not an intimate encounter with the Light Guardian was a prerequisite for acceptance by the stone. In the event that somebody, probably somebody named Cissy, blabbed, it seemed a prudent safeguard for outsiders to believe it was a prerequisite.

I continued, "I was able to join Harry into my conversation with the stone, because he and I are so close."

"Because you mentally whisper to each other," Cissy corrected me.

"Well, yes, but I think closeness also counts. That's why I thought it best to begin with Ron, since he and Hermione are very close. I thought Hermione and I could each get in contact with the stone while holding hands, and then Ron could hold hands with both of us, while we try to make the introduction. We should each have our rings on our wands and our wands touching our skin."

We tried this approach, and it seemed to work. We were initially at a loss of how to describe Ron. We alternately called him 'my Muse's almost husband' and 'our best friend', as well as 'the brave Wizard who helped destroy Voldemort'. Ron was able to speak to the stone. Hermione deliberately broke hands with us and dropped out of the loop. I encouraged Ron to speak to Hermione through the stone. He succeeded. Although he was sitting only eighteen inches away from her, I decided to score this a success.

I thought that we might have also been successful with Cissy, but wasn't as confident as I was about Ron. We simply could not establish stone communication with either Bill or Barb. They took the failure in good spirits.

"All right," I told the group. "It's test time, and we are getting into the absolutely gotta be kept a secret territory. Join hands with me, and stand around this lovely new throw rug. Don't crowd the rug. No part of your body may be touching or above the surface of the rug, in fact, I'd give a margin of at least six inches, really more is better, if possible. Everyone set? Great."

I had landed us around the bench inside the control landings. The lights came on with our arrival. The advantage of apparating right inside the landing was that the aurors in Snape's office wouldn't see any lights.

I had them all offer their rings to the stone. Ron was accepted, the others were not. I apparated us straight back to our apartment. I didn't want Ron to even attempt to turn on the transporter, since the aurors would likely report seeing a glow atop the black rock.

"Don't worry," I told Cissy, Barb, and Bill. "We have some other tricks that we can try. Hermione and I need to work on them. We need an excuse to operate the transporter in order to carry them out."

We ushered Cissy and the aurors out of our apartment, requesting that Barb escort Cissy back to Gryffindor, hopefully lessening the odds of her getting detention if she was caught wandering the halls. "If you wait long enough for the kids to be back in their dorms, we could apparate her back to the Gryffindor Common Room," Hermione suggested.

That's what we decided to do. While we waited, we decided that tomorrow we would try to introduce Neville, George, Luna, and Margaret to the stone. Since we had no luck with Cissy, I wasn't hopeful of success, but felt that the effort was necessary.

I started working on crafting rings for tomorrow's candidates. As I did so, I wondered if Margaret still had the Joan of Arc ring. It would be interesting to test that, although Joan was definitely far more modern than the transporter. Hermione apparated Cissy, Bill went off to his guard position, and Barb went off to bed. It would be far more efficient, but a lot less private, if we set up a bed for Barb in the corner of our sitting room.

McGonagall ambushed us at breakfast with the complaint, "Cissy wasn't in her bed last night."

Harry responded that he felt quite sure that Cissy had not left Hogwarts. McGonagall harrumphed at that, but spotted Cissy arriving late to breakfast and turned her attention to her.

Cissy was made of weaker flesh than Harry and fairly quickly admitted to visiting us in our apartment and getting to bed at 1:00 A.M. When McGonagall asked why Cissy was in our apartment, she replied "We're friends. I was visiting. We were talking."

"I would have thought that, after the incident with Mr. Peakes, my prohibition against young students visiting faculty apartments would have been understood to include the apartments of married students. I'm not at all sure that it's proper for a young Witch to be visiting with a married couple past midnight. Was she also drinking?"

"No, she wasn't drinking," Harry responded with some heat. "If you weren't thinking so dirty-mindedly, you'd realize that we had auror chaperones, not that either Ginny or I would think of doing anything improper with Cissy."

"I didn't mean to suggest that you would, only that appearances are as important as reality," McGonagall haughtily declared. "At any rate, I'll remedy my original error and expand my dictum to the scope which I had originally intended: henceforth, none of the occupants of Hogwarts apartments are permitted to entertain regular Hogwarts students in their apartments. I hope that I have now made myself clear."

McGonagall turned and departed. I think Cissy was more upset than anyone, declaring "I think I shall be spending more nights in my castle. You are all welcome to visit me."

We were interrupted by the arrival of the mail. My eyes were immediately drawn away from the owls carrying the Quibbler to the camouflage owl employed by Professor Slughorn. That unusual beast landed right in front of Harry. It must have flown all the way from Durmstrang, because it showed no inclination to fly off after Harry stripped the rolled up parchment from its leg. It strutted about the table, cadging handouts from the younger students and resorting to the outright theft of bacon and bangers when the students were too slow with their offerings.

Harry looked worried as he read the note aloud to our group:

_Harry My Dear Boy,_

_Viktor and Cho are too proud to contact you and cry for help, but things are not well here at Durmstrang. I am sensing a growing resistance to Viktor's leadership from those backward elements for whom failing to be German is sufficient reason to oppose him. Our delightful Cho is also not at all popular – too British and far, far too much of the Orient. _

_I am writing now, because our Quidditch teams will soon be arriving at your school. With them is one Herr Professor Schwein, who bears special watching. I would not put it past the louse to do bodily harm to Viktor or Cho, whilst under your roof and blame the attack upon you. There are many in this part of the Continent who retain a lingering affection for Grindelwald and those who tried to revive his movement. You in particular are blamed for the loss of their leaders. While watching over Viktor and Cho, you should also have a care for your own safety._

_I don't believe that I am given to alarmism, my boy. This is all too real._

_If I might add a word of a personal nature, I've been requested by a certain young Slytherin to suggest that she understands you not wanting her back at Hogwarts, but still yearns for the chance to learn Magical Engineering. She expressed a desire to attend Durmstrang and asked that I put in a good word on her behalf. I confess that I would welcome her familiar face here amidst the Prussians. I have already put in a good word to Viktor. He knows Pansy's history and is willing to accept her. She sincerely wants a fresh start and says she will avoid politics. Still, given her age and formerly-married status, she will be a most unusual Durmstrang student and will have to reside outside the castle. I have offered her one of my rooms._

_The second personal request might be more touchy. Viktor needs help, and Professor Henkel was most definitely one of Viktor's men. Please arrange for him to be returned to us. I'm quite certain that you or Ronald would perform most admirably in his stead._

_Horace._

"Well," Hermione remarked, "so much for the upcoming sport pulling the various Wizarding communities together. You'll have to arrange extra aurors for the tournament and had better get back to the Ministry and discuss this with Arthur right away. By the way, did anyone else get the dirty old man vibe, which I was picking up, while he was writing about Pansy?"

"Yes, I had planned to help Ginny today, but I must see Arthur first," Harry agreed. "I have no problem making Pansy Viktor's problem, rather than our own. I guess we should inform the headmaster, before I depart, if there is the possibility of Viktor wanting the return of Professor Henkel."

Harry went up to the head table, spoke just a few words to McGonagall, and then whispered me that the rest of us should follow him to McGonagall's office. Slughorn's owl was still walking around the table and stealing food as we left. I was a little surprised to see Professor Trelawney walking along side McGonagall.

"I'm surprised to see you all," McGonagall greeted us, "I expected that you would be hiding out from me. What is the problem of the day?"

Harry passed her Slughorn's message.

"This is most troubling," Professor McGonagall concluded. "If Viktor needs Professor Henkel, he most surely shall have him. I must say, however, that I'm not at all sure that Viktor realizes that he wants the return of his professor. Harry is too busy to replace him. I'm willing to give Ron a try. I'm glad that poor Pansy has found a place to continue her education. Surely you'll support her in this effort. It does keep her away from both Hogwarts and Draco."

"I planned to tell the Minister that I thought Durmstrang was a good idea for Pansy. I can't promise how he'll react. Prisoners released on parole normally aren't allowed to leave the country."

"That's just a technicality that I'm sure Madam Bones can sort out."

"I have no doubt of that," Harry replied, turning to leave.

"You should be aware, Deputy Minister, that I intend to request that your wife adjust my Keeper ring. I say that just in case the Minister is curious."

"You can tell Dad that I haven't yet decided how much it is wise to expand our little band of initiates."

Trew must have smiled or made some expression which I hadn't noticed, because McGonagall pounced instantly. "Trew's globe worked, didn't it? She's part of your little band. How long were you going to keep this from me? I'm the headmaster and a Keeper, yet you accept her, but not me."

I was starting to explain "I don't accept, the stone…", when I was interrupted by a very distraught Trew.

"Are you even jealous of me, then? Haven't I been the perfect obliging spouse. You've taken the lead in everything. Would you truly begrudge me this? This is the gift from my forebears to me, just as yours gave you that sparkling mind, your brashness, and your knowledge of wands. Is there not one sphere in which I'm allowed to be more than your equal? You're the headmaster, but I'm a Priestess, descended from a long line of Priestesses. This is my sphere, not yours. Can't you for just once leave well enough alone? Everyone in Ginny's band is your friend. If you need to know that the stone is not a threat, and you don't trust Ginny, I am very willing to advise you. The stone appreciates me."

I decided to quickly follow Harry out of the office. I found this level of emotional exhibition quite uncomfortable. I felt very sorry for Trew, but not disappointed that McGonagall's attentions would be focused somewhere other than me. Best to stay clear of it and let Trew argue my case for me. Trew was now weeping – a very effective tool, but one which I could never bring myself to employ. I needed a subject change to cleanse my mental landscape.

{{Remember, I need for you or Dad to invent a reason to operate the transporter in the next two days. I want to have four of our friends in the chamber beneath the pyramid to begin their acquaintance with the stone.}}

{I haven't forgotten. You'll see your father tonight.}

Harry was gone.

While Harry was gone, I spoke to George, Luna, Neville, Margaret, and Mom, to determine if they were willing to be introduced to the stone. They were all very willing. I told them that we would begin, when Harry returned, but that I would finish fashioning rings for them.

I received another piece of disturbing news when I asked Margaret if she still had the Joan ring.

She responded "I didn't expect to still have it, but I do. The French planned to take back their artifacts a week ago, but apparently Viktor told them that it might not be wise to do so, just yet."

How did Margaret happen to have that news, before Harry or the Ministry? Not really a question. McGonagall was holding back information, yet again. That knowledge made me feel far happier about my conduct toward her. If that Witch was still playing her own games to the extent of withholding vital information from the Ministry, then I was legitimately unable to trust her enough to introduce her to the stone. She still didn't consider herself a part of the larger team.


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter 60 – The Youngest Child's Place On The Family Committee**

Harry was away longer than I had expected. The rings were finished by the time he returned. I was working in our apartment, with the window flung open and sunlight pouring in. The air was a bit cold, but I found it bracing. It would be cooler when I was flying during late-afternoon practice.

I could have made the rings in the Gryffindor Common Room and had some company, but the solitude was good for my mental focus, and I didn't want to run the risk of McGonagall finding me in the Common Room.

Harry gave me a snog and then got straight to business. "Your father says that he had heard a rumor that some trouble might be starting to brew at Durmstrang, but that Slughorn's report was worse than his darkest fears. He is anxious to help Viktor and Cho, if we possibly can. He will be laying on extra aurors for the Quidditch Tournament. He's planning to attend and have an informal meeting with Viktor. Germany was not the focus of our long discussion."

"Your mother must have ducked in to the Ministry, before I did. Arthur says that this is the first time that Molly has seriously complained about the headmistress. She believes that McGonagall is entering her 'rattled state' again. I hate to think what your mother would have said, had she witnessed the exchange between the headmaster and Trelawney. I relayed that to your father and his only comment was, "I didn't realize that things had gotten quite so bad. Professor McGonagall on the Committee is going to be a problem. She also has done squat to progress any of the issues assigned to her Ministry department. I'm afraid that I am going to have to have a rather unpleasant sit down with your headmaster. You know how much I dislike that sort of thing.' We then talked about Pansy. We even visited Shacklebolt and Madam Bones to talk about Pansy.

"I don't think anyone objects in principle to sending Pansy off to Durmstrang. Your father fears that Viktor doesn't really understand what he would be taking on, with Pansy. I don't think anything definite will happen until your father is able to speak to Viktor at the Tournament. The next step is that he wants our group to meet with Pansy. He'd like us to do that tomorrow."

"That's fine with me," I told Harry, "but I'll have to work around Quidditch practice. Did you come up with a way for us to operate the transporter?"

"Your father says there is no legitimate reason to operate the transporter. Don't frown. He said 'Ginny will just have to go ahead and do what she needs to do, but she must be careful that she does no more than she needs to do. There could be a backlash, you know. It's fine to be the explorers taking the risk on behalf of all Wizards, but Ginny must recognize that she isn't the owner of this rock, she's just the custodian.' Your father will arrange for Barb and one of his personal aurors to be the only aurors present in Snape's office and the pyramid. They will not report any lights which they might happen to see. Your father is considering spending the time in Snape's office with the aurors. He understands that you can apparate him into Hogwarts."

"He doesn't miss much, does he?"

"The only real disagreement was that Arthur took quite a bit of convincing before he accepted your decision to introduce your mother to the stone. He doesn't think it will work. Beyond that, I put my foot in it by arguing that we want a trusted person at Hogwarts, with access to the transporter and stone, after the rest of us graduate. Your father is not at all happy with the thought of Molly being a professor for a second year. I think he is mainly tired of living apart four nights a week. He's trying to figure out how to raise the subject, and what else Molly would enjoy doing to engage her attention while he's at the Ministry. You might give that a thought."

Harry and Hermione assisted me in trying to make the introductions to the stone. I thought that we achieved a bit of an introduction for everyone except Mom and George, so I was especially optimistic as we apparated the crew to the control landing. Neville had pleaded for a short delay and returned carrying the Sword of Gryffindor.

"I know this sword is from well after the time of the transporter, but I always feel as though I am more powerful when I'm carrying it. This sword and I are old friends. From killing Nagini, to behanding Bruce, to carrying it as an ice-breaker on my second visit to my parents, it has always made me feel better.

Neville may have been correct. In any case, the stone accepted only Neville and Margaret and they were the only candidates who came equipped with something more than the ring which I had manufactured for them. Perhaps I hadn't learned everything that I should have learned from my Light Guardian knowledge of manufacturing rings? Perhaps I was making an error by not introducing the candidates explicitly as Assistants of the Mother? Everything was all too new and confusing. I could think of no reason that the Joan ring or Gryffindor's sword should matter, unless both of them had a prior link to the Light Guardian of which I was not aware. I would have to study my history. Or Hermione would have to study our Light Guardian Priestess memories for me.

It was time for lunch. If McGonagall wanted us, she would have a clean shot. Or not. As we entered the Great Hall, I was surprised to see that Dad had chosen the present as the appropriate time for his little chat with the headmistress. McGonagall was likely wondering whether it was Mom or I who had ratted her out. While I didn't wish to assume responsibility for that of which I was not actually guilty, it seemed harmless enough to let McGonagall think that I had the power to trigger an unpleasant conversation with Dad. That wouldn't say great things about my character, but I had experienced enough of the downside from my relationship to Harry and Dad, that I'd accept the upside.

I slipped off to Quidditch practice before either Dad or McGonagall had a chance to corner me. Hermione had agreed to research Joan and Gryffindor, while I flew and coached. It was a long, long session. I stayed for the entire junior practice and then was a full participant in the senior practice. I coached both teams, without stepping on Margaret's toes. The toughest part of the afternoon was my discussion with Jimmy. I told him that he really needed to make an effort to avoid being run into.

I knew we were in big, big trouble, when Jimmy responded, "I deserve to be run into and battered with the Bludger. You know how bad I've been." This was beyond my ability as a Quidditch Captain. I had to call on either Dr. Granger or Professor Celine. I chose Professor Celine. At least she could absolve Jimmy of his guilt. The trick would be to orchestrate a sit-down with the three of us, without McGonagall finding out. I had never heard her explicitly state that Professor Celine had to avoid Jimmy completely, but that was the general sense I had. Since I had dinner at the Burrow tonight, that meeting would have to wait.

Wait was what Harry had been doing. My after-practice session with Jimmy had me fifteen minutes beyond the time which Harry and I had agreed upon for apparation to the Burrow. I had messaged Harry as soon as I left Jimmy. We met at Gryffindor and apparated from the landing there.

Fortunately, we weren't the absolute last to arrive, although Charlie was coming from Norway and Percy never could tear himself away from the Ministry. Actually, we arrived only about three minutes ahead of Charlie, Percy, and Callista. It was quite clear that Callista was not the party responsible for the late arrival.

My parents were in a forgiving mood. They just welcomed us and Mom handed each of us a glass of Witch sherry. Incredible smells from the kitchen were permeating the whole first level of the Burrow. We clearly were going to be served something having to do with chicken, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and lots of black pepper. There were so many of us that the dining chairs were doing double duty in the sitting room.

Dad offered a toast "To family!" to which we each drank our sherry. The toast was prelude to the main message. "We were once the closest family I have ever observed. It's naturally to fly apart as romance and different jobs send us in different directions, but there is no reason that we should be as far apart as we have become. We should trust and help each other. We all have very full, important lives that can cause a lot of stress. If we talk more and pull together to solve common and really everyone's individual problems, we can reduce the stress and accomplish far more. These are tough times and we are surrounded by people whom we are not always sure we can trust. We must trust each other and depend upon each other.

"As my children have largely coupled off, the family has grown in size. All of the new additions are very fine Witches and Wizards. Their addition to the family should make us stronger. We don't have to confront our problems in ones and twos. That's why I've called you all together in what I hope is an on-going series of family committee meetings, in which we can borrow strength and wisdom from each other to remake the world for the better.

"I expect that weighty matters will be discussed. I expect that you will all support the person who presents the matter for discussion and that you will maintain the secrecy of both the matter and the discussion. There are some here among us whom I've invited because to me they are the same thing as family, and I respect and trust them as I do the members of my family. I'm speaking of Neville and Prudence. I'm also referring to my daughter's holy warriors, Barb and Bill. As this family committee hopefully continues, we may add more trusted friends to our group.

"I was prompted to form this family committee, not simply out of nostalgia for the time when my children were small, but because I have recognized that we all work with allies whom we don't totally trust. That causes us to bottle things up in an unhealthy fashion. I'm talking about key actors like headmaster McGonagall, Directors Shacklebolt and Bones, Viktor and King Goblanze who most certainly are allies, but who also have their own, competing objectives. This is an experiment. We'll see how it goes. We'll see whom we should add.

"I thought that tonight we could speak over dinner, dessert, and coffee about a very vexing problem, or opportunity, which must be addressed in very little time. Most, but not all of you are aware, that a very ancient pyramid has been discovered beneath Hogwarts and that this pyramid houses a very powerful stone artifact of the Light Guardian, as well as a transporter which can send magical creatures and supplies to distant worlds. The leaders of the other magical species are aware of this, as is Professor McGonagall. At present, I see Professor McGonagall and the Muggle Prime Minister as the greatest source of difficulties. It's time to eat. I'll let Ginny and Hermione fill you in on the details, while we eat."

That was an unexpected change of direction. Certainly Bill, Fleur, Charlie, and to a lesser extent Percy, Callista, and Prudence, knew almost nothing about the topic. I did a lot of talking while I ate. Fortunately Hermione and Harry spoke enough to permit me to enjoy and consume my meal. I expected Bill, Charlie, and Percy to be surprised that it was their little sister who controlled this mighty engine. Their incredulity was not flattering. I was also not pleased when Bill and Percy decided that I was at risk and needed protecting.

I think that Percy and Bill added the best perspective. Percy said, "Your immediate problem is McGonagall, since you are operating the transporter under her nose. It sounds like you have at least a week until the inter-species Committee will meet. I understand your frustrations with McGonagall and her Sisterhood, but her Sisterhood isn't all that different than what we're doing here, right now.

"Part of the problem that you all have with McGonagall is that you keep expecting her to act like Dumbledore. Well, she's not Dumbledore. Dumbledore was a much more relaxed person and far more comfortable with spontaneity and chunking away at problems on the fly. He was happy with the casual and disordered. McGonagall can't operate like that. She's a planner, and she draws comfort and security from formality and things not deviating from plan or expectation. All of my siblings and their partners at Hogwarts are far too chaotic and anti-formal to suit her. She and I got along well. I'd be willing to talk to her, on your behalf. I do agree that she is also jousting with you for control and power, but your styles clash horribly. Being young just exacerbates that.

"As to real threats, she would be terribly frightened, and with some justification, to learn that Ginny can just apparate into and out of Hogwarts like the Elves do. I never understood how everyone could be so unconcerned that the Elves could do that, but both Dumbledore and McGonagall trusted the Elves, absolutely. Witches apparating is a breach of security and a disorder that she won't be able to rationalize. She basically has to trust Ginny and anyone to whom Ginny teaches that skill. She sees Ginny as a little too uncontrolled and uncontrollable to trust that thoroughly. Not that she would distrust your motives. I don't think she feels she can fully trust your judgment.

"I think you have two routes to solve your McGonagall problem. First, as long as she thinks she will ultimately gain access to the stone and its knowledge, she won't oppose you. The second route is Professor Trelawney, who already is a stone initiate. From what you say, I'm sure McGonagall feels very guilty about her outburst about Trelawney. She also trusts her totally. McGonagall seems to have developed a blurting problem, which she knows gets her into trouble.

"Anyhow, I think you have two questions to answer. First, will you continue to include Professor Trelawney in your plans and let her know that you can apparate within Hogwarts? Second, are you willing to try to introduce McGonagall to the stone. I suggest that your answer should be yes to both questions, but that is your decision."

Bill added, "Your age puts you at a disadvantage. Harry has faced the same thing and has largely overcome it. You need to reach a point with McGonagall where you are comfortable with her leading you in some areas, and she is comfortable with you leading her in others. My answer to question two is not as definitive a yes as Percy has given you. I agree with you, that if you are to give McGonagall access to the stone, that it is understood that she is acting as your assistant, not an independent actor, in matters related to the stone and transporter. I hope that you and Trelawney can bring her around to that position. Your overall task is much tougher if you can't pull that off. Perhaps you should join the Sisterhood. While you work on McGonagall, you need to blast ahead on your stone activities. It's likely you only have a couple more days. I don't hold out better than even odds of turning McGonagall."

Dad added "I think that brings us to the point where I should share my lunchtime discussion with the headmaster. I told her that while I wasn't pleased with what she said to Molly, that I was really speaking to her because of what she said to Trew. I wasn't concerned that she was an enemy or trying to grab authority away from me. I was concerned that she was 'losing it' again, and that this would hurt both of us. I reminded her that not too long ago she had suggested that if she had too much on her plate, that she wanted to be the one to decide what she should give up. I told her that as an old friend and someone who desperately wanted her to succeed as headmaster, that I had come to suggest that she had too much on her plate.

"She initially took it poorly, objected strenuously, said she was just about to tackle her Ministry projects, and that she really wasn't doing any more than Dumbledore had done. I told her that she didn't need to duplicate Dumbledore's span of activities to be a great headmaster, and that in many ways she was doing more than Dumbledore had. She said 'But Dumbledore led the resistance, as headmaster. He hunted horcruxes.'

"I convinced her that Dumbledore did not start his headmastership as leader of the resistance. Nor did he teach any classes, let alone the two that McGonagall is teaching, including one she has never taught before. I told her that Dumbledore had avoided the Ministry duties which she had undertaken.

"I said I thought she had definitely spent more time on the Sisterhood, her Malfoy project, and working with your group than Dumbledore ever spent on the resistance. I reminded her that Dumbledore did not take command of a nearly destroyed school, which had just been through a civil war with many dead students. Nor did he try a drastic remake of the curriculum.

"Finally, I reminded her that in fact Dumbledore's own over-extension of his interests, under time pressure, killed him in the end. He had been searching most of his life for Hallows, and for several years for Voldemort's Horcruxes. Yet when he found the Gaunt ring and recognized the Stone, he irrationally let down his guard and failed to check it for horcrux attributes, even though he knew that it fit the profile of the sort of artifact that would most attract Voldemort. Certainly an almost adolescent excitement and impulsiveness was his main downfall, but, viewed in a wider perspective, Dumbledore died from the distraction and disorganized thinking caused by overload and multi-tasking.

"In the end, she agreed that she had a very big load and that it was impossible to carry it all."

"We reached a compromise. She will not try to do quite as much, and I will provide her with assistants. She is charged with thinking about what she is most willing to set aside. I tell you this, both because it is good background, but also because providing her extra assistance will impact many of you.

"I realize that when I added cabinet positions and parceled out responsibilities, that I did not provide official staff. I will rectify that. I fear that I've been too panicked by the budget deficit implications of Harry's tax reductions. We'll have a major cabinet meeting, right after the Quidditch Tournament. Until then, I want each of you to consider what help you can provide to Minerva and what assistance you need yourselves.

"The family committee will meet again in two weeks. Anybody is free to raise a topic for discussion. What I want to discuss is how Charlie can be of greater help, and what we can do to ease the way for the Spencer twins. Thank you all for coming in response to a father's and Minister's whim. I sensed from Percy's comment that not everyone feels this committee is entirely wholesome or lawful. Please alert me if you feel that I am crossing the line. Tony tells me that Muggle leaders almost always have close friends and family members who are at least as important advisors as the formal cabinet members. I know for certain that this has been true for all recent Ministers of Magic, not that their administrations were entirely savory.

"Oh, I find I do have one last thought. I put Ginny on the spot tonight, asking her to discuss the transporter without advance warning. I had considered putting her more on the spot and asking all of you to ponder a comment which the Elf King, Cotto, made to me. He said, in effect, that 'in many ways the Mother of the Future is more important than, and outranks, the Minister'. Please think on that and be prepared to share your thoughts in two weeks. My warning to all of us – we don't want the Weasley's to become the new Montaignes. Our family's days' as kings is long past. The world doesn't need or want that today. I know it's presumptuous to say this to Light Guardian Priestesses, but remember that just as the Light Guardian told you to move as quickly as possible to the situation where every magical being can tune the circles, I'm sure that you are also to share the stone as soon as possible."

Not too much pressure on the youngest child.

As we were leaving, Charlie told Dad, "If you need me here, I'm certainly willing to spend less time with my dragons. I want to help. Just tell me what I can do. I was thinking, it would be an easy matter for me to travel around the less populated areas of Viktor's domain and see if I can spot anything unusual or dangerous happening. I can just tell any Wizards I encounter that I'm doing a census of dragons, trolls, and Giants. In fact, I did exactly that several years back. I know dozens of Witches and Wizards in that area, and I speak a couple of the languages."

Dad encouraged Charlie to do exactly that.

Most of the group was returning to Hogwarts. We joined hands and apparated to the pocket just inside the gate. As we were walking back to the castle, Mom suggested, "I may be able to help you in your dealings with the headmaster. I admit that I've been on better terms with her than I am right at the moment, and your father's meeting with her may make me appear far from neutral. Still, I've spoken with her a lot, during the past months and may have helpful insights."

I assured Mom that I would be grateful for any help that she could give me. There was certainly a bond between members of the Order that I could never fully understand, especially among fellow Witches in the Order. Mom might not be a formal Sister, but she was still a sister in arms.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61 – I Operate the Transporter**

Both Hermione and I slept with our rings on our wands and our wands next to our skin, hoping for another dream, which might help organized our knowledge and point us in a particular direction. Thinking back to my last vivid dream and the sexual adventures which had preceded it, I told Hermione that I intended to exactly duplicate those adventures. Harry was eager to oblige. Hermione took the hint, saying "I'm sure Ron would be willing to do his part to help me unlock my memories. I assume Harry's office is available.' The only change I made was to utilize my new rug, rather than subject my knees to the bare stone for a second time.

Hermione and I huddled over breakfast. We each had experienced a vivid dream and we both felt amazingly energized. Our memories didn't feel that much more sorted, but the dreams pointed in a consistent path. I had visualized four of my initiates draped around the edges of the rock in the tiny cavern beneath the floor of the pyramid. My gaze had floated up, through the floor of the pyramid, which was thicker than I had imagined. I would have to remember to measure the thickness. On the floor of the pyramid, my flock of failed initiates were pressed up almost against the outer stone circle on the pyramid floor. Hermione was standing with them, providing encouragement. I floated higher to see myself on the control landing. I looked confidant, as if I was certain that I was doing the right thing.

Hermione told me, "I saw us meeting with Professors McGonagall and Trelawney. I couldn't hear what we were saying, but could watch everyone's reactions. You were amazingly calm and steady. I could sense discord from Professor McGonagall at the start, but things seemed to end well."

Hermione and I decided that we wouldn't try to pack more than four initiates around the stone inside the little cavern. Since we might not get a second chance, that meant we would try to operate the transporter twice, tonight. Depending how things went with those standing on the floor, I thought we might use the transporter a third time. Hermione cautioned that this was too much. "I think they will need time to sort out their thoughts and we'll have to set up four-way discussions with the stone, to formally introduce them. We shouldn't even think of trying all of that tonight."

We had been chatting at the table over coffee, because the students had mainly finished eating when we arrived. There were just two fourth years at the far end of the table, too far away to hear what we said. Most of the professors had also left the head table, but McGonagall and Professor Trelawney had been talking, pleasantly to all outward appearance. I surreptitiously glanced their way every couple minutes, hoping they would leave separately, so that we could corner Trelawney alone.

We were in luck. McGonagall got up and headed toward her office, while Trelawney lingered over the morning paper. Once McGonagall was out of sight, we walked up to the head table and asked Professor Trelawney if we could speak to her in her office. She said yes, with a combination of eagerness and unease, leading me to suspect that she knew both topics that we wanted to discuss.

Once we were seated in her office, I began apologetically "I don't want you to think we're asking you to be disloyal to the headmaster, but we had some things related to the stone, which we wanted to discuss with you, since the stone recognized your mother's globe."

"Don't worry, dear. The headmaster asked me to linger at table, so that the two of you would have an opportunity to approach me for a chat. We saw you glancing our way. Minerva had hoped that you would just walk over and ask to talk to both of us, but agreed that I should meet with you, if that was your wish."

"Actually, we do want to talk to the two of you, together," Hermione replied. "In fact, I had a dream of that meeting, but we thought it made more sense to talk to you first and get an impression of what is doable."

"That's fine, although you really should place more faith in your dreams. Now, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well," I wasn't sure quite how to say what I wanted to say, or how it would be received, "I wanted you to know that there appears to be quite a bit more about being accepted by the stone than simply being able to operate the transporter and open the portals inside the pyramid. In fact, I guess I'll need to make a ring for you. You can't very well go around using that giant globe to open the doors. That would be very awkward for you. You might even drop the globe and break it."

"I'd appreciate a ring of your design," Trelawney assured me, "but I think you meant to say more than that."

"Yes, I did. I'm sure you remember what if felt like, when the stone spoke directly into your mind and welcomed you. Well, you can talk to the stone, and through the stone to other initiates, in much the same way. Except you have to learn to talk, rather than just listening. With a little practice, you can do this talking over a very great distance. We should help you to develop this skill. But I should warn you, for all of our sakes, lest we be feared as freaks on the order of the Spencer twins, we all need to keep this ability secret."

Trelawney gave an encouraging nod of agreement.

"Then there is a much more delicate skill, which seems to be attainable through closer communion with the stone and the circles."

"I was hoping that you'd be willing to share that secret with Minerva and me. I dreamt of it last night and Minerva agreed that it made sense. You can apparate within the Hogwarts barriers, can't you? I can see how you would fear revelation of that talent. It is very frightening when you first think of it. It took more than a few moments for me to calm Minerva. I told her, if the Elves can do it, how much worse is it for Ginny to do it? We both think you have to be far more diligent in keeping your secret. It was extremely foolish to use that skill to return Cissy to her bunk the other night. You don't appreciate how much danger you could be in, if you are found out."

"Umm, yes, that just about covers what we wanted to discuss with you. I guess the question of how to tell McGonagall about this is now beside the point. We also wanted to say that we are willing to make another attempt to introduce Professor McGonagall to the stone, but are afraid that she is going to behave as an independent actor, rather than as a proper assistant."

"Yes, I imagine the headmaster's outburst at me was upsetting and reinforced your suspicion that she is not to be trusted with this knowledge. I know her well enough to tell you that you are better off with her knowing. Otherwise, she will continually push to find out and, even though she tries to avoid it, and I think she would be very careful indeed, that much thrashing about would certainly give away your secret. I'm sure she will try to behave as an assistant, but she is no more capable of being a proper assistant than you are of being a proper student. You're both too strong-willed for that. The two of you will simply have to make the best of things.

"I apologize for telling you what you wanted to tell me, but you seemed to be having difficulty getting to the point. I really don't think your headmaster will be as big a problem as you think. She truly wants to be cooperative. That will be much easier if you thrash things out, thoroughly. Shall we go speak with her now? She said she would be waiting in her office."

"Um, yes, that sounds like a very good idea," I tried not to mumble. It was a little distressing to find that our biggest secrets were an open book.

Professor McGonagall was seated behind her desk, when we entered her office. The three of us took guest chairs facing her. "As you can imagine, I'm very pleased that you've come to visit me," McGonagall declared. "I thought I'd have to wait a bit longer than this. Trew must have relayed her information very concisely, as I suppose you did also."

"Yes. How did you know that we could apparate within the castle?"

"I wanted to speak to Cissy two nights ago. When she wasn't in her dorm room or the Gryffindor Common Room at 10:00 P.M., I conducted a discrete search and stationed Professor Sprout beside the Fat Lady portrait. Professor Sprout reported to me at breakfast that Cissy had not returned to Gryffindor. Don't worry, I put out the story that Barb had permitted Cissy to return to her castle. They both know to stick to that story. But, really! A warrior Witch must save her secret weapons for emergencies far greater than saving a third year from detention. You did not save her, by the way."

McGonagall was right. I felt shamed. How much we had risked. How easily we had been busted. And for so little potential upside. In truth, Cissy might well benefit from a few detentions. In further truth, I had wanted to experiment with my new toy. That was only natural, but why would I let a risk-seeking, third-level chatterbox like Cissy in on our secret? The embarrassingly sad reality was that I had sunk to the level of patheticness that I clung to Cissy as the next most vocal rebel against McGonagall. I had to get a grip.

After too long a pause, what I said was, "I hope Professor Sprout didn't figure out our secret, we're still not sure how far she can be trusted. It seems her brother, Dr. Sprout, was first turned by trying to protect Professor Sprout from theft charges. She might well have been acting for the baddies to help them compromise her brother."

"I'm not the only one with too much on my plate. You students should have followed up on that long ago, just as you should have continued your hunt for Castle Weasley. You'd probably know the truth about Professor Sprout by now, had Harry read Dumbledore's diaries, or had we watched the remaining memories, which Dumbledore left to us. The two of you are truth tellers. You can tell if I'm lying to you now and you can double check by asking Professor Sprout.

"Professor Sprout has always been an ally of the Order. She did not steal Nigel Montaigne's plants. She was simply too naïve and trusting. He chatted her up in the Hogwarts greenhouse (we had only the one at the time) and raved about his own greenhouses. He suggested that he had some very interesting, rare specimens, which should be of value in her students' and her own research projects. He suggested that she stop by, 'whenever' and collect any specimens she thought helpful. His sole restriction was that she not take the last piece of anything. He suggested that Hogwarts had some plants, which interested him and that he would like to know the conclusions of her research on Asian orchids. She gave the cad half a dozen nice orchid cultivars from her personal collection and a rather rare parent from the Hogwarts collection. She made a number of visits to the Montaigne greenhouse, always telling the Lord what she had taken and asking to confirm that she was not taking too much.

"It was a trap. She had nothing in writing. Roderick testified that she snuck into the greenhouse and apparated away, with valuable plants hidden within her robes. It was a travesty, but the Lord had enough manufactured evidence and weight with the Ministry, that he could have made the charges stick. Her brother and Dumbledore bailed her out, doing favors for the Lord in return for his not prosecuting. I hope that settles your concerns. And no, Professor Sprout does not know that you apparated.

"Now, my question – how extensive is this ability and how much of a threat is it to my students."

"It's not any threat to the students! I don't know the extent of our abilities or how many of my initiates will develop them. Professor Trelawney would certainly make a good test case. As far as I can tell, Hermione and I can apparate anywhere inside Hogwarts, including into the pyramid and the control landing. We can apparate others who don't possess this skill, and we can handle more than one at a time. We don't know to what extent we can apparate into Hogwarts from the outside. I assume we have about the same ability as the Elves."

"That's about what I assumed, Mrs. Potter," McGonagall concluded. "I request that you fully test your ability to apparate into Hogwarts and get back to me. Since you've come to visit me, I assume that you are willing to adjust my ring and help me operate the transporter."

"It means," I corrected her, "that I'm willing to move forward in baby steps, under the assumption that you go ahead with this as my assistant, rather than as an independent actor. I accept that it could be important in future for you to be able to open the portals inside the pyramid. Because of that, I will willingly adjust your ring. I'm also willing to try to introduce you to the stone, so that you can use it for long distance communication with the rest of us. I'm not sure that you need to be able to operate the transporter. I'm not sure that it would be easy or even possible to achieve that."

"I can accept those conditions," McGonagall assured us. "I also want you to know how much I regret my intemperate comments about Trew being able to operate the transporter. That was a selfish comment born of my own disappointment at having my ring rejected. I certainly do not want to stand in Trew's way if she wants to become closer to the stone, which I know she does. I really am not jealous of her. I would have to be a truly vile person to object to that. I love and trust Trew and I certainly shall not hold her back. This is her chance to shine again. She has already shone far more than she realizes, but this is still very important to her. So what do you see as the next steps for the two of us?"

"The first thing is to try to link you into a conversation that the other three of us are having through and with the stone. That way we can personally introduce you to the stone, provided you can hear the conversation through our minds. We could join hands and try that right now."

We got right to it. It was difficult. Hermione and I linked to the stone right away. Trew wasn't linked in. We focused on trying to send mental images to her, resorting to pointing our wands at her head. This last approach worked. With Trew now actively chatting with us and the stone, we tried to include McGonagall. It took multiple attempts with all of us pointing our wands at her head. I could tell that this was making her very nervous, even though she kept declaring that she really did trust the three of us. Her fear was hampering her focus. A couple glasses of sherry relaxed her enough that we were able to break through.

I wasn't quite sure in what manner I wanted to introduce her to the stone, finally deciding to call her "the headmaster of Hogwarts, holder of the Ravenclaw Keeper ring, wife of the Priestess Trelawney, and a future assistant to Hermione and me."

The stone appeared to hesitate, before declaring "Welcome future assistant to the Mother and her Muse. You may communicate through me." This pleased McGonagall greatly. She handed me her Ravenclaw ring to adjust.

As I worked on the ring, I explained what we intended to accomplish with the transporter tonight, and where I wanted to place Trew and her. I warned her that although I thought the danger was negligible and that Hermione would be standing with her the whole time, it was possible that she could be whisked off to a distant world. I told her that when I had hugged the stone, I viewed a large number of Leprechauns being whisked away from the very spot where she would be standing.

McGonagall declared "That is a risk that I am willing to accept."

I handed McGonagall her ring, telling her that it should now open the portals inside the pyramid. As we were preparing to leave, McGonagall suggested, "You have a lot to do today, perhaps you should skip Quidditch."

"I'll skip the juniors. The most important thing I need to do is meet with Professor Celine and Jimmy Peakes. Jimmy is not trying to avoid collisions, saying he needs to be punished. I'm afraid that if he plays Eire in his present state of mind, that we will wind up watching a near Giant quoting old Muggle poets over Jimmy's lifeless body. Professor Celine needs to tell Jimmy that she forgives him and is not angry and that he needs to protect himself."

"Just be sure that you don't leave the two of them alone together. I'll certainly do my part for Jimmy and assign him a couple weeks of detention, so he'll feel suitably punished. That boy certainly doesn't act like a Quidditch Beater, does he?"

I spent most of the day working with Hermione to recall memories. We also did the conversational link to the stone attempt with as many initiates as we could find. I thought we did well with George, Luna, and Neville.

It was a big night. Since McGonagall was a participant, the school's apparation barriers were briefly lowered as we apparated to the base of the pyramid. We needed to leave the barriers down a little longer than McGonagall was comfortable with, because I needed to apparate the two ancient Priestesses, Trew, and Harry into the little chamber beneath the pyramid. The rest of the group clustered around the outer circle of stones. I apparated to the control landing.

We planned to transport a message to come home at once to Baal. To keep things polite, we were also sending cookies and a large amount of fine worsted wool cloth.

I powered up the transporter, designated that I wanted to transport cargo, and sent it to ElfWorld. I let the transporter run an extra minute or so to give Harry and the others extra time to commune with the stone. The whole process took only a few minutes. I was relieved that the full multitude of initiates on the floor of the pyramid were still standing where I had left them. I tried to message Harry on whisper channel and could not get a response. When I spoke through the stone, he answered at once, saying he was almost finished organizing some new information.

We dropped the apparation barriers again in order to get the old Witches out of the little cavern. We replaced them with Ron, McGonagall, Luna, and Neville. We loaded a package of supplies to CentaurWorld, suggesting to Bane that the doo-doo was about to fly and he had best return home forthwith to assist us in dealing with the fallout from his trip to CentaurWorld. I followed the same procedure as last time. The results seemed the same. I felt as though we had completed a solid day's work.

I was certainly ready for an early to bed night, especially as I took Harry's suggestion as an indication that he was in a very frisky mood. I realized, however, that I was not picking up that particular vibe from him. It didn't take long to recognize that I had chatty Harry to deal with. He was fascinated by his close encounter with the stone and had seemingly an infinity of questions. While it was nice to be viewed as the font of wisdom, this soon lost its appeal.

Harry thought the vibrating tingle throughout his entire body from the energized stone was amazingly cool. He wondered why so many Leprechauns had willingly been sent away, carrying only small parcels with them. He was in awe at the horde of Leprechauns. He had seen the floor of the pyramid filled and emptied four times. He had seen one Wizard transported. The Wizard was old, with a scraggly grey beard at least as long as Dumbledore's. He carried a modest satchel. He was alone, but there were no obvious signs that he was a prisoner and he seemed to be traveling voluntarily. Of course, Harry said, the alternative he faced might have been far worse. Harry got the sense that the stone especially liked him. I told him, "I got the same feeling when I communed with the stone. Perhaps that's just its manner."

Harry resisted this thought, "No, I think it really likes us. I felt very safe and protected when my mind was locked to the stone. I expected the stone to be cold and impersonal, like a Muggle computer, but it wasn't like that at all. Hugging the stone is almost as emotionally satisfying as cuddling with you. It was not at all just a matter of pouring information into my head. It's like the stone is my new best friend. Not counting you, of course."

That was the most sensible of Harry's chatting, but we soon came to the scariest. "I saw you traveling to other worlds. You never told me that you made it to BeyondWorld. You saw Dumbledore. Perhaps I can travel there and briefly visit with my parents."

The stone must be Harry's great new friend, if it would rat me out like that.

"No!" I told Harry. "I had nobody in BeyondWorld, whom I desperately wanted to see. I should have wanted to see Fred, but I didn't. Even though Dumbledore sensed that, he told me that I shouldn't have come, because those who came generally found it impossible to escape. I think the mistaken visit to Beyond World is why Hermione had to rescue me. Without Hermione and Fawkes, I think I would have been stuck there. If you got near BeyondWorld, it would be the end of you. You would never return. I got a sense of that very great warning from Dumbledore."

"Okay. I promise I won't try to do it. I can see how much it frightens you. I'm just saying, when I was 'killed' in the forest by Voldemort… I think I traveled half-way to Beyond. Dumbledore came to meet me and spoke to me. He gave me the choice of coming back here or not. I chose to come back. I know that you're trying to protect me, but you should have told me that you went to BeyondWorld."

I hastened to change the subject by telling Harry about our meetings with McGonagall and Trelawney. Harry surprised me a little by warning, "Don't forget to question Professor Sprout, yourselves. McGonagall probably told you the truth, but she might be slanting things to protect Professor Sprout. She's been on good behavior today, but then she's been getting exactly what she wants. By challenging you to confirm the story with Professor Sprout at a time she knows you're extremely busy, she may be hoping that you'll assume that she wouldn't have sent you after Professor Sprout, unless her story was correct. It wouldn't be the first time she's used misdirection to protect a member of her Sisterhood.

"There hasn't been much in Dumbledore's diary about Sprout. What McGonagall told you was Sprout's side of the story. Dumbledore accepted her version, but doesn't provide any evidence or reason for accepting her story, other than he really disliked Montaigne. Dumbledore doesn't have all that much to say about Dr. Sprout, but he clearly wasn't a huge fan. Sprout did the minimum to save his sister. Dumbledore thought he was less than the best doctor at St. Mungo's, but the finest politician in his dealings with the Great Families.

"McGonagall is wrong, by the way. I'm well over half of the way through Dumbledore's diary. I have exercised a lot of self-discipline, partly to read some almost every day, but mainly to avoid skipping ahead to the parts that include me. I feel better about Dumbledore from reading what I've read, thus far. He did care about his sister. She definitely was viewed as a burden, but one he intended to do well by, because he loved her. He beats himself up a lot over her death, but doesn't think he was really responsible – just that he should have sent Grindelwald away. But it doesn't sound like he knew enough to see a serious threat from Grindelwald."

"I'll give you the same warning about a headmaster which you just gave to me. Don't assume that just because Dumbledore wrote something in his diary, that it is automatically true. That Wizard was fully capable of lying to himself and likely needed to just to live his life. He likely also had more than a passing care about what would be thought of him when his diary was read. I think we both know that if Dumbledore thought he could shape the future toward what he saw as better, simply by writing something in his diary, that he wouldn't be at all concerned about shading the truth."

"I'll bear that in mind," my husband promised me.

That did not end chatty Harry and I never did see frisky Harry that night. I missed a lot of sleep just listening to Harry. If I didn't know better, I'd think he had consumed too much sherry. I guess it was possible to become stone-drunk.


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 62 - We've Got a Spy**

I awoke early, but Harry was already absent. Having once again slept with my ringed wand, I had experienced, if not vivid dreams, a deeper understanding of my knowledge of the stone and transporter. I had a much clearer picture about how to go about designating an assistant and introducing them to the stone. I had a firmer grasp of how to go about calling upon the stone for increased strength. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised, but I learned that the stone would recognize me as its primary operator. I could turn it off in a way that even most authorized rings would be unable to reverse. I could designate which of my assistants could use the stone for communications, which could access its information, which could tap its strength, and which could operate the transporter.

As I lay in bed, I took a moment to reach for the stone, telling it that only Harry, Hermione, and I were allowed to operate the transporter. Ron and Luna could also access its historical knowledge, but not what I chose to think of as its operating manual or the historical information, which I now realized it contained, about the worlds to which it had transported the magical beings long ago. All of the other initiates were authorized to communicate through the stone to each other. That task complete, I quickly dressed and headed down to breakfast.

On the way to the Great Hall, I thought to reach out and ask **"****Where are you, Harry? I don't like to wake up and find you missing. I'll teach you how to leave messages through the stone. Absent that, a regular paper note would not go unappreciated."**

"**Sorry, Ginny. You were sleeping soundly and I didn't want to disturb you. I had to duck back to the Ministry to see Shacklebolt. Actually, the Ministry phone rang last night and you slept through it. You must have been really tired. If you're heading to breakfast, I'll meet you in five minutes. The emergency was that several dementors have left Azkaban. They showed up at The Five Broomsticks, just before closing time. They kissed the life out of one of the patrons, who was too drunk to protect himself. Your Dad is at Hogwarts. See you soon."**

Dad was indeed at Hogwarts, seated between Mom and McGonagall at the head table. He noticed my arrival and motioned that he would meet me somewhere about where I was standing. I just loitered inside the entrance to the Great Hall until Dad joined me.

"Harry's office, I think," was all he said, until the door of the office was closed.

He was not happy with the way that I was managing the stone. "I thought we had agreed that you would use the stone and transporter only as much as you needed to and that you would exercise great caution."

"And I have done that, Dad."

"No… you haven't. I understand that you apparated Cissy within Hogwarts and were caught doing so."

"Yes, but I apparated Cissy before we had our discussion. I've been very cautious since then. I didn't think Harry would rat me out."

"He didn't. I've been speaking with your headmaster. I agree with her that you've been quite careless with your new powers. Part of my concern is how much you've let McGonagall in on the secret. I know I said that we would have to tell the secret to our whole community, but I thought I was clear that I meant that to be later, not now. I'm especially upset that you let Cissy in on your secrets. That is a dangerous secret that she can hold over you. One of the guiding lights of my life has been 'never put yourself at the mercy of a Montaigne or a Malfoy."

"I wouldn't have told McGonagall as much as I did, but she guessed and sleuthed a lot. She is a lot smarter than I sometimes give her credit for. As for Cissy, I think your view of her springs from pure prejudice. She fought with us in the Battle of the Sacred Cavern. She saved Hermione when she cursed her own brother. Her father disowned her for that. You really shouldn't be so suspicious of her. The former Lord isn't even her biological father. You know that. Surely you didn't come to Hogwarts just to criticize me for that."

"No, although the criticism was necessary. Perhaps I shouldn't be so automatically suspicious of Cissy. I admit she has done nothing untoward, at least to my knowledge. I just look at her and I see 'Montaigne'. I'll work on that. I accept it's no better than those who hate Weasleys on principle.

"I came to tell everyone, especially you, that starting today, Hogwarts security will be greatly increased in preparation for the Quidditch Tournament. The foreign representatives will be arriving the day after tomorrow, and we have to be sure that the school is safe. With Viktor's problem and now the escaped dementors, I'm adding a squad of aurors a day earlier than I planned. That also means that Snape's office will be sealed and your visits to the stone will have to be curtailed. I won't seal the pyramid for another day. I don't want to strand Bane or Baal. They seem like nice creatures, but they are unbelievably stubborn. After you transported those notes and packages, I expected them to return at once. If they don't return today, I'll leave them camping gear and supplies, but they are going to have to wait on the pyramid floor until the Tournament is over."

I told Dad that I certainly didn't want to be the one to deal with Bane, if he were to be locked inside the pyramid for several days. Dad said that would be his responsibility.

"Fine, but we both know that I'm the only one of us who can pop into the pyramid to see if Bane has shown up. I'll be the one who faces his wrath."

"Sorry, no alternative. I also wanted to tell you that I want you, Harry, and your truth tellers to meet with Pansy today. McGonagall convinced me that Pansy needs to meet with Viktor and Cho to finalize her admission to Durmstrang and travel back with them.

"Speaking of traveling, Harry's relations need to return home today. Can't have them here at Hogwarts with the school crawling with the foreign representatives. Harry will tell you what we've got planned on that score. That's all I had to say, we should go back and eat."

Well, at least there were messages beyond 'You've been a very naughty girl, Ginevra.' I had a lot to ask Harry about.

Harry was at table, before I was and he was already telling the others what I wanted to know. "… back to my grandmother's house. After we busted all of Roderick's hoods there, nobody would imagine they'd all move back into that house. Gran loves it, doesn't want to live anywhere else."

"That's right," Dudley added. "I can take care of the three of us. If there's any trouble, I have the cellphone to reach Harry. The police are going to look in on us, from time to time. We'll be fine."

"It would scare me to go back and live somewhere after the house was broken into," a little first-year Wizard shuddered.

"But, I'm a lot bigger than you are," Dudley showed a most impressive bicep. "I've got a hunting knife, and a shotgun, and I'm getting a dog."

"Are dogs really any protection?" a second-year girl inquired. "If dogs made you safe, my grandparents and parents would have had dogs during the Voldemort years. I lost my grandparents."

"I'm very sorry," Dudley declared, even sporting a tear in the corner of his eye. "I lost my grandfather to a Wizard. I'm not going to lose Gran."

Dudley's grandmother and Petunia were eating at the head table, which had been extended to accommodate them and Dad, but Dudley was the center of attention. Students even came over from the Hufflepuff table to wish him well and say goodbye. Dudley had attended a lot of Quidditch practices while he was here, and had taught some of the students how to play poker. I didn't know what Dudley was going to do with the gold galleons he had won or how he would pass them off if somebody from the Muggle world saw them.

"When are you leaving?" a Ravenclaw seventh-year Witch asked Dudley. "I'm going to miss you."

"In about an hour. This is my second trip to Hogwarts, so I may be back. If not, I'll look you up during your winter break. I've never known a girl like you. Or anyone with a name like Aurora Borealis Hudgeons. The lads won't believe it. It sounds almost royal."

We wandered up to the head table, so that Harry could say goodbye to his grandmother and Petunia. It was strange to see my husband hugging Petunia, but they were getting along far better than I had thought possible. Two of Dad's aurors interrupted, telling Harry's grandmother, "I'm afraid it's time for you to finish packing, Mrs. Evans. We leave in ten minutes. We have to be punctual to apparate from here."

After the Dursleys were gone, and I have no idea why the school's apparation barriers were lowered so they could apparate from the Entry Hall, Harry gathered us together.

"It's time to visit Pansy. She will have been brought to the Ministry by now. The Minister has the headmaster's approval for Cissy to come with us. McGonagall is willing to do almost anything to help Pansy. I expected Ron and Hermione to come with us, but was surprised when Neville joined the group. "I am to be Pansy's chaperone, while she is at Hogwarts," he answered my question. "It appears that Draco and Erin returned last night. They'll both be attending classes tomorrow, possibly as early as later this morning. The Minister wanted a faculty member watching Pansy, and Mrs. Weasley refused the assignment."

Pansy actually seemed pleased to see us. Her first words confirmed this impression. "It gets lonely here. The auror and Elf don't actually say much to me. I can assure you that if I am allowed to study at Durmstrang, that I will be a model citizen. I'd rather be at Hogwarts, but I realize that you'd prefer I be elsewhere. I do need to spend a few days at Hogwarts to be interviewed by the Durmstrang delegation. I'll gladly answer any questions you have. I assume that's why you came."

"Yes," Harry admitted. "The Ministry has been asked to make an exception and allow you to leave Britain, and we've been asked to drop our objection to you visiting Hogwarts. Draco and Erin will be there, by the way."

"Not a problem. I'll stay well clear of them. I'll avoid you as well, if you'd rather not see or talk to me. I've been invited to stay with Draco's mother, in her apartment."

"That'll certainly go well," I couldn't help saying.

"Narcissa has come to terms with Draco's new marriage. She's just doing me a small favor as a friend and former mother-in-law. She says Draco wouldn't normally come to her apartment in any case. He has his own, and I understand he's sleeping at Castle Montaigne. I'll simply eat at a different table."

"I'm curious how Professor Slughorn came to learn of your interest in studying at Durmstrang," Harry asked.

"Millicent visited me as soon as she was released from jail. I don't approve of her trying to murder her Elf, by the way. Also, by the way, she didn't do that by choice. Professor Umbridge threatened to kill her grandfather if she didn't help her in that way. Millicent actually liked that Elf, just not as much as she liked her grandfather. Not that she and her grandfather were all that close. You should find out if my father killed our Elf because he was threatened. I told you before, Dad is not political. He doesn't get excited about much of anything. Certainly not excited enough to kill. Even an Elf."

"I think the answer to my question might be hiding somewhere in that ramble. Why would Slughorn write us that you wanted to attend Durmstrang? You had no way of contacting him."

"Not directly, but I asked Millicent to help me, and Millicent asked headmaster McGonagall, who sent a bird to Professor Slughorn. Slughorn always liked me. I knew he'd try to help me. It's very boring here and I really do need to see to my future. I'm as good as an orphan."

"**She's not quite lying, but she's not telling the truth either, Harry. You should pin her down more."**

"**That's right, she's nervous because she's being evasive,"** Hermione supported me.

"You are an especially sad case, worthy of our compassion. I'm curious why Viktor and Cho would want you at Durmstrang. They've had problems with the Continental Grindelwald group and you're tied to the British Grindelwalds. Can you explain that?"

"That's exactly why Viktor wants me there. He's hoping he can identify more of the Grindelwalds, because they'll naturally contact me, possibly even see me as a leader."

"**That's mostly true."**

"So, if Viktor wanted you to come, how did you and Millicent find out about it?"

"Okay, I promised not to tell, but headmaster McGonagall asked Millicent to ask me whether, in exchange for my early freedom, I was willing to do a spot of possibly dangerous spying on behalf of the Sisterhood and Cho."

"**That was the truth, Harry."**

"How did McGonagall decide that you were needed at Durmstrang?"

"I don't know. I wasn't told. I assume that Cho contacted her."

"**Ginny, was McGonagall telling the truth, when we talked to her after receiving Slughorn's message?"**

"**I'm sorry, Harry. I wasn't concentrating on truth telling. It requires conscious observation. I think I would have known if she told any really big lies. I'll watch her more closely, in future."**

"I'm not sure I want you going to Durmstrang on those terms. I'm not sure the Minister will approve, either," Harry rejected her request. "We're not in the business of giving get-out-of-jail-free passes to criminals, in order to recruit for the headmaster's Sisterhood. She had promised to give up that sort of thing."

"What if I were willing to be your spy, instead? What if I were willing to take an Unbreakable Vow to be loyal to you, instead of the headmaster? I really don't think your interests are all that different. I would communicate to her only what you want me to, and never let on that I'm actually working for you and the Ministry. I'd be willing to do that."

"**She's telling the truth, Harry."**

"That might be possible. I have to talk to the Minister first. And Viktor, I'm not even sure that Viktor knows of or approves of the headmaster's plan to send you to Durmstrang. I'll be back in touch. We'll talk to your father – soon. For now, it's back to your house arrest."

I was surprised that Harry took Cissy with us, when we went to visit Dad. When he left her in the ante-room in Neville's charge, I understood that he didn't want advance word of our discussion with Pansy leaking back to Hogwarts.

Dad's decision was quick. "Send her to Durmstrang as our spy. If Viktor approves, she has my blessing to travel to Durmstrang."

Dad called for Prudence. He told her, "See if you can intercept Pansy, before she leaves the Ministry. I want her brought to my office."

Pansy was placed under an Unbreakable Vow. Part of the vow was to pretend to be McGonagall's agent and to report McGonagall's instructions to us. She would also spy on Narcissa, while she stayed in her apartment. Pansy seemed totally nonplussed as she took the vow. I guess anything that earned her release was seen as a positive. Undoubtedly she would have also had a price to pay to McGonagall. It was certainly true that she was very accustomed to spying for a variety of spymasters. Dad was very careful that Madam Bones not learn of any of this. He even warned Pansy "you clearly won't speak to anyone else of our arrangement, especially Madam Bones."

Even with the vow, Harry thought it best to apparate to outside the Hogwarts gate. We rang for admission and were greeted several minutes later by Professor Sprout. She quickly unlocked the gate, saying "The headmaster wants to see you all – immediately. She expected you back here an hour ago. Cissy has missed most of a class."

McGonagall greeted us. "You're late. Off to class at once, Cissy. I'm glad to see that you decided to bring Pansy back to Hogwarts. Was there a problem?"

"Not at all," Harry replied. "I felt that this was an important enough issue that we needed to get Arthur's approval. He will allow Pansy to go to Durmstrang, if Viktor tells us that he wants her there. For now, all we have is Professor Slughorn's assumption."

"Alright, although I assumed that Amelia's approval would be sufficient."

"Didn't even speak to Director Bones," Harry told her. "I'm her boss, but Arthur is mine."

"That's foolish. You're not learned in the law. You really should consult her more frequently. She may be overly cautious, but she certainly knows what's legal. Speaking of things that are very foolish – I can't believe you allowed your cousin to speak so freely of your family's future living arrangements. You know there are Slytherins in Ravenclaw, and they will talk to their parents."

"I thought you were insisting that we regard all of the Slytherins as perfectly safe and loyal? You mean I should have been on my guard against the little proto-Slytherins?"

"Yes, and I don't like that term any better when you use it than when your wife does. It sounds like they're little pet animals, who will grow up to be deadly."

"That's what it was meant to sound like," I assured her.

"Well, to ease your mind, an Elf has been assigned to guard my family. Since the Elf attacks, we have a goodly supply of unemployed Elves. The Elf will keep them safe. Dudley can reach me by phone. I'm just a minute away. Dudley's fiercer than he looks. You shouldn't worry."

{{What's going on? I was a little late to breakfast, because Dad wanted to scold me. What's really going on with Dudley.}}

{[sly] Hopefully, an unpleasant surprise for Roderick. Still time for you to catch Professor Sprout.}

McGonagall dismissed us, saying "I'd like just a few words with Pansy and Professor Longbottom, to umm, lay out the ground rules for her visit with us. I'm sure we can avoid her bothering you."

I planned an afternoon of Quidditch practice, but just as we were finishing our lunch, I heard the stone speaking into my head "**_You have an arrival from ElfWorld. It is a single Elf. You are requested to procede to the pyramid. If you wish to restrict the weight limit for future arrivals, you may do so now."_**

I had to ask Firenze how much he thought Bane weighed. It was clear to me that Harry hadn't heard the message, but Hermione had. "Let's go!" I hurried Harry. "Baal is back."

We were out of the Great Hall and half way to Snape's office, when an auror raced up to give us the same news. Harry did a great acting job, convincing even me that we were pleasantly shocked by this wonderful news. He sent the auror to the Ministry to inform Dad and Shacklebolt. We paused a few seconds, while Harry summoned Cotto.

Cotto seemed rather excited, but I could tell that he already knew that Baal had arrived. The Elves have awesome magical skills.


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter 63 – The Bad Elf Returns**

"I'm very glad that Baal has been safely returned to us, but I must speak to him most severely," Cotto told Harry matter-of-factly. "He should have obeyed you and his King, when we told him to stop exploring the black rock. He should have obeyed me when I told him to return home at once. He is the bravest Elf I know, but very foolish and disobedient."

I tried speaking to McGonagall through the stone. It worked and she agreed that the apparation barriers would be lowered in ten minutes. Before we were able to apparate to the floor of the pyramid, Baal had apparated to Snape's office. We were just outside of Snape's office as he did this.

"We really need some sort of medical quarantine rules," Hermione told us, right before she shouted "Stay right there, Baal! Don't leave the office. I'm afraid you're stuck there, too, she told the sole auror on duty. We can't tell what diseases Baal may have brought back with him from ElfWorld. Both of you are going to have to be isolated, until we know you are healthy. That's probably a week or two. I know nothing bad happened when Cotto returned, but that was very reckless. At least he wasn't on ElfWorld long. Baal has been there a very long time. Hopefully, he at least didn't have sex with any of the ElfWorld Elves."

This began a sharp exchange between Cotto and Baal, which I assume they didn't realize that Hermione and I could understand. My brain did instant translations and I let the content leak over to Harry.

"Did you have sex with Elfina?"

"No, Baal is good Elf."

"Don't tell me you're a good Elf. You've been disobedient and reckless. You should have apparated out of the pyramid when Harry and I asked you to leave. Instead, you blundered around, until you vanished. That was very foolish and also bad."

"Not bad. Cotto tell me must protect Harry Potter and Miss Ginny. That is Baal job number one. If Baal not explore, then Ginny explore. Baal must stop that. Baal follow big earlier order from his King. Harry Potter also tell Baal that he must protect Ginny. That's what I do. Ginny be reckless. Baal must protect."

"But I gave you more recent orders. So did Harry."

"Baal see cavern, you not. Baal follow number one order. Baal sorry did not follow new order. Baal try to be good Elf."

"That is alright. I forgive you. But in the future, if I give you a new order, you must follow the new order. If you think the new order is wrong, then you must stop and we will talk about it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Baal understand. Baal is very, very sorry. Baal also protect Cotto. Miss Ginny hard to protect."

"Yes, I know that. So does Harry. You must do the best that you can. The big problem is that when you disappeared, Ginny and I had to fly inside the pyramid to try to find you. So Ginny was in danger, because you didn't come back when we asked you to."

"Baal not want that. You should not come for Baal. Baal happy to take risk. Not expect Cotto rescue."

"I'm your King. It was my responsibility that you were in danger. Why didn't you come back from ElfWorld when I ordered you to?"

"Much to learn. Baal not want to risk other Elf or Wizard. Baal already there. Baal already meet young warrior Elfs. They not harm Baal. Maybe they harm other Elf. Maybe harm Cotto. For sure they harm Wizard. Baal be spy for you and Harry Potter. Baal learn much."

"But Ginny sent you another message and delivery last night. Why didn't you return at once."

"Much danger. Package excite young warriors. Young warrior Elfs suspect Baal have tool to come to this world. They want Baal take many, many young warrior Elfs with him. Baal have to trick to get away from warriors and return. Most Elfs on Elfworld very good, but young warriors be angry. They not trust you or Baal. They want to come here. Baal leave while they eat Ginny cookies. Ginny send Baal favorite cookies."

I felt guilty interpreting their private conversation. If an explorer cannot speak privately to his king, the world is in a sorry state. Out of guilt, I spoke to Cotto in ElfSpeak. "I sent Baal about a hundred of the dark chocolate-enrobed wafer cookies that he likes so much. Hermione buys them at a Muggle store. They're really rather good. And I don't need as much protection as you think I do. I'm a very good fighter."

Cotto and Baal each said something that I couldn't translate, but I feared that I had just learned how to say "Bwaa Ha Ha," in ElfSpeak.

Cotto looked about as surprised as an Elf can look, when I commented, and did not continue his not-so-private conversation with Baal.

Hermione explained the quarantine procedures and suggested that the pyramid floor would be more comfortable than staying in Snape's office. The auror decided to stay in the office by himself. We fetched supplies for Baal and lowered them into the pyramid. Baal didn't look overly happy, but he apparated to the floor of the pyramid. I taught him how to stay in communication through the stone, so he wouldn't get too lonely.

Harry told the auror, "Sorry, I doubt you can catch an Elf illness, but we have to be safe. I'm afraid you'll be living here for the next ten days. You'd really be better off on the pyramid floor. The lights will stay on and we can send you lots of supplies." The auror agreed and that is what we did.

The rest of the day was Quidditch practice, meals, a short meeting with Professor Sprout, and a lot of communication with Baal by way of the stone. Quidditch practice was enjoyable and I had the strong sense that my senior team had really come together. It had the cohesion of the best of the Gryffindor teams, but with a higher level of talent. We had the best two or three players from each House team. I was pleased that Jimmy was protecting himself during the scrimmage and seemed more at peace with himself. When I commented upon this, he replied that it was good to know that Adrienne had truly forgiven him. I told him that he should have known he was forgiven. Professor Celine didn't need to keep working with him after McGonagall booted him out of art class and club, but she had gone to the extra effort of critiquing his work, and allowing him to see the best of his classmates' artistic efforts at times when she was out of the studio.

I learned that McGonagall's story about Professor Sprout was basically correct. Professor Sprout confessed that she may have roused the Lord Montaigne's ire by inadvertently taking the last piece of one of his treasured orchids. Thinking the plant next to it was the same cultivar, which, unfortunately it was not, she had taken it, without asking, not realizing how much Montaigne liked this particular orchid. She had further angered him in the course of her apology by dropping an aside, which he viewed as entirely too egalitarian. She had sold plants to pay off her father's debt which, perhaps not coincidentally, was to the Malfoys. A 'sure thing' investment had quickly soured. It sounded like a scam from the start. The plants which Professor Sprout sold were her own, excepting the single orchid belonging to Lord Montaigne.

Both she and her father had pleaded with the brother for assistance, just as they had pleaded for assistance in settling the father's debt. The brother agreed to perform a small favor for the Lord, but most of the help came from Dumbledore. As Professor Sprout described her brother's favor as 'having to do with the non-magical daughter of one of Lord Montaigne's Great Family friends', I suspected that her brother's attempts to reform the Squib program may have been derailed by that particular favor.

Harry had all sorts of questions about ElfWorld that he wanted me to ask Baal. I reminded him that he could ask Baal himself, communicating through the stone. Cotto had not seen much of ElfWorld, really never leaving the landing zone. Unlike Baal, Cotto was wary of contracting or transmitting a novel disease. He also wasn't as adept at the ElfWorld language as Baal and had been warned by Baal that not all of the natives were friendly. To protect his King, Baal had kept him at the landing zone and minimized contact with the young warriors, telling all that it was forbidden to come closer than twenty feet from the King. So, Cotto had seen farmland, trees in the distance, the Elves themselves, and a hint of their technology in the form of motor vehicles.

Baal had things that interested him and I had to just let him chatter, rather than posing Harry's question. Baal reinforced what I had already learned from Cotto, but gave a lot more detail. The Elves of ElfWorld had made great technological progress, but were devoid of magic. They were about on a par with our Muggle world of a century and a half earlier, although they had adopted their new technologies with more of an eye toward art and craftsmanship. They had no airplanes or even balloons, apparently only the most primitive of boats, and used fewer metals than our Muggles. Baal earnestly informed me "In my young life, I visit Sheffield. Cotto show me London and Edinburgh and Dublin. I have Muggle city to compare. ElfWorld Elfs make many city very beautiful. Everything they make must be very beautiful and must last very long time. That is their belief."

Apparently, the Elves greatly refined their use of glasses, ceramics, water, and gardens in the early days before they developed steel, steam, and electricity. They loved the countryside, but a growing population and industrialization forced them to create cities. Their solution was to bring the countryside into their cities. The cities weren't huge, perhaps a quarter to half a million Elves each, but they were spread out, with little farms and exotic parks everywhere and individual two-story houses for extended families of perhaps fifty or sixty Elves. The houses were hollow squares, in which each of the large rooms had windows on two sides, with corridors connecting the corner rooms to those on either side and the stairs. This design provided ten rooms per floor. Each room housed one of the sub-families, with the large room divided, when necessary, by removable screens of wood, glass, and fabric to separate the different functional areas. Shared baths, latrines, the utility equipment, and storage were underground. The hollow center of the square housed elaborate gardens, both for beauty and to provide a portion of the food requirement. There was a good sized fountain and pond in the center, where edible fish were raised. The roofs of the homes held equipment for solar heating and electricity production, as well as a family picnic area, with brick ovens, where all of the cooking was done communally.

It took a lot of back and forth to get Baal to convey a clear picture. In the end, he resorted to exchanging mental pictures through the stone. Baal was already more adept with stone communication than anyone but Hermione and me. As best I could understand, the Elf cities were laid out along the paths of streams. They put two double rows of houses on either side of the stream and channeled part of the streams flow underground, between the houses of each double row. This fed the house ponds and provided household water. It was unclear what happened to the latrine waste. Baal had never questioned this. The original stream itself flowed slowly, through an Elf-made channel, except in the rainy times, when it expanded to almost the edge of the inner row of houses. Because of this design, cities began as long strips eight houses wide. They then grew into crosses or extended triangles as the towns along several streams in an area merged to form a city. This left a lot of ground for farming and parks at the center of the cities. Factories were just outside the cities, usually a little downstream, where the channeled streams to the houses were brought back together. I saw an image of this, from the top of a very tall tree in the center of the city, where Baal had resided. I also saw his house, his room in that house, the family he lived with, and a nearby factory, which manufactured glass.

I could tell, what Baal had not described – the houses were made of brick and stone. The roofs were tile, except where the solar equipment was located. The rooms had wooden floors, with some woven coverings. The windows were clear in the center with colored glass surrounds. The walls appeared to be painted plaster. The furnishings were largely wood, some with cloth coverings. Baal's bed was an Elf-sized mini-futon. The garden was beautiful. There were kitchen gardens, separated by stone paths, Elf-sized benches, and flowering areas around the fountain. High grasses filled the corners. It wouldn't surprise me if this were edible grain.

It was not until I was lying in bed that I was able, with Harry's assistance, to shift Baal from the beauty and architectural splendor of ElfWorld to the politics of that world, the young warriors, and the danger they might pose to us. Baal assured us that while he viewed the young warriors as a potential danger, that they were relatively few in number. Baal had been told that ElfWorld held ninety million Elves. Half lived in cities. In his city of a quarter million, he saw close to a thousand of these young warriors, but thought most had traveled to meet and impress him. Baal had also seen the capital city of over a half million Elves. The young warriors had rallied while he was there. I saw a mental picture of a horde of rather wild looking Elves with face paint and scarlet sashes. Most held staffs, spears, bows and arrows, or swords. There seemed to be several thousand of them. Baal showed me a mental picture of a close-up of one particularly tall soldier, who carried what looked like a wooden shield painted blue with a red diagonal stripe and a metal-tipped spear/staff sort of weapon. Baal said these warriors came from the capital and beyond.

It took a lot of questioning back and forth to realize that the young warriors were not official soldiers, but members of a minority religion built around a desire to prepare for the time when the Light Guardian would permit them travel back to their ancient home, where they would confront the evil Leprechauns. They viewed Baal's arrival as an opportunity to do exactly that and had congregated in the capital to appeal to Baal to transport them to Earth as well as to press their government all issue a call for recruits. Baal said most of the Elves ignored the young warriors, but they were not prevented by the government from gathering around Baal and basically hounding him.

Baal said that the warriors and their families lived in especially large houses on farms outside some of the cities. He said he visited one such house, but felt so uncomfortable that he slipped away in the night. This house held a hundred adult Elves and almost as many children. Instead of a central garden, this house had a tiled court, where all the residents, including quite young children practiced fighting.

Our discussion with Baal ended at this point. We all planned to resume in the morning. Harry and I agreed that, based upon what Baal had seen, the young warriors were only a percent or two of the population. Still, that meant over a million warriors. That didn't alter the overall view of ElfWorld as a largely peaceful society, but none of us would want to be visited by a million warrior Elves.

Harry got us up early the next morning, so we could talk to Baal before breakfast. "Your father was very insistent that he needed answers to some of the questions that Baal hasn't answered yet. The foreign delegations will be arriving later today. Arthur may even be at Hogwarts for breakfast. I'm not going down to the Great Hall without his answers."

This seemed a bit extreme, until I heard Harry's first question. "Baal, I need to know what you taught the Elves on ElfWorld. I especially need to know what you told them about magic. Did you tell them about stone circles or moving magical force lines to increase the force strength?"

"Harry Potter will think Baal is a bad Elf."

"No, I know you are a good Elf. But I really need to know what you told the other Elves. It is very important."

"Baal tell Elfs about magic circles. Baal not know how to make circle. Baal say to put big rocks in circles. Connect rocks with wires. Baal say silver wire. These Elfs not have silver. Baal say circle inside circle and very big rock in center. Baal not show how to build."

"That may not be very serious," Harry reassured Baal. "I couldn't build a circle from that description. What about magical force lines?"

"Baal tell Elfs to find Elf can see lines. Some Elfs can see magic lines. They had no Elf can see lines. Baal not see them also."

"Even better. I don't think any serious harm was done. What else did you teach them?"

"Baal say Muggles have machines that move through air. Say our Elfs have potions. Show potion for not have fever. Show potion for bones not hurt. Show potion for make sleep and make forget. These Elfs not have ingredients for many potions. Don't have our Elfs animals."

"What animals do they have?"

"Have fish, have rabbit, have hedgehog, have bird – eat all of this."

"That is interesting," Harry told him. "What did you tell them about us?"

"Baal say Harry Potter and many Wizards good to Elfs. Say many Wizards very bad. Own Elfs."

"That could be a problem," Harry admitted.

"One more question before breakfast. You told me what the young warriors want. What do the rest of the ElfWorld Elfs want from us?"

"Most Elfs want you stay away. Most Elfs want magic. Government want send Elfs to here to learn."

"Thanks. I guess that's not so bad," Harry concluded.

We were late for breakfast. Harry had been right. Dad was at the Gryffindor table and he was definitely waiting for Harry. McGonagall was looking for both of us. "You're late, Potter," she told Harry. I need to talk to both of you. She fell silent at a look from Dad.

Harry told them both, "I'm sorry that we're late. We were talking to Baal. He is lonely and we needed information from him."

McGonagall seemed satisfied, assuming that she would be getting new information from Harry. However, Dad, who had sat down between Harry and me, suggested that McGonagall should return to the head table. He promised that I'd stop by to see her, right after breakfast, but that he needed Harry.


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter 64 – Betrayed?**

"That's amazing the way you got rid of McGonagall so easily," I congratulated Dad.

"Harry could do equally, if he stopped thinking of himself as her student and started thinking of himself as the Deputy Minister and the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It's all about the attitude and not slipping into the mode of allowing her to bully you. I've also found a magical phrase that works wonders."

"Oh," Harry perked up, "what's the phrase."

"I just get a whimsical air as I look off into space and ask myself aloud 'Isn't there a Hogwarts Governors meeting later this month?' It works wonders. I only had to use it twice: I find that she hasn't tried to intimidate or guilt me into doing anything since then. It may not work as well for Harry, but he is also a Governor. That's why I appointed Harry as a Governor. I thought it might loosen Minerva's hold on him."

Dad asked what we learned from Baal. He didn't seem too concerned by Harry's answer. He did look askance as Hermione butted in "They may not have silver on ElfWorld, or they may just not have thought they had a use for it, until now. We don't even know if silver is necessary to make a circle operate. It is a great conductor of electricity and will hold up a very long time, but so will gold."

Dad simply replied, "Thank you Hermione. Now, I really must borrow Harry. We'll both be back in plenty of time to greet the foreign delegations. The missing dementors have not been found, by the way. Shacklebolt is afraid that they'll turn up at Hogwarts during the Quidditch."

Harry and Dad got up from table, but Dad froze in place as he stared at the head table. I followed his eyes, until I saw the contented face of Pansy Parkinson, seated at the farthest end of the table, next to Narcissa Malfoy, with whom she was chatting happily. Dad pointed to McGonagall and crooked his finger for her to join us.

"Have you added a new faculty member, since last I visited you," he inquired of McGonagall.

"Why no, Minister, umm, actually I didn't quite know where to put Pansy. I didn't want to send her back to the Hufflepuff table, since that was where she ate when she was married to Draco. Ravenclaw's table is right next to Gryffindor's and these students – a hand motion encompassed all of us, didn't want to see Pansy."

"Well, they could hardly miss her, when you seat her at the head table, could they? I thought you had this same discussion with Kingsley, with regard to Lucius. Pansy is a convicted criminal, who should be very grateful that a kind government did not insist upon her serving her entire sentence. Your request to grant her a fresh start at Durmstrang was approved by me. She was briefly allowed back at Hogwarts as a courtesy to allow her to interview with the Durmstrang delegates. I most certainly did not send her back to Hogwarts to be your honored guest. I can't believe you imagined this could be regarded as appropriate behavior. I should have my aurors escort her directly back to confinement. This is in very bad taste."

Dad was speaking loudly enough that students as far away as the Ravenclaw table were eagerly watching and listening. A red-faced McGonagall replied, "I'll rectify the problem at once, Minister," and hastily retreated to the head table. A few words were spoken and Pansy hastily picked up her glass and plate and moved to the Hufflepuff table. Dad whispered to me, "Make certain you speak to Pansy before the foreign delegates arrive."

Then, with one last angry glance at the head table, Dad was gone and Harry was hurrying to catch up with him. I didn't even have a chance for a quick snog.

I asked Hermione, "What can I do? McGonagall is demanding to see me, but I can't just go trotting up there after my Dad just smacked her down. Plus, I don't want to take a pile of crap from her, just because she's angry with my father. That really isn't fair."

"Wait until she returns to her office, and then give her a few minutes to calm down," Hermione suggested. "You're always good for another jellied scone and some more coffee. Just relax and don't look her way. I'll come with you to her office, if you like."

"No, I'll face her myself, but I welcome your assistance in tackling Pansy."

"McGonagall has just left for her office. Have another scone."

I did, slathering it with the sour cherry jam and cream cheese. Another half cup of coffee and I was off to McGonagall.

"Ah, Mrs. Potter, how good of you to finally join me."

"I came as soon as I finished breakfast. I guess I ate slowly, because we were chatting a lot over our food."

"Be that as it may, I have much to tell you. First, you are going to need a new Keeper for your senior team."

"Why?"

"The Eire Academy Keeper has sustained a serious enough injury that he will be unable to compete. To keep things on an even footing, I decided that each team will go with its backup Keeper."

"What! That has nothing to do with the rules of Quidditch. If a team suffers an injury, the other teams don't sit one of their players to compensate. We don't even know who the first-team Keeper for Eire is, or the other teams for that matter. Lists of starting players were not required by the agreed rules until right before the teams enter the pitch."

"I know how determined you are to win, Miss Weasley, umm, Mrs. Potter, but the primary goal of this tournament is to foster friendship and cooperation between the Wizarding schools and communities. We are the host school and the larger school. I assure you, there is no particular honor in defeating a depleted squad from the smallest school."

"It isn't that small, since you negotiated to allow them to play two over-twenty-year olds at any time. That really evens out the numbers, probably even gives them an edge. And, yes, of course I want to win. That's the purpose of Quidditch. You don't play not to win, but to make lots of friends from the opposing teams."

"Now you are being inappropriately sarcastic. You're wasting your time. I've already notified the other teams of my decision. Your backup Keeper has practiced with your squad, so you shouldn't be at any great disadvantage and Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be at an equal disadvantage."

"Always assuming they sit their real starting Keeper, rather than the backup."

"This is a sporting event among companion schools. I intend to engage in the finest sportsmanlike conduct. I'm sure my counterparts will insist that their teams honor the spirit of this agreement. I really don't wish to discuss this further. Just notify your team and …"

"No! You are within your right to name a new captain, but I will not notify my team. Severus tried out for the team and earned his place. He has practiced his heart out to play for Hogwarts, while giving up precious study time. Now he is to be told that he is not going to be allowed to play, because of an arbitrary decision made by his headmaster. It that is the case then it is his headmaster who should explain that to him. I'll not do your dirty work for you. Once you've informed the team, I'm willing to implement the change. I also don't think it makes any sense not to use the first-team Keepers for games not involving Eire. Your decision is just horribly unfair. It also goes against your other rule that I had to have a member from each House on the team. Well, Severus Marks is the only Hufflepuff."

"I'm hard-pressed to believe that you honestly selected the best team and ended up with only one Hufflepuff. They were Hogwarts' winning house this season."

"But they weren't the best team. They won only because you made some bad decisions, including allowing Jimmy Jones to catch the Snitch long after the whistle blew."

"I believe you are dangerously close to being insubordinate, but I'll grant your request and notify your team myself. I'll make an announcement at lunch. You'll simply have to drop another team member and add a replacement from Hufflepuff. I do expect you to implement the decision with good grace. I'll admit that it makes little sense to sit the starting Keeper in the matches not involving Eire, but that is what I proposed to the other headmasters and that is what they accepted. I don't want to fight with you"

"Fine, in that case I choose to be a non-playing coach and add Jimmy Jones as the Seeker."

"That's not what I want. I'll allow you to go on without a Hufflepuff, if your first injury replacement is from Hufflepuff."

"I have two second-team Beaters from Hufflepuff, and the second-team Seeker, and the Keeper who isn't allowed to play, but I have no second-team Chasers from Hufflepuff."

"You'll do the best you can with the replacement, if it comes to that. I want to leave that topic. I have a special assignment for you. King Goblanze will arrive before tonight's banquet, so that he can join us in greeting the visiting delegations. He's expressed a desire to watch your last practice. I'll notify you when he arrives. I hope you will make him welcome. I know Quidditch teams are obsessed with Durmstrang players.

"Speaking of Durmstrang, I thought I would seat Pansy with the Durmstrang delegation tonight. That will allow her to meet with Viktor and Cho. I'll seat the Gryffindor team with Eire."

"Fine, I'll take very good care of King Goblanze," I assured her. "We're good friends."

"One other thing before you go. I'm afraid your father is considering sending Pansy back to jail, because of my mistake. Pansy is staying with Narcissa, so it seemed only polite to allow them to dine together. I hope you'll let Arthur know that sitting at the head table was not Pansy's idea."

"I'm fairly sure he already knows that, but I'll be sure to mention it to him."

As I was leaving McGonagall's office, Pansy started up the stairs. As she was about to pass me, I whispered "We need to talk. One hour from now, outside Hagrid's hut." Pansy nodded yes and continued up the stairs.

I passed the hour walking near the lake and steaming. I had stone conversations with both Hermione and Harry, just to let off steam. Harry suggested that the Quidditch change might well be McGonagall lashing out because of Dad. I hadn't thought Harry viewed McGonagall in quite that way.

With just a few minutes of my hour remaining, Ellen and I walked to Hagrid's hut. We were half a minute late, but Pansy wasn't in evidence. This annoyed me, after all the extra consideration Pansy had received from Harry and Dad.

We waited for fifteen minutes. I told Ellen, "Typical for Pansy. She's stood me up. Let's go. What the…!"

Three Dementors were descending rapidly to attack us. I could feel the chill. Ellen and I quickly pulled our wands. I updated my 'Shield' and shouted "Expecto Patronus". I reached for the stone, just as the Dementors were upon us. Our Patronuses had slowed, but not stopped them. I could feel them trying to suck at my soul but not being able to get past the shield charm. The one that was attacking Ellen left her and joined the attack on me. My Patronus grew brighter and brighter. Two of the Dementors flew into the forest. The third was not so fortunate. It was thrown up against Hagrid's hut and pinned there. My happy thought switched to 'it's fun to kill a Dementor'. The Dementor melted away before my eyes. I extinguished my Patronus, noting that it had actually scorched the side of Hagrid's hut.

Ellen had reached for her cell phone, but I reached out my hand to stop her. I contacted Harry via the stone. I also called Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Cotto for good measure. Cotto arrived almost instantly to find Ellen and me, standing back to back, with wands out, prepared to fend off another attack. Cotto apparated above our heads, rising and falling, as he spun slowly, scanning the sky for Dementors. Ron, Neville, and then Hermione ran up, wands at the ready. We soon were joined by Harry, Bill, Barb, Dad, Shacklebolt, and another half dozen aurors.

I explained what had happened to Dad. He quickly concluded, "I want Pansy arrested at once. She must be connected to this, somehow. I also don't understand how the Dementors could have penetrated Hogwarts' defenses and entered the grounds. That isn't supposed to be able to happen. I'm going to have a talk with the headmaster. I'm surprised that you actually killed a Dementor, Ginevra. Are you sure that it didn't simply fly away?"

"No, I saw it melt and evaporate. It made a hideous moan as it vanished."

"That will likely keep the others in hiding," Shacklebolt declared. "I don't think my men could find them in the forest."

Our whole group marched up to the castle and all the way to the headmaster's office. Pansy was with McGonagall. Dad smiled. "I see I found you together. How convenient. Pansy Parkinson, you are under arrest. Minerva, you had best explain how three Dementors just flew through the Hogwarts defenses and attacked my daughter. Those defenses should be impervious to Dementors."

"The Eire team and delegation arrived early. The delegation requested that the barriers be lowered so that the team could fly in on their brooms and land on the Quidditch pitch. I saw no reason not to grant their request. The Dementors must have slipped in while the defenses were lowered. Why do you insist upon arresting Pansy? She has done nothing wrong. She has been here with me the whole time since Mrs. Potter left my office. I tried to find Ginny so that she could join me in welcoming the Eire team, but I couldn't find her."

"Ginny was at Hagrid's hut, where she and Pansy had agreed to meet," Dad announced to McGonagall.

"Ginny and Pansy have been avoiding each other, Minister. I really believe that you must be mistaken."

"Not a mistake," I snarled. "Pansy agreed to meet at Hagrid's hut, but all I met were Dementors."

"I know nothing of the Dementors," Pansy pleaded. "Please, I've done nothing wrong. I planned to meet Ginny, but when the time came, Professor McGonagall refused to excuse me, saying we had much more to discuss."

"Pansy didn't mention a prior engagement with your daughter. How was I supposed to know that I was keeping her from that meeting? I merely had a lot to discuss with Pansy."

"**She's lying!"** popped into my head from Hermione, just as I was coming to that conclusion, myself.

"You seriously underestimate truth tellers," I told McGonagall. "Otherwise, you wouldn't attempt to lie in our presence. You betray yourself. You most definitely did know that Pansy and I agreed to meet."

"Yes, I knew! Does that satisfy you? I had nothing to do with Dementors attacking you. I just sensed that you and Pansy would conspire against me and maneuvered to prevent the two of you from meeting. That shouldn't have been a great disappointment to you. You stood right where you are now and declared that you couldn't bear to look upon Pansy at Hogwarts ever again. I was merely helping you to avoid such a meeting."

"That is a preposterous answer," Dad informed her, "and I will get to the bottom of this. How did you know that Pansy and Ginny had planned to meet? Did Pansy tell you?"

"No, she did not. As to your first question, I prefer not to answer it."

"I don't think you have that option. I am going to find out who was responsible for trying to kill my daughter. It seems unlikely to be coincidental that she was their target."

"She and Ellen may have been attacked simply because they were out on the school grounds," McGonagall replied in her reasonable voice.

"No," Ellen was certain. "I saw a half dozen other students on the grounds. The Dementors came right for us. They dove on us, like birds. One of the three initially attacked me, but it quickly switched its attack to Ginny. I'm certain the Dementors meant to attack Ginny. I'd swear to that."

"That seems like very clear evidence," Dad told McGonagall. "You can consider whether or not you wish to cooperate with the investigation. Meanwhile, we'll take Pansy back to the Ministry for questioning."

"You can't… I mean you shouldn't do that. Pansy needs to meet with the Durmstrang delegation."

"I don't think Durmstrang should be foremost in Pansy's mind right now," Dad replied in an ominous tone. "If she wasn't involved in the attack, you can likely have her back tomorrow. I want Barb, Ellen, and Harry to stay with Ginny. Bill, I want you to talk to the Eire delegation and investigate the circumstances surrounding the lowering of the school's defenses. The rest of you, bring Pansy and return to the Ministry with me. Be very careful, Ginevra. Someone wants you dead."

I felt a chill as I watched Pansy being marched away under guard. I thought McGonagall looked as shocked as I felt.


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter 65 – A Little Clarification**

"Look at me!" McGonagall demanded. "I'll speak very deliberately so you can be certain that I'm telling the truth. I know this is a serious situation. I know that shadings of the truth seem very suspicious at times such as this. I assure you all that I had absolutely nothing to do with the attempt to kill Ginny. I have no knowledge of the responsible party. Lowering the school's defenses was a totally innocent act. It was intended only to honor our guests. I didn't know that the Dementors were waiting to slip into Hogwarts. Now, do you accept that what I just told you is completely true?"

"**She's telling the truth,"** confirmed my own conclusion.

"I'll address the evasion in my prior comments. A headmaster functions best when she understands what is happening around her. Through a spell and a modification of the Weasley Extendable Ears device, I have contrived to listen to what the visitors to this office have to say as they come and go on the stairs. It is generally very enlightening.

"I heard Ginny and Pansy agree to meet. I well know how Ginny feels about Pansy, so it was natural to expect that they weren't going to meet on the other side of the grounds just to renew a friendship. I knew in that instant that Ginny knew of my plans to once again use Pansy as my spy. I kept Pansy from that meeting, because it was possible that you only suspected our arrangement. I thought that unlikely, since Pansy had already faced your truth tellers the previous day. On the possibility that your suspicions were new ones, I wanted to keep Pansy away from any truth teller. My purpose in recruiting Pansy was only to help Cho and Viktor. It was not in any way opposed the Minister's or your own goals. I kept my plan to myself under the assumption that the fewer persons who knew of it, the safer Pansy would be. Secret meetings with those known to despise her could also raise doubts among those who would injure Pansy, if my plan were known. I also wanted to find out from her how much she had told you. I wanted to know if you had Imperiused her. I needed to know that she was still my agent and mine alone. You naturally will think me sneaky and that I have violated at least the spirit of my deal with Arthur, but I did nothing that should have caused any of you any harm or even inconvenience. It might well have helped you."

"**That also was the truth."** Indeed it was.

I wasn't about to confirm what we knew about Pansy, but Harry did. "Yes, we knew that you had manipulated the Ministry, not to help Pansy, as you suggested when you played upon our sympathies, but to use us to recruit a spy for your separate organization. Yes, we instantly realized that this proved the extent to which your Sisterhood is still active and running its own foreign policy and interfering with the Ministry. Yes, I think Arthur and I both realized in that instant that you are not to be trusted. So, yes, Ginny intended to find out exactly what you and Narcissa had ordered Pansy to do and to what extent you had interfered with her mind."

"You cast my actions in a very harsh light. I assure you that I acted primarily to benefit Pansy. Everything I said to you on her behalf, I truly believed, I still believe. Everything I conspired to do with Pansy was in support of the same greater good that you and Arthur support."

"We cast your actions in the only realistic light. I don't doubt that you generally support the same basic goals that we do. You just can't stand that Arthur is in charge and you aren't. You behave as if your Sisterhood is the true government of the Wizarding world. In that sense you are and always have been an enemy more than a friend."

Hermione and I agreed that Harry told the truth.

"It will all come out and we will know the extent of your meddling and your disloyalty," Harry continued. "Pansy will tell all that you and Narcissa have told her. Arthur will determine if her Unbreakable Vow is still in place. Then, we will all speak to you again, in far greater detail."

"You placed Pansy under an Unbreakable Vow? That's monstrous. Pansy did not deserve that. She really did just want to get on with her life and develop the skills to support herself if she failed to find a suitable husband at Durmstrang."

As if the situation hadn't already warranted all of our anger, Harry was suddenly furious. "Monstrous? You dare to call what we did monstrous? We were willing to take the virtually unprecedented step of allowing a convicted felon to leave Britain, having served only a tiny fraction of her sentence. We were willing to allow that with nothing in return from Pansy and no constraints upon her, other than the certainty that she would go to jail if she behaved badly at Durmstrang. What we absolutely were not willing to do was to send her to Durmstrang as your spy. We did not ask her to spy. We know that is a very dangerous thing to do. You asked her to spy. You made that a condition of helping her get permission to go to Durmstrang. Pansy already was a spy when we spoke to her. We just made sure she was our spy and not yours."

Harry was screaming at the end, or what I thought was the end. "You think Arthur and I are either terminally stupid or infinitely patient with you and your lies, deceptions, and great ambitions. Perhaps in being too kind to you, Arthur has created the false impression that he will indulge you forever. He won't. That time is past. Arthur is in charge and he intends to stay in charge."

"I didn't realize that you and Arthur felt quite so strongly about my activities. I thought we were on the same side. Are you going to fire me?"

"I don't have that authority. I will say for myself: Don't. Ever. Call. Me. Mr. Potter. Again. For at least the foreseeable future, I am 'Deputy Minister Potter' to you. And, leave my wife alone!"

We departed. Not knowing exactly where the listening device was hidden, Harry spoke as he was half-way down the stairs "and don't try to convince yourself that your behavior hasn't been every bit as bad as it was."

Having experienced about a month's worth of excitement, I was surprised to learn that we still had an hour before lunch. We walked toward the Forbidden Forest. We needed to talk to the Centaurs about the Dementors. "So, now you know how to kill a Dementor," Harry congratulated me.

I assured him that I was hardly likely to have a handy hut with which to trap an attacking Dementor. "Of course, Azkaban is all stone walls. It would be easy to hunt and trap them inside Azkaban. We'd need quite a few stone warriors for the job, but it might be possible."

"Speaking of Azkaban," Hermione warned us, "the Dementor attack means that they are able to escape the cordon of Patronuses and magical spells which your father set up around the island. If this wasn't a fluke lapse in that shield, we can expect to see more Dementors arriving in Britain."

"That's an unpleasant thought," Harry agreed. "I'll have to arrange for the aurors to inspect Azkaban. They could use the cover of some stone warriors. You do need more of us to share your ability. Ron, Neville, and I will have to practice reinforcing our Patronuses with power drawn from the stone. Without that, it could be very dangerous to send aurors to Azkaban."

Bill and Barb also vowed to enhance the power of their Patronus. "Actually, it would be wise to start right now. It will be a lot safer to enter the forest with Patronuses at the ready."

We did as Bill suggested. Hermione almost matched the strength of my Patronus, although neither of us ramped ours up to anything approaching Dementor-killing strength. I thought the others' Patronuses looked stronger than normal, although bright sunlight can be deceiving.

We found Firenze with another Centaur. We told them what had just happened and warned them to be wary of a possible Dementor attack. "It's me they're after," I assured Firenze, "but, if they get hungry enough, they could attack a Centaur or Unicorn."

"A Dementor would never attack a Unicorn," Firenze assured me. "For a Dementor, to come near to a Unicorn is to die. They cannot abide that level of magical goodness. You protect yourself with Patronuses, but a Unicorn is the Light Guardian's own Patronus. I shall order that the Centaur and Unicorn herds clump together. That will leave no weak lone Centaur to be attacked. A Centaur can best a Dementor ninety-nine times out of a hundred encounters, but two against one would even the odds.

"You and I should link through the stone," Firenze told me. "It would aid communication in times such as this. Apparate up upon my back and grab hold of my neck."

I did so.

"Now lean forward, with your head very close to mine. Now call to the stone and try to link our minds. We share the Great Circle. We share our thoughts. Yes, I hear you and your stone. I can't fit into your lower chamber, but perhaps I can gain greater closeness to your stone if I stand upon it, when next it operates. Thank you. We have accomplished what we must. Next time you come to the forest, you must do the same with a Unicorn."

I felt refreshed by my contact with Firenze. I wasn't even disturbed that he had read all of the surface thoughts from my mind. This was clear as he gave me encouragement, just as we broke contact. "I know you are not eager to go to lunch and hear what the McGonagall will say. Be kind. She is not as bad as you now suppose, just as she was never as good as you once thought. She means well, but just can't help herself. Enjoy your Quidditch. Play for yourself and your fellow students. I would say play for your school, but I sense that you conflate Hogwarts with McGonagall."

I was not pleased to find that the Hogwarts Quidditch team was already paired at lunchtime with the Eire delegation. They weren't even supposed to be here yet. I deeply resented that my team would hear McGonagall's dictum, while they were interspersed with the Eire team. Even though I knew what she was going to say, I didn't want to be seated next to over-sized, overly Muggle-educated Sean Murphy. Sean was in high spirits. He was apparently studying Byron and Shelley at the moment and deigned to quote some of their famous lines to me. Since I hadn't heard them previously, he quoted the entire poems and interpreted them for me. He was forced into silence, when McGonagall rose to welcome our guests.

I kept waiting for McGonagall to make THE announcement, but she sat down after merely offering conventional pleasantries. She had tantalized and tortured me by dropping the phrase 'exercise of perfect sportsmanship and good feelings amongst cousins too long apart', but then sat down.

The food was excellent and more substantial than typical for lunch. We even had a fine selection of desserts. I had just finished my chocolate mousse and been admonished by Sean for passing up an elegant banana soufflé, or 'Petits soufflés aux bananes' as Sean insisted upon calling it, when McGonagall rose to speak once again. Heeding Sean's advice, I grabbed a banana soufflé to comfort myself through the storm, which was almost upon me. Seeing what I had done, Sean grabbed a chocolate mousse, heaping extra cream upon it, as he smiled at me, saying "The extra weight will just make me stronger and more effective, but you will be sluggish upon your broom. The perils of being a Seeker."

McGonagall wasted no time in dropping the bomb. The whole room was hushed. I had expected boos and hoots, but there was only stunned silence. Then, the entire Hufflepuff table rose as one and marched out of the Great Hall. McGonagall's cry of "Come back here this instant," stayed their pace not at all. Jimmy Peakes rose and prepared to follow the Hufflepuffs. I and then the rest of the team rose to follow him. Sean was on his feet a second before I was standing. As I turned to walk away, he yelled "No! I will not have this. We shall defeat the best that Britain has to offer. I accept no favors. Honor demands that we beat your best. This is an insult!"

Erasmus was quickly up and racing to Sean's side, placing a hand on Sean's beefy forearm. "Sean, I requested this. It gives us our best chance of victory. We are a small school." he implored in Gaelic, which I was surprised that I could understand.

Sean pulled his arm away from Seamus, declaring in Gaelic "We have one injury and it is to our reserve Keeper. I will not cheat a win. I will beat their best. They will have more than one injury, when this is at a finish." To McGonagall he shouted, "You are too gullible. My coach has tried to cheat you. We will face your best or we will not play at all. That is my decision." Erasmus was left standing at table as Sean led his team away.

I hastened to catch up to my team as they exited the room. The Gryffindor and then the Ravenclaw tables were also emptying. Harry was a little befuddled when I joined him in our Common Room. "I admit that I didn't see that one coming," he confessed. "I can't wait to see what McGonagall will do next, but I want to pop back to the Ministry to find out what Pansy had to say. I'm supposed to be protecting you, so are you up for a quick trip."

Hermione and Ron came with us. Neville said he thought he had better stay at Hogwarts, given how the day had gone, thus far.

We walked to the apparation pocket, not wanting to put any secret talents on display. A second later, we were standing in front of Callista and Wood. "I'm guessing you're here to learn what Pansy had to say," Wood told Harry. "She's still with the Minister and Director Shacklebolt. In the Minister's office. Director Bones is quite upset that she has not been allowed to join that meeting. She demanded that I summon you, at once. Now that you've arrived, she'll think that I did exactly that. Her sources must be failing her, she only showed up here ten minutes ago."

"Did she, indeed? We'll stop by her office on the way. Obviously, as a member of the Sisterhood, she can't attend the meeting. I'll tell her that."

We tarried only a moment at Madam Bones's office, for Harry to convey this message, and then continued onward to face Prudence. I wasn't at all clear if we would be admitted. Actually, I was quite sure that only Harry had a chance of being admitted. Prudence stuck her head into the office and told Harry that he could go in alone. A hand signal from Harry suggested that I might be allowed to listen in, so I did.

The questioning of Pansy apparently had finished and she had been receiving fresh instructions, as Harry was entering Dad's office. Dad finished telling Pansy, "You will reside in Hufflepuff, until you travel to Durmstrang, supposing Victor permits you to do so. I don't think Viktor is aware of your travel plans. This is Cho's arrangement with headmaster McGonagall. I don't want you to speak to Narcissa or headmaster McGonagall. I was going to convey that requirement to the headmaster myself, but now that Harry is here, he can return with you and that message."

Dad quickly reprised what had been learned from Pansy. Narcissa had treated Pansy kindly, but had instructed her 'to do exactly what Minerva asks'. Pansy did not sense an attempt to Imperius her and Dr. White had confirmed that she had not been Imperiused. Nor had her Unbreakable Vow been compromised.

McGonagall had detailed many things she wanted Pansy to discover. She was intent on learning what Pansy thought I intended to say to her. Was Pansy still loyal? Was Cho truly happy? Did Viktor love her? Who was leading the conspiracy against Viktor? What could the Sisterhood do to help Cho help Viktor? Was Viktor willing to argue on behalf of her remaining as headmaster? If Professor Henkel remained at Hogwarts, would the headmaster have his vote? What about the vote of Slughorn, if it were possible to prevail upon him to return to Hogwarts? Would Cho help her ease Molly back to civilian life, as she seemed a certain vote against McGonagall for headmaster? Were there any remaining Grindelwald conspirators in Britain and could Pansy find out their identities? How many actually opposed Viktor at Durmstrang and his Ministry, not to mention his nation as a whole? Could Cho be persuaded to help McGonagall secure Neville's support? What did the Grindelwalds really want? How was Minister Weasley regarded by the central and eastern Europeans? What about the Giants? Whose side were they really on? What did the Germans think of Potter? Pansy should come back with a husband. Pansy should come back with enough skill to gain a respectable job. Pansy should not forget her loyalty to her. Pansy should spend the next few days assessing Narcissa's state of mind.

"It sounded like a mad jumble," Dad concluded. "If Pansy disgorged these comments in the order that the headmaster presented them, and Pansy assures me that she did, then the headmaster is either very rattled or not nearly as clear a thinker as I had supposed."

Harry explained all that had happened after Dad had left. "I'm going with rattled, for now," Dad decided, "but it's nice to know that we do have a Governor's meeting in a week."

We returned to Hogwarts with Pansy. Harry delivered her to the Hufflepuff Common Room and advised her to remain in place until dinner. We then set out in search of McGonagall. We found her in the Moaning Myrtle bath, of all places. We needed the Marauder's Map to track her down. It being the Witches' potty room, Harry sent me ahead to scout out the situation. I surprised McGonagall and was myself surprised to find her being comforted by Myrtle. McGonagall, who looked a bit the worse for wear and whose face revealed only partially washed away tear tracks, complained, "Can't I get some privacy, anywhere?"

"To quote someone, you have an office, the door locks. You also have an apartment and a classroom, and a classroom office, and I guess, a Goblin utility cavern, which doesn't show up on our map."

"Yes, Mrs. Potter. I wished not to be found. Trew and others who intended to buck me up and wish me well were searching for me. I didn't wish their comfort, just at the moment. I fear that I have again really stuck my foot in it. I further fear that I have injured poor Pansy as well as myself. Are you here to gloat?"

"Um, no. Harry and I just brought Pansy back to Hogwarts. We are to tell you that Pansy has been instructed not to speak to you or to Narcissa. She is to reside in Hufflepuff. We told her to stay in the Hufflepuff Common Room, until dinner. My father has no problem with her meeting with Viktor."

"Viktor won't be coming. He sent word that he must attend to matters at Durmstrang. Cho will represent him. I'm grateful that Pansy has been returned. Is she permitted to speak to Cho?"

"I assume so. May Harry come in?"

McGonagall made a sweeping 'come one, come all' motion with her arm, so I whispered for Harry to enter. Harry confirmed that there was no reason for Pansy not to meet with Cho. McGonagall asked if she was fired. Harry said no.

"Well, I need to sort out this mess," McGonagall told us. "You have your Keeper back, Mrs. Potter. Apparently Erasmus lied about their Keeper being injured. He takes a very cutthroat attitude towards his Quidditch."

"He cheated, but we all take winning and losing seriously," I told her. "It is not just an excuse for diplomacy to us."

"I will follow the Minister's rules and not attempt to speak to Pansy," McGonagall assured Harry. "I hope that I will at least be allowed to say goodbye to her, before she goes off to Durmstrang."

"I assume you will," Harry answered, "but likely not without supervision. The Minister does not want Pansy to become an agent of your Sisterhood. He is adamant that your Sisterhood will not determine our relationships with the other Wizarding communities"

"Arthur is really angry with me, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. You should also know that he learned from Pansy that you were recruiting Cho and others to help you ease Molly out of her Hogwarts position and replace her with a safer vote. That is very shabby, considering how much Molly has supported you after some of your other misdeeds."

"So, you are also still angry."

"Yes, I am. It seems that you were not involved in the attack on Ginny, but I have lingering doubts. From what Pansy told us, you are still engaged in a lot of extra-curricular activities and trying to re-jigger your faculty, based upon how you expect them to vote for headmaster. You are not to be trusted."

Dinner was a rather restrained affair for a banquet to open an inter-scholastic Quidditch Tournament. Dad was on hand and sitting next to Mom, who was at the near end of the head table. Monsieur Delacour had stayed away, in sympathy with Viktor. The less formal leader of the Eire Wizarding community also had stayed home. By protocol, Dad should have sat next to McGonagall, but apparently had refused to do so.

I was seated at the table for the Eire and Hogwarts teams. My team was somewhat appeased by McGonagall's almost immediate comment that the first-team Keepers would play for each squad. The positive reaction to this declaration was greatly diminished by the sense that McGonagall had only returned what she and Erasmus had improperly taken away. Erasmus was receiving the cold shoulder from both our team and his own. Unfortunately, he had sat close to me and I became his conversational target. I had been wondering to myself about the possibly odd coincidence of the Eire team flying into Hogwarts, just moments before I had been attacked by Dementors.

"I can tell that you think I was involved in that Dementor attack. I assure you that I was not. We never saw the Dementors, although I agree that they must have slipped into the school when the defenses were lowered to permit us to fly in."

I thought this rather too coincidental, given that the Dementors had known right where to find me.

"I don't know how they found you so quickly," Erasmus continued. "Perhaps they were watching you from outside the barrier and swooped in as soon as it was lowered. You can't believe I knew where you were."

"You were with McGonagall and she knew."

"Ahh, you believe I observed the thought from her mind. I tell you that I did not. I understand that you cannot fully believe this. I ask you this – even if I had picked up the thought from your headmaster, how could I possibly alert the Dementors?"

"I don't know. I just don't know what you are capable of doing. It's kind of creepy," I finished, as I got up to move to the Gryffindor table.

McGonagall spotted my movement and announced from the head table "I see you Mrs. Weasley. Might I ask where you are off to, while your guests are still at table?"

That changed my plans. I told her "If you must know, I'm not feeling especially well and I'm off to the loo and then my apartment. Harry will bring dessert for me."

As I sped away, I heard Hermione in my head "**Now I can tell that you're lying."**

I saw both my parents leaning forward to glare back across the table at McGonagall. I messaged back to both Hermione and Harry about my encounter with Erasmus and received Hermione's suggestion that we work at unpacking our ancient Priestess and stone knowledge about Occlumency. I vowed to do that, as I waited for Harry in our apartment.

Harry arrived an hour later, bearing sliced pork roast with orange sauce and parsley-buttered new potatoes, along with my choice of chocolate eclairs, raspberry custard cream, or crème brulee for dessert. He also had a bottle of sherry. I ate everything and we split most of the bottle of sherry.

I had finished my leisurely meal about fifteen minutes before we heard a knock at our door. I was expecting it to be McGonagall, but Harry opened the door to Ron, Hermione, and my parents.

"We had words with your headmaster," Dad announced matter-of-factly. "I did not appreciate her calling you out like that. Especially after having just learned of her conspiring with Pansy. Ron tells me that McGonagall is now closeted with Cho. I observed that at least Pansy was behaving. Hermione told me what just happened with you and Erasmus. It's almost a repeat of Harry and Voldemort. I wanted to ask if you ever had vivid dreams involving Erasmus."

I assured Dad that I had not, but that I found it too weird to endure, when he kept snatching my thought out of the air like that.

"I agree with Hermione about the need to practice Occlumency. Knowing you, I'm sure that you've already given it some thought."

I told Dad that I had started to mine my memories, but hadn't found anything useful yet. I thought I had found a way to transmit pure magical energy back at anyone trying to tap into my head. That would give them a serious brain burn – anything from a mild headache to death. I didn't want to employ this technique, unless I had no other options.

Mom and Dad had brought another bottle of McGonagall's sherry. We all sat around, talking and drinking. It quickly became clear that Dad had mentioned to Mom that McGonagall was thinking how she could ease her out of her job. The exchange of words at the head table had ended with Mom telling McGonagall what she could do with the job, if that was all the value that she assigned to Molly's hard work. McGonagall had tried, without much success, to smooth things over, ending with "Let's talk about this after the Quidditch Tournament."

Dad surprised me a little by ending the discussion with the statement, "I just don't know if I can leave McGonagall in this position until the end of the school year. In these times, I want a headmaster whom I can trust will not be continually conspiring against me. We may need Neville to fill in again. The next Governor's meeting may prove to be most interesting."

I might not know Occlumency, but I did know many Priestess techniques for almost instantly falling into a deep sleep. I needed my rest. I had a tough Quidditch match on the morrow.


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter 66 – Quidditch**

Breakfast was a very stilted affair. It was clear that the faculty, as well as many of the students, had heard of the fight between my parents and McGonagall. This became clear to me as first two Gryffindors assured me, "Your Mom is a great Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, the best we've ever had."

Celine came down from the head table to inform me, "The faculty is not going to allow Molly to be shoved aside. We all respect her far too much for that."

At the head table, McGonagall was surrounded by Professors Trelawney and Malfoy. Nobody else seemed to be speaking to the three of them. McGonagall looked haggard, while Trelawney and Narcissa stared ahead defiantly, but without allowing their focus to rest anywhere for very long. Mom and Dad were a little farther in from the end of the table, with Professor Sprout and Madam Delacour flanking them. Cho was off at the opposite end of the table.

McGonagall had wanted us to take the same seats we had been assigned for the banquet. That couldn't work. We weren't going to sit among the Eire players, right before our match. We wanted to talk among ourselves. The whole Hogwarts senior team was at the Gryffindor table, with the junior team sitting with Ravenclaw. McGonagall had initially looked like she would object, but she let it pass. Her remarks were perfunctory and given without a great deal of energy or warmth. Two photographers made pictures of her as she spoke and again as soon as she sat down.

I ate little for breakfast. I didn't want to weight myself down, so it was just tea and fruit. I couldn't resist half of a chocolate croissant. I planned to lead my team to the far corner of the grounds for a secret strategy session. As I was getting up to leave, I saw that Cho had slipped away from the head table and used the bulk of my team to shield her from view, as she followed me out of the Great Hall. "Just a few minutes of your time, it's important," She pleaded.

I asked Jimmy to take the team to Hagrid's garden, as I led Cho behind the Dumbledore memorial. When we were alone and hidden from view, I asked "What's up, Cho?"

I realized that this question could be taken multiple ways as Cho answered defensively, "Not what you think. I haven't betrayed you. Viktor needs help, but he's too proud to admit it. Because Viktor doesn't want to ask for help, I couldn't come to the Minister, or Harry, or even you. I felt that I needed to take the backdoor through headmaster McGonagall and ask her to intercede for me. I never imagined that she would take that as a request to cut all of you out of the loop and carry out a Sisterhood operation with Pansy. I don't even see how Pansy can be any help at all. I just wanted McGonagall to speak to Harry or your father, since it was awkward for me to contact them directly. Viktor might have asked me if I had done so.

"I'm very sorry that the approach I took led to so much trouble. I wasn't meeting with McGonagall yesterday to advance some great conspiracy. I just wanted to find out what had happened when she had approached your group. It was clear that something had gone horribly wrong. I didn't know about the Dementor attack upon you, until that meeting with McGonagall. Please don't be angry with me. I know things are sensitive now, so I've come to you first to ask if you object to my approaching your husband and soliciting his help. I know we've never been great friends, but you should know that I'm no threat to you, and that we're on the same side."

I sent Cho off to speak to Harry, warning her that she should also make sure to talk to my father. I told her that all things associated with McGonagall were not terribly popular at the moment. Cho thanked me and was off. I rejoined my team.

We talked strategy, especially how we could counter Sean. We decided to focus both of our Beaters upon Sean and let our Chasers fend for themselves against the remaining Eire Beater. We told jokes. We gossiped about McGonagall. We did stretches and warm-up exercises. We walked around the grounds. Basically, we tried to steady each other's nerves as we killed the several hours prior to our match against Eire. We were in a zone where we sought no company other than ourselves. A few students, who were taking some air on the grounds, saw our group and instinctively knew to keep their distance. Harry whispered me good luck. He also told me that he didn't care about whether or not it was good sportsmanship – I had been attacked by dementors and would be in the air with dementors known to be on the grounds and Erasmus known to be up to no good. I must fly with my 'shield' charm at stone-boosted maximum strength and tied to the stone so that I could draw as much power as I needed at a second's notice. I agreed. I thanked him, but said this was alone time for me and my team.

We changed into our uniforms at the last possible moment and arrived on the pitch with just seconds to spare. I had told the team that the opposing Seeker would expect me to try to catch the Snitch shortly after it was released. He would try to knock me off course. Instead of allowing this, I would ignore the Snitch, dart away at maximum speed, and gain the altitude advantage on him.

A great cry went up in the stands as we walked into view. This was expected. The crowd was almost entirely made up of Hogwarts students. A score of fans had come from Eire and the other schools were less represented than that. I saw Harry seated with Ron and Hermione. They all waved to me. Then I was focusing upon the referee, who was from Durmstrang. The Snitch was off and so was I, but not in the direction that Malcolm was expecting. I had an instant altitude advantage and scanned for the Snitch, unhindered and without competition for what I hoped would be a crucial couple minutes. I couldn't find the Snitch.

Beneath me a fierce skirmish was raging. Our Beaters were valiantly keeping Sean away from our Chasers, and knocking the Bludgers away before they reached him. It looked like we had scored once compared to Eire's not at all. I scanned again for the Snitch, then looked down to see Jimmy speed past Sean to knock a Bludger away from him. I was about to return to scanning for the Snitch on the far end of the pitch, when I saw Sean zooming after Jimmy from above and to his left, swooping down at him. Something looked so wrong about this that I zoomed down, screaming "Look out, Jimmy!"

Jimmy saw Sean at the last instant and tried to veer away, but Sean punched him in the back of his head. Jimmy immediately slumped on his broom and then slipped off, plummeting a couple hundred feet toward the ground. I saw the wardens acting in concert to brake his fall. He landed rather softly, but he wasn't moving. The referee was blowing his whistle to stop play and assess a foul against Eire.

I landed next to Jimmy. I knelt and spoke to him, massaging the back of his neck. He groaned a little, in response. Madams Hooch and Pomphrey were quickly onto the pitch to examine Jimmy and transport him to the infirmary. Half a dozen students came from the stands to assist them. Jimmy was moving more and talking a little, but he did not look good. I signaled for Jason, our first reserve Beater to come onto the field, giving him a quick pep talk, as he looked very worried watching Jimmy Peakes being carried off the field.

The referee was conferring with the representatives of the four schools. I drifted nearer to argue our case. The referee seemed about to disqualify Sean, having already called a penalty. Cho was saying that Sean had committed an obviously intentional and grossly illegal assault and should be thrown out of the Tournament. Madame Delacour thought he should be ejected from the match, with a hearing following the match to determine whether he could participate tomorrow. Erasmus was arguing vigorously that it was just a foul. Hogwarts should be awarded thirty points and Sean should be allowed to continue in the game. McGonagall was agreeing with Erasmus that the view from the ground wasn't all that great and that the injury could possibly be accidental. I objected, declaring it an obvious attack intended to injure Jimmy.

"I personally saw Sean punch Jimmy in the back of his head. He could have killed him. He chased after him for no good reason other than to deliberately injure him. Erasmus cheated you once," I told her. "Don't let him cheat you again. My players are being hurt. You should also care because they are your students. Do you want a dead student?"

McGonagall said, "That's enough, Mrs. Potter, I've made my decision," while the referee shooed me away.

As the match resumed, I vowed to focus on finding and catching the Snitch, before Sean was able to cause any further carnage. I again got to maximum altitude first, but with only a second advantage over my opponent. This required that I fly rather faster than I preferred, in order to avoid interference from the opposing Seeker. This was less than optimal for spotting the Snitch. The good news was that my opponent didn't seem to have much of a strategy. Rather than striking out on his own to find the Snitch, he seemed to believe he could wait for me to spot it and then put on a burst of speed to beat me to it.

This allowed me to amuse myself and gain an addition forty foot lead on the fool by feinting to the right or left, as if I had spotted the Snitch and was beginning my dive to catch it. When I actually did see the Snitch, he decided I was faking yet again. I peeled off toward the center of the pitch and dove steeply after the Snitch. Since the opposing Seeker was far behind and above me, I was able to slow my descent and approach the Snitch at a reasonable speed. This greatly diminished the odds of the Snitch bouncing off my hand. I flew alongside the Snitch, grabbed it, and looped toward the ground, my right hand holding the Snitch aloft as I pumped my fist in the air.

The whistle blew. We had won. The Hogwarts students let out a huge cheer.

As I drifted in to land, I sensed a big object closing fast. I ramped up my stone power as I swerved to avoid a collision. I heard Sean yell "Ee hah" just before he bashed me on the back of my head. My vision darkened and blurred, but I managed to land my broom, before collapsing. I drew healing strength from the stone, but I could tell that I was hurt.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione assisted a dozen students in transporting my very groggy body to the infirmary. I was encouraged that I could move my fingers and toes. Doctor White and Madam Pomphrey were soon bending over me in the infirmary, conducting a close inspection of my head. I was able to talk to them and I could see a little clearer, only everything was double and the light hurt my eyes. I closed them.

I must have dozed. I awoke to overhear Dad in an intense and frightening argument with Dr. White "… she needs to be transported to a Muggle hospital. I doubt we can save her here or at St. Mungo's."

"No. She's my daughter and I love her more than anything, but it would violate the Secrecy Act. As a father, I say yes, please do it, but as Minister, I must say no. That's the hardest decision I've ever had to make.

"But, she has bleeding on her brain. I'm not sure I can be as delicate as I need to be. I just can't visualize what I'll be performing magic on."

"You must at least try. She's my only daughter."

"She won't be the first Witch to be sent to a Muggle hospital."

I recognized Hermione's voice. "Sorry. I was tranced longer than I thought. I can do it. I've searched my Light Guardian knowledge. I've introduced mother to the, umm, necessary techniques. We'll work together. I'll be able to visualize inside Ginny's head and see right where the bleeding is. You have to trust me."

"I repeat, your best chance, perhaps your only chance is a Muggle hospital," Dr. White spoke forcefully, but sympathetically.

I didn't know how long I would stay alert, so I voiced my own opinion. "Let Hermione do what she thinks is best. I trust her. I know the Light Guardian knowledge is very powerful. All of you – please leave me with Hermione and her mother. That's what must be done."

As soon as we had the infirmary to ourselves, I told Hermione "I have a strong sense that you must transport me to the cavern beneath the stone and fix me there. If nothing else works, you must merge me with the stone, and allow the stone to repair my brain."

"I think my head has to be right up against the stone, when you get me into the cavern. The transporter should be on, but you don't need to transport anything. Please hurry. I want Harry to come, too."

I felt a hand on my right arm, could tell I was being apparated. Then I felt my world returning to grey.

As I climbed back to alertness, I felt a hand touching my forehead and 'heard' Hermione's voice **"I'm starting to visualize inside your head. I see blood, but can't tell where it's coming from."**

"**Let me help guide you. We'll link our minds. Link in your Mom, too."**

It felt very strange to be taken Hermione and her Mom on a guided tour of the outer surface of the rear of my brain. **"I hope there's no tearing here, it's a very important and sensitive part of the brain. Looks good so far," **Hermione's Mom was saying. We went a little farther in our tour and I found a leak in the blood plumbing at the edge of my brain. I was greying out, but whispered "go to it, guys."

When I was next aware of myself and my surroundings, I realized from the hard stone beneath me that I must still be in the lower cavern. I did not sense anyone prowling about in my skull. This didn't seem a good sign. Either I should be fixed and returned to the infirmary, or Hermione should still be fixing me. Unless I had proven to be unfixable.

"**Hermione – what's going on. How am I doing?"**

"**I think you'll be fine. Based upon what we all know, I think I've fixed you. The stone is pumping energy into you and is carrying out fine repairs itself. I didn't realize it could do that and the stone didn't realize we wanted it to do that, until it saw us doing it. If you can follow that."**

"**Amazingly, I can."**

I lay there gathering my strength. I whispered back and forth to Harry. Harry whispered encouraging things to me. Much more importantly, I picked up his mood and he was far less worried than he had been when last I had checked in on him. I told Harry that I was going to sleep.

I awoke again to find a soft mattress beneath me. I had the strength to open my eyes and saw that Harry, Mom, and Hermione were with me.

"Hi guys, how long has it been?"

"It's two days since Hermione and the stone finished working on you and three days since Sean assaulted you," Harry told me. It's great to have you back. You're supposed to drink this."

Something vile smelling was pressed against my lips, as Harry and Hermione lifted my shoulders. It tasted as vile as it smelled. A very nice chocolate crème brulee to kill the horrid taste. I lay back again to rest. I slept some more.

A few more cycles of potion, food, drink, bed pan, sleep and I awoke ready to face the world. Only Ron was with me. He helped me to get up and sit in a chair as I took inventory of myself. I was seeing fine. My head almost hurt – the throbbing was gone and there was no actual pain, just discomfort and feeling not quite right. Glancing toward my cot, I saw my old friend, the Rod of Asclepias. Ron gave me a little food and then some more potion, declaring brightly "You seem much better, so I'm giving you the non-soporific mix. I've communicated to Harry and Hermione. Hermione say you shouldn't reach for the stone just yet. Don't put out any more mind power than absolutely needed until you are fully healed. You missed a lot, but I won't tell you what's been happening until the others get here. It's a lot simpler that way."


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter 67 – What'd I Miss?**

In response to Ron's call, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and George assembled in the infirmary. "We thought it best for you to be able to talk about what has happened without the stresses of dealing with the parent generation or the over-exuberance of a Cissy.

I offered my thanks for that wise decision, realizing that I had missed about a week in all and had not fully recovered either my strength or my mental equilibrium. I hugged everyone as they arrived, especially Harry who got a snog. I thanked Hermione for fixing me, telling her, "I could sense that you were terrified, but you were very brave and you did what nobody else could have done. Now, what have I missed?"

"I'll start with the mundane," Hermione told me, "which is, of course, Quidditch. The Tournament was abandoned after the first day. There was a big fight over whether or not Sean Murphy and perhaps the entire Eire team would be disqualified. Every thumb was in the pot and things did not go at all well. McGonagall announced that Eire had forfeited the match because of Sean's actions, apparently buying at least the part of Erasmus's argument that you had dropped the Snitch when Sean clobbered you, so the game was not over. Your whole team protested and the referee ruled that Hogwarts had won, as soon as you raised your arm with the Snitch.

"The battle then shifted to whether Sean could play in the losers round. Both the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang teams said they had no intention of playing Eire, with or without Sean. Cho said it was obvious that Erasmus was an inveterate cheat who had coached his team to play like goons. Erasmus then got in a huff and declared that his team would leave at once. Your father then stepped in, saying Sean had committed two assaults and would not be allowed to leave until they were investigated. Erasmus then stated a desire to remain here until he was assured that you would recover. He convinced himself that your recovery was accomplished two days ago, but he was prevented from leaving after Sean told Madam Bones that he attacked you at Erasmus's instigation. He said that Erasmus declared, 'We will have no more Kings from Britain ruling over the Wizards of Eire. Castle Weasley must remain lost. I won't have that be a cause for reunification of the Wizard communities. We treasure our independence.' Sean and Erasmus are both in jail. They both say everything has been vastly overblown and they wish to speak to you personally. Erasmus denies that anything that Sean said is true. He said he will leave it at that until he can speak to you and me, together.

"There may or may not be a Quidditch Tournament in the Spring. If there is one, I doubt it will include Eire. I told McGonagall not to count on your participation. I told her that you were not at all happy with how she had conducted the Tournament. Perhaps I over-stepped. I qualified this saying this was my guess, since I thought she had totally messed things up.

"Let me switch from the mundane to the extraordinary, before I let the others continue the story.

"While my mother and I were finishing treating you, you switched from communicating thoughts to us and helping to guide us inside your head to going totally silent and comatose. At first I was alarmed and thought you had died. Your signal just stopped. I hadn't worried for more than about five seconds, when you simply vanished. Not just your mind, your whole body was gone. We moved away from where you had been, to make sure that we didn't block your return, if you were going to return. We huddled in the far corner of the cavern, comforting Harry . You were gone for three hours. We didn't leave the cavern, because we were afraid to. Then, suddenly you were back and alert and complaining that if we had finished fixing you that we shouldn't have left you lying on rough rock. I'm going to stop here and ask if you can explain what happened."

"All of me was within the black stone," I told Hermione. "I was spread thinly throughout the whole length and breadth of it. Obviously, I couldn't move, or even breathe, or hear my heart beating, but I could still think. I thought faster and clearer than I ever have. I had the sense that my mind was being fixed, that my information was being properly organized, that a few more tiny bits of the stone were incorporated within my being. I explored the stone's knowledge, but a thousand times faster than I had done before. I felt that for the first time I was truly able to control the stone. That it and I were one. I mean really one. Unlike the last time, tiny parts of me were left within the stone. That sounds gruesome, but they were tiny little bits that I don't need, but that will make it easier for me to access the stone. I think the injured bits of my brain were taken, primarily. I don't fully understand. I know the process left me a little drained, which I guess is why I slept so much afterward. Now, I feel fine.

"I was able to fill in gaps in knowledge that I was desperate to fill, such as how to practice Occlumency, and how to introduce my intended initiates to the stone and control their access. I feel a lot safer as a result. I certainly would never meet with Erasmus without knowing Occlumency. I also know a better 'Shield!' charm. I call it 'Protect!' It is like 'Shield!' but it extends a little around the user, so that you can protect someone huddled against you. It also protects against blows and projectiles. The ancient Witches used it to protect themselves and children from slung stones and arrow.

"I learned a fair amount, or more accurately I learned a little and guessed a fair amount, about the Dementors. I want to save that for when we meet with the others. That's all I can tell you. Please continue the story."

Harry picked up the summary of the missed current events, using the newspapers as props. "First your absence from the infirmary was noted. Both newspapers hired students to try to track you down in the infirmary and elsewhere at Hogwarts. Assistants at St. Mungo's were bribed. Luna didn't tell her father a thing."

Harry held up headlines:

**Irish Assassination Attempt on Minister's Daughter**

**Minister's Daughter Near Death**

**Has Ginny Weasley Died?**

**Why Won't the Government Tell Us Anything About Ginny?**

**Ginny Weasley Not Heard From in Six Days**

**Is Headmaster McGonagall Responsible for Ginny's Death?**

It was a little strange. I wouldn't have been able to guess which headline belonged to which paper. The last headline, for example, was from the Quibbler. No doubt about it, McGonagall's political problems had been increased by the attack upon me.

That raised the question which I was ashamed that I hadn't asked at once. I blame fuzzy brain. I asked Harry "How is Jimmy Peakes?"

"Jimmy is fully recovered," Harry assured me. "He wasn't hurt as badly as you were. He was out of the infirmary in two days. He has been highly indignant. I believe he was the source of the anti-McGonagall story in The Quibbler. He's quoted, 'Why wouldn't our headmaster stand up for our school's team against a coach who had already been proven a cheat and a player who's an over-aged, over-sized goon? Why did Professor McGonagall force us to face a 25-year old hooligan? I'm only fifteen. That hardly seems fair?"

"The Durmstrang delegation left the day after you were injured, although Cho and her bodyguard stayed an extra three days to check on your health. Pansy went back to Durmstrang with Cho. So did Professor Henkel. We've gotten no professor from Durmstrang, in return. Magical engineering has been taught by Ron during the past week. Pansy seemed truly concerned about your health. Hermione says she wasn't faking it. Pansy and Draco had a run-in during Pansy's last day. Pansy disparaged Draco for breaking their vows and marrying a pregnant Witch. Draco accused Pansy of being a lying cheater. They were trying to transfigure each other into animals, when McGonagall intervened. Pansy had bunny ears for most of the day.

"We've had some messages back and forth from Bane. It seems he has a pregnant girlfriend he wants to bring back with him. He tried to return with his portkey, but it didn't work. Hermione said that she thought you had set a weight limit and that she was afraid to try to change it. That set off a dispute about the wisdom of bringing yet another being here from another world. Tony is insisting upon an urgent Committee meeting. It's scheduled for two days from now. We sent a note back to Bane, saying you were very seriously injured and the Committee was concerned about transporting his girlfriend, so he'd likely have to wait a few days."

"That is a lot of news," I commented to Harry.

"That's just my share. Ron's up next."

"We had another Dementor sighting," Ron began. "They showed up in the castle, a day after you were injured. They moved through much of the castle, frightening the students, like I haven't seen since the Battle of Hogwarts. They didn't make it into Gryffindor: we drove them away with a wall of Patronuses; but they did invade Hufflepuff, and the Great Hall, and McGonagall's office, and the infirmary. We finally had enough Patronuses chasing after them, that they had nowhere left to turn and disappeared out a third floor window. I think they had been trying to make it to your apartment. The only thing up there, where we cornered them, were your, the headmaster's, Narcissa's, and Hermione's parents' apartments. I don't know if they had a way to make the wall dissolve and reveal the stairs, but they weren't given enough time to try. You can see this was big news."

Ron showed me the headlines:

**Dementors Stalk the Halls of Hogwarts**

**Students Are Terrified**

**First-Level Girl Kissed By Dementor**

**Headmaster McGonagall Unable To Keep Students Safe.**

As Ron was lowering the second paper, I stopped him. "Please, let me see that bottom headline."

Ron passed the paper to me and I read:

**Gringotts Mistakenly Accuses Narcissa Malfoy of Impersonation**

I read further and discovered that Narcissa had been suspected of being someone other than herself, using Polyjuice to withdraw some galleons from Lucius's vault. She had been searched, arrested and taken to the jail in the Ministry basement, even though no Polyjuice had been found in her possession. There she had stayed for a full day, until the Goblins finally conceded that waiting just a little longer would not result in an unknown miscreant returning to its true form. An indignant Narcissa had told a passing reporter that she planned to sue the bank, as she passed him on her way to the Ministry Entry Hall, from which she traveled by floo to Hogwarts.

"Why is the floo network transporting persons into Hogwarts after all the problems we've had with Dementors and violent Beaters from Eire? I thought they were normally choked off so as not to transmit anything bigger than a scrap of paper?"

"I don't understand that either," my husband admitted, "but, I will look into it. Ron wasn't finished, though."

"The Dementors are apparently once again hiding out in the Forbidden Forest," Ron continued. "My last piece of the story is to tell you that the Delacours are organizing a force of French aurors and Minister Delacour's favorite retired aurors to apparate to Durmstrang on a moment's notice, if Viktor requests assistance. They say they will do anything necessary to prevent Durmstrang from falling to their enemies. Now it's Neville's turn."

"The Hogwarts Governors meeting was last night. There was a lot of complaining about headmaster McGonagall, especially from the old carry-over board members. They complained about the Slytherin students missing out on their educations. The headmaster said that this was hardly her fault: that she had encouraged their return at the start of term, but most had unfortunately chosen to stay home. The old Governors said that the Slytherin students could hardly be expected to return if there was to be no actual Slytherin House.

"The headmaster came very close to promising that Slytherin would be reopened after Christmas break and that Professor Slughorn would be invited back to supervise it. The replacement Governors largely opposed this and McGonagall said that the upper-level Slytherin boys, who had fought to help Voldemort capture Hogwarts, could be considered on probation to ensure their good behavior. She said Slughorn would be tasked to run a tight ship and prevent the Slytherins from being disruptive. If Slytherin House could be re-opened, it could also be re-closed, if facts warranted.

"There was a motion to dismiss McGonagall. The Minister did not support it and it failed. Almost all of the hold-over Governors voted to dismiss. A few of the new Governors seemed to be leaning that way, but followed the Minister's lead.

"As to events back here at Hogwarts, the headmaster held a special faculty meeting at which she declared that she had not been actively maneuvering to displace your mother, and wanted her to at least finish the term. She said she was simply exploring all her options, should she be forced to conclude that a change might be advisable. She said it in an even more awkward manner than that. The faculty was only partly mollified and many voiced unctuous support for Molly and none for the headmaster. Your mother didn't take the headmaster's comments as an actual apology and did not accept it as such. In fact, she stared down the headmaster and said 'I haven't yet decided whether I wish to remain at Hogwarts after the term, but if I do so decide, you may trust that I will fight for my position just as tenaciously as I fought Bellatrix. You may also expect that I won't trade my vote for my job.'

"The headmaster seemed most unhappy, saying, 'I have just apologized for my unfortunate comments to Pansy. I had hoped that you would accept my apology'. Your mother was right back at her, saying 'I listened closely, but I didn't hear an actual apology. In future, if it is your intention to relieve me of my job, I would prefer not to learn of it by way of Pansy Parkinson. If ever you should choose to actually apologize to me, I am inclined to accept your apology.' The headmaster then apologized profusely and Molly accepted. That's my portion of your weekly events, George's turn."

"The cancellation of the rest of the Tournament also cancelled the planned Hogsmeade morning. The morning was supposed to start at 9:00 and we didn't learn it was canceled until 8:30. The merchants were not very happy, let me tell you. They're talking of forming an association and demanding that the headmaster show them, well really us – I started the association, some respect and allow us to earn an honest living. I don't want to dump my business problems upon your still sick head. What I was leading up to was the appearance of two Dementors. They were seen about ten minutes past nine, exiting the path from Hogwarts. They did one pass down the road in front of the shops and just floated away. I'd swear that they were waiting for the students."

"That is serious," I told George. "They certainly couldn't have been expecting me to show up for a Hogsmeade morning. I wonder who they were after. Perhaps they were just seeking the nourishment of random innocent souls. I thank all of you for filling me in on what I missed."

"Wait! I haven't had a chance to tell my part of the story," Luna protested. "I think it could be really important."

"Please tell," I encouraged her.

"While George and I were cleaning up the special displays we had set up on the sidewalk to entice the kids for Hogsmeade day, the two ancient Witch Priestesses showed up and said they must talk to me. They said that they did not want to enter Hogwarts and saw me as their best avenue to approach you. They said that I should not believe the papers – they pointed to the headline saying you had died. They said that they felt that you were alive and growing stronger, but that it was urgent that they speak to you, at once. I asked if I could carry a message to you. This is where it gets really spooky. Mafalda looked right through me and said 'Evil. Tell the Mother or her Muse that evil is coming'. They turned to leave and I asked how I could reach them. They stopped and Victoria said 'They will know.' It frightened me.

"Now for the only slightly less frightening…Cissy is 'absolutely desperate' to see you, McGonagall wants what she termed 'a conciliatory word', and Adrienne Celine says it's vital that she see you, before you speak to the headmistress. What do you want to do?"

"Right Now? I think I want to add Mrs. Granger and my parents to this meeting," I told Luna. "After that, I'll see."

We had a little wait for the others. Mrs. Granger arrived first and shrugged off my thanks for saving my life. "I'm a dentist, my dear. I just gave Hermione a little anatomical guidance and helped steady her nerves. I did drill your skull. I was in my glory there, but I didn't make any actual repairs."

I wasn't sure how to respond to this, and was thankful that the arrival of Mom and Dad let me off the hook. It took some considerable effort to get Dad to part with his severe load of the guilt for not allowing Dr. White to have me shipped off to a big Muggle hospital.

"You did the right thing, Dad," I kept telling him. "The only possible thing. I reached the exact same conclusion. I know better than you what the Muggle doctors would have found inside my head. Removing the stone artifacts would likely have killed me. I lived, because you let Hermione do what had to be done. If I had died, it still would have been the only possible right decision."

I finally got to tell what I knew and thought I knew about the Dementors. "The Dementors are very old," I told the group. "The stone knows them from before it knew magical or non-magical men. They go back before the days of the war between the Elves and Leprechauns. The island upon which Azkaban stands is their native home, and from there they preyed upon the Leprechauns, Elves, and Centaurs. Only the Unicorns were immune to them. I have seen the history of many battles, during which the Dementors were driven from Britain and forced back to Azkaban Island and a few other offshore islands. The Dementors existed from the time of the creation of the stone, and the memories of the stone record history in great detail from thirty thousand years ago to three thousand years ago. From then, until we entered the pyramid, the stone has been sleeping, so no history is recorded.

"The stone doesn't know facts from over thirty thousand years ago, but it did record the legend and poetry of the Leprechaun and the Elves from that long ago. A little of the other species, but the Elves and especially Leprechauns were dominant back then.

"One legend says that the Dementors were created from the bad side of the Centaur and were not intended to survive. The legend poem has the line, in the Leprechaun tongue, 'The bad Centaurs were cleaved upon our new sacred stone.'

"Long ago, perhaps at the time that the stone was created, some especially nasty young Centaurs were split, perhaps by the Light Guardian itself. Perhaps using the very same black stone, to which Hermione and I are linked. All of the Centaurs' goodness, and they still had some goodness, was distilled down and turned into snowy white Unicorns. All of their badness, and they had a whole lot of badness, became the Dementors. The Dementors were not supposed to exist for more than a split second. There is a chamber beneath Azkaban to which they were instantly transported and where their evil energy was to be annihilated. Something went wrong and some of them survived."

"So the Light Guardian can make mistakes," Dad seemed surprised.

"It's only legend," I told him. "If the legend is correct, then the center of their hive is in that chamber beneath Azkaban. There is more legend, and this part makes some sense. The Light Guardian hated war. Because of that, he made a rule that if a species started a war and lost, then they were the slaves of the victors, for eternity. That would explain why the Elves never revolted against us and might explain why the Dementors are generally willing to take orders from the Ministry. There was a later breakout of Dementors from Azkaban, about thirty-two hundred years ago. Wizards and Goblins played a big role in driving them back to Azkaban. They became our slaves and the Azkaban prison was built to house them. The prison was finished about fifty years before the stone went to sleep. The Goblins were still involved with Azkaban at that time. That's all I have.

"Again, I'm piecing together more legend than fact, but there was no Ministry then. The Dementors were bound to obey one spokesperson from the victorious Wizard and Goblin side. I'm sure you are aware who that last spokesperson was."

Dad looked blank, until Hermione's hand shot up and she fairly screamed "Umbridge! That fool Fudge made Delores Umbridge his emissary to the Dementors. He likely couldn't stand to be around them, himself. I think you're right, Ginny. That would explain a lot."

"Are you up for more visitors?" Dad asked me. "Shacklebolt has been begging me to let Erasmus speak to you as soon as you are able. He and Sean are being guarded at Shacklebolt's house."

"I'm glad to see that Sean has been so greatly inconvenienced as a result of attacking me. I thought he was in jail, not living on a luxurious Muggle estate."

"Not the estate, back at Shacklebolt's old house. The two of them each have just a small room, for most of the day, and they are under guard. They realized that Sean could be in very serious trouble, especially when they thought you had died. The rules of Quidditch are very clear. There is legal protection against even blatant assaults that occur in the course of play. But, and this is a very important but, once the match is finished, the normal rules of Wizarding society apply. This was clearly established to prevent post-match rioting. The match ended as soon as you raised your hand with the Snitch. Furthermore, the rules of this match prohibited the Beaters from attacking or hitting Bludgers at the Seeker. So, there is no arguing that Sean's conduct was simply part of the play. Had you died, he would have been charged with murder. That is not as serious as using a prohibited curse, but it is plenty serious. Now that you've recovered, he won't face that charge, but he will face serious charges. Nobody will be happier to see you alive than Sean."

"That gratifies me enormously to have Sean's well wishes," I told Dad. "I guess that I am up to seeing them. Send Erasmus first and then Sean. First send more food. I'll keep our whole gang here as protection. That should make you happy. I've already contacted the ancient Witches through the stone. I'll meet with them tonight."

Erasmus was contrite, extending a very wordy apology and swearing that he had not encouraged Sean to injure me. Still, it was only a minute until I sensed Erasmus trying to fish around in my mind. I slammed shut and sent back a shock that had him clutching his hands to his head and letting out a shriek. When he had quieted, I told him "Stay out of my head! I didn't want to rebuff you that strongly, but I have little control. Try it again and you may accidentally wind up a vegetable. I agreed to listen to what you had to say. I view your prying in my head as another assault. Am I making myself quite clear?"

"Yes. Sorry, I didn't mean any offense. It is something I just do naturally. I was desperate to know how angry you were. Sean and I are at your mercy. I can't prove that I didn't tell Sean to attack you and he is saying that I ordered the attack. You have more power than the last time I saw you. I'm really sorry. May I just talk to you?

"I don't blame Sean for accusing me. He's frightened. It looks bad for both of us. First the Dementors slip into Hogwarts with us and then Sean attacks you. I do swear that we never meant you any harm. I like you, even though you told Kingsley that I was in league with Thicknesse. I quickly forgave that aspersion upon my hospitality. Sean is a good, gentle lad. You've seen him when he's not playing Quidditch. He goes wild on the pitch. He's what I call a berserker. Makes a great Beater. The lad can't stand to lose. In truth, neither can I. I knew this was a tough match, so perhaps I wound him up a little too tight. My error, but we really wanted to win this Tournament.

"You know I cheated your headmistress. More than once. Took advantage of her sense of hospitality, I did. I'm not proud of that, but we're a very small school and there was a lot of honor involved. Couldn't bear to be defeated by you Brits. Neither could Sean. When he hit you, he was reacting to a bitter defeat. He felt bad about what he did to your lad. Didn't want that to be for nothing. You could be alone with Sean now and he wouldn't think of hurting you. If I apparated you to Sean's room right now, he'd talk to you and you'd walk out without even having your hair mussed. Sean is normally very gentle. I give him a special potion before matches. Brings out the beast in him."

"That's illegal and extremely dangerous," I gasped. "You forced my team to compete against an over-aged, over-sized, half giant on an anger potion, and you expect my forgiveness. Jimmy Peakes just barely escaped worse injury than mine."

"I don't claim to have behaved honorably. I'm just saying that I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I meant you no harm. It must have been all the excitement that caused things to go bad. The potion has never had that strong an impact on Sean. We knew this was a big match. We don't often get to play outside Eire. So what happens now?"

"Now I talk to Sean, and you go back to your room. It is not my responsibility what Madam Bones decides to do with you and Sean. I know teams will try to cheat in Quidditch, but you did so in a way that was almost certain to seriously injure one of us. I can't forgive that, and just let you trot back to Eire."

"I don't expect to escape punishment for what I did. Neither do Sean. Some mercy would be nice."

"We'll see, after I hear what Sean has to say. You nearly killed both Jimmy and me."

Hermione told me that Erasmus was basically telling the truth. I had concluded the same thing, although he had shaded the truth to minimize his responsibility.

The aurors made sure that Erasmus and Sean didn't see each other, when Sean replaced Erasmus.

Sean appeared with his hands tied behind his back. His sheer size must have caused the aurors a concern for my safety. Sean seemed worried, but calm and as Erasmus had said, almost gentle. This was once again the young three quarters Wizard one quarter Giant lad who had earnestly explained Muggle poetry to me. He spoke, before I asked a question. Unlike Erasmus, he didn't start with an apology.

"I saw that you had the Snitch and that we had lost. I knew at once that I had let down the Wizards of Eire and that I would not be playing Quidditch on the Continent. I couldn't control my anger. You were flying almost next to me, so I raced after you and I hit you. I didn't plan to do it. I horrified myself. It was awful watching you fall onto the ground and not move. I can't say that I didn't want to hurt you, because for a brief time I certainly did want to hurt you. I wanted to hit everyone on your team. I wanted to hit Erasmus. I was very, very angry. I know that's not an excuse.

"Erasmus gives me a potion that lets me play harder. It normally doesn't make me violent, well not randomly violent like I was in that match. I just flew the whole match in a great rage. Maybe it was because the match was so important to all of us and I was already furious at Erasmus for cheating so pitifully. I'm sorry that I hurt you. You are a great Quidditch player and I like and respect you. Your Shacklebolt threatens to turn me over to the Muggles as a terrorist. I am not. This is a matter for Witches and Wizards to settle."

"You say you are not a violent player, yet your reputation is one of injuring your opponents. You boasted before the match that many on my team would be injured."

"Injuries can result from honest, hard play. The injuries in our match were not from play. I deliberately attacked both of you. I honestly don't understand why I did this. I did not want to hurt either of you. Your Jimmy frustrated me. He wouldn't let the Bludgers get to me so that I could play as I wanted. I could not help my team. I got frustrated, then more frustrated, and even more frustrated, and then I hit him. I was sorry as soon as I do it, because I know it was a very cheap shot. I did not defeat your Jimmy fairly. If we play hard and he gets hurt like that, then that is fine, but not like I did to him. I am most sorry to both of you. I wish to apologize to Jimmy. I apologize to you, with all my heart. I am most sincerely sorry."

"I believe you are, but that doesn't excuse what you did. You've said that Erasmus told you to attack me in order to keep us from returning to Eire. Do you remember telling the aurors that?"

"Yes. It is probably not true. Erasmus never said exactly that. I did think he would not be sorry if you and others hurt, as long as our team wins. But he never said 'hurt that Witch'. I know he would not want me to hurt you after match is over. He told me after match that what I did is not just against the rules; it is against law and is very stupid. I should never have let him give me that potion."

Hermione and I agreed that Sean had told the truth. He had not even hedged, as Erasmus had done. I relayed this result to Harry adding, "Did the aurors find the potion that was given to Sean and was it tested. Could someone, other than Erasmus, have added something to the usual potion?"

"No potion was found," Harry admitted. "The aurors could have done better. There was a lot of excitement and people milling about before everything was locked down. There was no suspicion of a potion playing a role, so the changing room wasn't checked until nearly an hour after the attack. By then, the bottle had been removed. Sean was checked for a confundus or Imperius and was clean. I think it is the old prejudice against Giants. I doubt he was checked for potions all that carefully, because he was behaving as St. Mungo's expects a part Giant to behave – calm one moment, violent an instant later."

"I don't know what to think, Harry. I think Sean is less guilty than Erasmus or even McGonagall, but Sean is the one who without a doubt committed a serious crime. I'm not sure he was in control of his mind at the time."


	68. Chapter 68

**Chapter 68 – McGonagall and Bane**

"I think I'm ready to see Cissy," I told Harry. "And, I'd like some more food. Preferably dessert with a tuna salad on rye sandwich. Just tomato slices on the sandwich. For dessert, I'd like some more of the chocolate crème brulee, and some chocolate eclairs, and milk and chocolate chip cookies, the kind with the bittersweet chocolate and walnuts. And pickles with the sandwich. Why don't you order food for all of us?"

The Elves were extremely prompt in providing food. An even greater variety that I had requested was placed on tables around us. There was a wide selection of sandwiches for my guests, along with potato salad, creamed cabbage, pepper cabbage, beets in orange glaze, and a large bowl of fruit, because apparently the food police in the kitchen weren't happy with my selections. I had time to finish my sandwich and some of the beets, before Cissy arrived.

Cissy's introduction was "You're looking really well. That pleases me. I was so worried about you. You didn't look quite as bad as Jimmy lying on the pitch, then Jimmy was up and walking around the school and back in class, while you were just…MISSING. The headlines in the paper were just awful. I shuddered every time I saw a paper. I just had to see you for myself, to make sure you were alive, I mean, umm, healthy again. So, it's really good to be able to see you. I also had some things I wanted to talk to you about. Mostly, I'm feeling shut in and babied by headmaster McGonagall. But, I also had an idea that might help you solve a big problem."

"Do tell," I suggested, but she had already reached for food, so there was a brief delay, while she gobbled an eclair.

As we were eating, Cissy suggested "Hermione has been telling me about your adventures inside the pyramid and talking to the black stone. It got me thinking. If you and the pyramid and the Sacred Cavern are really one, then perhaps the pyramid and Cavern can help you to find where my father's hidden his bomb. I know Harry suspects he was just bluffing, but I know him well enough to be quite sure that there really is a bomb. I don't think he really understands about the pyramid, but he knows a lot of the passageways around its outside and he knows the Reception Hall and Sacred Cavern as well as almost anybody. I'll bet the bomb is somewhere in those areas."

Hermione and I promised to work on this. Cissy had a second, more problematic request. "You are basically a Keeper and, as your assistant, so is Hermione. You've got rings that operate the pyramid and have explored its nooks and crannies. Harry has seen almost as much of the pyramid as you have. As the remaining Keeper, I was hoping to have, if not a ring like yours, then at least a guided tour of the inside of the pyramid. I am also a member of Hermione's committee, so eventually I will need to be given the full explanation that I deserve."

The brief silence that followed her request was certainly enough to tell her that she had broached a difficult subject and that she wasn't going to get a simple 'yes' as an answer.

"Well," Harry began, "I would start by saying that we have taken you inside the pyramid and that Ginny has synched your ring to open the interior portals. I doubt that means that you are able to operate the transporter, however. I know that neither the Minister nor the headmaster is pleased with us for doing as much as we have to introduce you to the inside of the pyramid. When your father named you as a co-Keeper, it was with the understanding on your part, as well as his, that you would gradually move into the responsibilities of the position as you matured. As a third year, the headmaster and Minister are justifiably protective of you. As you know, I've already had to battle both of them, because Ginny has gone inside the pyramid. It is a sticky situation and you are four years younger. We've told you almost everything, and I fully admit that there are some things that you have not been told. That is not our choice.

"The Minister has labeled some things as vital state secrets. You'll learn of them, and I think sooner rather than later, both as a Keeper and as a member of Hermione's committee. We have not told the Goblin King or Muggle Prime Minister everything either, although I'm quite sure we will. The Minister wants to think things over, before more people are told. I trust your discretion and ability to keep a secret, but the Minister doesn't know you as well. Because of your age and his dealings with the rest of your family, well let's just say it will take him a little longer than it has taken us to fully trust you and to read you into what he regards as the deeper secrets. I hope that you can live with that for a little while.

"I promise you, if push comes to shove and you haven't been fully read into matters by the end of term, by which I mean start of June, then I'll give you the fully detailed tour myself. At that point you'll be in the role of emancipated child rather than student under the headmaster's jurisdiction. I hope you're not angry, but that is the best I can do and I may well get into serious trouble for promising you that much."

"I'm not blaming you," Cissy hastily replied. "I know I'm young, I know this is all very new and that people naturally see it as dangerous. I know that my infatuation with Alex has people suspecting my mental health, and I know some look at me and just see a Montaigne. I promise to be patient, but it is very frustrating. In many ways, I am no longer a child at all."

"I know that," I reassured her.

She couldn't be too upset, she had already consumed three of the seven éclairs the Elves had sent us for dessert and was casting imploring eyes at Hermione, who had yet to eat her éclair.

"I have become a good friend of Baal's. We've even done potions together. I haven't even been able to say hello to him since he returned," Cissy fretted. "He's all alone on a stone floor in a big empty pyramid and his friends can't comfort him. He's going to be there another day and a half. I simply have to see him."

"He hasn't been alone. An auror is quarantined with him and Cotto has visited him at a distance."

"I plan to visit him just as soon as I complete my list of visitors," I told Cissy. "You could come with us, but it will be a very brief visit and you can't get close or you'll be spending ten days confined inside the pyramid."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Cissy hugged me. "I'll be waiting in our Common Room." She took Hermione's éclair and was gone.

Cissy greeted us with what was becoming a very characteristic and more than slightly annoying look as we came through the Fat Lady portal. By that I mean she was staring at the door expectantly, hands folded in her lap, basically doing nothing, then bursting into a wide, happy grin the instant she saw us. I didn't even put my second leg into the Common Room, merely waving my arm for her to follow us. We had made it almost to the main corridor, when the school bell started to ring. We all linked hands and then dropped about eighteen inches to the floor of the pyramid.

"Baal!" Harry shouted. "We're here, but you shouldn't come too close. You still have a day of quarantine left. We've brought some friends to say hello to you."

Everyone said hello, with Cissy exploding in a stream of chatter, which Baal happily returned. Their back and forth continued for several minutes, convincing me that Cissy had not exaggerated about what good friends they had become. I was in the process of trying to convince Baal that I was healed and feeling really well, when suddenly my head felt funny and a slight dizziness overcame me. Fearing a fall, I quickly squatted, with my head lowered.

"What's the matter?" Harry's exclamation was urgent.

"I suddenly felt strange and dizzy," I replied. "No, it's a stone link. Bane is claiming emergency and saying I have to let him through, 'Right Now!' I'm linking to the stone and doubling the load limit. Okay, my head is clearing. Back away from the Bane landing area."

I felt better, so I stood up again. An instant later, Bane materialized in front of us, with a female Centaur by his side.

Bane was very upset, bordering on angry as he demanded to know "why did you prevent our return? That was very unfair."

"I 'saw' you land in CentaurWorld," I told Bane. "It looked lovely, and I saw that there was at least a small herd of Centaurs there."

"Yes, the Centaurs have a broad plain and a forest at least a hundred times the size of our forest here at Hogwarts. That, and a flat, rocky ridge, plus a vast ocean all around, are all that there is of their world. Still, CentaurWorld supports a bit over five hundred Centaurs and they are doing very well. Their numbers are limited, because the land is limited and because it took them centuries to destroy the last of the great predators that had besieged them. They were creatures who came out of the sea to attack at night. They killed dozens of Centaurs each year, before they were finally destroyed, or at least went away for good. That was only a hundred years ago. I brought back Ekina, both to show her our world and to explain her world to you.

Bane took a step forward, to hand us his camera.

"Stand back!" Harry told Bane. "The Committee is very concerned about contamination by diseases from the other worlds. Baal is just finishing his quarantine period. You and your friend, whom you really should not have brought back with you, will have to spend ten days quarantined here. You are a threat to your herd, the Unicorns, and I guess us as well."

"Bah!" Bane replied disdainfully, "I've spent more than two weeks on CentaurWorld with not so much as a sniffle. Baal looks fine to me as well. I think your committee vastly exaggerates the danger."

"It's your committee, too," Harry reminded him. "Since it is very difficult to undo a plague, it is better to be unnecessarily cautious than to act rashly and wipe out your whole herd."

Bane got a tad testy "I'm responsible for the herd – not you and not the committee. I wouldn't join them if I felt there was any danger to them at all. If you are so cautious, I'll put my camera down and we'll step back from it. Extract the pictures and we will talk about them. You are all invited. The clearing at 9:00."

"No!" Harry shoe shouted, actually drawing his wand. It didn't matter. The apparation barriers must still have been down. Bane and his companion were gone, before Harry's wand cleared his robes.

I was surprised that Harry didn't cut loose with a torrent of bad words. He just shouted "Hands!" holding out both of his, and then we were standing on the lawn in front of the castle.

"Now I have to go tell your father what happened," Harry lamented. "Meanwhile, you should go inside and rest. That 'just a little dizzy' is not reassuring at all.

"Another adventure," Cissy enthused "and you heard that he specifically invited me."

"Yes, Cissy." Just wonderful!

We walked back to Gryffindor and took seats in the Common Room. I felt quite good, but Neville solicitously plied me with a dark chocolate bar with almonds. I gratefully accepted the candy as I reached to the stone for a consultation. The stone assured me that I was fine, but should go easy on the special powers for a while. It did a quaint stone apology for just flooding my head, but said that Bane had managed to partially apparate with the portkey then panicked when he had gotten stuck between worlds. The stone had reacted quickly, failing to filter out the waves of blind panic flowing from Bane. The over-lapping urgent communications from it and Bane had over-whelmed me. That knowledge made me feel a bit better about my health.

"I'd like to speak to Adrienne," I told Hermione. "I think that would be relaxing." **"Perhaps you should send Ron and deal with the camera, yourself."**

"**Yes, I know how to decontaminate it without destroying the pictures. I want the pictures back before we next see Bane."**

Ron led Adrienne to my side. Then he quickly disappeared into a corner of the room, to play Wizard Chess with Neville.

"It may be selfish, but I couldn't wait. I had to see you for myself and assure myself that you are well. You definitely are," Adrienne bubbled. "I also have news and a favor to ask. As you can see, I've taken excellent care of Cissy in your absence. Run along, Cissy, I wish to speak to Ginny."

I was surprised how obediently Cissy rose from her chair and silently headed to the girls' dorm. Adrienne certainly had the knack.

"I've snuck a little time with Jimmy, out of sight of our headmaster," Adrienne confessed. "I felt that he needed my presence and that it would be most cruel not to help him. I'm quite sure you'll keep my little secret from the headmaster. Jimmy was in infirmary for three days and knows that he came very close to being killed. He feels that he let you down by being bested by Sean. He thinks that had he won that encounter, that nothing would have happened to you."

"I guess that's true," I expressed puzzlement, "but that 'little encounter' was an illegal sneak attack by a quarter Giant nearly twice Jimmy's age. Jimmy did very well against Sean."

"That's what I told him. I said, 'I'm not a Quidditch person, but even I could tell that you played a great game. That stuff at the end wasn't Quidditch. You weren't bested, you were mugged.' I'm not sure that I've full convinced Jimmy of that. I did brighten his mood. He didn't think he'd ever again speak to me alone. He needs to speak with you, but he's afraid to do it. He's waiting outside. I'll wait for you here, if you're willing to speak to him."

I said that of course I'd be happy to talk to Jimmy. I got up and hurried through the Fat Lady portal. I drew to a stop as soon as I saw Jimmy, struck by the incongruity of finding him leaning against the wall in 'the Draco spot', waiting to discuss two vicious assaults. "Sorry, Jimmy," I told him, as he had noted my facial expression "you're standing right where Draco stood, when he ambushed Harry and me."

Jimmy came off the wall and gave me a long hug, whispering to me "I'm sorry that I let Sean get you. I should have taken him out. I knew he meant to cause trouble."

"You played great. You did everything you possibly could," I reassured him "I'm just glad that you are recovered from that vicious attack. The attack on me is McGonagall's fault. If she had pushed to have Sean disqualified for attacking you, the ref would certainly have done it. He was right on the edge, until McGonagall sided with Erasmus. Sean was way too old to be allowed in the Tournament, anyway. Not your fault at all. You have to believe that. I saw you battling Sean and keeping the Bludgers away from him. I've never seen such fantastic play by a Beater. You followed my game plan exactly. I couldn't ask for more."

Jimmy released me from his grasp and stepped back, with a smile on his face. "Adrienne snuck behind McGonagall's back to visit me. I guess she really has forgiven me. I'm glad that you have, too. I feel much happier. I won't keep you. I know Adrienne has more to say to you."

Jimmy hurried away, and I returned to Professor Celine. "I'm sure that you've been told about our faculty meeting," Adrienne told me. "I'm not sure anyone gave you the full flavor of the thing. It was every bit as bad as the impromptu meeting we had after Draco assaulted you. The headmaster really shouldn't hold meetings when she's upset and she hasn't planned what she wants to say.

"Molly wouldn't tell you, but even after the headmaster made a real apology, she never said that Molly could have her job next term, if she wanted to return. Until the very end, I also wasn't sure that Molly was going to accept the apology. It was too late in coming, and Molly was too hurt and angry. The headmaster appears to have gotten it into her head that she could stack the faculty at end of term with professors who would vote to make her headmaster.

"I know that is against the spirit of the law, and your father told her that she or the next headmaster will pick the new faculty after the headmaster is elected. McGonagall bucked up and acknowledged 'of course', but it was clear she was taken by surprise. I was nearby and overheard that conversation. That whole situation has stirred further problems. Your father is not sure that he should allow the return of Slughorn or the continuation of Narcissa for the second half. Arithmancy is normally taught only as a half-term course and only in alternating years.

"I think your father has decided that the headmaster is planning to stack the deck for the election, and will fight any new staff member whom the headmaster suggests. She made a mistake of commenting to your father, "I guess I made a serious mistake in allowing Ron to substitute in Magical Engineering. That's another vote against me, and I suppose I'm stuck with him. I can hardly expect his support if he thinks that I tried to sack his mother.' This caught your father by surprise. I don't think he had thought of Ron as a real professor. He just said something about being needed at the Ministry and left. Things are not good. You should try to calm your parents. I am calming the headmaster, although I think she fears that I will vote against her. I don't want to tire you. Please help."

"I understand that things are bad between McGonagall and my parents. It doesn't help that they are as aware as I am that I was nearly killed, because McGonagall couldn't stand to have me win a Quidditch match. Our peace, such as it was, was based upon this tournament as makeup for the two Quidditch games she stole from Gryffindor and me. She has shattered that truce. I am at war with her. I really don't think she deserves to be headmaster. What kind of headmaster leaves a thug like Sean to continue bashing her students, after he already almost killed a student, just to spite the team captain. And make no mistake that she wasn't trying to spite me, because she couldn't control me and force me to do something for her, which I really shouldn't do and was my responsibility not hers."

"I was at the match. That was awful. Nobody understands how she could have acted as she did. I've spoken to her. She doesn't understand either. She is very upset. She knows she's done wrong. She needs your foregiveness."

"As always, she's not so much concerned that I was nearly killed as she is that she won't be allowed to continue as headmaster. She is very selfish. I don't know what should be done with her. She knows secrets which must stay secret for now. She's spiteful enough to blab them and harm our whole community if she doesn't get what she wants."

"That is very serious. Do you honestly believe that she would do that?"

"She has already betrayed a lot of people. She thinks she should be in charge of – well, really everything – from uncontested control of Hogwarts, to the Ministry, to me as Mother of the Future. She believes that if Dumbledore were alive, he would be in charge of everything and that she is his rightful heir, because she was Deputy Headmaster."

"That is extremely serious. Do you truly believe that?"

"I do. I'm lying here on this cot as proof of how far she will go to get what se want. I was giving her most of what she wanted – far more than she should have. I was doing that just to keep the peace. Balk her on one little thing and just look what happens to me. Jimmy gets smashed as incidental damage."

"I know what happened is really bad, but are you certain that she purposely caused you to be nearly killed?"

I paused a second. "No. I don't think she wanted it to go this far. She definitely wanted me to lose the match and this and what happened to Jimmy was the result of everything she did to make sure I lost."

"But you won the match."

"No thanks to her and her actions got the tournament cancelled, so our win in the only game doesn't matter. Durmstrang and Beaubatons never even got a chance to play.

"I've spent a lot of time with your headmaster since you were injured. So has Professor Granger. I am certain that she is very upset that you and Jimmy were badly injured. She does blame herself for that and she is very sorry. She has spent a lot of time weeping and questioning herself. Believe me, she does not think she got what she wanted or bested you or your mother. She knows she behaved badly and unimaginably stupidly and that she has been a very big loser. I think she really wants to make things right, to go back to how things were before this happened."

"I don't think we can go back to how things were. Things weren't all that good before this. Some things just can't be fixed. She has hurt Mom, she has hurt my Dad, she's hurt Harry, she's hurt me, and she's hurt Jimmy."

"Yes, in her unhappiness and frustration, she has lashed about and caused much harm. She is mainly unhappy with herself. She knows she lacks the control of herself that she once had. The Battle of Hogwarts and the larger battles have left a lot of us damaged. I know that I will never be the same, but I also know that I can be different but as good or better than I was before Bruce and Voldemort. No not everything can be fixed, but you can try. We can all try.

"Jimmy has forgiven her, just as I've forgiven Jimmy. Forgiveness can be a very good thing – for both parties. Continuing your feud won't help anybody. It certainly won't help you. We should be working together."

"We should, but she doesn't. I really don't believe that she can, unless she is in charge."

"That may be true. Mrs. Granger and I are working with her on that. She really does want to change. She feels awful. I think your mother has almost forgiven her. Arthur and Harry haven't. Ron hasn't. How you react will set the pattern.

She talked to me for another half hour, until my anger was spent. She sang to me and infused me with some good cheer. She kissed my forehead and patted my cheek as she left, telling me: "Forgive her, if only just to benefit yourself. I understand that you will be wary, and I can't tell you that you shouldn't be, but please talk to her, try to forgive her, and avoid her until you can be pleasant around her. I've told her that she needs to be very kind to you and Molly."

I promised that I would try. Adrienne kissed my cheek and was gone. Ron and Neville instantly abandoned their game and appeared at my side. I explained what had happened.

"I feel that I really ought to tackle McGonagall now," I told Harry. Hermione sent Ron to summon her. While we waited for McGonagall, I relaxed and drew additional strength from the stone. This was simply psychic preparation for the meeting to come. I didn't expect to have the need to physically defend myself. Besides, somehow I was very aware that if she tried anything like that, Ron and Harry would kill her. I guess I was driven to that thought by how angry they both were.

McGonagall was extremely apologetic, bordering on apoplectic, saying that of course she never wanted to see me injured, that she felt responsible for both Jimmy and me, that she felt she had meddled overly much in the Quidditch, that perhaps she had been too sharp and critical with me of late, that she really did like and appreciate me, that she felt she had botched everything these past few weeks, that she felt grossly inadequate, and that she just wanted a good cry. She admitted that a dark part of her being was not at all displeased to have me lose Quidditch matches, even those I had won.

"I don't understand how I was consistently cheated and out-maneuvered by Erasmus. He was always a step ahead of me, making exactly the best argument to feed upon my doubts of not being an adequately considerate host. I did have a negotiating plan, but he was always pushing me to what I considered my absolute worst fallback position. Taken all together the concessions I made went well beyond where I was willing to go,"

"He reads thoughts," I told McGonagall. "That's why I left the Quidditch table at lunch. You remember how upset you were at me, don't you?"

"Yes, and I am sorry, Ginny. I merely thought you were feeling over-faced by Sean. I know how inadequate he makes you feel when he delves deeply into Muggle poetry. We should expose the Hogwarts students to at least a smattering of the Muggle culture that surrounds us, but even still, much of what Sean was reciting to you was old and moldy, when I was a child."

"It's not his delving deeply into a poem that intimidates me, actually I find that rather interesting. It's when he just peppers me with the 'are you familiar with questions – Yeats? Browning? Keats? Shelley, T.S. Elliot? Milton? Well surely you've read the sonnets of Shakespeare, haven't you? No? How very sad!' Now that made me feel inadequate."

"It's not your fault, dear. Those writers simply aren't a part of our world. If you're interested, I'm sure Hermione has some books that she could lend you."

"I'll consider that. There is a lot I must do in the very near future."

"I understand. I just want to help. Really, I do. I know I've been a pest and pushed very hard for you to let me in on your secrets. I know it seems that I'm trying to control you and treat you as a child. Let's just try to be friends… No, I realize that isn't possible. Let's just try to get along as… colleagues. I know I agreed with Molly not to headmaster you, but habits die hard. If I am allowed to remain as headmaster, I will do better. Your father decided, barely I suspect, to throw me a rope rather than an anchor at the Governor's meeting, but it was a close thing. I could tell how angry he was. He blames me for your injuries and for a lot of his other problems. The situation with Pansy…"

"I also blame you as much as Sean or Erasmus for my injuries. The match should have ended with the attack on Jimmy. Professor Celine has calmed me, but I'm not at all happy with you. Yes, Dad is very angry with you. He doesn't trust you. He believes he has tried very hard to see your point of view and to accommodate you and that you have betrayed him. He doesn't trust himself to improperly burn bridges, when he gets that angry. Had he been a little less angry, he likely would have voted to fire you. I can't be entirely certain, but I understand my Dad fairly well."

"I didn't realize my situation was quite that perilous. What can I do?"

"Honor your agreements and treat people better. Dad is furious that you were maneuvering to shove Mom out of her job. He was already furious about your plotting to make Pansy your spy. You had promised that the Sisterhood would stop doing that sort of thing."

"Cho asked for help. What was I to do?"

"Do what Cho expected you to do, and ask Harry or Dad to help Cho."

"Yes, I suppose I could have done that. That simply isn't the approach that comes naturally to me. Well, I won't keep you. I just wanted to make certain that you were well and to let you know how sorry I am – for everything. How soon will you be out of the infirmary?"

"In about five minutes. We're going to visit Baal inside the pyramid. He'll be desperate to know that I'm okay. We told Cissy that we'd take her along. She and Baal have become quite good pals, since we started doing potions together."

"I didn't realize that Miss Montaigne had potions this year."

"She enjoys it, so she comes to class with me, when Harry's at the Ministry."

"I think she just wants to play with the big kids and you are in need of a puppy when Harry's away. Fine, I guess another visit to the pyramid floor won't harm the child. I'll lower the barriers on your signal: you don't want the aurors to know you can simply apparate at will. I'll ring the school bell."

I got up and stretched my legs. I felt almost normal. I walked back to Gryffindor with the gang. It was impossible to miss that both Harry and Ron had positioned themselves to be able to catch me, should I collapse along the way.

Ron complained, "that was a strange ending to your meeting with McGonagall. It was like she couldn't deal with things any more and just danced away from most of what our family is upset about. She left on the note of being Cissy's tolerant headmaster and ignored most of our concerns."

"I know," I told Ron. "She thinks it's enough for the headmaster to apologize sincerely. I think she also knows that things are far from finished with Dad and that she will have to address all these issues with him. She knows Dad won't be overly impressed by an apology from the headmaster. Certainly not when her bad behavior has continued. Perhaps we would be wise to let Dad fight the bigger battles."


	69. Chapter 69

**Chapter 69 – Into the Forbidden Forest**

Dinner was calm. Even Cissy contained her enthusiasm for the upcoming adventure. I chatted with Mom, before we went to our respective seats. I gave a quick reprise of my meeting with Adrienne. Mom said helping to patch things up between Dad and McGonagall would be a good thing. She was still not calm enough to do it herself, but did not want to perpetuate a war.

I told Mom that the best that I could do for now was to ignore McGonagall. I took that approach throughout dinner, not letting my gaze wander to the head table. McGonagall was wise enough not to approach me.

Just our core seven snuck away for a secret meeting with the Ancient Witches. Since they didn't want to come to Hogwarts, we met them at our rapidly abuilding house, next to the Goblin sanctuary. We sat upon the bare floor. At least the house was closed in, so we didn't have to contend with the cold night winds.

Mafalda spoke for the two of them, with Victoria simply nodding assent from time to time. "We see a challenge to you as the Light Guardian's representative. The evil ones are on the move. The Dementors who attacked you are only the first, unless you move quickly. They are in the service of an evil Witch."

"I know," I replied. "Her name is Umbridge and she is the most evil Witch in a very long time. Bellatrix had the excuse of insanity. Umbridge is simply calculating. I nearly killed her once - I'll kill her for good next time we meet."

"She likes others to do her fighting. She has the Dementors. She is experimenting with Inferiori. From what we see, she cannot command them. She lacks Voldemort's skill. You need to know that you are in terrible danger. The evil Witch is responsible for your Quidditch injury as well as your battle with the Dementors. Do not let the Dementors surprise you. There is not much time. They will not expect you to attack them. Without them, the evil Witch is weak. You have the stone. The Dementors cannot face the stone. It is the stone which created them and it is an unstable creation, which the stone can destroy. Your stone is one of two poles. Conquer the second pole. You will know what to do. We have seen you travel without your body. You can also fight without your body. It can be safer than fighting with your body. You can be killed, but not easily. Your body and the stone will both act as very powerful horcruxes. Since your spirit has never been split, it will be far easier for it to rush back to your body or to the stone. Train your assistants to fight by your side. There is not much time. Remember, it is the strength of the spirit, not the strength of the body, which counts in this style of fighting. Victoria and I will assist you. We are fierce spirit warriors."

"Thank you," I replied. "We will search our memories and we will practice."

"Practice hard! In this battle, a Patronus will be your greatest weapon. That and your mind. The Dementors are not clever. You can outwit them. Do not delay." Before I could reply, they had vanished.

We returned to the castle. We still had time, before we were to meet with Bane. I don't think any of us wanted to return to our Common Room and face Cissy's intense enthusiasm. The Great Hall was empty, so we settled at the Gryffindor table.

"You know what the Ancient Witches expect us to do," Hermione declared. "They expect us to attack the Dementor hive in the cavern beneath Azkaban, using just our naked spirits and a link to the stone. We have no experience with that. Nobody besides the two of us has even traveled between worlds. If we are to do this, we are going to have to learn fast, train fast, and move before anybody orders us not to make the attempt."

"I take it that this is another case where you don't want us reporting on your activities," Bill was dubious. "If this fails, you're dead and Barb and I are left to explain what happened."

"I assumed you were coming with us," Hermione was indignant. "Why else would the Light Guardian have labeled you as holy warriors? Don't worry, if we fail, you'll die with the rest of us. We don't need to commit to anything yet, I have a lot of research to do. Ginny and I will figure out how to do this. I'm guessing we leave our bodies in the small cavern beneath the pyramid, so that they can take in the full power of the stone. We should be able to fit at least a dozen of us in that space. I think the main thing is that we're transporting the power of the stone and confronting the opposite pole with that power. Then we'll see what happens."

"What happens is that we likely all die in a giant explosion," Neville theorized.

"Then, let's hope that the horcruxes work," Ron was undeterred.

Nobody was backing out, but none of us had yet agreed to do anything more than research and practice. The greatest burden fell upon Harry. He had the greatest duty to tell Dad what we were doing. As we whispered back and forth, Harry and I agreed that there was no need to say anything to Dad, at least until Hermione and I had at least done enough research to at least get an inkling that this was something that we were actually going to attempt. It was kind of amazing that the two Ancient Witches had already committed to do battle.

"I must tell Arthur as soon as you and Hermione have an inkling that we can do this," Harry admonished us. "He deserves to know and he likely can help us. He has resources you aren't aware of."

We promised Harry that we would not keep this secret for long. Bill seemed very relieved by this. Bill was feeling enough one of us to comment "Arthur really ought to know what the ancient Witches told you. That was a very direct report of a threat and it involves Umbridge. The Minister is very interested in anything related to Umbridge."

Point taken.

We collected Cissy and slipped out of the castle, making our way through the shadows to the point where Hagrid's hut was closest to the forest. For security from the Dementors, and the McGonagall, we traveled in darkness, but we each had our wands out and were prepared to produce our Patronuses.

Just before 9:00, a beaming Cissy skipped ahead of the rest of us, leading us into the forest and to the clearing. There were four other Centaurs, whom I didn't recognize, with Bane, Firenze, and Ekina. They had started and were patrolling the bonfire to guard against sparks setting the forest afire. Bane and Ekina were at least standing apart from the other Centaurs. I sat upon one of the four tree stumps, and was joined by Cissy, Hermione, and Luna. Harry, Ron, and Neville stood among the Centaurs who were present, but standing apart from Bane.

"I should perhaps begin by apologizing for making the decision to bring back Ekina," Bane spoke with more of a challenging than an apologetic tone of voice, "but I was on CentaurWorld by myself and felt that there were things she needed to see and matters she needed to discuss at Hogwarts. I'm sure the Minister will not be happy, but I hope that you will try to understand."

"It's alright by me," Harry quickly replied, avoiding getting Bane in an ill humor. "We're all in this together and need to trust each other's spur of the moment decisions. What is it that needs to be discussed with Ekina? Hello, Ekina, I'm Harry Potter, by the way. I'm the Deputy Minister of the Wizards and my associates are Ginny, Hermione, Luna, Cissy, Ron, Neville, Bill, and Barb."

"Perhaps I should explain why I requested that Bane bring me back with him," Ekina said. "This world is mentioned in our legends, and I think I always assumed that it was home to a thriving herd of Centaurs. I was surprised to learn that Earth has only seventy eight Centaurs, fewer even than MeadowIsland, which is what we call our world." I realized that Ekina was speaking in the ancient language of the Centaurs and that most of our group couldn't understand a word she was saying. I asked her to pause and set to work as her translator.

"Both of our populations are very inbred, and that has reduced our vigor and fertility, as well as our abilities to prophesy and perform magic. I suggested to Bane that an exchange of individuals between our worlds could greatly improve the next generation on both worlds. I had also hoped to find a spot of land on your world, which would be available and suitable to establish a second herd of Centaurs. As you know, in addition to inbreeding, we suffer from the constraints of limited land on both worlds."

I translated again. Harry replied and Firenze translated for him, as I realized he had done the first time Harry spoke. "That request will have to be presented to the committee. There really isn't much more land available at Hogwarts, and I imagine you want the two Earth herds to be widely separated for safety. We can check with our colleagues at the other two main Wizard schools and see if they can provide space. How many Centaurs did you plan to send between the worlds?"

"I thought half a dozen from here to MeadowIsland and perhaps a dozen from there to here. That's to start. If you can arrange a second sanctuary on your world, I'd propose sending about forty additional Centaurs from my world to yours."

"I'm not empowered to say yes," Harry replied, "but I can express my favorable view of your suggestion to our committee. It will meet in two days. You could stay and attend that meeting."

"I'll do that," she agreed. "I'm not one of the top leaders of my herd. I had planned to be the first from my world to come and find a mate in your world. I think Bane told you the basics of our world. He said he was capturing images and that Hermione would bring them."

Hermione stood up and urged us to gather round the stump she had been seated upon. She pulled a large envelop from inside her robes and ordered her wand to glow its brightest. I did the same. She laid the pictures on the stump, one at a time. We saw a broader view of the plain and forest edge than the one I had seen when Bane arrived. The next three photos showed groups of herd members. Next was the high stone plateau, showing shelters built by the Centaurs. The shelters had the appearance of very large stone and wood barns, with the wood being whole tree trunks. They looked very massive and solid. "We sleep in these shelters when it is very cold or wet and windy," Ekina said "but they are mainly refuges from severe storms, when the lower part of the plain and forest are swept by large walls of water. Legend says that in the early years, before we had the shelters or the ability to predict fierce storms, over half the herd was killed. This happened several times. Now, we only lose a few members in the worst assaults from the sea. As you might have guessed, we also used these shelters to hide from the sea creatures who used to attack us. They were large and fierce, but had difficulty climbing to the plain of stone, and never managed to break into the shelters. Many of them died trying. They were far less fierce if they were unable to return to the sea by dawn, and my ancestors killed them on the rocks, driving them off the plain of stone."

The other pictures showed the plain of grass as seen from the plateau, two sides of cliff leading up to the plateau, looking down the third cliff face to the sea, the sea and beach from the edge of the forest, and three pictures showing the interior of the forest. The final picture, taken in a small clearing within the forest, was either a stone altar of some sort, or a stone barbeque grill.

"I have a possible solution to your problem," I told Ekina. "You live on an island. There may be many others on your world, perhaps very close to your own island. If we travel to your world, and if our brooms work at all, I should be able to do a fly around and find other islands. If our brooms don't work, we have flying creatures, which we could ride to explore the area around your island."

"I'll take you up on that offer," she responded.

"You must go, before you are missed," Bane told Harry. "I know you must tell the Minister, but please avoid attracting as much attention to me, and especially Ekina, as possible, until the committee meets. I know that will not be a pleasant discussion, but I'd prefer to have it only once."

"Please, don't get too close to the other Centaurs," Harry urged Bane.

"I'll behave, if you behave," Bane agreed.

Cissy was in a bubbly mood as we walked back to the castle, saying that "despite the cold walks, this adventure was well worth the shivers. I'm determined to speak to the headmaster at breakfast and ask her for permission to explore the secret inside of the pyramid with you. I've only seen the tiniest and dullest piece of it so far, and I only know that my ring opens one portal. If the headmaster says yes, then you'll have to give me a tour."

"There's still my Dad," I reminded her.

I was happy to divert to our apartment and leave the others to deal with Cissy's enthusiasms. She was a good friend, but sometimes seemed as young as she was. She projected a constant level of intensity, which after a prolonged exposure, just seemed to beat against one's person.

I put my body into our bed and was instantly asleep. I guess I was still recharging.

By morning, I was ravenous. I loaded my plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, bangers, fried tomatoes, and grapefruit slices. That was good, but I decided that adding some porridge with brown sugar and bananas would be even better. We were just peacefully enjoying our coffee, at least as much at it's possible to enjoy cold coffee, when a voice boomed out from in back of our heads: "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, my office, now if you please!"

"You agreed not to do that anymore. If you want to be more polite, we'll be happy to come to your office," Harry told her.

"Alright Harry, or Deputy Minister Potter, would you and your wife please accompany me to my office. I'd like to speak to you in private."

"Of course, headmaster McGonagall, we'd be happy to follow you."

I didn't even bother to bring the coffee. Harry and I exchanged non-whisper shrugs as we followed McGonagall to her office. I received an amused whisper from Hermione. I was a little surprised that I could pick up the mood of her messages as well as the words *I haven't a clue what the two of you have done this time. We've all been remarkably well behaved. I'm going to nose around and see what Mom knows.*

"I understand," an indignant McGonagall half shouted as soon as the door to her office was closed "that you told Cissy that she could explore the most dangerous areas of the pyramid and become 'one with the stone, like the other great Witches', if only I would give my consent."

"Actually, we didn't say that," I told her, trying to hide the heat I was feeling.

"I also understand that you took her into the Forbidden Forest, without asking my permission."

"That we did do," Harry admitted. "I apologize for making that decision without informing you. You had already agreed that Cissy had responsibilities as Lady Montaigne and co-Keeper, which would require her to do things that a normal student would not. I honestly thought that this was one of those things. To be perfectly honest, Ginny and I were both avoiding you. It seemed the best course of action, under the circumstances."

"I'm aware of the circumstances and had also planned to keep my distance from the two of you, but I can't just abandon my headmaster duties. Cissy is just a third year. What were you thinking? The Forbidden forest is far too dangerous for a third year."

"Ron and I were in the forest alone as second years. We were in the forest with just Hagrid and Fang for protection as first years. Somehow that was viewed as an appropriate detention. Cissy wasn't alone in the forest. She was with us, two aurors, and the leader of the Centaur herd. The forest is dangerous because of the giant spiders and unpredictable behavior of the Centaurs, when their territory is transgressed without prior approval. Cissy was present at Bane's specific invitation. If you are there under Bane's protection, the Forbidden Forest is as safe as anyplace within the castle. As a Keeper, Bane had already given her freedom to enter the forest on her own. She knows to stay away from the spiders. She's met the head spider, anyway. As you know, she has a path to their backdoor from the basement of her castle. The forest is forbidden largely because it holds many of the secrets of the Covenant. As Keeper, Cissy is already aware of those secrets. So, in reality, the forest is not at all forbidden to her."

"It is forbidden to her by me, Deputy Minister. I am her headmaster and I set the rules here."

"Yes, you do, although the Minister has said that she must be allowed to function as a Keeper and as Lady Montaigne. That is important to our community. Legally she is not a child, the Ministry has emancipated her. Yes, you are her headmaster, but you can't keep her here if you rein her in too tightly. She has other options. She owns her own castle. She can live there, with or without dropping out of Hogwarts. She can attend a Muggle school, as most in her family have done. We repealed Thicknesse's compulsory attendance law. The Minister checked, there isn't even a rule that Hogwarts students must reside at Hogwarts. Within the past decade, students have commuted from Hogsmeade. There is even a smaller fee set in law for such students. Cissy can leave Hogwarts whenever she decides to do so. She really is more mature than the average third level Witch."

I had been about to respond that Bane had invited her or she had invited herself, but fortunately before I opened my mouth I realized that Harry and I could defend ourselves from McGonagall's wrath far better than Cissy could. Harry had taken responsibility and explained the situation far better than I would have.

"Well, she'll get to mature even faster with a month of detention, which is what I just gave her. I know she is a Keeper and that with the rest of her family dead or locked up, she is an emancipated Witch and Lady Montaigne, but she is still my responsibility while she's at Hogwarts, and I'll not have her running into the sort of danger that the two of you delight in."

"I've been very cautious," I assured McGonagall. "I only take risks that are absolutely essential and I always provide lots of safeguards at those times. The greatest risk I've been in for months was when you over-rode the ref and allowed Sean to keep playing after he almost killed another player. I pleaded with you to have him thrown out. So don't tell me I'm incautious, if you are the one placing me in danger."

"If everyone took the risks that you do, Miss Weasley, er Mrs. Potter, half the student body would be dead before we reached Christmas break. And I already apologized for allowing Sean to continue playing."

"That's not fair," I replied, allowing some heat to show. "If I hadn't landed promptly at the first sign of danger when Ruppasta knocked out the Gringotts Circle, you'd have two dead Quidditch squads. And yes, I know that you apologized. That apology doesn't change the fact that you place me and my entire team in great danger. Even before Sean was injured, we all knew we were in great danger, because you allowed a twenty-five year old, half-giant to play against us."

"As I said, I apologized for that. I wasn't going to discriminate against a boy with part-Giant heritage. You love Hagrid. How would you like it if he were discriminated against? I'm not saying your little adventures don't generally succeed, or that you haven't saved lives by your actions," McGonagall replied with some heat of her own, "but you certainly take a lot of risks. Far more than I deem appropriate for a third year. The two of you are going to have to learn that Cissy can't be a tag-along on your adventures. You also have to stop exposing Margaret to danger. This school is supposed to be a safe place for the students. The parents depend upon it."

"My adventures are not little adventures and I don't undertake them by whim," I replied with even more heat. "I am the Mother of the Future. I have duties and responsibilities. If I shirk them, everyone may die. Cissy also has responsibilities as Keeper. She takes too many risks, but they are not all risks taken on whim. We certainly do not take Cissy on all our adventures and we certainly work to keep her safe. Yes, I love Hagrid, but I would not willingly play against a Quidditch team on which he was a Beater. None of our team would enjoy doing that."

"We're sorry," Harry apologized. "It just sometimes seems that we're discriminating against Cissy as a fellow Keeper by excluding her from as much as we do."

"You are discriminating, and for very good reason. She is just a young girl, whether she's Lady Montaigne and a Keeper or not. She's not gifted at magic. She seems to chase after risk. She's a danger to herself. If a little discrimination on your part will keep her alive, then that's what I expect of you. You may go now."

{{Gee, thanks.}}

{Let's just go. We know we probably shouldn't have let Cissy come to the forest. This is for her to fight out with McGonagall. We don't want to be in the middle. I've assumed as much of the blame as I can. This is a battle that Cissy will have to fight on her own, now or later. It will be tougher for her, when we're no longer at Hogwarts.}

{{That's fine, Harry. I don't want to make more trouble for Cissy, but you know as well as I that she was totally safe last night. She was as safe as she would have been in her dorm room. This is just another attempt by McGonagall to control us, and Cissy, and Mom, and Dad, and everything. I guess my Adrienne calm has left me. You know that I tried to ignore McGonagall. Meeting with her was just not a good idea. Way too soon.}} 


	70. Chapter 70

**CHAPTER 70 – THE COMMITTEE**

The committee meeting was held at Castle Montaigne. The Squib servants had been treated to an early dismissal, and we met inside a magical bubble on the lawn behind the house, shielded from the view of anyone approaching the house from the front. Dad had arranged for the change of location, apparently at Cissy's request, so that she could avoid detention and attend the meeting.

Dad had admitted to me that "I'll find a better location for future meetings. I don't want to cede the level of control to either Cissy or Headmaster McGonagall that letting either of them host the meeting implies. Having to choose between the two, I chose Cissy as the more controllable of the two. I thought of meeting at the Ministry, and we may still do that, but I didn't want to give the Muggles too close a look at the place. Harry's quick drop-in with the Prime Minister was one thing - I don't want to show him the Entry Hall, which would be the obvious meeting place. I particularly don't want his security staff wandering around the Ministry. I considered Kingsley's Muggle country home. We may still meet their in future."

Cissy's servants had prepared heaping trays of refreshments, before they departed. Three aurors were on guard at the front of the house, lest the servants return or someone else appear.

As Harry and I moved farther into the bubble to grab refreshments and say hello to Tony and Cissy, I saw McGonagall arrive and head straight for Dad. They were quickly caught up in a heated, but brief, discussion, and I assumed Dad was giving her a more discrete version of what he had just told us. They were moving closer as Dad tried to escape.

As Dad's two aurors succeeded in separating him from McGonagall, I overheard his last comment "because I asked her to be here." As the aurors didn't allow McGonagall to pursue Dad, she was left staring in displeasure at the back of Cissy's head, before taking a sherry from a tray on the table. She gulped and discarded her first glass and quickly grabbed another.

Unfortunately, Cissy chose this time to turn around, as she sensed Harry's presence. "Ah, I'm surprised to find you here," the headmaster called out to her from behind our backs.

"Why?" Cissy replied, a confused expression on her face "This is my castle, after all."

"Yes, but aren't you supposed to be serving detention. I don't recall you asking my permission to come here."

"The Minister requested that I be here. You've given me blanket permission to return to the castle, whenever my Keeper or Lady Montaigne duties require my presence here. You weren't in your office, but I told Madam Sprout that I would be at the castle."

"Well, consider my permission rescinded and ask me personally in future…" McGonagall cut off in mid-sentence, realizing that the Muggle Prime Minister was staring at her intently.

"Excuse me, Tony," she said to him "I'm just finishing up a minor Hogwarts disciplinary matter. I didn't mean to intrude my parochial concerns upon this important meeting."

"It's quite alright, I'm actually meeting my first extra-terrestrial," Tony said, having just previously been introduced to Ekina. Ekina and Bane were both wearing surgical masks and not getting too close to the other guests. Tony seemed eager to turn away from McGonagall and back to Ekina, asking her "and what brings you to our world?"

I snorted my butterbeer out my nose as Bane translated for Ekina "I come to become pregnant."

"I see," Tony replied. "That's all well and good and it sounds peaceful and domestic enough, but I really think we need a formal system of permissions before any of you bring any more beings here from other worlds. We'll also need approvals and protocols, before you go exploring. There's no telling what diseases will be carried in either direction. The European explorers almost wiped out the native inhabitants of the Americas with all the unknown diseases they brought with them. The natives had no natural defenses against them. I'm sure there are novel diseases on ElfWorld and CentaurWorld that could wipe out the populations in Britain. Maybe even infect other species. You warned that if any of the magical species at Hogwarts became extinct, that the continuance of magic and Britain's good fortune could come to a quick end. Well, I think you are in great risk of causing an extinction. From what you say, Ekina and her people have had several millennia to catch and adapt to new diseases on CentaurWorld. Just think how many new diseases arise here in that amount of time. What you are doing is irresponsible, and I have to insist that all of you be far more careful."

"I warn them about their rashness, but will they listen to me?" King Goblanze sighed to Tony. "Alas, they did not inform me of these adventures,"

Dad mumbled that Tony was "absolutely correct. We all must be far more careful and think at length and together, before anyone acts."

"We are an ancient race, I should have known better," Bane apologized. "What should we do?"

"I'm afraid whatever damage may occur from your visit to CentaurWorld and Ekina's trip here, is likely already done," Tony commented. "If there are members of your herd who haven't already associated with the two of you, they should remain segregated, just in case. Cotto is back longer, but there are Elves working in Wizard houses and living in the Elf Sanctuary. If they haven't been exposed to Cotto, or anyone is his traveling party, or anyone who's spent time with anyone in the traveling party, well, they should be isolated from any possible contagion. Hopefully your trip was brief enough and your contact with the ElfWorldians at sufficient distance, that you brought back no diseases. I hope you didn't have sex on the other World."

Cotto looked as affronted and offended as I had ever seen an Elf look. "No! Cotto is good Elf. Only take good Elves on trip," was his heated response.

"I seek guidance from the celestial prophesy before Bane took his journey," Firenze offered, which broke the tension.

"Did you consider the possibility of Bane bringing back a friend?" McGonagall asked.

"No, but that should be covered by inquiring concerning the trip."

"And what does your prophesying tell you about Cotto's trip?" Hermione asked, putting Cotto back under the glare of a dozen staring eyes.

"I don't know. I didn't ask. Cotto has been back long enough that any damage has been done. Baal has stayed in his decontamination zone, but he shows no sign of ill health."

"How long have you quarantined Baal? I understand he was on ElfWorld far longer than Cotto and had much closer contact with the natives."

"We had originally agreed a ten-day quarantine, but then decided that this committee should make the final determination," Dad told Tony. "Baal has now been quarantined for twelve days."

"That's encouraging, at least," Tony approved. "My advisors suggested a two-week period of quarantine."

"The transporter on the Enterprise has a bio filter that usually prevented any problem of this sort," Hermione announced "I'm not totally sure how our transporter works, but perhaps it has an equivalent safeguard."

"If we're going to make policy decisions based upon sci-fi television shows, then I must at least insist that we rely upon Doctor Who," Tony answered her with a straight face.

The rest of the meeting went well. We agreed that I would lock down the transporter, effectively stranding Ekina, until we could agree on next steps. Viktor agreed to develop a Continental sanctuary for the Centaurs and possibly for some Unicorns, as well. All agreed that Hermione and I must give highest priority to searching for the bombs that may or may not have been hidden by the Montaigne formerly known as Lord.

We agreed, realizing that this left us in for a very boring and tedious week. The Centaurs agreed to keep their distance from the Unicorns until the disease issue was sorted out, while Cotto declared that he and his traveling companions would lock themselves in Grimmauld Place for the duration. Tony said that the Hogwarts Express would not be running and timber would not be leaving the Montaigne estate until a suitable quarantine period had passed. He also asked that any Wizards who had been at Hogwarts or had contact with the Centaurs follow decontamination protocols, before entering Muggle areas and that they stay away from 'horse country'. He said he would send the decontamination protocols as soon as he returned to his office.

"Now then," Tony continued, "the Leprechauns seem to have been the nastiest piece of business from that ancient war and there may be billions of them out there on some other world. We will have to think especially hard before any attempt is made to contact them. I will quarantine myself and my aide and suggest the rest of you do the same. I suggest you be very sparing in your use of your cellphones. Our friends across the pond listen in on anything. I think we'll refer to any possible plague as the 'Christmas pie' and just report whether or not it has arrived yet."

As we were about to disperse, Dad reminded the whole group that this was "a committee of the Ministry as well as a committee directed by the heads of the various governments and races and that this fact set certain responsibilities among all members. The first responsibility is that everything that happens here must be held in strictest confidence. Consequences for those who blab will be substantial. Second, everyone here is a member of this committee, and no other member shall attempt to prevent other members from attending." He was looking directly at McGonagall as he made this final statement.

The aurors collapsed the magical bubble and the committee members scattered to their dwellings. We were going to apparate back to the Gryffindor landing, but McGonagall's voice in back of us said "not so fast, I intend to have some words with the Hogwarts contingent – my office in ten minutes. Be there!"

Dad, who had been gathering his things and aurors in preparation for departure, wandered back toward us and commented "fine within reason, Minerva, but Harry will be attending that meeting as the Deputy Minister and my daughter will be attending as the Mother of the Future. Well, I'll see you all later. A word, Minerva."

Dad and McGonagall went off to a distant corner of the lawn. It was dark, but I would swear McGonagall didn't speak a word until the very end. Even then, she was very brief.

When she returned to us, McGonagall was more subdued than I expected and I wondered what Dad had said to her. "We'll meet here," she told us. "As you all should know, my staff and I are charged with ensuring the safety of all Hogwarts students. That requires taking steps to keep each child out of danger as well as discouraging extreme risk taking by one student, which could have the effect of leading other impressionable students astray. That is why I have tried to control the adventuring of Miss Weasley, er, Mrs. Potter, and now Miss Montaigne. It appears that, just as I agreed not to take direct responsibility for the protection, supervision, and disciplining of Miss Weasley, I will not be directly responsible for the protection, supervision, and disciplining of Miss Montaigne. The Minister will assign an auror to protect and look after Miss Montaigne. For now Ellen will assume that role. The Minister believes that it is important that Miss Montaigne have sufficient latitude to fulfill her duties to the Wizarding community as Lady Montaigne, a director of Gringotts, and a Keeper. This will give her more latitude than the typical third year, but I or my staff must still be informed when she goes out of bounds, such as into the Forbidden Forest, the pyramid, or outside Hogwarts.

"The Deputy Minister and his wife will be asked by the Minister to assist Ellen in establishing suitable parameters for Miss Montaigne. The Minister does not wish for her to have her detailed guided tour of the pyramid, just yet. I hope this is clear to everyone. I also assume you all realize what tonight's decisions mean. The Minister will have to invent a reason why all students and staff must remain at Hogwarts until further notice, likely through the holidays. All of us who have had contact with Bane or Cotto should limit our personal contacts and stay away from the other students. I suggest that we stay at Castle Montaigne. Good night, and Miss Montaigne still has twenty-eight days of detention to serve. I'd like a few more words with Miss Montaigne."

We took that as our cue to leave and headed to the front of the castle.

{Do you think Cissy will allow McGonagall to be a guest at her castle?}

{{Do you think she'll give her a curfew and require her to ask permission to move out of sight of the front of the house?}}

{More likely to prohibit her from showing herself to the servants, which may also apply to us. She may have to give the servants a long holiday off and have me summon my Elves.}

In the end, that's what we did, Harry heading off Cotto before he bunked down with the members of his rescue team at Grimmauld Place. Instead, we had a large collection of the possibly infected at Castle Montaigne. Cissy told the servants when they arrived for work that she seemed to have caught smallpox and was quarantining herself for a month. She wore convincing makeup and they kept their distance. They left in good spirits, when she told them that they had the next month off, with full pay.

We stayed at Castle Montaigne for two weeks. Hermione and I spent the time largely communing with the stone and using it to scan all of the areas inside and outside the pyramid and Sacred Cavern and Reception Hall. This allowed us to experiment with stone-assisted travel outside of our bodies. I had thought we would have to be next to the stone or at least within one of the circles to accomplish this, but we succeeded by lying side-to-side upon the plush carpeting of Cissy's bedroom. Cissy tried to join us in our spirit explorations, but was only sparingly successful.

We began our search in the Reception Hall, searching for any hidden rooms or cavities. We found two small hidden rooms, one under each of the large stone stairways into the Reception Hall. We mentally explored these rooms, looking for an obvious entrance and probing the interior for a bomb. We didn't find either and put them on a list for future exploration. I reminded Hermione of the vision of the central support pillars collapsing and suggested trying to look inside the pillars and the stone above and beneath them. The pillars were solid, as was the floor beneath them and the ceiling above them. Undisturbed rock for at least ten feet in all directions. The bomb was not there.

The Sacred Cavern was next on the list for our mental probing. The black stone and the Crystal Circle of the Sacred Cavern were now familiars and both helped us to search. There were no secret rooms or hidden cavities within the walls, floor, or ceiling of the Sacred Cavern. We checked all the benches, realizing that a solid stone bench or table top could be replaced by a hollowed-out replica filled with explosive. All was as it should be. The short tunnel between the Reception Hall and the Sacred Cavern yielded a hidden cavity, perhaps a foot square by three feet deep. It appeared to contain only a very small item. It too was marked for future exploration. We traced the tracked tunnel all the way from the Reception Hall to Castle Montaigne. There was a hidden room off the stairway from the basement of the castle down to the tunnel. It contained a large object. The tunnel itself had yielded nothing. The stone and the circles were of less help to us in the searching of the castle basement, but we were able to laboriously complete the search, turning up that hidden room and what seemed like a small hidden cupboard. We would explore these with Cissy, which would doubtless please her no end.

We next moved up the stairs and through the tunnel to Hogsmeade. We found nothing untoward, until we reached George's shop. There was a hidden room off the same landing, which led to the basement of the shop. It held a large cube, perhaps four feet on a side, which definitely seemed to be suspicious. We decided to stop scanning and make this our first target for in-person exploration. While it was good to gain familiarity in communicating with and controlling the stone, it was very tiring work.

Cissy was quite eager to go exploring, I think in part because she thought that participation on this leg of the search increased her chances of joining us when we searched the pyramid. As she unlocked the door leading to her basement, she griped "I'm looking forward to this little adventure, but really anything that gets me away from Professor McGonagall is a blessing. I'm not sure I'll be returning to Hogwarts. I've already sent off internet applications to Muggle schools. I've been accepted by Marlborough. Professor McGonagall has insisted upon giving me detention in my own castle. I may go through the end of the term, when all of you will be leaving, but beyond that, I don't see much advantage to my continuing. Professor McGonagall will thwart my ability to perform my Keeper and Lady Montaigne duties and I already have more magical ability than any Montaigne in the past three generations. I'll keep working with the two of you to learn more and I'll practice what I learned from the Light Guardian, but I'm not at all sure Hogwarts is for me.

"What I really need to do is commune with the stone as the two of you have done, so that I can properly sort and control my Light Guardian knowledge. Just trying to join you on your spirit expedition has jogged memories and thoughts. It helped me organize my Light Guardian knowledge. Hogwarts isn't likely to help me with that. Don't worry - I can wait until June, as Harry has asked. Then McGonagall will have no hold on me."

These comments brought us to the bottom of a long, steep stone stairway. Muggle electric lights and an iron railing had been installed. A right turn at the bottom of the stairs brought us into the very large basement, which we had explored by mind. The ceiling was only a few inches over five feet tall and the room was broken up by stone support columns, four feet on a side. "We didn't really scan these support columns as well as we should have," Hermione remarked. "A bomb here would bring down the whole castle."

The electrically lit room was impressive, with the low ceiling exaggerating its dimensions, of perhaps eighty feet by thirty feet. There were alcoves along the wall on the right, seemingly dungeon cells from which the doors had long since been removed. The main part of the room was remarkably empty. There were some boxes stacked along the wall that rose far ahead of us. As we approached the boxes, Hermione removed a Muggle device from her robes "Muggle explosives detector," she told us, as she set about checking out the boxes and each of the alcoves. The alcoves were empty, but as she explored the center one, she reported "this area recently held a large amount of Muggle explosives, possibly the ones we found in the railcar."

I knew that the hidden cupboard was behind these boxes. The three of us used our wands, as well as our strong shoulders, to shift the wooden boxes aside. Although we were extremely careful, one of the dozen boxes split open as we moved it and large bound records fell out. "I think old ledger sheets," Cissy told us "but I best have a quick look. Why don't the two of you check some of the other ledgers?" A quick check of the ledgers revealed that most were, as Cissy said "in Bruce's hand." These included records of his financial dealings and lists of his associates, largely Muggles whom he had worked with, apparently including both those whom he had bedded or swindled, and the Squibs he had hunted down to use as co-conspirators. This binder would go off to the Ministry. The others seemed to be more routine Montaigne financial records. The other boxes were mentally marked for future exploration. Meanwhile, we turned to the wall behind the boxes. No seams were evident, although when the dirt was whooshed away with our wands, some of the mortar between the stones did look more modern than the mortar holding the rest of the wall together.

"Brute force method," Cissy declared, going to a workbench on the adjacent wall and returning with two hammers and two chisels. We got to work with these as Cissy ducked away to return with a large pry bar. We chiseled around one eight by ten stone and then moved on to its neighbor, to let Cissy have a go with her pry bar. When she managed to budge her stone, we stopped chiseling and used our wands to help her lever the stone away from the wall. It fell on the floor with a loud thud, sending all of us scurrying backward to preserve our toes. This gave us enough of a hole to look into. The area beyond the wall seemed to go back about three feet and to be about four feet wide. It seemed to hold a wooden chest of drawers, which came up to a height of a little under four feet.

Hermione declared "screw the chisels," and leveling her wand at the wall, directed a series of curses at it, which cracked all of the mortar. One of the stone blocks even cleaved in two with a loud bang. Hermione stepped back and asked us to use our wands to help her drag the wall down. I concentrated hard and a couple of largish stones burped out of the wall and crashed upon the floor. Then, the whole wall toppled into the room. Unfortunately one of the wooden boxes was crushed, but we were able to push the stones aside and attack the chest. It seemed to be a custom affair, with three vertical rows of three drawers each. Each drawer was a foot square. Perhaps fearing a booby trap, Hermione asked us to move back and to the side, as she used her wand to pull the center drawer on the bottom all the way out, until the drawer crashed to the floor. It clearly wasn't empty. With a circling motion of her arm, Hermione lifted the drawer and turned it over. Six small sacks landed with a thump. Cissy was eager to examine the sacks, but Hermione held her back as she began to methodically dump the contents of drawer after drawer. The middle drawer on the top had a single largish red velvet sack which hit the ground with such an interesting metallic 'tink' that Hermione abandoned her resolve, saying "alright, the last drawer can wait, I want to know what's in that sack."

Cissy picked up the large 'tinky' sack, reached in her hand and drew out… the Weasley crown. I was so astounded that I impolitely commented "so, the damned Montaignes really did literally steal our crown! Oops! Sorry Cissy!"

"It was long ago Montaignes and males at that. Besides as you well know, neither Harry nor I have any true Montaigne blood, so it is hard for me to feel overly offended by your remark. I often think what one damned Montaigne in particular did to my mother. Then I stop myself. I've idolized her as much and obsessed over her as much as Harry ever obsessed over his mother. I don't know which Weasley this crown actually belongs to, but please take it back. Give it to your father," Cissy commanded me.

I meekly took possession of the crown, placing it back into its velvet sack and drawing the leather drawstring closed. I tied it to my belt. Meanwhile Cissy and Hermione had begun an energetic rummaging through the contents of the other drawers, which lay on the floor at our feet. The sacks from the first drawer to be dumped contained gold galleons. "Very old gold galleons," Hermione commented. "I've never seen any quite like these."

We found what were either originals, original copies signed at the time of the originals, or at least very old signed copies of the original Covenant, the Hogwarts charter and even a semi-perpetual rental agreement for the school property, the King's warrant conveying the Montaigne lands to the Montaignes, the Ministry charter, a peace treaty between the Montaignes and 'certain rogue magical creatures', the death warrant for the escaped Muggle students from the original Gryffindor, and the Gringotts charter. There were sacks of old Muggle coins, a collection of old wands, a detailed map of the Sacred Chamber, Reception Hall, and many of the surrounding tunnels and stairs, an early map of Hogwarts grounds and another of the castle, an official Montaigne lineage which stopped in 1742, another crown – this one identified as belonging to Gunter Gran Montine. We found a sack full of rings, looking like they were primarily assistant Keeper rings, but with one Keeper's ring. There was a sack of old brass keys and another of old iron keys. There was a twenty place setting of badly tarnished and rather crudely shaped but thick, pure silver cutlery. There was a Montaigne signet ring, with a hunk of red wax in the same sack. Finally, there was a sack of what appeared to be precious stones: brilliantly cut diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and tourmalines.

That left the one untouched drawer. I reached for it, but Hermione slapped my hand away "it would be just our luck if the final drawer was the booby trapped one. Step back and to the side, please." As Hermione used her wand to pull out the drawer, there was a loud bang and a jet of hot air and flame roared between us, flaring all the way across the long basement, to splash against the opposite wall. I looked back at the source of the flame to see that the beautiful antique chest had been reduced to a jagged pile of burning kindling. "How did you know that would happen," I gasped at Hermione.

"I just knew there had to be a trap. I'm surprised it took us this long to spring it," Hermione replied.

The bang must have rattled throughout the castle, because Bill, Barb, Ron, and Harry came running into the basement, as quickly as the stone steps could be negotiated. Harry looked very worried, but his face brightened as soon as he realized that we were alright. "Your hair is singed," He told me. "It looks as if you've discovered a treasure."

We each grabbed some of the booty, hauling it up to Cissy's banquet table for examination. McGonagall hadn't come rushing into the basement, but she and the others were waiting as we disgorged our treasures onto the table. She was eager for us to begin a detailed examination and cataloging of what we had found, but Hermione simply said "you do it - we have other anomalies to inspect in person."

Before McGonagall could respond, we were back down the stairs to explore the hidden room in the Montaigne basement.

Our stone-assisted mental exploration had said the room was centered on the wall opposite the one which had held the cupboard. We used our wands to blow dust off the wall. This time there was no obvious sign that the wall concealed anything. These were not mortared stones - this was a barely finished face of native rock. Knowing where the room was, we ran our hands over the rough stone seeking for the different feel that our knowing hands could detect as we explored the faux stones concealing the archway to the Cavern of the Goblins. I told Hermione "I don't think this is really stone, let's try erasing it with our Montaigne Keeper rings."

As we got to work, I was quickly proven right. The 'stone' magically melted away beneath our rings. Once we had achieved a gap of about one foot by two feet, we rested our arms and threw balls of light beyond the gap to see what the room contained. "Really big bomb," Ron instantly commented.

"We need to remove more of the barrier, so that I can inspect the bomb and see if it is able to explode," Hermione told us. With this sense of urgency, we renewed our scrubbing away of the barrier with increased vigor. It took us another fifteen minutes of hard work, but Hermione was soon bending over the bomb to examine a brass box, which was connected to it by several dozen wires. I pointed out a second, less pretty, metal box, which was also attached to the bomb by four wires. Two of what Mr. Granger called automobile batteries were also connected by thicker wires to the two boxes. Hermione continued studying the wiring, but finally shook her head, commenting as she backed away, "this is too complicated for me to understand. Perhaps Dad can disarm it for us, but I think we'll need help from Tony's experts. It's very important that we not let anyone know that we've discovered this bomb. I think it's designed to be set off remotely. The bomb is big enough to demolish the castle and maybe even damage the Reception Hall."

"I need to summon the Minister," Harry told us. "He can use the talking picture in Tony's office to request expert help. I don't want to use the phone, but Arthur said he would be sleeping in his office. I'll quickly apparate to my office and duck in to see him." We had waited about five minutes for Harry to return with Dad, when I got a whisper.

{[determined] Your Dad will talk to Tony. I'm collecting some supplies before I return. Why don't you go ahead and explore the hidden room off the landing below George's shop? From your description, that is also big enough to hold a large bomb and there may well have been a special reason that the Montaigne formerly known as Lord wanted us to have that particular shop. Wait a sec…. I'll be a little longer; your father wants me to apparate the Muggle experts back with me. I'm to pick them up in Tony's office in about fifteen minutes.}

Our marching orders in hand, we apparated to the Reception Hall and headed for George's Hogsmeade shop. Cissy said that she would stay behind, as Lady Montaigne, to greet the Muggle experts.

"I'm betting on finding another faux wall that we'll need to ring wipe," Hermione told us. She was proven correct. We were nearly finished wiping, when I received another whisper from Harry.

{I'm back in Cissy's basement and the Muggle experts are examining the bomb. One of them just said 'be careful Sid, this is a really big mother'. They want us to leave the castle while they work. I think you should be far enough away to be safe, but I'm going to get the others out… Correction, I'm going to get all but Cissy out. She says it is her duty to stay and make sure the Muggles don't get into things that they should not be seeing. I'll remove the booty from the upstairs table. The Muggles already noticed the spot where the chest of drawers exploded, so I think Cissy is right that they are determined to snoop about. This will really thrill McGonagall… Good, Bill and I have convinced Cissy that Bill will stay with the Muggles. They recognize him as a security type and will be happier with him anyway. They were distinctly unhappy when Cissy announced her intention to stay with them. Whisper back if you've heard me.}

{{I heard you, Harry. You should know that we've just found the twin of the bomb that you're looking at. Since Barb came with us on this trip, we'll just apparate to Cissy's back yard and Barb can apparate the Muggles to the second bomb, when you think the time is appropriate.}}

Thinking the others would be out on the castle grounds, we linked hands and I carefully felt for obstructions, before apparating us onto the back lawn, near the wall of the castle. As I had anticipated, the others were also on the back lawn, but backed up against the forest. Unexpectedly, I saw Cissy and McGonagall locked in a very heated argument. Naturally we all gravitated to them. Cissy was speaking the loudest and hers were the first words I discerned as we approached them.

"I will not permit you to tell me what I can and cannot do on my own estate. A Lady Montaigne has certain responsibilities, and that includes not allowing unescorted Muggles to explore a castle which is hiding many secrets."

"I appreciate that you deferred to Bill as their escort, but I am not at all pleased with your addiction to risky behavior. If Harry hadn't stopped you, you'd be right down there in the cellars, practically sitting on the bomb. You are still a young girl. You don't yet know enough to properly discharge all your duties or to keep yourself safe. If you get yourself killed, you will never be able to fulfill what you call your 'destiny'."

"I listened to Harry, because he doesn't treat me like a little girl. He understands about duty, even at a young age. I trust that he recognizes risks that are best left to the aurors, but is willing to allow me to take reasoned risks to do what I must do. That is what he has always done. You just want to control me and prevent me from fulfilling my obligations. I am a student, but that is not my greatest obligation."

"You are a very young girl and as your headmaster I am responsible for protecting you while you're at Hogwarts."

"I'm not at Hogwarts. I'm at my estate. I likely won't be at Hogwarts much longer. I've been accepted by Marlborough. That will allow me to escape your control and perform the duties for which I am responsible."

"I think Marlborough is a very great mistake. You need to learn more about magic."

"I will. The most important thing that I can do to learn more magic is to become one with the stone, but you are preventing me from doing that. I'll stay through end of term to work with and learn from Harry and his friends. I learn so much just being with them. In the end, a Lady Montaigne must live in both worlds and Hogwarts can't teach me what Marlborough can."

Turning away, McGonagall replied, "I'm very sorry that you can't see that I am just trying to help you and keep you alive."

As that argument ended, we remained basically in silence, with our backs pressed up against the trees. Cissy had been inching over to Harry and me and we had been inching away from the mob. We soon had enough distance for Cissy to speak. "I don't mean to fight with Professor McGonagall, but it is very insulting both to be treated like a little child and to be bossed around in your own castle. You do trust my judgment, don't you Harry. Do you see me as just a reckless thrill seeker, as McGonagall does?"

Harry and I both assured her that we did indeed trust her judgment and saw her as being very mature for her years. I told her that I saw her actions as being driven by a sense of duty rather than thrill seeking. This pleased her. Harry cautioned her that he was having to learn to let the aurors take the appropriate risks when it wasn't essential for him to be personally on the front line, and that she would have to learn to do the same.

"Thank you," Cissy replied. "I understand that I need to rely upon the aurors when possible. That's why I agreed to leave the cellars. Although I admit that I prefer our little adventures to sitting in class, I also very strongly feel that my safety will be increased by becoming one with the stone. I'll be better able to identify danger and have more skills to cope with it. I'll be able to contact Ginny at a distance, so I won't ever be strictly on my own. My request to understand everything I can about the inside of the pyramid is not thrill seeking. I promise you that. I believe it is essential for us to achieve our shared destiny. I can't be sure that I won't need that extra pyramid knowledge before June. It might actually make the difference in keeping me alive."

McGonagall had noticed that we were talking intently with Cissy and headed our way. Cissy saw her before I did and moved back to the herd. She and McGonagall passed in silence.

"I'm really not trying to control Cissy, but I do have an obligation to keep her safe," McGonagall began. "The parents…"

"Cissy doesn't have parents," Harry told her. "She is an emancipated child, a Keeper and a British Lady. As to whether or not you are trying to control her, I think fully understanding our own motivations is always a tricky endeavor. It requires brutal self-honesty. I think you see Cissy as your window into worlds beyond the purview of the Hogwarts headmaster and do want to exercise a measure of control over her, as Dumbledore and you did with me."

"I know I tried too hard to assume Dumbledore's mantle and to influence events through the remnants of the Order and my Sisterhood, but I really am looking out for Cissy's interests. I knew Cissy's mother, and she did not run great risks as Lady Montaigne."

"You have to realize that the mother was Mrs. Lord Montaigne, while the daughter is the stand-alone Lady Montaigne," Harry explained. "I understand that Cissy has a burning desire to make up for the bad caused by her family and that this may lead her to try to do too much, but I really am trying to keep her safe and to guide her to only take necessary and prudent risks. Exploring the pyramid is such a necessary and prudent risk. It likely will give her new knowledge and skills which will make her safer. She will not be the first to embark on that journey. Both Ginny and Hermione followed that path safely. They and Fawkes will guide Cissy's way."

"You're saying that you want to allow Cissy to explore the pyramid before June."

"Yes. I really feel that it is necessary. Events are moving very rapidly. June may well be too late."

McGonagall said she would think about all of this. She asked Harry "had you heard about Marlborough?"

"No I hadn't," my husband replied "but it is the natural consequence of trying to put her on too tight a leash. You speak of the importance of your Malfoy experiment. Draco is the only really important part of that experiment. Cissy is the Montaigne experiment and she is more important to our future than Draco is, and Draco is very important. That is why the Minister objects to treating Cissy like an average third year. She's not an average third year. Her initial experience with Hogwarts is that the school tried to destroy her, because her family did not support Voldemort, of all things. The Hogwarts faculty stood by and did absolutely nothing as she was terrorized for two years by Pansy Parkinson and the Slytherin thugs. Pansy murdered Prometheus, her cat and only real friend at Hogwarts. Cissy has absolutely no reason to trust that the Hogwarts headmaster or faculty suddenly have become interested in her safety. It is only natural for her to suspect ulterior motives on your part. Ginny isn't the only student who was emotionally shaken when you paraded Lucius Malfoy and then Pansy Parkinson around the Great Hall as conquering heroes. Cissy has a long and unpleasant history with both of them. I find it totally reasonable that she doesn't trust you. What did you do to help her, when she desperately needed your help? We have learned a lot of nasty truths about Hogwarts in the past several months. One is that Hogwarts condones, no, it encourages bullying. Cissy was bullied and she resents it."

"That was Snape's responsibility as her head of House, but I take your point. We failed the child very badly and it's no wonder she thinks as she does. I will bear that in mind in my future dealings with her."

"I hope so. I will certainly bear in mind that the Minister supports us in our aims to train Cissy in the full role as Keeper. I will not back down on this. If you try to stop us, Cissy will leave Hogwarts and we will also support her in that. I just thought we should be perfectly clear with each other.

As McGonagall walked away, Barb apparated onto the lawn and walked towards us. "Both bombs are defused. Bill is going to apparate the Muggle experts to the quarry near the Stowe's house, so that they can blow up all the explosives. They say it will be a very great bang."

The next morning, as we were having breakfast, served in the conservatory by Harry's Elves, an owl came with a message for McGonagall. As soon as the Cissy opened a window and the owl entered the room, Harry exclaimed "That's a Ministry executive owl. They just have a very recognizable look."

McGonagall detached and unrolled the message. She read and as she was half-way through let out a short gasp. "The Minister has removed me from Hermione's Covenant Steering Committee. Apparently, he and the Muggle Prime Minister agree that I have been a disruptive influence. I am reminded of the legal penalties. I am also reminded that I am to do nothing to interfere with Cissy's attendance at future committee meetings. The Minister has also informed me that as things presently stand, he does not intend to support my renewal as headmaster of Hogwarts. Neville has once again been placed in temporary charge of Hogwarts. A special meeting of the Governors will be called, when we are all out of quarantine. Well, I guess now I know where I stand. I guess the Minister is not a big enough man to look beyond perceived slights to members of his family and consider the bigger picture. I think I'll return to my room."

Harry was not in a mood to console her. "Actually, the Minister has done everything that he could think of to avoid this moment. I know how hard he tried to create a workable partnership with you, because he's often talked about it to me. The Minister has taken the high road throughout this whole sorry mess and given you chance after chance. I saw his expression when he saw that you had seated Pansy Parkinson at the head table. I thought he'd sack you then. He should have sacked you after you manipulated us to help you recruit Pansy as your personal spy. That was a total dishonoring of the deal you made with him, after your last batch of awful conduct. Arthur gives fellow members of the Order a lot of leeway, but you've really pushed him too far. I won't let you cast yourself as the victim, yet again. You need to objectively look at your own behavior. If you think that Arthur and I are biased against you, let me share the thoughts of an unbiased outsider.

"Arthur wrote to me regarding what Tony messaged him after the last committee meeting." Harry pulled out a folded piece of paper from his jeans, straightened it out and read, "Arthur – I know how hard you've tried to avoid this moment, but I must tell you that your situation with headmaster McGonagall is getting worse, rather than better. I think that deluded woman actually believes that she outranks you. You know how I would treat a public school headmaster, who treated me with such little basic respect, after I had appointed her to a governmental committee. Who does that absurd woman think she is, scolding the Minister for whom he chooses to invite to one of his committee meetings? You're too gentle, Arthur. I would have sacked her on the spot. You really can't rule if you allow yourself to look that weak. She embarrassed all of us. We were meeting as a committee to address the risk of a plague decimating this nation. Her primary concern was enforcement of a school detention. You may think me presumptuous in writing to you about your internal politics, but this affects us both.

"First, Lady Montaigne is an important bridge between our two communities, and I would not have headmaster McGonagall burn that bridge. Second, I fear that she will render an important interspecies committee dysfunctional. I accept your view that McGonagall is extremely intelligent. But, surely you can find another intelligent Witch who doesn't come with that awful personality. I think you recognize that her good intentions are not enough and are not the issue. Emotional self-control and basic sanity are at issue. You know what you must do. You have my support. Tony."

"Thank you, but I didn't request your opinion, Mr. Potter."

"Actually, that was the Prime Minister's opinion. I simply quoted it. You should consider how Tony perceives your conduct. He is an astute observer of many powerful people of diverse personality. "

"I thought you were being more supportive of my position as headmaster," McGonagall queried Harry.

"I'm the Deputy, not the Minister. It was my job to support you, as long as Arthur did. I tried to persuade you to act in a way that Arthur could accept. I don't oppose you as headmaster. I oppose your meddling in Ministry affairs. I don't appreciate being manipulated, condescended to, or pretty much lied to. I would ignore those feelings and continue to support you, if that is what Arthur wanted me to do. I've really swallowed quite a lot."

"Arthur may get more than he bargained for. I may run against him for Minister."

"I doubt it. You falsely assume that Arthur is as political as you are. He isn't. I don't think Arthur wants a second term. He does want a good first term and I think he has decided that he can't have that if he continues to ignore your meddling in his business. Arthur and Kingsley overlooked your Sisterhood poisoning the Minister. I wouldn't have done that, but Arthur did. You've repaid him very poorly."

McGonagall departed, just as she was starting to weep.

Unfortunately, Cissy had pumped her fist in the air, upon hearing this news, and McGonagall could not help but notice. I'm sure that she felt very alone in Castle Montaigne, but this had been a long time in coming and she had nobody to blame but herself. I couldn't bring myself to feel sorry for her, even though she had another week to spend with us at Cissy's castle. I was quite sure that Cissy would consider her detention to be voided by Dad's action and that another explosion between Cissy and McGonagall was not that far in the future.

I reached out through the stone to speak to Neville. **"I hear you're headmaster again. What's happening at Hogwarts?"**

"**As before, I didn't ask for this, but I couldn't refuse the urgent request of your father. He said that I was the person he wanted in this chair, although depending what the Governors do, he can't guarantee me more than a week. The staff has been very supportive. Many seem very pleased. I think only Professors Trelawney and Malfoy are truly upset. Narcissa has rearranged the schedule for her Arithmancy classes so that she can finish all of the required material within the week. She is planning four hours each on Saturday and Sunday. I think she wants to be gone, before Professor McGonagall returns. She blames herself and Pansy for our former headmaster's renewed problems. Professor Celine and your mother have been a big help to me. Wish me well. We'll talk more when you return."**

I didn't see anything wrong with apparating the quarantined to an uninhabited place, so I took advantage of our enforce isolation to take Cissy, Ron, Harry, and Bill to the chamber beneath the pyramid, for some closer contact with the stone. We made a second and a third trip to practice spirit combat. I was beginning to see how we just might make that work.

I should not have been surprised, but I was, when Harry casually told me that he had told Dad about the ancient Witches' warning and our plan for a spirit army. Dad was totally in favor of our efforts.


	71. Chapter 71

**CHAPTER 71 – WE ARE WED**

Since Harry was in touch with the Ministry, I asked that he send word to Madam Bones that I didn't see much point in pursuing criminal charges against Erasmus and Sean. Having had ample time to mull over my thoughts, I was inclined to believe the Ancient Witches were correct and Sean's pep-me-up potion had been spiked by Umbridge. I suggested that they might be released to return to Eire. A return owl, the day before we were due to return to Hogwarts, sent word that Madam Bones had released Erasmus and Sean, informing them that they should consider themselves very fortunate that I had decided not to pursue charges. She said that she agreed with me that Sean had acted with diminished capacity, but that his lawyer would have a hard time proving that Sean's attack was caused by the potion and that he had not voluntary consumed the potion which caused his rage. She said that Sean had chosen to stay at The Leaky Cauldron, so that he could talk to me, before he departed. Sean and Erasmus would not go unpunished. They both faced life bans from participating in sanctioned Quidditch events.

The expected explosion between Cissy and McGonagall never happened. Cissy was so happy to be working with the stone a couple hours a day that nothing McGonagall could say or do, by way of her detention, fazed her very much. The closest they came to words was on our final day of isolation, when McGonagall informed Cissy, "You still have two weeks of detention to serve. Even if it should happen that I am no longer your headmaster, I will inform Professor Longbottom that you have served sixteen days of your detention and have another two weeks to serve."

Cissy just fixed McGonagall with a regal look and responded, "How very considerate of you," before turning and walking away.

I made good use of our remaining down time to also include Barb and Cotto in our stone training. I was a little limited in always having to leave either Bill or Barb back at the castle for protection. I was more limited in not being able to incorporate anyone outside our quarantine into my training. This was a great concern to my father, who wasn't thrilled with my leading an attack on Azkaban, but was determined that if I must lead the attack, that I attack in strength.

The whole discussion with Dad had been difficult, because he was at the Ministry and we couldn't use the cellphones. Harry had explained, when he dropped by the Ministry to ask Dad's help with the bombs and then by owl. Dad had objected as vehemently as one could do by owl. Three back and forth iterations had brought us to an uneasy acceptance of what must be done and how teams of aurors, in full possession of their corporeal selves and attacking from the sea, could increase the odds of my success.

On our final day of quarantine, I found Harry huddled with Cissy in deep conversation. When I approached them, it quickly became apparent that they were trying to figure out what to do with the spoils we had discovered in the cellars. The old silverware, the oldest of the coins, the ancient maps and documents were on a pile bound for the museum at the Ministry. The wands were to be examined by the aurors and Ollivander and then were also museum bound. The remaining coins, the gems, and the Muggle money were to be split evenly between the Ministry, for taxes and a little more, and to endow a new agency to provide training to Witches who had passed the age of Hogwarts attendance.

Hermione joined our little group and told us that she had, with Harry's, Cissy's, and Barb's help, completed a catalog of the contents of the boxes from the cellars. They too were divided into groups. In this case, one group of documents was headed for Harry's Office of Magical Law Enforcement, a second lot was museum bound, and the final column listed items to remain at the castle. This conversation jogged Cissy's mind onto the first outright complaint which I had heard her voice about McGonagall since Dad's note had arrived.

"Can you imagine, Professor McGonagall just about demanded that she assist in cataloging the documents and this swag? I told her absolutely not, this was my castle and all of these things were the property of Harry and me. I told her that I had no intention of sharing them with her. She made some feeble comment of, 'I was only offering to help, because you seemed over-burdened with your hostess duties, pyramid exploration, and detention. I assure you that I most certainly do not covet your possessions. Right!"

We had scheduled the weddings for the day after the quarantine was to be lifted, leaving a day for guests to arrive, and then the wedding on the last day of school before Christmas break. Fortunately we were all in good health. Perhaps the black rock had the same bio-filter as the Enterprise transporter, or perhaps we just got lucky. The students would be leaving for their homes the evening before Christmas, by the Hogwarts Express. This gave them a shorter break than normal, but as much time as the Muggle government would permit. This also allowed the whole student body to attend the wedding, and at least an extra banquet, if they so choose. It also allowed the hasty arrival of outside guests just before the wedding. Despite Harry and Dad's participation in the event, it was billed as 'friends and family only'. This meant that Xenophilius and Ernie were the only press in attendance.

After the awkward forced closeness of Castle Montaigne, it felt great to be back at Hogwarts. I was surprised to see that McGonagall headed straight to her office. I gave Harry a questioning look and he whispered back. {It's an artifact of the original school charter. Unless an emergency meeting of the Governors is called for the explicit purpose of addressing an imminent threat to student safety, the Governors must be given twenty-five days advance notice. In the past, the imminent threat has more often been convenient than real, but your father didn't want to skirt the rules. McGonagall will be headmaster at least into the second week that the students are back from break. I would have thought that reopening Slytherin House was sufficient imminent threat, but your father doesn't want to bend the rules to confront McGonagall.}

{{Oh.}}

I wanted to head straight to our apartment, but diligent Harry insisted upon stopping off at the Gryffindor Common Room to check in on Margaret and the Spencer twins. Henry was reading in front of the fire, so we approached him first, inquiring about his well-being.

"I'm doing fine. I'm catching up in all my subjects. All of the kids have tried to help. I'm much happier here with Alice. In case you're worried, I haven't done anything spooky while you were gone. I'm just thinking about my parents coming here for Christmas."

"Yes, that must be very exciting for you," I gushed.

"Not really. It's better with just Alice and me, along with a lot of other kids who are like us. Before I came here, Mommy and Dad were not happy to be with. I don't want to share Hogwarts with them. There will be some other kids here over break. It would be best to just become better friends with them. Margaret is staying to be with us. I like Margaret."

I was about to say that I also liked Margaret, when I heard "My office, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Now, if you please."

{I'd remind her that she is not supposed to be addressing me as Mr. Potter in that particular tone, but frankly at this point, I don't think she gives a crap. Unless your Dad chickens out, we only have to put up with her for a couple weeks until Neville takes charge.}

McGonagall expressed her consternation to return and find that Narcissa had slipped away and not indicated how she could be contacted.

"She did finish all of her lectures and she left the student grades, but I certainly wished to speak to her. I wanted her back for the rest of the year. I would have found something else for her to teach. This is your father's doing," This last was addressed to me.

"If that's what you think, then you should discuss it with my father, not me," I told her. "Harry and I have no idea where Narcissa went or why she left without speaking to you. If anyone would know, surely it's Draco. Have you spoken to him?"

"No, and don't be insolent Mrs. Potter. I can still give you detention until your father replaces me. Two weeks might well improve your attitude."

"If you are going to take that attitude toward my wife, I think we'll just leave, until you are in a better mood," Harry told her as he led our march out of her office.

McGonagall called to our backs "You and your Minister made a campaign pledge not to interfere in my management of Hogwarts."

Harry stopped long enough to reply, "But, we didn't promise to make you a little dictator. We also pledged that the faculty would elect the headmaster. You seem determined to make that a sham election by making your staffing decisions based upon improving your election chances. We won't allow that to happen."

This encounter seemed an inauspicious lead-in to a wedding exactly a day later, but I determined that it would not sully my mood. Guests began arriving that evening. I enjoyed my time with Viktor and Cho, the Delacours, Ernie, Seamus, Mr. Lovegood, Harry's grandmother and Dudley, Susan Bones and her mother, Prudence, and even Shacklebolt. I avoided only McGonagall.

Hermione, Luna, and I wore the white robes of Light Guardian Priestesses. Callista and our four Wizards wore Ministry formal robes. The fathers escorted their daughters down the aisle, although since Dad was presiding and I was already married, Mom escorted me. Margaret was going to attend her sister, but ended assisting Cissy as the attendant for all the brides. Mafalda began the service with an explanation of the importance and durability of magical marriages. The Hogwarts chorus sang, and a seventh year Hufflepuff named Teresa Malcolm sang the traditional Wizard wedding song. Dad conducted four separate wedding ceremonies, which concluded with each couple saying individual vows. Harry and I chose to speak the same words in unison: "I promise to love you forever and to protect you, while giving you the freedom which you must have to fulfill your destiny. I promise to work with you to build a bright future for our children and for all magical creatures. I promise to trust your wisdom and your judgment and to always provide help when requested. I promise that you will always be more important to me than anything else in my life. I promise to ignore the bad things that others will say about you and to always defend your honor. I will be your spouse, your partner, your lover, your friend, your defender, and your equal. We will grow together. We will share the responsibilities of our new household. We promise to stay close to these friends beside us and to help their marriages succeed. We also promise to stay close to our friends in the audience and to help them to achieve their life goals. May the Light Guardian bless our union and the lives of our children."

I won't repeat the vows of my siblings, but I liked them every bit as much as I liked Harry's and mine, although they did not share our gift for speaking in perfect unison and spoke individual vows to each other. The Witch snogging did not begin until the last vow was spoken. We snogged, and then we each hugged Dad and Mom and Mafalda.

The students had a mixed view of the reception food, although the adults seemed largely pleased. We had chosen a combination of Indian and Goblin fare, with a few English pub favorites for the persnickety lads and lasses. The combined wedding cake was the world's largest tiramisu and it was utterly delicious. It was not of the same genre as the rest of the food offerings, but Luna had told me that I would find it 'scrumptillyicious' and I was very pleased to have trusted her choice. I thought we had laid in a good supply of refreshments, but the guests drank us out of Witch sherry and butter beer. Cissy retrieved several cases of her father's Muggle port from the castle. I think the quantity of refreshments led to more willingness on the part of the students to dance than had been the case at the Triwizard Ball, although I certainly could not fault the efforts of Neville on that occasion.

In any case, both Harry and Ron acquitted themselves well on the dance floor, both having partners whom they didn't mind clinging to. Percy and Callista were unbelievably smooth dancers, looking like pros, regardless of the pace at which the band played. George and Luna, on the other hand, were highly energetic and clearly enjoying themselves, but were most definitely novices.

The festivities ended promptly at 5:30, so that the student body could board the Hogwarts Express. All of the wedding party, along with Cissy, Neville, and our aurors rode the train to provide added security. Harry and I did a couple of length of the train patrols, but generally just relaxed and shared a compartment with Ron and Hermione. As we were nearing Platform 9-3/4, Percy and Callista slipped into the compartment, while Ron and Hermione were making their final patrol. "I was going to talk to you at the Ministry, but then realized that you likely won't be coming in the next week," Callista told Harry. "I guess I'm just feeling insecure about my position at the Ministry. As you know, married Witches don't have a bright employment future at the Ministry. I realize that you've broken with a lot of the past practices, but I guess I'm still worried."

"Don't worry," Harry replied. "You do excellent work and have been taking on more and more responsibility. I certainly want you to remain on my staff and when the time comes that you feel ready to seek a higher position in the Ministry, you will certainly have my support. Your marriage doesn't change a thing in my mind. I'm very happy for you and Percy. Not that my support carries a lot of weight at the Ministry."

"You're very wrong about that," Percy emphatically declared. "Dad values your opinion more than anybody's. You have to separate Arthur the Minister from Arthur the Father. Arthur the Minister is well aware that you have been correct 80% of the time and that a lot of those times have been major coups. He is over thinking of you as being too young or too inexperienced or especially too reckless to be very effective. Being right 80% of the time is exceptional performance for a Deputy Minister, considering what you've tackled. To Arthur the Father, however, 80% right means his only daughter is dead sooner rather than later. He accepts that the two of you are a team, but that also frightens him. Ginny's flippant attitude also frightens him. That's what drives what you see as his lack of trust."

"What you and father call my flippancy does not mean that I don't recognize the risks that Harry and I face. We live in perilous times and I find that a certain amount of light-hearted, smart-alecky, 'flippancy' if that's what you want to call it, but I prefer 'humor', relieves the tension and allows me to keep functioning near peak efficiency. I think my approach is healthier than Dad's constant brooding and yelling at his allies. I am as aware as Dad is that I have taken risks and been more than a bit lucky in the past, but what Dad needs to realize is that I'm becoming wiser, stronger, and more experienced. I am not seeking out further battles, but I am now a better fighter than any of his aurors. I've organized what Bill and Mom and Harry taught me and integrated that with the Light Guardian knowledge.

"I practice daily, so that good fighting habits are now second nature. The protective spells and charms which I now know are awesome. It's become second nature to automatically tap into the power of the stone. The stone expends all its power for the few specific tasks that it is called upon to perform, but it has more power than any of the magical circles. I am learning to control that power. I don't want to ever have to use a killing curse again – it is contrary to my new philosophical beliefs. That said, I can do as strong a secret weapon strike by myself and without my wand as Viktor could do working with Pavel. I am well able to defend myself and Harry. Harry has also regained all his old capabilities and extended them. I learn from every failure. I wasn't prepared for the brute force head bashing that Sean gave me. My shields were only set to work against curses. I have a new shield which gives some protection against the Sean's of this world. I also have the instinct to apparate away. My problem was that my mind was locked in Quidditch mode. I now realize that I must always be an instant from fighting mode."

"I'd feel better about your safety, and I'm sure Dad would also, if you weren't quite so confident," Percy replied. "I'm certain Harry would, too."

"You all interrupted what I wanted to say to Harry," Callista complained. "I want to continue working with Harry, but also want to help Ellie, even if I have to take orders from that nasty, lazy old Witch she works for. Ellie is getting more and more interesting things to study.'

"Fine by me," Harry stated, "but the museum is Professor Celine's department. Please speak to her. I'll mention your interest. If you wanted to start with a couple of days a week helping the museum staff, that is fine with me. I know you've been taking some of the auror and magical engineering courses at the Ministry. This seems to be a big change. Are you sure about this?"

"Ellie started as an auror. The monoliths need an auror and magical engineer. A lot of the things in the museum seem very dangerous, yet the dangers aren't at all well understood. That takes auror skills. Ellie said when she started work that some of the items in the museum had decades of dust. That's how Ellie started on dusting duty. Her boss is afraid to go anywhere near a quarter of the things in her museum."

"It sounds like you've given this a lot of thought. I encourage you to explore it further. If you find you don't enjoy it, you can return full time to your current job, or I'll help you find something else to explore. If you find that you do enjoy it, then you can train a replacement."

With a "thank you, Harry" she was gone, dragging Percy along with her.

The train pulled into Platform 9-3/4 after a trip that was pleasantly uneventful. We lingered on the platform to make certain that all the students linked up with parents, then we apparated back to Hogwarts by 11:30. According to our prior arrangement, we apparated the Spencer parents to Hogwarts.

The Elves had all signs of the festivities cleaned up. Perhaps clinging to old habits, McGonagall had waited up for us, but was satisfied with Harry's brief statement that "the Express reached London without incident. Here are your guests. We'll send the Spencer twins to your office."

Christmas breakfast was unusual, with several vegetable curries and a chicken curry left over from the wedding reception, along with quite a bit of tiramisu. With hot coffee it was delicious. Harry and I just had time to glance at the headlines, before we were joined by McGonagall. The Quibbler saw the prior day's nuptials as a delightful carnival, but with serious significance.

**MINISTER WEASLEY PRESIDES OVER MARRIAGE OF FOUR CHILDREN**

**THE NEXT GENERATION SETTLES DOWN**

**HOGWARTS A DELIGHTFUL SETTING FOR MASS NUPTIALS**

**PERSONAL VOWS AND COMMENTS FROM LIGHT GUARDIAN PRIESTESS CAPTURE MEANING OF TRADITIONAL WIZARD MARRIAGE**

The Daily Prophet was forced into reasonably neutral coverage by Cuffe's pledge and Ernie's reportage.

**UNUSUAL WEDDING SERVICES A SUCCESS**

**HOGWARTS CELEBRATES**

**IS TRADITIONAL BEING REDEFINED?**

**STRANGE FOREIGN FOOD FOR A MINISTERIAL WEDDING**

McGonagall led the four of us to her office. "In the little time which I have left as headmaster, I intend to at least act as if I am the headmaster. I've wanted to talk to you about some things. Some are new, some I've held back on, because I didn't want to raise them under Miss Montaigne's roof. I remain upset that I was unable to speak with Narcissa. Draco has no idea where she's gone. She just told him goodbye, and that they'd both be safer if he didn't know what she was doing. She said he'd 'hear of her at some not too distant time'. I still suspect the hand of the Minister in this. He didn't want Narcissa to remain on the faculty. Apparently she was too dependable a faculty vote…"

"We've been here before. If you have concerns with something that the Minister may or may not have done, you should take it up directly with the Minister. Neither of us can speak for him," Harry interrupted her. "By the way I think that 'you'll hear of me' is a very odd phrasing. It's as if she's telling Draco that she'll do something that he'll read about in the papers. That just confirms my suspicion that she's our Mr. Big."

"I plan to, Deputy Minister. I am merely expressing my displeasure to his loyal deputy. Can you shed any light on Narcissa's absence?"

"No. I don't know why she left as she did. I doubt it was at the Minister's insistence. He was almost as quarantined as we were and I'm quite sure he never came to Hogwarts during that time. It sounds as if she's either frightened of something or embarked on a new plot. I'll check with Director Shacklebolt. Perhaps his aurors have uncovered something that will finally allow us to arrest her."

"I also want to talk to you about Christmas religious services today for those students remaining at Hogwarts. I also want to talk about Cissy. I'm very worried, both that she's planning on leaving Hogwarts and that the Minister won't allow me to protect her from the dangers which come from tagging after the six of you. She's much younger than you and she still has much to learn. She bragged to me that she's been visiting the stone with you. That is very foolish, all around."

"Yes, she shouldn't have blabbed," Harry replied. "It's likely knowledge which she needs and deserves to have. The Minister isn't enthusiastic, considering her age and Montaigne heritage, but agrees that it is a necessary step. She also is a Keeper, and on Hermione's committee."

"I'm also a Keeper, and I used to be and still should be on Hermione's committee. I know that, prior to our spat, Ginny introduced me to the stone and allowed me to commune with it. I've not been able to explore the circles around the stone or to see the top of the stone. I've not been able to sit on the bench and operate the transporter. Now that the Minister has removed me from the committee and may have me removed as headmaster, I may never have the opportunity to see the stone close up. I'm a very curious person. I crave new knowledge. I…"

I think Harry surprised her by responding, "I have no objection to your seeing the top of the stone and walking within the circle. I don't think Ginny feels comfortable making you her assistant. Your attitude is wrong for that. If you are determined to take a close look at the stone, let's do it right now."

I echoed Harry's thoughts, telling her that the stone would not permit her to sit on the bench until she was a formal assistant and that in view of recent events, that I was unwilling to take that step. I'd be happy to show her the circle.

We joined hands and were standing on the floor of the pyramid. Harry dropped back with Ron and Hermione, allowing me to give McGonagall the guided tour. I walked through all the rings of the circle, allowed her to touch the stone, apparated her atop the stone, showing her the little crystals and the destination crystal, and even energized the transporter, to show her what that looked and felt like. I did this from the control landing, leaving Harry to supervise McGonagall. She wanted to see the lower chamber 'one last time, since I didn't really get to examine it last time', so I apparated her there. I showed her the writing, which Hermione had translated for us.

She touched the warm stone and wrapped her arms around its corner. "I didn't feel anything unusual, unlike last time" she sadly reported."

I told her that as far as I knew, this experience was only to be had when the transporter was actually transporting something. McGonagall asked to visit the little Elf sanctuary. I admitted that I had never been there, couldn't apparate either of us there, and knew it had only a three and a half foot high ceiling. I told her that Hermione had pictures of the tiny chamber, its altar and the tunnel leading to it. Cotto had thoroughly documented its construction. McGonagall thanked me for the tour. I apparated us back to the pyramid floor, where Harry was waiting for us. McGonagall asked to see the carved writing on the pyramid wall. We made that last stop, before I transported us to the Great Hall. Her office just seemed to much like enemy ground.

McGonagall restarted the conversation not far from the point where Harry had interrupted her. "We have not yet discussed Miss Montaigne's plans to depart Hogwarts after this term. I hope to enlist you to convince her to stay at Hogwarts. Since the Minister has given Harry and Ellen the responsibility to look after Miss Montaigne, I frankly expect you to forbid her to drop out of Hogwarts, if you fail to convince her."

"I don't think either Ellen or I have that amount of authority over Cissy," Harry reasonably replied. "There is certainly a long tradition of the Lords and Ladies Montaigne leaving Hogwarts early and seeking the rest of their education in the Muggle world. We are doing all that we reasonably can to allow her to return, by addressing one of her major concerns. Cissy is very concerned that she won't be safe at Hogwarts without us. The Ministry has given her an auror protector and we are increasing her ability to defend herself. She is gaining confidence that she is safe.

"In the end, if Cissy is to remain at Hogwarts, it will be up to the headmaster to convince her that it is in her interest to do so, just as it was necessary for you to convince all of us to return to Hogwarts. It is not at all clear that Hogwarts will be better for her than Marlborough. She already knows more magic than any Montaigne in the past three generations. She'll remain at Hogwarts until June and, by then, she'll know a lot more magic. She also has a steady stream of income, a job for life as a Gringotts director and her Lady and Keeper responsibilities. She has all the skill and knowledge to be a Light Guardian Priestess. She is absolutely correct in saying that she doesn't need to complete her Hogwarts education in order to succeed in life.

"You gave us specific incentives to return to Hogwarts. You are going to have to do the same for Cissy. Getting angry and giving her a month of detention for a minor infraction is not the way to convince her to stay at Hogwarts."

"After the next few weeks, those decisions will likely be up to Neville. In the meantime, I know I'll need to reach an understanding with her. I fear she won't accept any compromise that I can propose in good conscience. That's why I need your help. I know you can't coerce her, but she looks up to you and your opinion will mean a lot to her. We need to jointly act in her best interest. Really, in all of our best interests."

"I'll try to persuade her, but I promise nothing."

"That's all I can ask."

"Let's move on to your plans for the Christmas celebration," Harry suggested.

"I thought we could sing some Christmas Carols after dinner and then have our Light Guardian Priestesses lead a discussion and worship service. I'd ask Mafalda and Ginny to take the lead on the discussion. I'll lead the Carols."

"I have one other matter to discuss," Hermione announced. "I have more than enough course credits to graduate, and would like to be graduated officially as of the end of this past half term. I'll stay at Hogwarts for the rest of the term. However, I need my graduation certificate in order to be able to run in the upcoming Wizengamot election."

"I hadn't thought of that, but that is a very good idea, Hermione. I'll prepare the paperwork and send it to the Ministry within the next several days. I believe Harry and Ron also have enough credits to graduate. I can prepare your certificates as well. I'll check on the status of George and Luna, but I'm guessing that they also qualify."

"That's fine," Harry replied, "but I'm not in a hurry to run for the Wizengamot. I can see advantages to not being a member. Unless I use Grimmauld Place as my official residence, I'll be in the same district as Hermione, in any case. I'll have to check whom I'll be running against from Grimmauld Place. Hermione will be running against a member of the opposition."

We all agreed that this plan sounded good. Harry was suggesting that he would head off immediately for the Ministry, when Draco and Erin entered the Great Hall for a late breakfast.

"I didn't think you'd mind Erin joining you for meals, while the other students are away," Draco suggested to McGonagall. "Hello to the rest of you. We've finished our post-wedding trip and are ready to catch up on our studies and find out what the rest of you have been up to. I have a present for you Potter, not really a wedding gift, but the return on the wedding gift that you gave to me. Here is the summary that I've put together on what's left of my father's financial enterprises. Cissy and mother helped me with this. There is some money left for us, some taxes for your government, a listing of father's co-conspirators, and a donation to the fund to reimburse the parents of the French children who were killed. So far there are almost 4,000 galleons and 40,000 British pounds into each of the three pots. Enjoy your reading."

Harry and I whispered, while Harry pretended to study what Draco had given him, and Ron gave a quick and heavily censored summary of what had happened in Draco's absence.

{[cautious] Do you think we should let Draco see the inside of the pyramid?}

{{I'd say definitely not, without Dad's approval. I was surprised that you said yes to McGonagall.}}

After McGonagall left us, we asked Draco and Erin about Narcissa's hasty disappearance.

"I don't know much more than you," Draco explained. "We were staying in my old apartment, since Cissy had the meeting at her castle and then you were all quarantined there. We shared a few meals with my mother and spent an evening drinking sherry in her apartment. She didn't seem interested in spending more time with us. She said she was very busy working on her lectures. Apparently she felt she had missed some required content and wanted to catch the class up on things, both for the final exam and if anyone wanted to take the O.W.L. Hardly anyone ever does in Arithmancy, although my mother went all the way to N.E.W.T. I have no idea why she likes the subject so much.

"All I can say is that she seemed in a most odd mood. She was very excited and refused to say why, always giving me the response that she was just so pleased to see me. It was a lot more than that. She was also frightened. She wouldn't say why. Even though she seemed frightened, I noticed that her nerves were fully healed. She didn't shake at all."

"McGonagall says that Narcissa told you that you'd hear 'of' her. What did you think she meant by that?"

"I didn't really give it any thought. It just seemed an unnecessarily clumsy sentence. I suppose it could mean that I'll pick up the morning paper and read that she was caught trying to rob Gringotts, or something equally silly."

I told Harry that I'd meet with Sean, while he met with Dad. Harry seemed very uncomfortable with that plan. When we were in Harry's office, I told him that now that he was safely inside the Ministry, I'd borrow Bill and Barb and pop over to The Leaky Cauldron. I convinced Harry that I was quite sure that Sean didn't want to harm me and that if I was wrong in that assessment, that I would dismantle him at the first sign of aggression.

Erasmus had gone back to Eire, leaving a note for me. Sean, however, quickly joined me in the bar. I ordered a sherry, while Sean picked up a double shot of Irish whiskey, and we headed to a deserted corner of the room. "You wanted to talk," I prompted Sean.

"Yes. I was afraid that you wouldn't see me. Not that I don't deserve to be shunned. When I asked to meet, I just wanted to personally thank you for letting me out of jail. What I did was very wrong, but I really had nothing against you, personally. I know you could have had me locked up for a long time. I know that's what your friend Jimmy wants and what I deserve. I had to tell you again how sorry I am, now that you're not prosecuting me, and you know that I'm not apologizing just to get off jail. I also wanted to tell you that if I ever can help you, I will."

"Thank you Sean," I replied, "and I accept your apology."

"There's something else," Sean hesitated. "It came up after I asked to talk to you. Before Erasmus left for Eire, he met with one of your Hogwarts professors. It seemed fishy to me. She came to the bar and Erasmus snuck into Diagon Alley with her. They didn't know that I saw them. I just thought it might be important to you. I don't know her name."

"I think it is important," I encouraged Sean. "Can you describe her to me?"

He gave me a letter perfect description of Narcissa Malfoy.

**Original text**

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	72. Chapter 72

**CHAPTER 72 – TIME FOR TRAINING AND VACATIONS**

George and Luna took off to go nargle hunting in Norway the day after Christmas. Ron and Hermione left for Crete two hours later. They were delayed because they needed to wait for the Ministry auror, who would apparate them there and watch over them during their journey. They expected to be gone for six days, which would give us six days to go adventuring somewhere, once they returned. Callista and Percy, saying there was so much to do, went back to work at the Ministry. They planned to vacation during the summer, after the election of Gamots was past and the Wizengamot had recessed for the year.

Harry spent a lot of time at the Ministry, even sleeping there several nights. Harry was faithful about returning for any stone training sessions I scheduled. He only had three sessions in the lower cavern, where we practiced sending our spirits out of our bodies, apparating them some distance away – typically to the floor of the pyramid or the Reception Hall outside the Sacred Cavern – and then simultaneous casting Patronuses, which we ramped up through our links to the stone. This was hard work. At first only Hermione and I were successful. Her otter and my stallion charged across the floor, while the others produced nothing or blobs of non-corporeal light, which remained stuck in place.

Since Hermione and I were so far ahead, we tried, in addition to assisting the others, to change our Patronuses to Unicorns. Since the Unicorn was lethal on contact to a Dementor, we thought that a Patronus of this physical form might be especially effective in combat against the Dementors. On the third practice, we achieved a major breakthrough. It was as if the stone gave us a giant boost. Hermione and I produced powerful Unicorns. Harry produced a gigundo stag, and the Ancient Witches each cast a corporeal Patronus – a fire-breathing dragon for Mafalda and a Thestral for Victoria. When these beasts charged across the floor of the pyramid, the whole structure became so ablaze with light that the auror in Snape's office had to both look away and shield his eyes. This was what I wanted.

When I wasn't training my army, I spent a lot of time teaching Cissy and the Spencer twins. I wasn't yet decided if I should allow Cissy to be a spirit soldier. She had practiced twice with Bill, Barb, and Ellen, but achieved nothing more than a faint blob of light. Bill and Barb had produced corporeal Patronuses during the second session, which left Cissy feeling totally deflated and me wondering if she had the mental toughness to participate in my war.

Since the Spencer parents were at Hogwarts for the week, I talked to them a lot. They were friendly and appreciative of what we were doing to help Henry. They seemed to be very caring parents, who had fallen victim to an obsession with twindom. This naturally caused a severe loss of individuality, especially for Henry. Henry starting Hogwarts several months later than Alice was likely the best thing that could have happened to him. Alice was definitely ahead of him, which meant that they were no longer the same. Moreover, she was helping in his instruction as he tried to catch up, casting them in different roles for the first time in their twinsy lives.

The first four days of the holiday, I spent two hours teaching basic wand skills to Henry. He was able to lift small objects with reasonable control, although the simplest transfiguration was totally beyond him. I'm sure that was still the case with other first years, who had started the term on schedule. Transfiguration is tough to get a handle on. I didn't until after Christmas my first year. Henry could do a decent 'lumos' spell. I taught him to 'accio' feathers and pieces of paper from a couple feet away. I wanted to continue introducing him to his broom, but the weather was inclement. We had only had a couple days prior to my quarantine, in which we had ventured out to the Quidditch field to work on simple stuff like commanding the broom to rise, mounting it, hovering in place, and flying forward a few feet. I feared that Henry would forget even these rudiments of broom skill without some reinforcement, so I had ended each of our daily training sessions with a ten minute exercise in mounting the broom, hovering in place, and moving a few feet forward, before commanding the broom to drop back to the floor.

His parents insisted upon observing his lessons, possibly putting undue pressure on the lad. They seemed distinctly unimpressed with his broom skills, as did Alice.

Day five dawned cloudy but noticeably warmer, so I rescheduled Henry to the afternoon, hoping that we'd get a little sun and could trot off to the Quidditch field. I spent the morning doing wand training with Cissy. We focused upon the Light Guardian protective charms which we had learned, primarily what we had dubbed 'safe', 'shield' and 'protect'. These were charms, like protections around a building, that were intended to remain in place as passive protection for an extended period of time, requiring only daily renewal – hourly if you expected trouble. I always expected trouble, so I always tried to update at least hourly.

We also practiced what we called 'deflect', which was basically a simpler and more effective form of 'protego' for erecting a stronger, but very short-term, barrier to spells. Using all three spells, we practiced defending against 'expelliarmus', 'off', and 'petrificus totalis'. Cissy failed to prevail against me with any of these spells. I had difficulty overcoming her with 'petrificus', but succeeded with the others. Both of us had much stronger defenses than we had had prior to our Light Guardian encounter. Harry arrived back at Hogwarts prior to lunch and joined us for the remainder of our practice. I found that both my offensive and defensive spells seemed stronger than Harry's, even without reaching for extra power from the stone. At the end of our session, I reset my defensive barriers, while deliberately trying to use the stone to enhance them. Harry and Cissy attacking simultaneously with 'off' and 'petrificus totalis' could not breach my defenses. Harry seemed both surprised and proud of me.

{[excited] You really have improved your fighting skills. Your standard defensive charms are as powerful as my standard 'shield' plus 'protego'.}

{{Stronger actually, I was not idly boasting when I claimed to be better than any of the aurors. I wasn't drawing stone power, either. You need to practice more. You should use 'safe' in addition to 'shield' as standard protection. You also need to practice 'deflect' as a standard response. I find it about twice as strong as 'protego'. By the way, I haven't had the chance to ask whether McGonagall has tackled Dad for permission to have her ring upgraded. She hasn't raised the subject with me. In fact, other than occasionally checking in on Henry's progress, she's kept fairly scarce since her pyramid tour.}}

{I mentioned to your Dad that McGonagall would likely plead her case with him, both about being introduced to the stone and remaining as headmaster. He said he hadn't heard a word from her but 'all that Sisterhood mess is both too fresh and clearly not a thing of the past. Sitting in charge of Hogwarts puts her entirely too close to the pyramid, which I have no desire for her to control. She should have focused on being an effective headmaster, rather than seeing that job as a ticket to run the whole Wizarding world. I don't feel bad about slapping her down. She deserved it. If she has a complaint, she can visit me in person'. Your father says I'd be wise to not give so much credence to every little thing she has to say or complain about. He feels that he foolishly allowed her to guilt-trip him into letting the Sisterhood escape legal difficulty or even public scrutiny over shockingly bad conduct. He thinks I feel too sorry for her.}

As soon as we sat at the lunch table, McGonagall changed seats so that she was directly across the table from Harry, saying, "I've left you fairly much in peace since we returned from our claustrophobic quarantine, and I thank you for spending so much time with the Spencers, but I have some things that I feel I must discuss with you. First, I'm worried that I still haven't heard from Narcissa. I…"

"I suspect that you have a far better idea where Narcissa is and what she's doing than we do. She seems to be off on another Sisterhood adventure," Harry clearly had surprised McGonagall.

"I don't know what you mean. She isn't on any mission for me." When I told her about Narcissa's furtive meeting with Erasmus, almost immediately after she departed Hogwarts, McGonagall seemed honestly surprised. I read no falsehood in her reply.

"That's most interesting Mrs. Potter, and it increases my sense of urgency that she be located, but I assure her she is not on a Sisterhood adventure, as Harry calls it. We are smart enough to know that our present position with the government is too tenuous to permit further adventuring. Which brings me to my second question. Did Harry raise my concerns with the Minister?"

"Yes and it caused him concern that I was going soft. He says you must speak to him yourself – in person."

"I can do that, but I've been so busy here. I have so much to do and apparently so little time remaining in which to do it. I just had a letter from our Miss Parkinson. It seems she is unhappy at Durmstrang and not at all sure that Viktor wants her there. He inquired, in front of the whole student body, exactly why she thought she had permission to enroll. Professor Slughorn and Cho had to intervene to calm Viktor and gain his approval, but the encounter certainly did not leave Pansy feeling that she was particularly welcome. The students had already left no doubt that they viewed her as an interloper. The child is sad and homesick. She might be far better off back here at Hogwarts."

"But Hogwarts and our administration might be worse off with Pansy at Hogwarts," Harry countered.

"As headmaster, it should be within my jurisdiction to readmit her to Hogwarts at the end of the Christmas break."

"Assuming she wasn't a convict and that her release from captivity came without conditions, that would be the case, always assuming you were still headmaster three weeks from now," Harry told her. "But, as her release did come with conditions, that decision is mine. Every kid is homesick for the first few weeks at a new school. You need to write to her that she just needs to tend to her studies and try to make a few new friends. She'll be fine. Viktor may not have been anxious to see her, but he won't allow anyone to mistreat her. The experience will likely help Pansy grow up. By the way, I thought you were planning to reopen Slytherin House and recruit the Slytherins to return after the holiday. Pansy and returning Slytherins would not be a good combination."

"Yes, I certainly was. Having Pansy here would make the Slytherins feel more welcome. "

"Possibly, but I'm even less happy to have Pansy associating with the older Slytherins than I am to have her associate with us."

"I don't see why. The biggest thing she needs is an appropriate husband and she may well find one among the Slytherin sixth years."

"I'd think a sixth year would have to be a real hard-core Death Eater supporter to appeal to Pansy. She seems to prefer aggressively bold older men with a pile of galleons and a decidedly anti-social bent."

"That's not fair. She wasn't naturally attracted to Lucius. That was some combination of potion, spell, and threat. I still believe you are objecting in part to spare Draco the discomfort of having her around. His behavior toward Pansy hasn't been all that good. He fathered Erin's child while still married to Pansy, and pressured Pansy for a divorce as the only way out of jail for her. That's worse than cheating with Lucius. Yet, she's the one who was in jail. The girl needs to acquire either employment skills or a husband."

"She's wasn't in jail for cheating on Draco, and six or nine months is a lot better than six years. If you are so concerned about her education, perhaps you can encourage her to tough it out at Durmstrang. For a convicted plotter who has been granted great leniency, she certainly is awfully particular about what she finds suitable for herself."

"Alright. I'll write to her today. She needs to know that Durmstrang is her only choice, and that there is precious little sympathy for her among certain quarters."

"The last matter that I wished to discuss is pyramid access. Last night, I lowered the apparation barriers and tried to apparate into the pyramid. I thought someone was there and in my way so I tried the second landing point that I had memorized. That also was blocked. I…"

"That's simple," I hastened to explain. "The stone would block any unauthorized apparation into the pyramid."

"Cissy has more access to the pyramid as a student than I do as headmaster.

"I am following my father's instructions, which happen to coincide with my own instincts, but at the moment, I don't even get a voice in the decision. It is a matter of state security. You need to talk to my father."

"I've been stuck here at Hogwarts. Couldn't you argue my case with Arthur?"

"No. I was going to say that I don't agree with your case, but you don't even have a case. There is no need for you to enter the pyramid or become a friend of the stone."

As McGonagall was returning to her former seat she left us with a parting thought. "I hope you'll at least think about it. I am very aware what a huge job running Hogwarts is, especially with the return of the Slytherins. Hogwarts isn't an island. For Hogwarts to succeed, the whole magical world needs to be healthy and at peace. There is so much more that I can do to help. You won't be here next year and you'll need someone whom you can trust living atop the pyramid. Sooner or later you will realize that you can trust me."

We finished dessert and quickly excused ourselves.

{It seems that Viktor and Pansy have played their parts well. If that doesn't quickly draw the Grindelwalds toward her, nothing will. Do you think McGonagall really interprets Pansy's 'distress' as real? I think we spoke loudly enough about Pansy for the little over-wintering Slytherin girl at the end of the table to hear us. She certainly stopped chatting with her neighbor and leaned towards us.}

{{Equally hopefully, she didn't catch anything about the pyramid.}}

{We all lowered our voices when we spoke of the pyramid. I doubt she could hear us.}

The afternoon was sunny. Harry and Cissy joined me in escorting the Spencers to the Quidditch field. Harry and I got in a very good fly, under the pretext of working with Cissy on remounting her broom after she turned upside down. We had to fly up to five hundred feet to give plenty of time for Cissy to right herself before we all splatted on the turf. The first two tries, we had to rescue her, once by apparating higher. The third try was a success and we ended on that positive note.

Henry practiced scooting along, just off the ground, but was able to fly for thirty feet at three to four feet off the ground, before crashing rather dramatically and injuring his nose. The day ended with us leading him off to Madam Pomphrey, with his father's handkerchief held to his nose, and his parents way too excited for an injury of this severity. I could well understand McGonagall not wanting parents hanging around Hogwarts. Parental over-reaction to the normal collisions and near-collisions that occurred in the course of every Quidditch match would be truly embarrassing to the kids. I could just imagine how Dad would react to my matches. I would be mortified if he entered the pitch or even the sideline to check the severity of one of my boo-boos.

Cotto and Dad greeted us as soon as we reentered the castle. Baal was with them. "We finished debriefing your Elf and decided it was time to return him to you," Dad informed Harry. "I realize that you just came in from the cold, but let me lead you on a little stroll."

We walked back onto the grounds and headed towards Hagrid's hut. "I understand from Kingsley that you are very short of aurors," Dad told Harry. "I doubt you can spare the aurors whom you've sent out looking for Narcissa – not with the aurors protecting Dudley and your grandmother, or watching Erasmus."

"I can't say I'm pleased that Kingsley took his concerns directly to you," Harry replied with noticeable irritation.

"Relax, Harry, the topic came up in conversation. Kingsley wanted to argue to me that his faith in Erasmus was not misplaced. He agrees that his old friend must be watched, but sees him as merely a sports cheat."

"And Narcissa met him to discuss Quidditch?"

"He doesn't have a good explanation for that."

"Which is why I've assigned aurors to investigate both Erasmus and Narcissa."

"I didn't want to disagree with your decision. I merely intended to suggest that we might employ Elves to do some of the surveillance work."

"Fine with me, but you have to accept that if they see something illegal, Madam Bones will declare their testimony to be legally worthless."

"I suppose that's unavoidable. It would be hard to prosecute Erasmus, or even arrest him, in Eire, so I'd put the Elves on him. If you authorize it, Cotto will get it done. We can't pull the aurors from your grandmother's house, although I'd hope that trap had snapped by now. I also suggest doing a permanent magical seal on the floor in Snape's office, putting a Ministry seal on the door – I know, we don't want something that students would recognize as a Ministry seal - and pull that auror out of Hogwarts. That's why I'm here. I need to explain that last matter to your headmaster. I want to keep the aurors protecting Henry and Cissy, at least for now. You two should wander off. I doubt you want your headmaster to encounter us together."

Harry and I changed direction and walked to the apparation pocket to travel to the Ministry. I wanted to find out what Callista was working on, that prevented a post-wedding vacation. Harry wanted to talk to Susan Bones's mother. We decided to jointly tackle both projects.

Callista looked up as we arrived and I instantly commented, "I just had to come and find out what you were up to that was so important that you couldn't go on vacation."

"Nothing secret. Harry, Cissy, and your father asked me to head up the Witches' Education Foundation and I wanted to get an early start. In the aftermath of the Voldemort war and the freeing of the Elves, there are now so many older Witches without husbands or without Elves. I thought it important to get them started on something important, before too much frustration sets in. It sounded like a natural for headmaster McGonagall's department, but your father said definitely not. He wants it outside the government and he wants to involve people who will spend more time on it. We'll have enough money at the start to make a real impact. You're more than welcome to help. I've already recruited Professor Celine, and Molly said she would probably help. I was going to ask Narcissa, so that we had an inroad to the Slytherin wives, but as you know, she's vanished. Cissy will help, of course. We need to decide what we should teach, based upon what jobs exist. Some of the better off, older Witches may just want to learn hobbies. Some may want new skills to make the family farm a bit more profitable. Professor Sprout had some wonderful ideas on improving house gardens and teaching the Witches to make their own household potions. What do you think?"

"It sounds like a great start. If you trained Witches with artistic talent in the transfiguration skills needed for Witch sculpture, I think there would be jobs in our new business. We were thinking of starting with new grads from Adrienne's art club, but if things work out well, we'll need more workers than that."

"That's great. Keep thinking." She noticed my worried look as I realized that I had lost Harry and changed direction. "Harry gave me a hand signal that he'd be gone for just five minutes. I think he's looking in on his Directors. I understand Director Shacklebolt visited the Minister and then the Minister visited Harry, so I suppose you can guess what Harry wants to discuss."

I certainly could. As we chatted some more, I told Callista that I was willing to provide training to a few Witches who wanted to learn more about the old religions, or even better, wanted to become Priestesses. Callista wrote that down.

Harry and I were besieged by chocolate cravings as soon as we entered Mrs. Bones's shop. There were no customers present, but Susan was drinking cocoa with her mother. Harry asked if we could join them. In answer to a query of whether we wanted food or drink, we each ordered a cocoa and a pair of the chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. Susan and her mother both trotted off and came back with each carrying half of our order.

"Do you want to talk about Pansy Parkinson?" Mrs. Bones asked. "I heard through the sisterhood that you and Professor McGonagall came to words over Pansy's move to Durmstrang."

"Yes, we did," Harry replied, "but I wanted to talk to you about Narcissa Malfoy. She has vanished. McGonagall claims to know nothing of the reason for her sudden departure right before Christmas break. Apparently she's telling the truth, but I couldn't help thinking that Narcissa must be involved in some sort of Sisterhood scheme."

Both women shook their heads no. "Professor McGonagall is worried about Narcissa. She sent out a message to everyone in the Sisterhood to help find her. She says that you have evidence that she was seen with that Eire coach, Erasmus, right at the time she was vanishing. I was sitting here in front of my window most of that day. Business has been less than robust. I didn't see either Narcissa or Erasmus. They must not have come this far into the Alley, which would mean they didn't go to the bank or to any of the seedier shops on the side lanes. Not much between me and the Leaking Cauldron. There's George's shop, Ollivander's, the book store, the rear entrance to the Ministry, and a potions store. That's it."

We thanked them, and switched to chit chat as we finished our snack.

We walked toward the rear entrance of the Ministry. We checked in on all of the shops along the way. Lee told us that Narcissa had been a customer. She had purchased an invisibility cloak, Weasley blackout bombs, a visor to see through the blackout, and a couple of large firecrackers. I wondered aloud what Narcissa planned to do with her purchases. "She gave no hint of her plans," Lee said. "It does seem like those items might be helpful in a smash and grab burglary. I was thinking today about the story that Narcissa was falsely arrested for impersonating herself. That was of great interest to me, because I've been trying to duplicate the Goblin pens. I've done enough testing to tell you this much – the pen will detect the use of Polyjuice for anywhere from twelve to twenty hours after the user has reverted to their normal form. The Goblins paid Narcissa a speedy settlement, rather than expose the workings of their pen, but I doubt their agent made a mistake. Based upon what Cho told me, the bank takes its Polyjuice testing extremely seriously, and an outright mistake is nearly impossible. I'm certain that Narcissa used Polyjuice within a day of testing positive. You can factor that into your theorizing. Narcissa and Erasmus turned toward the Ministry, when they left our shop."

Harry questioned the two aurors guarding the rear entrance to the Ministry. Visitors were required to sign in at this entrance. One of the aurors checked the records. Yes, Narcissa and Erasmus had signed in on the day in question. They had been required to surrender their wands while inside the Ministry. They had told the aurors that they would leave by the Entry Hall and the wands were moved to that guard station. Harry suggested that we follow the wands. {{Can you scan the records for the day twelve hours before Narcissa was arrested at the bank?}}

{She's not listed. I'm trying to guess whom she might have impersonated. Wait! This log shows Hermione signed in. We know that is not possible. She was with you in the small chamber under the pyramid. The log says she came and left by this entrance. The times are only an hour apart. This sounds like a job for Percy.}

At the other guard station, we learned that Erasmus had reclaimed his wand an hour after they had Hermione' leaving the Ministry. While we were telling Percy what we had learned, Dad ducked into the office to visit Percy. After we explained what we had learned about Narcissa's adventures, Dad told us that he had experienced 'a most interesting' meeting with McGonagall.

"Snapes' office will be sealed. Minerva told me that she didn't think she had been given a fair chance to succeed as headmaster. I said that I assumed she would be elected to a full term as headmaster in June, but that at this critical time she had interfered in Ministry affairs too many times and I wasn't prepared to sit back and watch her turn Cissy Montaigne into an enemy of our side. She was both pleading and apologetic.

"In the end, she accepted that Neville will take over as headmaster for four months. She will teach and focus on her Ministry duties. If she behaves, I will reappoint her to Hermione's committee and encourage you to introduce her to the stone. She asked when that introduction might occur and I told her June. She replied in a dejected manner, 'You mean after you've decided whether or not I will continue as headmaster.' I had to admit that certainly was a significant milestone. I told her that equally significantly, after observing her actions with Pansy, a prolonged period of good behavior was called for before any rewards should be handed out.

"She promised that she would make the Sisterhood totally transparent and even invite Molly and some of your circle to all the meetings, including the executive sessions. I agreed that this might smooth relations and avoid unpleasant surprises. I am pleased to see that Minerva will give priority to her Ministry responsibilities. She will shed one of the classes that she is now teaching. She and Neville can work that out. I promised her that I was no more willing to allow Neville to pack the faculty prior to the headmaster election than I was willing to let her do it. She seemed about as satisfied as could be expected. Her sour mood is not entirely due to Neville taking her job for a few months. She is upset that Narcissa is gone and Trew will leave within the week. She asked my permission to invite Slughorn to return. I approved, so long as he won't be replacing Molly. She agreed."

"It sounds like you handled things really well, Dad," I reassured him, since that seemed to be what he was seeking.

"I am pleased," Dad allowed. "This could have gotten very nasty and embarrassing for all of us. This can be cast as McGonagall largely stepping up to the Ministry and asking Neville to fill in. Our side did not support the call to remove Minerva as headmaster at the last Governor's meeting, and my call for the special meeting did not call for firing McGonagall. I'm very anxious to start moving on an educational program for the Squibs, and to get a better understanding of why so many parents choose not to send their children to Hogwarts. I'm also eager to know how those home-schooled kids turn out, in comparison to Hogwarts grads. I know that they are at a disadvantage in obtaining Ministry jobs and especially in becoming an auror. I feel I owe it to them to determine whether that is unjust discrimination or simply that they lack the necessary skills and knowledge. I need at least a preliminary report on all three of these topics prior to the election - preferably at least several weeks prior to the election. Minerva and I will hold a joint press conference tomorrow stressing the importance of these projects, to which she will devote the majority of her time. That is the best resolution for both of us."

We were back at Hogwarts in time for dinner. McGonagall was in a surprisingly upbeat mood.


	73. Chapter 73

**CHAPTER 73 – OUR FIRST VACATION**

Since Hermione and Ron were due back at mid-day, I pressed Harry for a decision on our post-wedding trip. "A visit to another world seems out of the question for now, so we need to decide where we are going on our vacation."

"I know we talked about visiting a foreign Wizarding community and perhaps taking Cissy with us, but I find myself leaning to just a simple, pleasant get-away somewhere warm in the Muggle world – just the two of us. If Ron and Hermione found a pleasant spot in Greece, I'm fine with that. I think we badly need some sun, warmth, smells of fresh living plants, and complete relaxation. We have plenty of Muggle money, so there is no need to rough it."

"That sounds wonderful," I agreed.

Ron and Hermione joined us for lunch, leaving the bag with their clothes against the wall of the Great Hall. Hermione enthused, "It was a wonderful trip and we got to meet a small community of Sirens on the Greek Isle of Lesbos. There are only a dozen of the Witches and two Wizards in their little community. They think there are other small communities of Sirens elsewhere in Greece, although we didn't have time to find them. We started on Crete and saw some interesting ruins and a series of connected underground chambers that the Muggles don't know about. One of the chambers has a very primitive magical circle. Really, it's just five vertical slabs of basalt around a central quartz crystal and four lumps of lodestone. A local Witch took us to the spot. Neither she nor we could get more than the barest glimmer of magical force from the circle.

"There are a couple dozen magical humans on Crete, by the way. They told us to try Lesbos, if we wanted to find Sirens. We spent a day in Athens looking at the ruins, before we went there, so we only had three days on the island. The native Witches were very friendly and didn't try to steal Ron".

"That sounds great," I told her, "and I see that you each picked up a little tan. Harry and I were thinking of just flaking out somewhere warm and sunny, with some serious creature comforts and no work. Did you see anything in Greece that fills the bill?"

"I can apparate you to Lesbos. We rented a guest cottage, even though the minimum stay was two weeks. You can have the rest of the lease. It comes with a local woman who does your cleaning and most of the cooking, and sits amidst a wonderful flower and vegetable garden overlooking the sea. You and Harry should try to reach out to the stone from Lesbos. I had no problem connecting and Ron almost felt that he had a connection, both on Lesbos and when we were beside the puny little circle under Crete. I'll lend you Fawkes. He may help you make the connection. That's what one of the Sirens told me, when I explained what I was trying to do. She had a Phoenix, which she lent me, but I couldn't establish a rapport with her. The bird that is. That Phoenix was the only magical animal on Lesbos. There were two adult Minotaurs and their infant in one of the hidden caverns on Crete. That's it for all of Greece: three Minotaurs and one Phoenix."

Cissy overheard us talking and begged to come along on our adventure, saying "you promised!" I wasn't eager to make our party a threesome, really a fivesome counting Bill and Barb, but Harry relented, when Hermione said, "the cottage does have three bedrooms."

I told Cissy, "you had better run off and pack, we want to leave right after lunch."

"Not a problem, I've been packed for three days. I'll just make a few quick changes. I had thought we were going to Egypt, but I understand that you want to just veg out."

Percy joined us at the end of lunch. He had worked amazingly fast. "Your phony 'Hermione' made a few stops inside the Ministry. She actually had the audacity to go to the Minister's office. She said that she didn't need to see Dad, but wanted a copy of the minutes of the committee meetings. When Prudence said she'd have to wait a couple hours, until she could go down to the library to have a copy made, phony Hermione said just reading the file copy and taking a few notes would be fine. She sat facing Prudence and making notes for twenty minutes. That really is nervy. I've procured a supply of Goblin pens for both Prudence and Callista, by the way.

"Phony Hermione then went to the library, where she spent nearly an hour in the old documents section. She had one document copied. It showed an historian's reconstruction of what Castle Weasley must have looked like, both from the outside and an inside above-ground and below-ground floor plan. She then traveled to the dungeon archives. I made this copy for Harry. She couldn't have been there more than an hour, based upon the time she left the Ministry. She certainly seems to have known what she wanted."

"She certainly did," Hermione agreed. "I'll follow up on all of this, with Percy's help, of course, while the two of you are enjoying your well-earned vacation. I'll also drill your new army. I think I made progress with Ron, while we were on vacation."

"I believe you have a parting gift for me," I heard McGonagall insinuate, as she had once again snuck up behind us. I turned and must have given her a totally blank look, because she continued "My ring – I realized that you must have decided to adjust it. That is so kind that I can almost forgive Harry for purloining some of Dumbledore's old student files, which I thought we had agreed to embargo."

"What?" Harry responded. "I haven't taken any of the student files. Why would you suppose that I had?"

"Oh dear!" McGonagall's demeanor changed instantly. "I was afraid that might be the case. I've been robbed. The Ravenclaw Keeper ring is missing, along with some of the student files and some of my own personal letters, which unfortunately I have saved all these years."

"Let's go to your office," Ron suggested.

When we got to the office, it was apparent that the secure file cabinet, to which McGonagall had transferred Dumbledore's legacy, had not been all that secure. The contents had obviously been riffled through.

"What is required to open this cabinet?" Harry reasonably asked.

"I can open it with either my wand or this amulet." She showed us a necklace dangle of river stone with a silver surround. "I remember! I was meeting with Narcissa, in my office, the day of the Committee meeting. I had the dangle on my desk. I told her that I had been reading a very old Arithmancy text in bed the prior night. She asked if she might quickly borrow it to check a particular historical point – whether the Persians had contributed to our knowledge of rectangular computations. I said I hadn't seen anything like that, but was only halfway through the text. She seemed extremely interested, so I left her in my office as I popped off to my apartment to retrieve the text. I was away perhaps five minutes."

"Can you tell what is missing, in addition to the Ravenclaw ring?" I asked.

"The Keeper ring, and the Hogwarts skeleton key, and the silver key to Castle Weasley."

"That's it!" I shouted. She was researching Castle Weasley in the Ministry library.

"No that isn't it," Ron vehemently disagreed. "That might have been what she was after, but that particular key has been in my possession since the day we discovered it." He drew the key from his robes. He was wearing it as a pendant on a silver chain around his neck. "Which student files are missing?"

Quite a few. I don't even have a complete inventory of what Dumbledore left. I know my file, Trew's, Narcissa's, Draco's, four from Cissy's family, Tom Riddle, and Jaden Caulfield – she was a contemporary of Riddle's. They're all missing. I can't think of any others off-hand. I hate to steal your vacation, Harry, but surely you must stay and investigate."

"I think Ron and I are QUITE capable of pursuing this," Hermione huffed. She softened her tone to add, "Harry and Ginny have worked very hard and they deserve a break."

We left McGonagall and collected Cissy. Hermione apparated us, left Fawkes with me, and introduced us to Mrs. Dolopolous, out housekeeper. It was wonderful to be transported from cold, dark, snow-covered Hogwarts to warm, sunny Greece. We had the view and smell of the sea as well as the smell of flowers blooming in the garden. We were happily lounging in chairs in the garden, allowing the sun to bake some warmth into our winter-chilled bodies. I could feel the stress of my Hogwarts life slipping away and noticed that Harry also had a very relaxed look on his face. Tapping into his mind, I sensed pleasure and contentment. He reached over from his chair to grasp my hand and give it a little squeeze "I'm very glad we were able to make this trip," he told me. I first noticed someone approaching when Fawkes fluttered from his resting spot upon my shoulder, to assume a more vigilant position facing outward from atop the back of my chair. I turned around to see a young woman, perhaps only five or six years older than us, whom I assumed must be Phaedra, since Hermione had said that she was the Siren with the Phoenix, and this woman had a Phoenix fluttering around her body.

"Hello," Phaedra called out. "Hermione said she might bring back some friends to spend a week. She picked this cottage, because it is adjacent to our little community of Sirens. We are just Witches who have learned to master a particular skill. I tried to teach Hermione, and she suggested that I also tutor you. She suggested that before we get into that, you might repeat her test of communicating back to Hogwarts, with the assistance of these two fine birds. I'm certain that you'll succeed, but I'm interested whether the second bird will help your husband to establish contact."

"Did Hermione say why she thought two Phoenixes would improve our communication ability?"

"Not really, she just told me that Fawkes had initially guided you to the stone and that two Phoenixes might be better than one. Here, just let me perch one on each of your shoulders, then you should try to reach Hermione or the stone."

**Hermione, can you hear my thoughts? I'm here with Phaedra. She told me to try to communicate with you or the stone using the two Phoenixes. I can't tell if this works, unless you can communicate back to me. But if this approach requires a Phoenix, you don't have one. I'll try to reach you through the stone.**

**Stone – can you hear me?**

**I hear you Mother of the Future. What help do you require?**

**I'm trying to contact Hermione, to test my long-range communication ability.**

**I will see if your Muse has a message for you.**

**Your Muse says she received your message, but obviously you did not receive her response. Try to speak to each other through me.**

**Hermione, can you talk to me through the Stone?**

**I hear you Ginny. Do you hear me?**

**Yes. Now that we have made contact like this, was there anything you wanted to tell me?**

**Yes, I forgot to tell you that you're to give wand lessons to Phaedra. She will try to teach you Siren skills. I learned a little. It might be a useful tool to have. I felt certain this test would work. Try to include Harry.**

**Fine, I'll talk to you later. I had hoped to loaf for six days, but it might be fun to learn to be a Siren.**

{{I contacted Hermione. How much of that did you pick up, Harry?}}

{I think everything that you said to Hermione and the Stone and a little of what they answered back.}

{{Good. I'll put the birds on your shoulders and you can try again.}}

**Hermione, this is Ginny again. Say something to Harry.**

**This is Harry. I can hear you. I did have a question for you and Ron. Have you learned more about McGonagall's robbery? I should have told the Minister.**

**Ellen did that. McGonagall sheepishly admitted that she had also kept the real Voldemort wand. That also was stolen. She seems apologetic, saying it just seemed the Sisterhood would be in worse trouble, had she turned the wand over to the Ministry, when her earlier adventuring was discovered. She said she didn't think there would be any benefit to anyone if she handed over the wand. She said 'I feared you'd just suspect me even more than Harry already did. I guess now you do suspect me more.' That's all I have Harry. I'm encouraged that this test worked.**

"It appears that you have had success. You likely won't need my bird for future messages," Phaedra assured me. "As to learning Siren skills, it is a matter of learning to broadcast your emotional mood. Among the most skilled, it is possible to broadcast an emotion that you are not feeling at the time, but wish to broadcast to others. A good Siren can cause persons around her to be more calm and content, happier, sadder, more energized, fearful and mentally locked, or to feel lustful thoughts toward the Siren. It also helps to be able to control your own body and its scent. A skilled Siren can exert an influence on others at a range of forty feet, although it's unlikely one, such as yourself, not born to the skills could learn to be effective beyond five or ten feet. The most important ability is being able to cause the people around you to like and trust you. Leadership comes easily to a Siren. Hermione learned a little of these skills. Having learned what training was effective with her, should allow me to make quicker progress with you. For Bill and Barb, projecting calm and a sense that you're not someone it would be wise to challenge is key."

We mainly spent our vacation time lying in the semi-shade amongst a small grove of olive trees and just lounging overly long in bed. We did practice two hours a day with Phaedra, and seemed to be picking up some skills. Cissy joined in for these lessons. Cissy also joined us in teaching Phaedra simple wand skills, such as 'lumos', 'leviosum', and biting around the edges of transfiguration. Hermione had started her on 'petrificus totalis' and 'protego', a strange choice for someone as non-martial as Hermione.

Harry taught Phaedra the rudiments of a 'Patronus'. Naturally, Phaedra's Patronus, when she succeeded in producing a weak corporeal one on our final day, turned out to be a Phoenix. Having the two Phoenixes together was fun for both us and the birds. We enjoyed watching them cavorting in the air.

Both Harry and I could communicate with Hermione, without the help of either bird. That allowed us to get a daily update of what was happening at Hogwarts and the Ministry, without running the risk of using the cellphone.

Nothing much was happening back in dreary old Scotland. McGonagall was upset that Dad viewed the Voldemort wand as a new transgression. More Elves and aurors had been dispatched to Eire, but had not sighted Narcissa, while Erasmus was behaving like a total homebody. The lessons for Henry were progressing very well and the twins' parents had departed for home. Hermione said the twins seemed calmer after their parents left.

A banquet with the whole Siren community was planned for our last day on Lesbos. My first surprise was seeing our housekeeper and realizing that she was a Siren. My second surprise was when Phaedra drew a Wizard toward us and introduced him as "my husband Constantine." Having just observed him snogging another of the Sirens, I impolitely blurted out "but I just saw him snogging that other Siren across the garden."

"Ah, yes," Phaedra replied. "Constantine is also Penelope's husband. In fact he is husband to about half of our entire community. It is difficult to find males to carry on the Siren line and Constantine has been the one for much of our community for the past thirty years. Penelope discovered him in a small village near the northern border of Greece. It's very unusual to find magical ability that far north. We Greeks don't have the equivalent of your Ministry, so we don't easily identify children with magical talent. We have perhaps half a dozen small colonies of Sirens, who go hunting for a Wizard when the need arises. Judging by the difficulty involved in searching out a Wizard, there must be very few in all of Greece."

Moussaka, Ouzo, Baklava, roasted fresh vegetables – it was a most excellent feast. Phaedra tried to teach us some Greek dance steps, but Harry is clumsy at such things, so we didn't get very far. In the end, Cissy proved an apt pupil and she and I danced for a half hour, while Harry chatted with Constantine.

As we took a break from the physical exertion, I discovered that Harry had been discussing Professor Celine with Constantine and Phaedra. I only caught Phaedra's part of the conversation.

"I think your Professor Celine is a rare, untrained Siren. It is interesting that she has learned your British magic as well as she has and even created a new form of art. That gives me great hope for improving my wand skills. You must come here again for holiday and teach me more. I suspect that Professor Celine's mother or grandmother may have broken away from one of the Siren colonies. That happens all too frequently, usually caused by envy that another Siren is spending too much time with the communal husband. Sometimes, the Siren simply falls in love with an outsider and runs off with him. I'd love to have Professor Celine visit us, so that we can learn the particulars of her background and give her some formal training. I definitely take your point of wild talents being dangerous. That also applies to Sirens."

As we were preparing to leave, Phaedra importuned Harry, "Hermione gave me a loaner wand, which is what I used for your instruction, but she also suggested that you might transport me to Ollivander's to purchase a proper wand. One more suited to my person."

{I'm not sure what your father will think of that. I'm inclined to simply do it and tell him afterward. After all, Phaedra did instruct us in her Siren magic.}

{{Your instincts are usually correct. I say go for it.}}

"Yes, I can apparate you to Ollivander's from here," Harry replied.

We apparated to a point ten feet above the entrance to Ollivander's and then had to quickly apparate about ten feet farther down Diagon Alley, as someone was entering the shop at that time. I nearly barfed up my fine lunch, having been caught totally by surprise when Harry did the second small apparate. As it was, we landed in a bit of a heap and Cissy twisted an ankle. Harry was very apologetic to Cissy and supported most of her weight as we entered Ollivander's. Cissy told him "you have nothing to be apologetic for. If you hadn't reacted as quickly as you did, we all would have fallen atop this poor man and someone would have been seriously injured."

Ollivander was waiting on the middle-aged Wizard who had preceded us into the shop, so Seamus came out of the back room to service us. Harry introduced Phaedra as "a Greek cousin in need of her first wand." It quickly became apparent that this was not going to be as anonymous a shopping expedition as I had expected.

Seamus told Harry, "I'm happy to oblige, but I need a permission note from the Ministry, attesting to Phaedra's magical abilities. Your signature will do nicely."

Seamus reached under the counter for the standard form and Harry filled in a line saying he had personally witnessed magic being performed by Phaedra and attested that she was a Witch of good character. Harry signed the bottom of the form and Seamus fitted Phaedra with a willow wand, with a Phoenix feather core. Phaedra exclaimed delightedly "why that's wonderful, I am proud to have a pet Phoenix as my nearly constant companion."

Harry did a quick apparate to return Phaedra to Lesbos and was again standing at my side inside Ollivander's shop fifteen minutes later. When I asked Harry about his delayed return, he explained that Phaedra had wanted to show him what she could accomplish with her personal wand. "Right before I left, she successfully produced a very respectable Patronus. Let's stop in at the Ministry, I might as well tell your Dad about Phaedra's wand. I'm also not up for another apparation just yet."

I asked Seamus if he had any chocolate at hand. When he said he did not, I dragged Harry and Cissy across Diagon Alley to Mrs. Bones' shop, where I ordered two chocolate chip cookies and a mug of hot chocolate for Harry. Since Cissy ordered the same for herself, I decided to treat myself, as well.

I quickly realized that Cissy was in a gushy, talkative mood. She enthused "I'm so happy that you and Harry agreed to take me with you on your vacation. I had a wonderful time and we all learned so much. This just further convinces me that there is so much to be learned outside of Hogwarts and that Professor McGonagall's strictures are just needlessly hemming me in. I'm definitely going to practice the skills which Phaedra taught us. Just one week, one very happy sunny week I might add, and look how much I have learned. I've seen a new land, I've learned a lot about the Sirens and their ways, I've begun to learn a new form of magic. It's been the same with all of the adventures that you've allowed me to participate in. I learn more in one short adventure than I do in a month or two at Hogwarts. It all makes me feel ever so much more capable and confident. This is exactly what I need to be learning to fulfill my roles as Keeper and Lady Montaigne.

"I think that I might also learn more of value at Marlborough than I would going back to Hogwarts next Fall. With you and your friends gone, Hogwarts is going to be a pretty lonely, sterile place. I know that Ginny has had a lot of problems with McGonagall this year, and I'm sure next year will see me in that spot. I'm not looking forward to it. Not at all. I'm going to enjoy what time I have left with you, learn all that I possibly can from you, and then decide what school and what adventures will allow me to grow the most. I honestly think McGonagall sees Ginny and me as rivals to be slapped down, lest we threaten to surpass her. She's power mad. I think you have surpassed her, by the way. I also hink that she knows it."

Fortunately the hot chocolates had cooled enough to divert Cissy's attention to her treats. I couldn't help largely agreeing with her. Was it possible to outgrow Hogwarts and its headmaster?

As we were finishing our snack, I was delighted to observe that Harry had returned to full energy and alertness. I also sensed, and not by our back channel, that he was not looking forward to apprising Dad of our Greek adventure. Cissy insisted on paying the whole bill and then we were off to the Ministry.

Harry didn't even stop at his own office, heading straight for Prudence's desk. As we were waved into Dad's office, Harry paused and spoke a little awkwardly to Cissy, "would you mind waiting here with Prudence? This promises to be not a totally pleasant meeting and the Minister is unlikely to be happy with your presence." Cissy took a seat across from Prudence and began happily chatting her up about the 'great adventure' from which we had just returned.

Dad took the news far better than Harry had feared, concluding "you have to trade magic for magic, and I think what you've learned may prove very valuable. It is also good to have magical allies in other countries. I think you made the right choice. I also agree that you must persuade Professor Celine to visit this Phaedra."

We learned from Dad that there had been an Umbridge sighting at the Ministry the prior night. She was spotted by two Ministry Elves, but managed to escape before the aurors could be summoned to the spot. "The curious thing is that she was spotted coming out of the Muggle machine shop. I've been trying to guess what she might be up to. Naturally, the shop was fully inspected, but other than the emergency generator still being warm, there were no signs of what she was up to. We've performed a thorough search for bombs, but have not found anything. It's exasperating that she can just flit in and out of this building so easily.

"Your friend Ellie narrowly escaped from trouble last night. She was on her way to George's shop to check on the condition of the monolith, when a masked Death Eater jumped out of the shadows and ran at her. He was at 'Avada…' when she allowed the monolith to suck her to it. I'm glad that Ellie was unharmed, but that is another of our secrets which the other side now knows about. Next time, they'll just curse her from the shadows. She's not nearly as safe as she was before yesterday. She spends a day a week with Callista in your Peverell room. I'd like you to teach her some of your defensive charms. They might just keep her alive. Also, please make sure that Callista knows enough to be safe. I presumptuously told them to go to Hogwarts tomorrow and my daughter would help them.

"Before you head back to Hogwarts, I should alert you to two other developments. First, McGonagall is still pushing to be allowed to become one with the stone. She visited me while you were gone, but beat a hasty retreat when I said that I preferred to discuss Voldemort's wand. Second, Professor Slughorn arrived today. I chatted with him, before he traveled on to Hogwarts. He understands the parameters. He is to teach transfiguration, by the way. Have a good return to class, and stop by the Ministry again in the next few days."

We had clearly been dismissed, so we collected Cissy and apparated back to Hogwarts. Wanting to avoid McGonagall for as long as possible, Harry apparated us to the landing outside Gryffindor.

"Welcome back," George called to us, as soon as we entered what had seemed to be a deserted common room. "Luna is visiting with her father today, while I had some things to straighten out at the Hogsmeade shop. I'm just here for a moment, because I was collecting something to take to McGonagall."

"How was your nargle hunt?" I asked.

"Very, very cold. I did get in some cross country skiing. The cabin where we stayed was cold, even with the fire cranked as high as I felt was safe."

"Did you find a nargle?"

"You and I both know that there is no such thing as a nargle. We did spot a young dragon, though." As I shrugged at his first comment, George elaborated "Luna wanted to go nargle hunting, and she's been a good sport about moving in on top of the shop. Happy wife, happy life, little Sis. She and her father may be a little eccentric, but so is our family."

"Uh huh. I hear McGonagall wants to meet with us as soon as we return. We had hoped to catch Hermione and Ron first, to get a heads up. Do you know where they are?" I quickly changed the topic.

"Actually, I think they're with McGonagall. I was to collect the remaining block of Dumbledore memories and rejoin them in her office. Since the two of you left, she seems to have formed the notion that Shacklebolt is not to be trusted and wanted to find out what Dumbledore has to say about the man."

"What happened to send her off on this crusade?" Harry asked.

"She thinks you've delayed too long in reviewing everything that Dumbledore left you. Beyond that, after Dad's last cabinet meeting, Shacklebolt mentioned how hard McGonagall and her Sisterhood had pushed 'to achieve an unseemly fast release for Pansy Parkinson, who as I recall was a junior member of your organization' and also criticized 'all the pressure you put on Potter, because he's a student, things like guilt tripping him to let you commune with the pyramid.' They apparently had quite a spat, with each telling the other that they should mind their own business and tend to their own responsibilities, since the performance in question was far from sterling. Apparently Dad had to break up the squabble."

"It's strange Arthur didn't mention that to me," Harry replied, "although I was more than a little surprised when he told us that we should do what we thought best, with regard to the headmaster and the stone. He said he had argued with her about the wand she hid."

We dropped our bags in our apartment and then doubled back to McGonagall's office.

"It's nice of the Potters to finally join us," McGonagall said as we entered her office.

Harry remained calmer than I, replying "we just got back and dropped off our stuff. We never suggested that we'd return to Hogwarts before the end of the day. We stopped off in Diagon Alley and at the Ministry. It's still several hours before the Hogwarts Express is due to arrive."

"I had wanted to you to greet the students and their parents and ride the train with them."

"You didn't mention this before we set off on vacation. If you had made the request, we would have returned early enough to do just that. I did check on security arrangements before I left, and the students should be very well protected. Director Shacklebolt reviewed the entire plan with me. I understand that the two of you have been fighting, yet again."

"Let's just say that you have more faith in Kingsley than I do at the moment. I didn't mean to argue with you. There are important things to discuss. We need to review the rest of Dumbledore's memories and you need to read his diaries."

"I have been reading the diaries; in fact I'm about two-thirds of the way through them, although perhaps I would have been wiser to read them back-to-front to get the more recent information quicker. One diary book seems to be special thoughts from across all the years. I probably should have started there. I'll read that book, as soon as I finish the one I'm on now. I thought I'd finish the diaries during our vacation; I even packed them. However, I was just at the point where Dumbledore is writing about my parents' death and didn't want to spoil the vacation spirit. I'll finish the diaries by the end of the month. I do want to read all that Dumbledore has to say about Umbridge."

"So, what have you learned?"

"Dumbledore kept track of a lot of Grindelwald and Voldemort supporters. I've given the names to Director Shacklebolt. He says most are known and dead, but he'll check out the other names. Dumbledore knew that you had shown the art museum and secret passages to Adrienne Celine. He wasn't pleased, having no reason to believe she could keep a secret or needed to know this particular secret. He suspected that your relationship was not wholly platonic. He knew that you were operating and recruiting for the Sisterhood. He knew my mother was a member. There is no indication he knew about Narcissa being your spy, nor that he realized quite how active the Sisterhood was becoming towards the end. Dumbledore sort of liked my father and didn't like Snape as students. Dumbledore had complete faith in our Eire host, Erasmus.

"The reason Lucius Malfoy was forced to marry Narcissa was that the senior Malfoy believed himself to be the true father of the current Mrs. Parkinson. She was my grandfather's and the recently deposed Montaignes' younger sister. The then Lord Montaigne believed that both my grandfather and Mrs. Parkinson were the result of his wife's dalliances with Squib servants, or at least that is the story that he told. Dumbledore was convinced that the elder Malfoy was the true father, and believes Montaigne eventually came to believe that. For Lucius to marry Pansy's mother would have ignited an open feud with Lord Montaigne.

"Mr. Filch was a Hogwarts student who lost his magical ability during his second year, owing to a severe trauma, which Dumbledore doesn't describe. Mr. Filch reminded Dumbledore of his sister's situation, which suggests what the trauma may have been.

"In addition to telling me that you kept the real Voldemort wand and that it was stolen, you might have told me more about Jaden Caulfield. Dumbledore wrote about her. At first he thought she was Tom Riddle's girlfriend. Then he thought she was his partner in crime, as they explored together in parts of the castle, where they should not have been. She apparently was even more brilliant than he was, especially in potions and transfiguration, according to Dumbledore. She seems like a prime candidate for your Sisterhood."

"As a rule, I did not recruit Slytherins or their lovers. Even though she was a Ravenclaw, obviously, I couldn't trust her. I did try to get in touch with her after she left Hogwarts short of graduation, when it seemed Riddle no longer had contact with her. I couldn't locate her. She is unique among the Riddle crowd in that she was very close to him, but went her separate way. That puzzled me, which is why I looked for her to try to solve that particular puzzle. I thought it might be important."

"So did Dumbledore. His diary does not provide an answer, at least as far as I've read. He says that she moved to Eire after she left Hogwarts, living almost wild. He couldn't find her either. Neither could her best friend, whom Dumbledore doesn't name."

I was surprised to learn that Harry had gotten this far in Dumbledore's diaries. As I was mulling over this new information, I realized that McGonagall had skipped ahead "…accused me of unreasonably pushing to be introduced to the black stone's control bench inside the pyramid. I assure you, that there are a good many valid reasons, personal as well as professional, for me to attempt the same melding with the stone which Ginny and Hermione and now Cissy have completed. You'll be gone in five months. Being able to speak through the stone will allow me to quickly summon help, without resorting to the cellphones, if there is danger at Hogwarts. It will also allow me to stay in contact with Trew, if she also communes with the stone, as she wishes to do. It will allow me to continue the search for Lord Montaigne's bomb – I really don't think the two bombs which you discovered could cause the damage that we saw in the glass globe. I can use the stone to strengthen the Hogwarts defenses and to prevent an attack by a group apparating into the Reception Hall…" she seemed to sense that she was not about to complete this sale and hastily changed topic. "Well, please at least think about it."

"You have communed with the stone. That's what you did in the lower chamber. You haven't become one with the stone. That is more complex and far more dangerous. Cissy certainly has not done that yet. Operating the transporter is yet another level. Only Hermione and I can do that. There is no need for you to do that. One of us can be summoned if there is a need. You really should already be able to communicate through the stone. I heard the stone tell you that was allowed. You just need to practice," I concluded in some exasperation.

"Then please teach me how to practice so that I can communicate with Trew and your group."

"I'll happily teach you to communicate with Trew. I connected you into the stone loop once. I'll do it again. Hermione's phoenix can help. Probably so can Trew's globe."

"I know you gave me a brief introduction to the stone. I've tried to contact you and it hasn't worked. I tried just yesterday."

"It is harder to communicate that far away. I also didn't tell the stone to allow you to contact me directly. You contact me too often already. I'll teach you how to leave a message for me with the stone. I promise to do that right after dinner."

"Thank you, I'll certainly take you up on that offer. I really only want what is reasonable to increase the safety of the studenets. On another topic, Madame Bones suggested to me that since you and your, umm, associates seem to keep involving yourselves in the auror side of magical law enforcement, that it might be appropriate for all of you to attend a seminar on the legal responsibilities of aurors, the proper means of evidence collection and handling, what counts as illegal snooping or searches, the rights of suspects and defendants, proper questioning of persons taken into custody, and the required level of care in avoiding collateral damage, including property damage, during law enforcement operations. She thought the instruction would require two days, and I suggested that she instruct this seminar at Hogwarts. Your aurors could also attend.

"She mentioned specifically that you should not mention this subject with Kingsley until the course was finished, because she doesn't want it loaded up with newly hired aurors whose experience and needs are likely quite different than yours. I was thinking Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Luna, and Cissy might profit from such training. It seems useful enough to excuse you from two days of Hogwarts classes."

I had been half following what McGonagall said and half monitoring Harry's mood. I was surprised how calmly he reacted to the repeated request to become one with the stone, but shocked into an involuntary gasp by his almost fury at her plans for the seminar.

Harry said perfectly calmly, "Excuse me. I have to head back to the Ministry. I should be back by the time the students arrive. It's probably best if all four of us duck into the Ministry. Please wait on the Dumbledore memories until our return. We can view them tomorrow."

"If you can give me another ten minutes, I had a little more to discuss and I hadn't gotten to the timing and details on the seminar."

"We can finish up after dinner. Your mention of the seminar reminded me that I was negligent in not checking in more closely with my Directors, when we ducked into the Ministry."

Since Harry was walking out of the office, I followed him and Ron and Hermione followed me. As we were walking toward Gryffindor, Hermione asked "what?"

Harry's reply was, "don't tell Director Shacklebolt, my ass! Madame Bones is supposed to be working as part of my department, in cooperation with Shacklebolt, not going behind both our backs with McGonagall to arrange a special indoctrination for us."

We had soon arrived in Harry's reception room. Harry quickly explained to Callista that we needed to speak to Wood, Directors Bones and Shacklebolt, adding "it would help if you joined the meeting."

Wood and Shacklebolt arrived first. We chatted about our vacation, until Madam Bones joined us.

"I hadn't planned to get together with all of you until tomorrow," Harry began, "but as soon as we returned to Hogwarts, the headmaster informed us that she and Madam Bones had arranged special instruction for us in the legalities of magical law enforcement. While I agree that such a course can have considerable value to us, I was more than a little put off by the suggestion that I keep this matter a secret from Director Shacklebolt. I thought we had all agreed to work as a team, which to me meant we would make a strong effort to avoid this sort of secret action, especially when it involves Directors of other government departments. I confess to being especially annoyed to learn Madam Bones's views about my educational deficiencies second hand fromHheadmaster McGonagall. Do you have any explanation for this?"

"I realized that you've become head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement without ever having received the normal auror training in the legal proprieties. I know that Kingsley has enrolled you in some individual seminars, and I'm sure they've helped, but you need more. Since you and your young associates have made several arrests, I'll need for you to be witnesses in future prosecutions. If you continue apprehending what you call bad guys, you'll spend more time as witnesses and run the risk of having evidence thrown out of court if you aren't aware of the entire procedural minutia which aurors are required to follow in making their evidence admissible in court. I also thought that, even if you and your associates don't participate in future arrests, an increase in your legal knowledge would give you and your advisors a fuller appreciation of the intricacies and limitations of the department, which you manage."

"That certainly makes sense," Harry replied, to Madam Bones's evident relief. "However, I don't understand or approve of the suggestion that I keep this all a secret from Director Shacklebolt."

"I wanted to tailor a course specifically to your needs, and felt that if I involved Director Shacklebolt that the course attendees would be largely recently hired aurors, and that this would lengthen the course and reduce its immediate relevance to you and your advisors. When Minerva suggested that I could teach the course at Hogwarts, I felt that this would minimize the disruption to your schedules. I only need three days and two of those days could be on a weekend."

"Okay," Harry concluded. "I'm willing to participate in the course. I think we should include Callista, Wood, and Shacklebolt as attendees, if they're willing. I'll also ask the Minister and Percy. If we're thinking in terms of three days, we should let Director Shacklebolt, or whomever does his auror procedure training, do the presentations for one day out of the three days."

"I could share the presentations with Bill," Shacklebolt commented. "Bill is very good at teaching. When do you plan to do this?"

"Can you be ready by Friday, next?" Madam Bones asked.

We agreed on that timing. Harry asked, "Is there any news that can't wait until tomorrow. I'll be at the Ministry right after breakfast."

Shacklebolt said no, but as we got up to leave, his cellphone rang. Harry paused to make sure he wasn't needed.

"Trouble on the Hogwarts Express," Kingsley told us. Three of the older Slytherins bullied first and second years from the other houses, then exchanged cursed with two of my aurors and barricaded themselves in their compartment, with a first year Hufflepuff Witch as a hostage. They said they would 'Avada Kedavra' her unless all of my aurors left the train at once. The fools forgot to pull down their window shade and two of my aurors got them from outside the train. They are under arrest and in the jail. Two first years were slightly hurt, one with a nasty leg burn from burning robes. Almost all of the younger students are very upset. We had to apparate Dr. Wright and an assistant from St. Mungo's to treat and calm the students. I think all is well, but the train will be an hour late. I'm going to question the attackers now."

"I'm going to supervise that questioning," Madam Bones declared.

"No, you're not," Harry told her. "You can question them after Kingsley is finished with them. I've got to get back to Hogwarts to alert McGonagall."

He told Madam Bones that it would be a help if she would stop by to invite Dad and Percy to the law seminar."

We headed straight to McGonagall's office.

"Was everything alright at the Ministry? You're upset with Amelia and me, aren't you."

"Yes, I am, and no not everything is alright. There was a serious incident on the Hogwarts Express. Three of the older Slytherins attacked the younger students and even two of the aurors. They held a first year girl hostage and threatened to kill her. They are all in jail and Doctor White is tending to the injured and frightened students. The train is very well guarded, but it will be about an hour late."

McGonagall was very upset by this news and gathered her faculty to meet the train at the station. We went along.

Even with the delay, many of the younger students were still upset as they got off the train. The Slytherins were smirking and trading jokes about cowardly first years and lax security on the train. McGonagall scowled at the Slytherins and told them to move along, if they didn't want detention. The younger students hung back to let the Slytherins go off to the castle by themselves.

McGonagall was quickly confronted with a problem. Not all of the students had left the train. Four of the first years and two second years stayed on the train and announced their intention to ride back to London and have their parents pick them up. McGonagall told them that this wouldn't be possible – their parents had left platform 9-3/4 hours ago and were probably home by now. Two aurors volunteered to help the students return to their homes. McGonagall huffed that this wouldn't be necessary. The students were now perfectly safe in her hands.

Only the student who was burned and the hostage could not be persuaded to stay at Hogwarts. Although McGonagall was looking to me to help persuade them to stay, in good conscience I could not do that. Harry seemed to be subtly guiding them to go home. The aurors waved off McGonagall's objections and transported them home.

"They're just too terrified," Harry explained to McGonagall. "They are not ready to begin, perhaps in a few weeks. They would also just spread fear among the other first years."

It was clear that McGonagall did not fully share this view.


	74. Chapter 74

**CHAPTER 74 - CLASSES RESUME **

Harry and I ducked back to Hogwarts to inform Dad that two students would be returning home. Dad seemed upset enough that Harry apologized "they were encouraged to stay by the headmaster, but I honestly felt they needed to go home. In any case, they were determined to go back to their parents. I can't blame them. One was the hostage and the other was the boy who was burned."

"I'll visit their parents tonight," Dad volunteered. "I can't argue against their returning home. They must be terrified."

"Did you get Madam Bones's invitation to the legal lectures?" Harry asked.

Dad replied "I'm willing to attend. I can certainly stand to know more about the law. However, I can't help but think that there is an untold backstory here." Harry gave a quick summary, to which Dad responded, "I thought it was something like that. Madam Bones needs to stop kicking at Kingsley. So does Minerva. Well, Percy and I will attend as much of the seminar as we are able."

We were about to return to Hogwarts, when Dad appeared in Harry's office. He excused Callista and Madam Bones and then got right to the point. "I had an ulterior motive in approving Madam Bones's legal training sessions. Put your heads together, I don't want eavesdropping. The three days of lectures will be talked about a lot here and at Hogwarts. If I know Madam Bones at all, I can assure you an item in the press. You've got day one on Friday, day two on Saturday, and day three some other time, possibly a week later.

"Sunday will be the day we mount the attack on Azkaban. Harry and Ginny will coordinate the attack by the spirit warriors. Kingsley we lead a surface attack by aurors and Elves. I don't want the spirit warriors taking any chances. If you are forced to retreat to the pyramid, you must have secure defenses and reinforcements waiting. That means people you trust, who can cast an excellent Patronus, and every Unicorn in the herd. I don't want you taking needless risk, but I think we must attack. Sunday will give us the element of surprise.

"Make it clear to your troops, as Kingsley will to his - when retreat is signaled, everybody gets out, immediately. We can't be defeated and have a Dementor breakout. The Muggle military will be conducting what they call war games. Five minutes after Ginny, Harry, or Kingsley order retreat, Tony will go nuclear. He assures me you don't want to linger on Azkaban. I am taking Neville from your group and giving him to Kingsley. Kingsley wants his sword if magic fails for some reason. I want him to stay in touch with Ginny and Harry. When I see you on Friday, we'll not speak of this. I'll tell Harry when I want him to arrive at the Ministry on Monday. That will be the time that you launch your Sunday attack. You will attack ten minutes after Kingsley does, which will be twenty minutes after Wood leads an inspection team into Azkaban to check on the prisoners there."

We apparated back to Hogwarts and whispered all the way back to the castle. The gist of the discussion was that neither of us quite believed that Dad was being this decisive or that he was encouraging us to lead half of the attack. It was also a big responsibility that he was placing upon Wood. Dad and Tony must be really seriously spooked by the escaped Dementors.

We joined the Gryffindor table just as the students were assembling for the mid-term banquet. Apparently getting everyone from the station to the Great Hall had been an effort. The headmaster looked flustered, but seemed determined to make some comments to her returning students, before allowing them to eat. I thought this a mistake – the younger students were still frightened and food might relax them. Shoveling food into their mouths would at least force the older Slytherins to be quiet. The Slytherin table could best be described as raucous.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts, and the chance for all of you to improve your grades before the end of term. What happened on the train was a disgrace. I'm told the malefactors are in jail. That should be an indication of the seriousness of their actions. I sensed far too much jocularity from the older returning members of Slytherin House as they got off the train. You still haven't quieted down to my satisfaction. If I don't see an improvement in your demeanor, your return to Hogwarts may be extremely short lived.

"As you know, Slytherin House had been closed, owing to a malevolent haunting. Happily, the ghost has been dispatched and your old House is able to welcome you back. In addition to the lower level Slytherins who started the term and were divided among the other three Houses, I am pleased to welcome the return of twenty-two older Slytherins in years four through seven.

"As I welcome you back, I regret that the laxity shown by your former House advisor has led to the need for a few revised rules. Your new House advisors, Professors Slughorn and Celine, will explain these rules to you during your first House meeting, immediately after breakfast tomorrow. As you know, Professor Slughorn taught for many years at Hogwarts and has just returned from a sabbatical at Durmstrang. He has learned the meaning of strict discipline and he will be implementing it. Your new advisors will be living in Slytherin House until such time as that House is running smoothly in a manner that meets with my approval. You will find that all alcoholic beverages and your game tables have been removed. If they reappear, the culprits will be expelled. You are expected to be on your best behavior. Anything less will find you sent home."

There were a few boos and some laughter from the Slytherin table, but McGonagall stared down the noisemakers. "Did you have something you wished to say to me?"

"Yes. We accept Professor Slughorn as our House Advisor but we don't accept the Hufflepuff pervert. A Hufflepuff may not set foot in Slytherin House, other than to serve us. Same for pervs."

"You'll accept the advisors whom I selected for you, Mr. Frakes, or you will go home."

"We'll see. I'm willing to give her a try."

"Don't test my patience, Mr. Frakes. You can be gone tomorrow. That will be 10 points from Slytherin. As I was saying, the returning second years as well as the first years who sorted into Slytherin at the start of the term were divided up among the other Houses. I have decided to leave them there for the remainder of this term. Two more Slytherin second years have returned to school and will be assigned to Ravenclaw. Finally, we have three new first years who are joining us in mid-term and need to be sorted into Houses. Please come forward as I call your name. Any of these students who are sorted into Slytherin will spend the remainder of this term in Hufflepuff House. Andrea Zabini." Andrea was a tall but rather chunky Witch with short brown hair and large plastic framed glasses. She walked nervously to the dais and sat on the sorting stool. The Sorting Hat was placed upon her head and remained silent for nearly a full minute, before shouting "Slytherin, but only by a hair."

"Alex Persing," called Professor McGonagall. I let out a slight gasp as Alex strode confidently to the sorting chair. He was so big that he could easily be mistaken for a sixth year, although he was obviously years from shaving. He was already at least an inch over six feet and quite muscular. I thought he was more gawky than hot looking, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a very prominent nose. The Sorting Hat was barely upon his head, when it sung out "Slytherin!"

The final newbie was Karen Anjos, who was a short, squat, redhead with big ears and glasses, who wore her hair entirely too short for anybody with ears that big. I was surprised when the Sorting Hat called out "Gryffindor," although after she was seated at our table, it turned out that she was a Muggle-born who had just displayed magical talent two weeks before Christmas. I guess Henry had started a new trend of mid-term admissions. Karen had been greeted by catcalls from Slytherin, as she walked to our table. McGonagall directed a course spray of water from her wand to the Slytherin table, which after some spluttering left them temporarily in silence.

"The two new Slytherins will spend the remainder of this term in Hufflepuff House," McGonagall announced.

I was further surprised when the Sorting Hat decided to give us a poem:

"I produced a sword to save this school

Yet, McGonagall broke the sacred rule

My voice was squelched at start of term

By a headmaster both angry and firm

I would have said let Slytherin moulder

Protect proto-Slytherin till they're older

Don't contaminate the new generation

With those who sought our extermination

Now Slytherin is with us once again

I hope we all can stand the pain

Of those who fought for Voldemort

And tormented students just for sport

Those nasty sixth years return again

To walk the grounds where students were slain

I warn them if they act untoward

I can still produce the sword."

"I think that's quite enough in the way of remarks, enjoy your feast," McGonagall enjoined us all.

"Wow! The old Sorting Hat certainly didn't hold back on its thoughts," Luna exclaimed.

"Yes," I responded. "This promises to make our post-dinner meeting all the more interesting," Harry replied.

The food was good – not start of term quality, but there was a very tasty baked pork loin with a pepper and caramelized orange glaze which attracted my special attention. For those in a different culinary mood, the Elves offered a choice of meat loaf, baked ham, and whole roasted chickens. We had super fluffy whipped potatoes with lots of butter, glazed carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts, and fat buttered lima beans, which I ignored. There were five different puddings for dessert, each topped with sweet whipped cream. I chose the cinnamon rice pudding to finish my meal. I had just grabbed a second dessert of chocolate pudding, when McGonagall stared at our group and pointed toward the exit. We obediently headed in that direction, although I took my pudding with me.

"I'm not in a good mood, Potter. I imagine you now see that it was important that we discussed other matters before you just ran off back to the Ministry. The Sorting Hat has not improved my mood. It has developed entirely too much personality. I'm not at all sure I should allow it any more poems."

"Well," Harry replied without any hint of defensiveness, "if you wanted to discuss what you should say about the Slytherins, you should have led off with that. When you talked about scheduling legal training for me with Madam Bones and wanted to do it as a secret from Director Shacklebolt, you left me no choice but to return to the Ministry and meet with my Directors. I want a smooth functioning team, not one Director conspiring with you as to how she can spite the other Director and manipulate me. That is extremely unhelpful. I came back to warn you about the problems on the train. You had time to ask me whatever. I had to tell the Minister that two children were returning home. He can't just read about something like that in the morning papers. He's going to visit the parents, by the way."

"Are you going to tell me that you are not in need of legal instruction?"

"No, I agree that the course will help, but Director Shacklebolt needs to be and will be a part of it. Madam Bones can plan two days of the course and Director Shacklebolt will take the other day. We decided to start this Friday. I imagine some young aurors will participate. So will the Minister."

"I don't think the problems on the train would have happened, if you had been there."

"The aurors did a very good job and quickly contained the problem. Shacklebolt and I are both proud of their performance. Wood was on the train and managed the situation well. Train proctors only work with kids who want to come to Hogwarts to be students. Kids who just want to cause as much trouble as possible won't be stopped by proctors. They even fired curses at aurors. They imprisoned and threatened to kill a first year. Nothing I could have done to deter that. It was a planned attack and the other Slytherins cheered them on. The aurors had to watch all of the Slytherins as they responded to the situation. Those were the actions of criminals or Death Eaters, not students. How much success have you had managing the older Slytherins, since they got off the train? I think you should send them all home and close Slytherin."

"I can't do that. It would destroy Hogwarts. That would be worse than not to have tried to reopen Slytherin."

"I do agree with that."

"Too change topic, I'm glad you're seeing reason about the course, but not happy you invited the Minister without consulting me. And Shacklebolt, for that matter."

"I thought you wanted the course to be here at Hogwarts, but if that's a problem, we can do it at the Ministry."

"I don't want to fight about it and I wanted to attend the training myself. I guess Kingsley and I will just have to get along for three days. He was insufferable while you were away. He still thinks that I'm trying to control you. He also thinks I'm trying to take control of Cissy, so I have a Keeper to control after you graduate. I'm just trying to be a proper headmaster to the girl: a girl who's been through far more and is much more vulnerable than you seem to realize.

"The level of thrill-seeking that she has engaged in is not healthy; I view it as an attempt at self-destruction. She is not yet prepared to do what you do, much as she would like to think so. Certainly you must have noticed that. Like Margaret, she hero worships you and wants to participate in whatever you do, but she just isn't able. Just as Dumbledore restrained you, when you were her age, I, or preferably you, have to restrain Cissy. When she wants to participate in what she calls an 'adventure', you have to ask yourself whether it will be safe for her, whether her presence will help or hinder your efforts, and whether she fully understands what she is undertaking. She wants to single-handedly redeem the wrongs done by all the Lords Montaigne or die valiantly in the effort. The best thing she can do is prepare herself to be an outstanding Keeper and Lady Montaigne. Patience is a very difficult skill to learn."

As McGonagall had continued speaking, Harry's mood swung from intent to defiantly argue back to acceptance that she had a point. "Yes, we probably allowed Cissy to talk herself into some inappropriate adventures, possibly out of a sense of stealing her Keeper duties if she were excluded. We are mindful of Cissy's weaknesses and the need to protect her from harm," Harry conceded. "We are all interested in reducing the risks we take. I know you see shadows of the young innocents who died in the Battle of Hogwarts, and so do I."

"We should consult and agree upon what activities are safe and wise for Cissy. I realize that I overreacted to her entering the forest at Bane's invitation and as part of a large party. I should have made my stand regarding a more danger-filled adventure. Please, let's just talk before we act.

"Not to bring up a subject that I know you are entirely sick of, but if I am to guide and protect Cissy after you leave Hogwarts, I really do need to be in on the full range of Keeper and stone activities of which she is a part. Kingsley would be fair in calling me a power-grubbing Witch if it were just adults taking on these risky responsibilities, but when children who are Hogwarts students are also involved, then I think a headmaster would be derelict to simply passively watch from a distance."

"I can see how you could view it that way," Harry agreed. "Suppose we pledged to discuss this with you in detail, before we leave Hogwarts at end of term. Would that satisfy your sense of personal obligations to your students? I am not the one who can grant you what you seek, in any case. Ginny is the Mother of the Future. Access to the stone is her responsibility, not mine. While we're here, and the Minister has assigned Ellen and us responsibility for Cissy's safety, I think your obligations are satisfied for the next several months. Can we just drop the subject until then? I can arrange for you to have another visit to the pyramid, within the next couple of weeks."

"Yes, yes we can."

"Good, then let's please just drop the subject. The stone may well accept only an assistant or Muse designated by Ginny. At the appropriate time, you'll have to ask Ginny whether she is willing to designate you as an assistant."

"I'm willing to do it at the appropriate time," I responded. "I'm feeling a bit rebellious about it at the moment, because I have the responsibility as Keeper and Mother of the Future to choose my own assistants. That is a serious responsibility given to one holding two very serious positions. I will not be hectored into a possibly rash decision by my headmaster. Just because you are my headmaster, does not necessarily make you a wise choice as my assistant. If I could activate your ring so that the control landing would accept it, and I'm not at all sure that I can, I would be making you my assistant. I sincerely don't believe that at this time, you can accept my action in that light. You see this as acquiring an independent authority for yourself. The key question is whether I can trust you, in my absence, to act in support of MY mission, to do what you believe that I would want you to do. I can't bless you as an independent actor."

"I see. I can't say that I had thought of it in quite that way. Dumbledore left me the Ravenclaw Keeper ring and said that I should act as a rightful Keeper."

"When we talked to the Light Guardian, it listed the Keepers as Harry, Cissy, and me. It did not say 'and the headmaster of Hogwarts'. Dumbledore also said the Ravenclaw ring was for you OR Harry. I have and will do nothing to prevent your activities as a potentially lawful Keeper. However, you tried your Keeper ring at the control landing and the stone rebuffed you. That means that you do not have a natural right, as Hogwarts headmaster, to control the stone. I may be able to give you that right AS MY ASSISTANT. Between now and the end of term, you and I will have to consider whether each of us is comfortable with that relationship and whether it is likely to be beneficial. The stone accepted Mafalda. I did nothing to accredit her as my assistant. I never saw her stone before she presented it to the bench."

"I understand your position. If I believe that something is my due as headmaster, then I must make that claim to the suitable party. I'm not sure who that is. I guess if it really is my due as headmaster, then I should be able to authorize my ring myself, but obviously I cannot. Arthur and Harry also cannot grant me approval. I understand that as Mother of the Future, and Keeper, you can only select your personal assistants. Selection of headmaster is not in your purview. I certainly don't mean to pressure you on the selection of your personal assistants. I can also understand that my persistence in making this request leads you to believe I want to control Cissy in order to somehow control her authority. I really do understand that being your headmaster does not give me control over whatever other external authority or power you students possess. At least I'm sure that I understand that now. I wonder if you realize that the power that you and the other students have is certain to draw threats from the jealous as well as your philosophical opponents. Be very careful.

"The thing I actually wanted to talk about, but have had trouble steeling myself for is this – it's not looking at all good for Narcissa. She might be bad, and I may have totally missed it. When I look at it logically, I conclude that she must be bad, but that doesn't match with the Narcissa whom I thought I knew. Can you give me any encouragement at all in that regard?"

"No," Harry responded. "I know you want to think she's gone out to selflessly battle the last dangers to Draco and herself. I think it far likelier that she is Mr. Big. The aurors have orders to arrest her. She'll be found. I can't tell you exactly when, but she'll be found."

"Do you want to re-learn how to communicate through the stone," I asked McGonagall.

When she nodded yes, I instructed her to send a Patronus to fetch Professor Trelawney. I sent my Patronus for Hermione. Hermione, Harry, and I established a four-way communication with the stone. We added Trelawney. We tried to add McGonagall. We had to have Fawkes sit on her shoulder, before we could involve her. I guess I just hadn't achieved a satisfactory introduction or explained things right the first time.

I heard the voice of the stone asking me whether McGonagall was now my assistant. I replied that she was not, but I wished her to be able to communicate to Professor Trelawney through the stone and to contact the stone to leave a message for me. The stone admitted to cancelling McGonagall's privileges, knowing how angry I was at her. I requested that the stone consult me first, before doing that again.

The stone and I decided that the stone would greet her as a possible assistant and tell her that she may communicate through it, but that the person she wished to contact was not obliged to answer. I told her that I would answer her only in an emergency and if she called false emergencies, that I wouldn't answer her at all.

We dropped our communication link. Trew returned to the apartment. McGonagall tried and succeeded in contacting her there. She seemed very pleased.

As we walked back to our apartment, I was thinking of my own position.

{{I actually do have an independent source of power, don't I? I hadn't really thought of it that way, until you said what you did and then McGonagall picked up on it. I don't have to just surrender pieces of this authority, for the asking, do I?}}

{[very worried] I honestly don't know how to answer that. I guess at some point, a Minister less favorably disposed toward you than your father is could view your holding the power over the stone as a serious security threat and bring the power of the Ministry down upon you. I hadn't thought that out clearly before, but I think McGonagall is correct. You are in danger. Not from the current government, but from those who oppose this government and likely from future governments. Maybe from the Muggle government. We have to think of a way out of this. Holding the Peverell wand made me a target. This makes you a far bigger target. You know how I escaped the danger of the wand. We'll have to find an equivalent solution for you. Perhaps the stone can just stop functioning? Sunday represents a very great danger. Either the Dementors will kill us or a lot of people will realize how powerful a weapon the stone can be.}

{{Perhaps, or perhaps the stone can have an official bureaucratic operator from the Ministry, who thinks he controls it. I could make an official key and spread it around that this was the only key that worked. Since I can control the stone mentally, without a key, I think we could stage a convincing demonstration. My own ring could be shown to no longer work, or I could destroy it, or even give that ring to the Ministry person. Hopefully, we have a long time to think about this.}}

{[still worried] I'm just not sure. Your long time could turn out to be a week. The Muggle Prime Minister could even try to force you to operate the stone. We have to make the stone seem much less powerful than it is. The more powerful it seems, the more likely the Muggles are to attack the Wizarding world to seize control. I think a very dramatic failure may be called for.}

It was never entirely clear whether or not Madam Bones felt I was to attend the legal seminar, but as the attendee list was rather open ended, I decided to attend. All of our circle and most of the Hogwarts faculty were in attendance. Harry announced to McGonagall that he planned to invite Cissy. After considerable thought and dithering, McGonagall decided not to object.

The instruction was most interesting, and at times very contentious. I quickly grasped the conflict between 'traditional Wizard law' and the aspirations to warp it into greater conformity with current British Muggle legal traditions. A big point of contention was Shacklebolt's statement that "Wizard law focuses far more upon determining innocence or guilt in a strictly factual sense. We do not go in for legal technicalities or the thespian talents or appeals to emotion of the competing lawyers. That is why we have truth tellers in our trials, rather than relying upon jurors to determine who is telling the truth. That is why we try cases before the Wizengamot, rather than a panel of average citizens. That is why Madam Bones was able to assign herself a hybrid role as maybe or not prosecutor, judge and defense attorney. We have also been less concerned than the Muggles about why someone did what they did and more concerned with what they actually did."

This naturally led to the counter view of Madam Bones that, "of course we care what the accused was thinking. That's why we consider whether the actions were driven by an Imperius curse or a confundus, which left the perpetrator more puppet than instigator. It is true that we declare that killing by 'Avada Kedavra' is always wrong, even if done in legitimate defense of self or another. This is an area of the law that we are looking at carefully and may change, but for now the action itself is a serious crime and motivation doesn't matter. While it is true that we assist the Wizengamot in determining which witnesses are truthful and that we expect the Wizengamot to reach its decisions based on logic and knowledge of our law, rather than emotion or politics, that doesn't mean our legal system is only interested in determining the truth of innocence or guilt. We still require that evidence be legally collected, and prohibit defendants from being forced to testify against themselves. Truth tellers do not determine the truthfulness of a defendant's own testimony. If all that concerned us was factual guilt, we would adopt the concept of guilty until proven innocent and require the accused to deny the crime and be cross examined under Veritaserum. That we don't do that means we respect the natural rights of those accused of a crime."

"That's not strictly true," Shacklebolt countered. "Defendants are forced to testify, as the Deputy Minister was forced to testify in his trial for underage magic. Suspects have been involuntarily forced to give a deposition in front of truth tellers, as again the Deputy Minister was required to do, when you chose to investigate the Death Eater assault on the aurors in Diagon Alley. The Deputy Minister is also likely fully aware that defendants are not always provided with lawyers even when accused of serious crimes."

"It is certainly regrettably true that students are not always afforded all the rights to which adult defendants are entitled, and that there is more of a focus on absolute factual guilt or innocence in such cases. The Muggles also handle youth cases more informally. I am not saying that a suspect may not be questioned in the presence of truth tellers, even involuntarily, but that any evidence of lying cannot be used as evidence. The suspect cannot be forced to answer questions and has every right to remain silent. A defendant in court does not have to answer questions, although a failure to answer can be held against him."

"You didn't tell me that I didn't have to answer your questions when you interrogated me about the Diagon Alley incident," Harry protested.

"I mistakenly assumed that the Deputy Minister was aware of his legal rights under our laws. I guess that just proves the necessity for this seminar."

Most of the seminar dealt with more specific and routine issues. I learned that aurors must attempt to capture a suspect alive and may not use 'Avada Kedavra' even in self-defense, although there is nothing unlawful if the weight of nonlethal curses fired in self-defense causes a suspect to die. Apparently, all protections are off with regard to escapees from jail, which is why it was perfectly lawful for Dementors to be unleashed in an attempt to kill Sirius Black.

Aurors are required to clearly label and maintain the security of any evidence which they collect. Aurors are required to give exculpatory evidence to the defense lawyer and to testify to such evidence when they give testimony. Evidence from the reading of wands is acceptable in court, as are writings, pictures, footprints, eyewitness testimony, recognizing a defendant by voice or unique garb, and statements that the accused made in the presence of others. Fingerprints are not accepted. Neither are scenes remotely viewed by seers, artificially recorded voices, and the uncorroborated testimony of foreigners, Squibs, Elves, Goblins, and Muggles. The testimony of children below Hogwarts age is suspect. If a suspect speaks voluntarily, even under Veritaserum, his statements may be used in court.

Wizard law focuses upon protection of the community. Even an unsuccessful attempt to reveal the existence of magical folk to the Muggle community is a more serious offense than killing by 'Avada Kedavra'. Preventing such a disclosure is, in fact, an acceptable defense for using that prohibited curse. Wizard punishment is also aimed at protection of the community, rather than retribution or rehabilitation of the guilty.

"Doesn't that last principle make Wizard justice very susceptible to political influence?" Hermione asked. "It's all well and good to say criminal A is still a danger to society, while criminal B who committed the exact same crime isn't a danger, but isn't that really a judgment made by government officials who are really asking which criminal is a threat to the current government? Lucius Malfoy seems to have gotten off repeatedly for his many crimes, largely because successive governments thought he could be helpful. Stan Shunpike stayed in Azkaban, despite not being a danger, because releasing him might be politically perilous. Is this really a legal system to be proud of?"

"Well," Madam Bones responded, "the system assumes that the government is legitimate and acting in the interest of the community. The secrecy and survival of the magical community is paramount. The Muggles take the same approach with all their state secrecy laws. The difference is that so much more criminal activity is a threat to the security and survival of such a small and fragile secret community as our own, compared to the far more secure British Muggle community."

"Is that really a satisfactory answer?" Hermione said as a statement more than a question, or at least that is how Madam Bones treated it, as she chose not to respond.

"What are the core principles of Wizard justice?" Hermione pursued Madam Bones, suggesting that I had incorrectly taken her prior question as rhetorical. "If I might phrase it more personally, what are the core principles that guide you in your job?"

"Well, certainly not to convict an innocent person. Not to use unfairly obtained evidence to convict a defendant. Not to bring a case to the Wizengamot, if I don't think I can win it. Not to permit aurors to abuse suspects. Not to engage in political prosecutions. Obviously, to protect the secrecy and survival of our community."

"What about your obligation to convict and jail those who are guilty of crimes?" demanded Shacklebolt.

"I certainly do that by the very nature of my job, but the principles relate to HOW I go about doing that," Madam Bones confidently answered him.

At the close of the second day of lectures, Dad told Harry, "I know you've worked the weekend, but we fell behind at the Ministry on Friday. I'll need you at your desk, bright and early, on Monday morning. Shall we say at precisely 9:00 A.M.?" Harry agreed.

Before we returned to our apartment, Harry and I had transport duties to perform. We apparated out and returned with Mafalda and Victoria, who stayed at our Goblin Sanctuary house. We had told Trew at dinner that we'd do one last stone practice with her after breakfast, if she could delay the start of her sabbatical. She agreed. All the rest of my troops were alerted for a morning practice. Cissy was so excited, that I told her that these practices were secret and she better calm down 'right now!' if she wished to be included. She instantly became remarkably subdued.

We were all eating an early breakfast, since the lectures were supposed to commence at 7:30. McGonagall was concerned that Shacklebolt and Wood, who were to be our lecturers, hadn't shown up for breakfast. Dad told her, "Don't worry. I have full confidence in their punctuality."

She then expressed concern that the Slytherins were not off to a sufficiently well-behaved start. Slughorn had handed out six detentions already and the rest of the faculty had subtracted twenty points from Slytherin and added two more demerits. Most were for more than petty harassing of first years from other houses. Two Slytherin sixth years had decided to take some revenge on Cissy. She was battling them with 'Protego' spells as they backed her into a dark corner off the main corridor. Cissy had been saved when Ellen had caught up with her and stunned her two assailants. Ellen had turned them over to Professor Slughorn with a warning that she was sending a note to Directors Shacklebolt and Bones, and that they should expect to find themselves in jail if they repeated this behavior. McGonagall said she had instructed Professor Slughorn to do what was necessary to convince his charges that they must decide between following the rules and being sent home.

McGonagall scowled as Dad commented, "It sounds as if the great Slytherin experiment is already edging toward failure."

At 7:30, Harry asked to speak to McGonagall in his office. Dad and I joined them. Hermione had the Snape device set up in the office. "We invade Azkaban today," Dad told McGonagall. "Everything I'm about to tell you is a state secret. Wood and Kingsley will lead the surface attack. Ginny and Harry will lead an attack by stone. If their party falters, they will retreat to the pyramid floor. You and I will command the reserves from that location. Here is what you will do. At exactly 8:30 you will lower the internal Hogwarts apparation barriers. At 8:45 you will join me and others in the Great Hall, from which we will apparate to the floor of the pyramid. We will have every available Unicorn and trusted friends who can produce a powerful Patronus. Cissy will be with us. She can link her Patronus to the stone. She will try to feed stone power to you and me."

Dad gave Harry, Hermione, Ron, and me hugs, telling us "Good luck and be safe."

"Speaking of which," Hermione withdrew a large vial from her pocket, took a swig and passed it around. "Liquid luck. We can use it."

We were off to the stone. Ron collected the Ancient Witches. Harry collected Trelawney, Luna, Bill, George, and Barb. I apparated from the Great Hall. Margaret was already there in her Joan of Arc regalia. My first stop was the Forbidden Forest to tell the Unicorns that it was time. I was then back to the Great Hall to pick up the rest of my stone warriors.


	75. Chapter 75

**Chapter 75 – The Attack on Azkaban**

I gathered Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, George, the Ancient Witches, Trelawney, Bill, Barb, and Mom in a circle around me. I had chalked the dimensions of the stone onto the floor of the Great Hall. I asked "Ready?" and then apparated all of us into the lower chamber of the stone. I urged the stone to come fully arrive and to ramp up its power.

We all lay down on the hard stone, pressing the tops of our heads against the black smoothness of the stone. We placed our rings onto our wands and our wands against our skin, under our robes. I instructed my brave warriors to tune into the cadence of the stone. When I gave the mental signal, they were all to let their minds drift from their bodies, through the stone, and on to Azkaban. Hermione had brought Fawkes with her. She assured everyone that, should they become disoriented or misdirected, Fawkes would lead them back onto the proper path. I was using the stone as my clock, but also maintaining contact with Neville, Cissy, and Wood.

I could tell that Wood and his party of two other aurors had been accepted by the Dementors and were now within the walls of Azkaban, being escorted to the office of the head Dementor guard. Neville let me know that Shacklebolt and he were in position, with thirty aurors at the ready. Wood and his band were producing fairly weak, standard order Patronuses, who pranced along beside them. The Dementors thought nothing of this. Ministry employees almost always did this during inspection tours, lest they never return from the prison. I gave Wood the signal to attack, transmitting as much stone power to him as I could. As soon as Wood's Patronus was at its maximum and he and the other two aurors were attacking the two Dementors that they were with, I gave the signal for Neville's party to attack.

Neville and Shacklebolt's group had been flying on brooms and now apparated to within a few hundred feet of the outer walls of Azkaban. There was still a small breech in the wall from the battle that had freed the Death Eaters. It was constantly patrolled by a pair of Dementors, giving Shacklebolt his initial target. In less than a minute, Shacklebolt's team was inside the walls and had deployed their Patronuses. Neville had tapped into the stone for extra power. The two Dementors were trapped against a stone wall and at least incapacitated, if not outright destroyed. Azkaban had been breached. It was time for the stone warriors.

I led my warriors into the black stone. The stone allowed me to pass through as it steered me toward Azkaban. The sense was of moving through dense mud, but not the sudden jolting stop and complete freeze that I had experienced on prior entries into the stone. I could tell that Ron was right behind me. I struggled forward, remembering to ignite my Patronus ahead of me. I thought encouraging thoughts to my warriors, who seemed to be doing fine. Hermione had just entered the stone, having decided to bring up the rear, in order to herd the stragglers along. I could even pick up bird thoughts from Fawkes, who was herding his charges along like the most skilled and loyal of sheep dogs. Neville's force was progressing through Azkaban, and Wood had linked up with him. That was a relief. Three stranded aurors had been my biggest worry. I focused upon pressing forward.

I suddenly accelerated, squirting from the black stone and into a blacker dark. I instantly ramped my Patronus to full strength, a strength which was fuller than I had ever seen, even in our practices for this battle. Bill's and then Ron's Patronus joined mine, before my mind could adjust to the bright. As it did, I found we had drifted against a two foot square polished white column of rock. There were several dozen Dementors arrayed in front of us, but they were shrinking back against the rear wall of the stone chamber. As more and more Patronuses arrived, I instructed their owners to move the Dementors toward the sides and rear of the column. The Dementors were cowering, rather than attacking. Their shrieks suggested that the Patronuses were injuring them. I ordered my troops to keep the Dementors plastered against the walls of the chamber, but not to kill them, as Hermione and I studied our surroundings.

We were floating above a little moat, perhaps three feet across. It started about a foot from the edges of the stone. Thick silver wires, as thick as my forearm, extended from the sides of the stone to the moat. Hermione and I rapidly searched our stone knowledge. Our stone confirmed that neither the moat nor the silver wires were supposed to be here.

Remembering how my Patronus had scorched Hagrid's hut, I directed its full power against the point where the wire and the stone joined. Hermione directed her Patronus to assist mine. As the silver got hot and sort of melty, we directed as much mental energy as we could against the silver wire. It fell away into the moat.

We attacked the remaining three wires in the same fashion. As the final wire fell away, the white stone began to emit a faint hum. It seemed warm and I was about to brush up against it to confirm this impression, when my mind exploded **"DO NOT TOUCH THE STONE. IT WILL KILL YOU."** I thanked my stone, as I floated away from its alien counterpart.

I warned my warriors not to touch the white stone. The warning was likely unnecessary as the stone was starting to seem quite ominous. It was rapidly brightening, noticeably hot, and giving off louder and louder humming sounds. The changed hum of the white stone seemed to cause the Dementors increased pain as the shrieks grew louder.

One Dementor struggled forward and I picked up a faint thought message from it "**_Please! Stop! Why do you kill us? We have served you faithfully."_**

I instructed my warriors to reduce the power of their Patronuses and to let the Dementor who had communicated approach me closer. **"You haven't served us faithfully. You fought for Voldemort. Three Dementors attacked me at Hogwarts a few weeks ago and would have killed me, had we not fought them off with Patronuses. Two other Dementors waited to attack students on their way to Hogsmeade. Do you deny this?"**

"**_We have always followed the orders of the Ministry. We were told to kill you and this one._**" A**n image of Pansy Parkinson appeared in my head. I didn't really need to ask, but it is important for an investigator to confirm her suppositions.**

"**Who ordered you to do this? Whose orders will you follow?"**

A series of images appeared in my mind in rapid succession. There was Umbridge all in pink, smiley, with a cat in her arms and pink bows in her head and actually speaking to me "You must kill these two. You will find them at Hogwarts. Here are there pictures. The cat was draped around her shoulders like a stole as a hand reached into her robes and came out bearing pictures of me and Pansy. Umbridge was gone to be replaced by Thicknesse, who spoke briefly "I am Minister, you must obey me." Voldemort "You would be wise to follow my orders", and surprisingly Narcissa "I speak for the Dark Lord Voldemort. You must obey me." As Narcissa spoke, Thicknesse and Voldemort each had a hand upon one of her shoulders.

"**Those were very bad Wizards who took control of the elected government by force. You should not have obeyed them. My father is the rightful Minister and I am the rightful representative of the stone. You must obey us. You must obey the black stone. You must not leave Azkaban."** I projected an image of Dad.

"_Very well. We have no interest in Wizard affairs. Release my people and we will serve you. This has been a mistake. I will order my people above not to fight your aurors, if they lower their lights."_

I messaged Neville and Cissy saying I thought we had won and everyone could reduce their Patronus strength. I told them that I thought the Dementors would now obey our orders, but that I needed to have more discussion with their leader.

"I've looked into the history of the Dementors in the knowledge stores of our stone. You aren't supposed to exist. You were the bad side of some evil Centaurs and the Light Guardian intended to destroy you."

"_All I can tell you is that we exist. We miraculously survived. Even if we exist by a seeming mistake on the part of your Light Guardian, are even its errors to be killed and discarded? Perhaps at some level, it showed mercy and allowed us to live. Yes, your next question is why we have modified the white stone. It would destroy us if we entered the chamber and it was not so chained. It is only slowly coming back to life and already it harms us. When we were exiled here, the stone sputtered out and we not only lived for the moment, but we seized the chance to chain our executioner. The stone is now strengthening. With your permission, we will leave this chamber and return to our prison above."_

I directed my forces to diminish and further withdraw their Patronuses. I was about to ask how the Dementors would depart the chamber, but felt my thoughts directed upward. There was a shaft formed by a gap between the white stone and the surrounding rock. It looked dangerous, as there was only a several inch gap between the glowing stone and the surrounding rock. I messaged the black stone.

**Is it safe for me to pass beside the stone? I need to rise to the next level.**

Apparently it was barely safe, if I was very careful. My stone said it would lower the intensity of the white rock. It said that it would guide an elongated spirit me through the narrow passage.

I explained what I needed to do and Bill flatly rejected the thought, saying he must be the one to make the hazardous passage and be the one to return and apparate the rest of us. I told him that I respected his courage but not his technical ability. I was closest to the stone and the one spirit the stone could safely guide on this task. While Bill was pondering that thought, I asked the stone to lead me up the shaft.

Even without a body it was hot. Not just heat, but intense light and radiation, like a Patronus that was deadly to Witches. I moved as fast as I was able, but I needed to judge the width and turnings of the tortuous shaft above me.

**You must have faith. You can do this with my help, but you must keep moving. You are afraid, but to tarry is to die. I will suck you back to me before that can happen. Trust me.**

I put my faith in the black rock, thinking of it as an extension of the Light Guardian. I forced my spirit to move faster. I took blind turnings at the stone's direction, although I cringed as I did so. I wanted to go just a little slower, but goaded myself forward. I knew the stone was correct about the need for haste. I could feel myself becoming more uncomfortable and weaker. I pushed as fast as I was able. The terror I had felt about moving faster had been replaced by a growing fear that my speed was slowing, despite my efforts to push forward. I once again felt like I was swimming through molasses.

**Just a little more. You're almost there. I'm feeding you strength. Just keep moving.**

I continued to push forward. I felt the stone energy flowing into my spirit and then flowing away as fast as it arrived. I ignored the dangers and blindly moved forward along the path set for me. I was weakening, but I pushed forward.

I popped out of the passage and flopped down on the stone floor. I messaged Neville to come and protect me, while I rebuilt my strength. I had almost not succeeded. It had been risky and Dad would be angry, but I was certain Bill could not have survived. Neville and his Patronus were next to me. I felt better just having his friendly spirit by my side. I think I also soaked up some good feeling and even a little energy from his Patronus. I told Neville and my warriors in the lower chamber that I was going to rest for just a minute, then I would apparate to the lower chamber to apparate all of them back to this level. It took me about five minutes to feel strong enough for two apparations.

I made it to the lower chamber, feeling quite good. I instructed the leader of the Dementors that we were going to apparate up one level. His people should wait half a minute and then ask permission to follow. If there were any tricks and he tried to leave half his army behind, I could once again ramp up the power of the white stone.

I instructed the spirit warriors to huddle against me, then I apparated us all to the level above. I was again feeling drained, but functional, if I moved slowly. I wasn't worried. I could feel my strength increasing. messaged the spirit warriors that Ron and I would lead the Dementors up the shaft and that the others should follow us. To the head Dementor, I spoke

"_**My people weaken, We must move through the passage while we still have enough strength left."**_

"**Permission granted. Follow me. No tricks! We can power up our Patronuses in an instant."**

"**_Not tricks. We have always followed lawful orders since we were defeated millennia ago. We are reconciled to our fate."_**

As the main force of Dementors began to arrive on our level, we were joined by Shacklebolt's party and the half dozen remaining Dementors from the surface. I told the Dementor leader that we would all be safer if his band congregated at the dead end of the corridor we were in. They did so. We had them blocked into the end of the corridor, although we had powered down our Patronuses to glows so faint that they could hardly be distinguished.

As I looked at the Dementors, a jolt of fear coursed through me. **"You've tricked us! Where are the rest of your people? There must have been a hundred of you in the chamber below, now I see only twenty of you**." As I spoke, Patronuses powered up around me and half our party turned to guard our rear.

_"_**_Stop! I beg you. There is no trick. The rest of my brethren were too weak. The white stone finished them on their path to the surface_**_."_

Hermione said she thought that this was true. I checked my stone knowledge and queried the stone itself. This explanation seemed to be valid. I told the Dementor leader that I was sorry that so many of his people had died.

I messaged Cissy to tell Dad that things appeared fine. He should tell Tony to cancel his attack. I got a funny feeling about trusting Tony and told all of our forces that we had won, but would withdraw right away. Neville took the head Dementor with him, cringing a bit as he had to grab its hand.

My warriors and I simply thought our spirits back into our bodies. We were whole again. We had worked very hard, but with a constant flow of magical power from the stone, I felt more energized than I ever had. I lingered in the cavern to make certain that all my brave warriors had successfully awakened. This took about twenty minutes. We joined hands and instantly found ourselves standing with the others on the floor of the pyramid.

The head Dementor had summoned the other two Dementors from the Forbidden Forest. The three Dementors were floating with their backs against a corner of the pyramid and thoroughly surrounded. Neville brought us up to date on what had been learned from the Dementors.

Although we feared that the hungry Dementors saw us as lunch, they were terrified of us. They had been trained to obey the Ministry and had been surprised and badly wounded by our super-Patronuses. The chamber beneath Azkaban could no longer serve as their hive. It was deadly to them and would become increasingly deadly. They had pleaded that the white stone not be permitted to become any more powerful than it already was.

I held up my hand for Neville to pause, and asked the black stone if it was possible to dial its white brother back a notch. The black stone said that this would be done.

That task completed, I asked Neville to continue the story. Neville said that Dad's cordon around Azkaban had been successful, but that Umbridge and Narcissa had penetrated it and forged a gap so that the five Dementors could exit. The Dementor leader had instructed the two remaining Dementors to return from Hogsmeade to Azkaban. Dad had ordered the whales powering the cordon to allow them to pass.

The Dementor leader had apologized in advance, saying we would doubtless find that his brethren had already consumed the eight Azkaban prisoners, whom our attackers had been unable to reach before the Dementors swarmed their cells. It was unfortunate, he said, but a matter of survival for his kind. He said he suspected that Azkaban would now be a prison to hold only his kind and that he understood our logic in making that change.

Shacklebolt confirmed that his attackers heard screams from those prison cells, but were unable to fight through the Dementors in time. They had pushed the Dementors aside, killing many of them, but the prisoners had received 'the kiss' before they could reach them.

Dad told the Dementor leader that it really wasn't conscionable to send prisoners for them to torment. The leader had responded only_**, "What are we to do. We admit our defeat and we are willing to follow your orders, but we must be able to survive."**_

Dad had replied that he would think upon this question and that he would ask me to ask the stone.

I told the Dementor leader that auror Bill was also an approved contact, whom he should obey, but that Bill was not authorized to give permission for the Dementors to leave Azkaban. I also told him that I didn't believe for an instant that the white stone had simply sputtered out at the most fortuitous of moments for his kind, or that the original Dementors had just happened to find half a ton of silver at hand from which they fashioned the massive wires used to chain the white stone. Dementors were bringers of cold, not heat. It should have been an impossible task for them.

The Dementor responded for my ears only "_Who's to say what actually happened? I tell you our main legend. It is most improbable, I agree. That is how legends are. Some are even true. How to explain it? A burst of pity from the Light Guardian? A hidden foe of your Guardian who salvaged us from destruction, but never gave us a purpose other than the futile war we lost to the magical beings? We are what we are, and more than ever we are at your mercy. We have a less-believed legend of a great rival to your Light Guardian, who perished against the white stone while laboring to save our kind. Few believe this. After all these millennia, does it really matter? We should not exist, but yet here we are. If we are to survive, we need food. We don't have to kill humans. Their fear and sucking out a goodly measure of their joy is enough to nourish us. We can eat by frightening small game. There is some vegetation on Azkaban Island. Send us hares_."

I told them I'd see what I could do for them.

McGonagall told Dad and our group, "I thank you for including me in this plan. I am also very proud of Trew. It is good to be once again fighting as part of the same team. I see that my slim hopes of Narcissa being off on a noble mission were undeniably false. She was working with our enemies from before the time she was influenced by Voldemort's ghost. She was far more active with the other side than she ever led me to believe. I apologize on behalf of the Sisterhood. We put too much faith in the wrong Witch."

The three Dementors were left sealed inside the pyramid, while we considered what to do with them. They weren't a hazard – the stone would watch them and their energy was depleted. They were starving.

Dad was very pleased with the success of Operation Azkaban, although he knew that he could not gain any good publicity from the attack. We would try to keep it secret, at least until we figured out what to do with the remaining Dementors. We had at least a truce and over three quarters of the Dementors had been killed. I didn't expect them to warmly welcome Umbridge or Narcissa ever again. Nor would they be eager to send another raiding party against Hogwarts.

The law lectures resumed on Sunday afternoon after a hearty lunch. The students were surprised to find an additional long table in the Great Hall and even more surprised to find that table filled by virtually every auror employed by the Ministry. I had prompted the aurors to stare frequently at the thugs sitting at the Slytherin table. The results were most salutary, with the felon-wannabes first squirming in their seats and then trying to look like innocent second years.

I was expecting Shacklebolt to be the lecturer on the third day, but he had assigned that responsibility to Bill, and limited himself to occasional comments to clarify what Bill told us. Bill clarified the aurors' responsibility to capture suspects alive, saying that this was not always possible and that it was not unusual for a fleeing suspect to die as a result of auror actions such as being petrified while flying a broom, being disabled while apparating, or even by a killing curse in a case in which the aurors were outnumbered and could not protect themselves with non-lethal curses. A lethal curse was also permitted to deal with an assassin trying to kill the Minister, including when the life of the Minister was threatened by a 'general insurrection'. These last statements led to a lot of back and forth between Shacklebolt and Madam Bones, with consultation of the written law, which was more scant than one might expect. I thought the written law confirmed what Bill had just told us, although Madam Bones declared "it is far too easy to stretch what are meant to be EXTREMELY limited exceptions to the no Avada Kedavra rule."

Bill explained tricks to use when conducting surveillance of a site or person, how to search for hidden items (which tended to be buried in gardens and magically protected), how to tell if a wand had recently been used for a killing curse, how to prevent suspects from apparating while you were in the process of apprehending them, and how to use your tone of voice, pointed stares, deliberate silences, and suggestions of favorable consideration to get a suspect to divulge useful information. Madam Bones responded to this last approach with, "aurors cannot promise favorable treatment - that must come from me".

The seminar was generally considered a success but I couldn't help noticing that it had somewhat dulled Harry's enthusiasm about becoming an auror.

{{You seem glum.}}

{[concerned] I remember Barb's description of how boring the early years of an auror's career can be, but this just further emphasizes how constrained the auror's job is. It would be nice to be able to move into Shacklebolt's position at some time, but I can see how even that job is set up to be driven by the Minister, or Deputy Minister, or Madam Bones. I recognize his frustration that baddies get caught, but still haven't been prosecuted; and, even when they're convicted, they escape and do more bad things. I definitely have the best job now, and Madam Bones and most everyone else who's at least ten years older than us wants to rein us in. I need to stay in a position like this as long as I possibly can in order to keep you safe from a future baddy in power.}

{{It would be better if we had a plan to make me and the stone seem harmless.}}

{I have no good ideas on that either.}

Our guests stayed at Hogwarts for dinner. Right after dinner, Harry, Shacklebolt, and Dad took Madam Bones to Harry's office for 'a quick talk'. While Harry was away, I took the opportunity to chat with Professor Slughorn.

Slughorn was in good spirits, telling me, "I think my approach is beginning to work. The older Slytherin boys have been far better behaved, since I had a little chat with them last night and clarified my expectations."

I couldn't help replying, "I'm sure it didn't hurt to have forty aurors at the school. I asked the aurors to stare down the trouble makers during lunch and dinner. I think your young toughs felt properly intimidated."

Harry returned and our whole group left the Great Hall. Harry had whispered to me {[calm] We told Madam Bones about today's raid on Azkaban and the likely death of her prisoners. She was not pleased. I really don't see how we could have safely saved all the prisoners. Shacklebolt's team did save two of them. Madam Bones thought the aurors should have evacuated the prisoners, before we attacked. That wasn't possible. The Dementors would have known something was afoot. As you well know, there were well over a hundred Dementors on Azkaban. Without the advantage of surprise, we had no chance. Still, Madam Bones told us that we should be ashamed, that 'those prisoners were sentenced to Azkaban, not death'. I don't even know what a sentence to Azkaban is, other than a sentence to death by slow torture. The French 'Avada Kedavra' sentence is much kinder.}

As we walked backed to Gryffindor, Cissy effusively thanked Harry for "including me in this most interesting educational experience. This was a completely unique experience for me. And you must admit, I was in no danger at all. At Hogwarts, you just don't get to hear an immediate back and forth on the pros and cons of a particularly position, especially from such important and knowledgeable experts as Directors Shacklebolt and Bones. It gives me a much better appreciation of our legal system and how the aurors go about their jobs. How many Hogwarts classes do you suppose I would have to attend to learn as much as I did in these three days? Headmaster McGonagall should be pleased that I missed only one day of class and only two lectures on that particular day. I can catch up on my studying this week."

This seemed a little too much concentrated enthusiasm for Harry and, after a brief stop in the common room to say hello to the younger Gryffindors, he elected to head to our apartment. I was pleasantly surprised that Cissy's enthusiasm had concerned the law lectures, rather than her admittedly limited role in the invasion of Azkaban.

My mind kept returning to what McGonagall had said about Narcissa. I had seen the Dementor's vision. If I were to accept this at face value, then Narcissa had been very bad for a very long time. Yet I, and my fellow truth tellers, had observed her when she was questioned by Harry and Draco. I had been convinced that she had told the truth.

I was too tired now, but I would have to replay those interviews in my head. Did I miss the tells of a lie? Did she shade the truth and sneak around the questions in a way that I hadn't noticed? Were we just hoping that she wasn't too bad for Draco's sake and to put the sorry debacle of the Sisterhood's conniving behind us, to permit Dad to have the peaceful reconciliation that he so obviously wanted? Was there a way to cheat the truth tellers? A special potion or people who were just born to be extremely convincing liars? I knew the answers were hidden within my mind and I was determined to find them.


	76. Chapter 76

**CHAPTER 76 – THE NEW BATTLE OF HOGWARTS**

The new term was already off to a bumpy start, but it got worse on Monday. It was as if the departure of the auror corps took a cork out of a bottle ready to explode. McGonagall and Slughorn did not have control of Slytherin. They weren't trying nearly hard enough, at least from my perspective. With Slytherin reopened, Gryffindor was paired with Slytherin for most classes. I didn't even have to attend my first class to encounter problems. The eight first-year Gryffindors, along with the two transplanted Slytherin first-years we were housing, were proceeding in an orderly double file to McGonagall's transfiguration class. They were halfway there, when a trio of upper level Slytherin Wizards accosted them.

Barb and I were walking back from breakfast to our Common Room, when we came up behind the hooligans just as they switched from taunts to curses. I heard 'Expelliarmus' shouted three times in near unison and saw ten sets of books go flying. There were some shrieks from the young Witches. The tough in the center yelled 'Incendio' and two of the boys' robes burst into flame, causing hysterical shrieks from the girls. I shouted 'Aguamenti' and snuffed out the flames and smoldering cloth, as Barb shouted 'Petrificus Totalis'. The first years calmed as they saw us, while the Slytherins collapsed in a heap.

Barb and I escorted the first years to their class, entering the room to inform McGonagall of the assault which we had just interrupted. I was surprised to see Professor Slughorn, but then realized that he had taken over the transfiguration classes. We led him back to the pile of Slytherins in the corridor. Barb collected their wands and reversed her spell.

"Well?" Slughorn asked the Slytherins.

The leader, Ben Frakes, who was the one who had set the children afire, told Slughorn in what I felt was a very defiant tone, "Just a little school prank. Something to let the Gryffindors know that we Slytherins have truly returned."

Professor Slughorn was not pleased with this response. Frakes got two weeks of detention, while each of his buddies received a single week. Ben looked unblinkingly at Barb and demanded: "Our wands, if you please!" Barb returned his friends' wands, then broke his across her knee and handed him the two halves. We returned to Gryffindor, leaving Frakes gaping at Barb.

"That gang is back at Hogwarts just to cause trouble. They don't care about getting an education, so detentions mean nothing to them," I told Barb. "We need a plan to protect the little kids in the other houses."

"I can request another auror and some Elves to patrol the corridors," Barb suggested. "That may not be enough to protect an entire school, but we can make a bit of a difference. We can also make it known that serious offenders will be arrested."

"I'll be safe with Baal," I assured her. Spotting Ron, I told her, "You can use Ron's invisibility cloak to watch the second years. We should get a couple Elves to protect the first years." Hermione immediately volunteered the services of her Elves. Cissy and Ellen were still in the dorm, so Hermione went up to fetch them. Margaret came down with them. Barb explained the problem we had dealt with. Ellen and Cissy said that they would watch over the third years. Margaret said that she would be happy to help. Cissy was thrilled when I told her that it was time for her and Margaret to receive another lesson in drawing power from the stone. Hermione and I worked with them for close to an hour, until we all had classes to rush off to.

"This changes my plans for the day," Hermione said. "Ron and I were going to do Covenant Committee work today, but I'm not going to abandon you. The three of us and Baal should be safe enough." We were a little surprised to find Draco waiting for us at the potions bench. We were stunned to find that Erin was with him. "I was here. I thought I'd attend a last class in person. Potions is harder to do from home. Not all of the equipment or ingredients are available. I wanted to talk to you, anyway."

There were hoots coming from the seventh year Slytherins at the other bench. Frakes was yelling at me and asking if I was going to be quite as tough without my auror friend. Some were yelling to Draco, "You filthy traitor. We'll get you. You'd best leave Hogwarts while you still can. How dare you bring your filthy, pregnant, Ravenclaw whore to class with us? You've really gone down in the world."

The instigators of these taunts were a tall girl, named Rowena, and the only seventh-level boy who hadn't participated in the assault on the first years. Frakes wasn't saying anything to Draco, but he was smirking. Rowena pointed at Hermione and clearly annunciated, "'Ark! Look at the filthy Mudblood. We'll get you too."

We ignored them, and Professor Sprout told them to be quiet and to get to work. She quaintly deducted two points from Slytherin and intimated that detentions would follow if their deportment didn't improve, at once.

We were brewing a rather innocuous potion, which was guaranteed to keep your skin soft and your hair brilliant, through at least late middle age. It was not a complicated potion. The three cauldrons at our table were soon steaming away, while the Slytherins had basically not begun. They sat there joking among themselves and snorting like pigs.

I was focused intently upon the only half-way tricky step in making the potion, when something was tossed from the Slytherin side into Draco and Erin's cauldron. Rowena pointed her wand and mouthed something, as a big splash emerged from the cauldron. The cauldron, bench top, and Erin's robes were suddenly afire. I stepped back instinctively as Hermione was using 'Aguamenti' to extinguish the flames. Professor Sprout was shouting at the Slytherins, who were splitting a gut laughing.

As Professor Sprout was handing out detentions, I did a silent and wandless "Expelliarmus', with my hands plainly in sight and occupied with potions making equipment. When Professor Sprout glanced over, I was hard at work, but tracking to two wands out of the corner of my eye. I incinerated them both in mid-air. Rowena had a very puzzled expression on her face. Then she accused "Did you see what they just did to our wands? Aren't you going to do anything about that?"

Professor Sprout said that she hadn't seen a thing. In the confusion, Hermione's potion was ruined, although Baal had salvaged mine. Professor Sprout was haranguing the Slytherins for, "not doing a lick of work and just coming into my class to cause trouble." She blessed my potion and I split it with Hermione, who carefully labeled both bottles.

As we were leaving, I could tell that Frakes had whispered a taunt at Draco, but couldn't hear what it was. I looked back over my shoulder to see Frakes standing naked, as Draco left the room whistling, his arm around Erin's waist.

I used the stone to contact Harry at the Ministry, telling him all the problems that had occurred during one short morning. Harry and Shacklebolt joined us for lunch. Margaret had strapped on her Joan sword and was wearing the ring. She joined Cissy in telling us that the Slytherins had better not mess with them and the other third years. I told them "Keep your 'shield' and 'safe' charms updated frequently. Remember 'Off!' is a great counter-punch. Be aware of your surroundings. Remember, you can contact me through the stone, if you need help."

Harry was telling us that he had brought half a dozen Elves and charged them with protecting the youngest Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. They were using some sort of Elf invisibility charms to remain out of sight.

Shacklebolt promised, "I'm willing to provide several more aurors and to arrest the troublemakers if your headmaster makes the request."

"Their headmaster is not making that particular request. I am fully capable of controlling this school. My office, all of you. You, too, Miss Wright, and since when do we wear swords to table?"

We all trooped after McGonagall, to hoots from the Slytherin table. A stare from Shacklebolt and a couple strides in their direction brought instant silence. We walked in silence to McGonagall's office. The students in the Great Hall were safe, Shacklebolt had left four aurors on patrol and they were not assuming the air of school proctors.

"I admit that this has been a rough morning, and that stronger measures are called for, but I won't tolerate Ginny organizing a band of vigilantes. And I won't have students wearing swords to class."

"It seems like we're dealing with more than little pranks here. This is a mutiny to take over Hogwarts. What has happened?" Shacklebolt demanded."\

McGonagall summarized everything which I had witnessed, adding two other incidents: "Three first-year Ravenclaw Witches were levitated, up-ended, and had their knickers snickered at by the Slytherin fifth- and sixth-level boys. The Hufflepuff second year Witches were ambushed by six upper-level Slytherin girls and marched at wand-point to the Moaning Myrtle bathroom, where they were dunked head-first into the loo. I've had crying Witches in my office most of the morning. Some demand to be allowed to return home."

"And you criticize Ginny for breaking up an attack in which first-years were set afire?" Shacklebolt actually laughed at McGonagall. There will be students going home. I know of two sets of parents who will be arriving on today's Hogwarts Express to bring home their three children. I told them that I would provide auror protection for the trip."

"It sounds like you didn't even try to persuade them to wait a few days to see if the situation improves," McGonagall complained.

"I'm not going to lie to worried parents and tell them that you have the situation under control. My aurors should be patrolling the halls and hauling Mr. Frakes and his two buddies off to jail. The Hogwarts headmasters have always permitted an astonishing level of bullying, but this goes far beyond that. I can solve your problem for you."

"No, your intervention could destroy Hogwarts. I have instructed my staff to patrol the halls. We will look after the younger students. Those Slytherins who were given detention by Professor Slughorn will not find it a pleasant experience. I have deducted an additional dozen points from Slytherin."

"Do you think a hundred points, or a thousand would make a bit of difference to those thugs? It's time for you to send them home and close up Slytherin House. Slughorn isn't up to the job," Shacklebolt told her. "This looks like the start of a war. The Slytherins are willing to fight very dirty and harm very young children. You seem willing to increase the number of demerits and detentions that you and your staff hand out. I can guarantee you that won't stop the attacks."

"I have been most firm, and I intend to be even firmer," Slughorn indignantly responded.

"I'm leaving you three aurors," Shacklebolt summarily declared. "They will report to Barb and be deployed as she sees fit. I suggest you announce to your students that further mayhem will lead to arrests and prosecution, because that is exactly what is going to happen. I do not intend to refight the Battle of Hogwarts. I particularly do not intend to lose that second battle. This has become a matter of law and order."

"I'll make the announcement, but please give me a few more days to restore order, before the Ministry effectively declares martial law and ruins Hogwarts forever. Slytherin is a vital part of Hogwarts. To close it again is to admit failure."

"Fine, be it on your head," Shacklebolt declared as he and his aurors prepared to leave. "I'd keep the sword, if I were you," he advised Margaret.

As soon as Shacklebolt was gone, McGonagall told Margaret, "I'll have that sword right now, Miss Wright. And, I don't appreciate your bringing Director Shacklebolt here," she told Harry. "That makes the problem seem worse than it is."

"You had two separate groups of students set afire today," Harry told her. "That seems very serious to me. I had a duty to respond."

"We're going to meet with all of the Slytherins to discuss this as soon as we finish speaking with you," Professor Celine assured Harry. "If the detentions don't deter the bad conduct, students will be expelled."

"Then I'll leave you to it," Harry replied. "I will leave my Elves here to protect my friends. I'm returning to the Ministry. I do intend to speak to the Minister about involving my department in this matter if order isn't quickly restored. You can call that Ministry interference if you choose. I call it doing my job. Neville takes over in a week. Do you really want your tenure as headmaster to end in this level of chaos over a stupid dream that the sixth and seventh year Slytherins came here with any interest at all in learning?"

Harry was gone and the rest of us followed him.

There was only one incident during the rest of the day, but it was truly frightening. I received a message from Baal that Ellen and the Elf who were protecting the Gryffindor second years had rushed off to deal with Rowena and another girl upending and bullying a pair of Hufflepuff third year Witches. Hermione, Baal, and I raced to the first floor corridor to take up guarding the Gryffindor first years, who were on their way to broom riding practice. As we were walking toward a turning in the main corridor, when we heard a little girlish shriek followed by a belligerent raised voice around the corner.

"Freaks! You shouldn't be at Hogwarts. We burn Witches like you!"

As Hermione and I sped around the corner, we saw two first years enveloped in flame. We quickly used our 'Aguamenti' spells to extinguish the blaze. The two Slytherin sixth years responsible for the damage suddenly were hurled against the far wall, ten feet away. Despite seeing blood spreading from one of the attackers, I instantly responded "Good job, Baal, that served them right."

"I did nothing but make water," Baal informed me. The three of us had made a lot of water, the corridor was drenched. Hermione and I rushed to the first years, to see how badly they were hurt. I knew the victims would be Alice and Henry. After the Prophet story about the Spencer freaks, who else could the victims be?"

The Spencer twins were both crying hysterically and I certainly couldn't blame them for that. The full length of their robes had been on fire. Alice's hair was a little singed and her skin was reddened on her forehead and one spot on her right knee. I told Hermione that she seemed in remarkably good condition.

"We got here just in time," Hermione responded. "I hate to imagine the result if we had been even a half minute later. Henry is basically okay, by the way. His left hand is a little burned and he's lost half an eyebrow, but I think he'll be fine. I guess we should check on our bleeding attacker."

A crowd was gathering as we moved to check on the health of the attackers. Both of the Slytherins were out cold. I saw that the bleeding was caused by a wand protruding from the belly of the larger attacker. I called to McGonagall "we'll need Madam Pomphrey for this one – he's been impaled on his wand. I think he'll live."

"Mrs. Potter! My office in ten minutes, after I've seen to this student, whom you've almost killed. It's fine to protect the first years, but an over-abundance of violence is not going to help us."

Since I had done absolutely nothing to the two goons, other than douse the fire they had set, I was less than thrilled to have McGonagall yelling this in front of what was now a group of about two dozen students and several professors, along with Barb and Ellen. Hermione pulled me away and I walked toward McGonagall's office, so we could chat, away from the gathering crowd. "I did nothing to the attackers," I told Hermione.

"Me neither, and Baal also said he didn't attack them. Do you think…? Could Henry have done this. He was obviously terrified to find himself and his sister afire. That's the sort of panic and I'm sure anger, which can trigger wild magic. He didn't even have time to draw his wand."

"He, or Alice, or both are really powerful," I agreed. "What should we tell McGonagall?"

"I say just tell her that we did nothing other than extinguish the flames. We don't want to acknowledge another episode of strong wandless magic from the twins."

That's what we did.

"You know that isn't believable. It was just you and the Spencer twins." McGonagall seemed to believe that we were lying.

Baal chimed up that we had spoken the truth. Like Madam Bones, Professor McGonagall chose to ignore an Elf's testimony.

"Two more students on fire and you're accusing us of fighting?" I complained. "We told you the truth, if you don't believe us, that's on you. All of the first years will back up our story. It's easy for you to say that the faculty will protect the students, but they certainly didn't protect the twins. If we hadn't been there to quickly stop the attack, the twins would have been burned to death, which is what the attackers said that they wanted to do. I do have to, and will, tell my husband about this. The Spencer twins are far more important than making upper level Slytherin goons feel comfy in their status as bullies."

"That was MOST impertinent Mrs. Potter. I didn't say I didn't believe you, but you certainly must realize that we can't blame Mr. Mumphrey's injuries on the Spencers. That leaves you, unless you want to get Harry's Elf into a lot of trouble. You didn't even have the good grace to ask me whether or not Mr. Mumphrey will live. Madam Pomphrey tells me that he certainly will live, by the way. That should make you feel better about the legal peril you might be in. I think that I may have no choice but to mention your actions to Madam Bones. The Mumphrey parents certainly won't just ignore what happened to their son."

"How kind of you. You really love the thought of accusing me of a non-crime, which I didn't even commit. You can count on your buddy Madam Bones to adequately harass me. I know that we can't say that the Spencer twins did it. Frankly, I really don't care about that," I replied. "Hermione and I both heard him shout his intention to burn the Spencers to death. So did all the first years. He didn't just light the hems of their robes, they were ablaze when we arrived five seconds after the attack. This was definitely a case of defending first years from an attempt to murder them. That is adequate reason to use force and I didn't use a prohibited curse. If a Death Eater dies in the process of trying to murder two first years, then I can only applaud. Now that they know that their son will live, the Mumphreys' biggest concern should be whether or not they will be able to visit their son in prison. Trying to murder two first years is something that even Madam Bones will have difficulty ignoring. Mr. Spencer does not seem one to allow Madam Bones to ignore the attack."

"That's terrible! I would remind you that the two boys are only students themselves. They are not beyond redemption. To wish them dead or in Azkaban is not at all helpful. I am trying to make Hogwarts a safe place for all students, not just the Gryffindors."

"And I would remind you that the older Slytherins have done nothing to suggest that they returned to Hogwarts to learn. They returned to attack the non-Slytherins. The Battle of Hogwarts has resumed, with the same thugs who helped the Carrows and fought for Voldemort. I'll say it again. Hermione, Baal, and I did not attack them, so Madam Bones isn't going to be able to prove that we did. She'll just look foolish, yet again, if she does try."

"I already said that I believe you, but I have the evidence of my own eyes, Miss Weasley, and I know this can't be passed off as the work of other than a very accomplished Witch or Wizard. I really do believe you, but what would you have me do, blame the Spencer twins? That would cause them even more trouble, if I were believed. You were the likeliest perpetrator. You know wandless silent curses. That makes the testimony of the first years useless to you. It doesn't matter that they didn't see or hear you curse Mr. Momphrey. I certainly won't mention the stone, but I must identify you as the person responsible for Mr. Mumphrey's injuries. Might I suggest that in the panic of the moment, seeing two first years afire, you cursed him far more strongly than you intended and he twisted around on his path to the wall and unfortunately had his wand pointed at his gut when he slammed into the wall. You rushed to help him as soon as you realized how badly hurt he was. Can we just leave it at that. It may not be a perfect resolution, but what else can I do? I guarantee you that Madam Bones will poke around a little and declare you've done nothing wrong. I'll speak to her."

"Why don't you say that you were just coming around the corner, saw the attack and responded. I'm sure your friend Madam Bones will clear you in ten seconds."

"That's impertinent! I wasn't on the scene quite that quickly and you know it. I must tell Madam Bones what I must tell her."

"Our evidence says it was you, since we know it wasn't us and we all know first years couldn't do this," Hermione told her. "You are expert at wandless curses. You are reknowned as an expert fighter. That will be our story."

"If you fight me on this, I guarantee you that you will lose."

"I think you are despicable," I told her. "You are so prideful that you think you can control the Slytherins with demerits and when you can't and can't even prevent your first years from being roasted alive, you blame me. Well I won't allow it. You say what you feel you must say. Fine, I need to talk to Harry, anyway. You could tell the truth, which is that you saw no wands drawn and have no evidence as to who cursed Momphrey and his pal. That has the benefit of the truth tellers accepting it, rather than being caught lying that I did it."

"Okay, I'll do that. I don't see why you're angry at me. I'm not the one responsible for Mr. Momphrey's condition."

"You could be, if you wanted to," I told her. "Ultimately, you know that you are responsible. Shacklebolt's aurors would have prevented this. You know that!"

I messaged Harry. He was very upset – both that the twins had been so blatantly attacked and that the wild magic had once again surfaced. He told me that he was off to meet with Shacklebolt and Dad. He assured me that I had behaved properly and had no legal worries.

Dinner was a subdued affair. McGonagall issued dire warnings from the head table. All of the students at the other tables cast glances toward the Slytherins. The Slytherins did not seem cowed. They had sort of a triumphant look. A lot of snickers were heard from their table. One particularly loud guffaw, during McGonagall's tirade brought an especially stern look from her. Another Slytherin laughed and she drenched their table with a deluge of water, which had the rest of the students lifting their feet as the water rolled past us. "The next Slytherin who brings himself or herself to my attention will be on the next train home," she declared.

Dad and Shacklebolt visited McGonagall after dinner. They just stuck their heads into the Great Hall during dessert and signaled for McGonagall to join them. I never learned exactly what was said, but both Dad and Shacklebolt looked angry. Harry did not appear to be with them. They took the twins' singed robes with them. They left an auror to watch over Mr. Momphrey in the infirmary.

The morning papers caused a huge stir around the house tables at the end of breakfast.

The Daily Prophet offered:

**Headmaster McGonagall Catches Minister's Daughter Trying To Murder Student**

**Hogwarts Is In Turmoil**

**Time For McGonagall To Go**

With a little assist from me, Mr. Lovegood countered with:

**Older Slytherins Return to Terrorize First Years**

**Six Students Set Afire, Some With Serious Burns**

**Time To Bring Your Young Students Home Before They Are Killed?**

**Time For McGonagall To Go**

It was rare for the two editors to agree about anything, but they seemed of one mind about McGonagall as headmistress.

The next two days were calmer. Barb, Ellen, Bill, and another auror were very visible. The Slytherins limited themselves to taunts and minor mischief, when nobody was watching. Perhaps the near death of Mr. Mumphrey was giving the Slytherins second thoughts. Perhaps those second thoughts were that they needed more of a plan, since some students would fight back. The aurors most certainly would fight back.

Everyone was too on edge to take any pleasure out of class, or to even focus on what was said. The Gryffindors spent their time in class warily watching the Slytherins out of the corner of their eyes, while keeping a hand on their wands. I enjoyed my time in the Gryffindor common room, trying to hold up Harry's obligations, as well as my own, in counseling and consoling the younger Gryffindors and the proto-Slytherins.

Consoling was needed more than ever, as the return of many of the older Slytherins had introduced much of the old meanness of the Carrow's era to the corridors of Hogwarts. Personal insults, shoves and even curses that set the tails of a youngster's robes afire were once again the order of the day. After the attack on the Spencers, I didn't even count these as unusual mischief. This sort of minor harassment didn't abate. Several Slytherins were caught at it and given detention. When I say that they were better behaved, I ment they limited themselves to mischief, which unlikely to blow back on them to the degree suffered by Mr. Momphrey.

Having gone a half-term with no older Slytherin bullies, the Gryffindor first- and second- years had not developed defensive calluses, and the second years had let their guards down and become vulnerable to the taunts and petty assaults. This was the state of play during the two relatively good days following the day of outright mayhem. I behaved myself, limiting my activities to extinguishing the burning hems of robes, helping first years retrieve their books, and staring down a couple of bullies. Baal bounced one of those bullies off a wall and broke his wand.

McGonagall accosted Hermione and me in the corridor. "I know that the two of you and Luna gave Mr. Lovegood the information for his story. Your meeting with Xenophilius was not at all helpful. Five students are leaving Hogwarts today. Their parents say it's not safe here."

"Their parents are correct," I told her. "Clearly it isn't safe. You didn't even expel the two Slytherins who tried to murder the twins."

"I could hardly expel them after the twins nearly killed one of them. They and their parents want me to have you arrested, by the way. Madam Bones thinks they may have a case against you. She has only your word that they tried to kill the twins. They claim it was a prank that got out of hand when you stepped in."

"She has only my word, and Hermione's, and Baal's, and I'm sure the word of the twins and the other first years. Not to mention that she could inspect the wands of the attackers. Madam Bones has been very eager to inspect wands under other circumstances. Plus you were going to speak to her. Mr. Spencer has pressed charges against the two goons who attacked his twins, by the way. He told Dad that he was 'shocked that Headmaster McGonagall didn't press charges herself, let alone not even expel them. We may need to bring our twins back home'. Needless to say, the Ministry will not permit your inaction to cause the Spencer twins to return home to their Muggle school. That would be extremely dangerous. I don't know why you and your friend are trying to play tough with me. I am not being impertinent when I say that I am being very restrained, but could easily cause your whole mess to blow up in your face. Stop playing games with me!""

"I'll speak to Amelia. I'll tell her that she must act against the attackers and declare that you and Hermione did nothing wrong."

I was relieved to learn that prosecutiorial independence thrived in our community. It was very clear who wholly owned Madam Bones.

Harry sent Shacklebolt and half a dozen aurors to arrest the two Slytherins who had attacked the twins. The aurors also apparated the frightened students who wanted to return home.

McGonagall complained of Ministry interference. Shacklebolt said "attempted murder has always been a crime and crimes are handled by my aurors, not your faculty."

Two aurors remained, along with Harry, to interview me, Hermione, Baal, the twins, and the other first years about the attack upon the twins. McGonagall insisted upon sitting in on the student interviews and Harry allowed this.

Harry told me that I needed to dial my efforts down a few notches and let him handle things. "The Ministry is prepared to make arrests, as circumstances require."

I promised him that I would be on my best behavior.

Over the next two days, I got my share of taunts and abuse from the Slytherin sixth and seventh years, especially in Potions and Herbology. I suffered for most of two horrible days as the wife of the hated Gryffindor Deputy Minister. I and Harry were called vile names, my books and papers were yanked from my arms, my potions were sabotaged, and a screeching mandrake just magically appeared on the bench, behind my back, startling me and nearly causing me to drop my work. I was living with my shields permanently set at maximum and all of the stone's power just seconds away.

On day two, a black adder slithered toward me out of the vegetation covering the herbology bench at which we were all working. As I hastily jumped back, dropping the tender succulent which I had been transplanting, and ruining a period's work, I saw Ben Frakes laughing at me through the palm fronds at the center of the back-to-back benches. As anger flared, I realized that part of the Light Guardian wisdom I had acquired was the ancient language of Parseltongue. Without consciously thinking about it, I redirected Mr. Adder back to his sender. Mr. Frakes had been laughing at me so riotously that he was rather slow on the uptake. Mr. Adder was upon him, before he realized what was happening. I instructed Mr. Adder not to bite and Mr. Adder was very well behaved, but an increase in laughter on the Slytherin side of the bench alerted me to the fact that Mr. Frakes had shit his robes. Mr. Frakes was so shaken and embarrassed that he admitted to Neville that he had stolen the snake and brought it to class to frighten me. Another well-earned detention was awarded along with a demeaning order from Neville to "go change your robes, man, you really stink." The unfortunate Mr. Frakes hurried away, leaving a turd on the ground to be trod upon by a seventh year Slytherin girl, leading to even more commotion.

Since neither of us had a class the next period, Neville and I went to the common room for a chat.

"Things are really getting out of hand," I told Neville. "The younger Gryffindors are being reduced almost to tears, and in some cases actually to tears, on a daily basis by the older Slytherin bullies. They've been after me for the past two days, as well. I'm done putting up with it. It's back to the war of last term. The Elves have stopped quite a few incidents, but nothing happens to the students whom they report. Frakes has his second major detention and is still here. McGonagall's second day of grace, before Luna and I speak again to her father is almost over. If anything happens between now and then, I'm fighting back and I'm fighting back a lot harder than any of these goons could possibly expect."

"Be at least a bit controlled in your actions," Neville warned me. "I don't want you to get into trouble. Meanwhile, we should both advise the younger Gryffindors to travel the corridors in groups at all times and to wait for an older escort. I've added my Elf to the patrols. The faculty has already talked about the problem and quite a few detentions have been handed out. It doesn't seem to have slowed down the Slytherins, however. I think the sixth and seventh years returned simply to cause trouble. McGonagall is steamed.

She received an anonymous note today that 'the troubles will continue, until the non-Slytherin proctor-spy is removed from Slytherin House'. She is at a bit of a loss as to what to do. Professor Celine confiscated a whole case of Irish whiskey last night. One of the seventh year Witches tried to sneak into Professor Celine's bedroom last night. She had her wand drawn, and had reached 'Avada…'but froze when Professor Celine's alarm caterwauling spell startled her. The professor sleeps with her wand and quickly petrified her assailant. McGonagall accepted the Rowena's tale that she heard a noise and was coming to ask Professor Celine to help her investigate. Rowena claims that the caterwauling was so loud that Professor Celine obviously misunderstood her cry for help. Professor Celine is not at all pleased. She's complained to the Ministry. Very unusual behavior for a member of the Sisterhood. McGonagall accepted the three day detention Slughorn gave to Miss Marten."

I advised Neville "tell McGonagall to comply with the demand note. Remove the advisors. Remember, we have a way into the back door of Slytherin. I think a little raiding party is in order. Suggest she remove the advisors for a one-week trial period, beginning tonight."

Harry was surprised at dinner that night when the headmaster announced "school discipline has not been satisfactory since the return from Christmas holiday. Slytherin has racked up a record number of demerits and detentions. It is as if nobody told the returnees that the Carrows are no longer with us. A helpful Slytherin has suggested to me that the way to improve matters is to withdraw the proctors from Slytherin House. As a one-week experiment, I shall do so, beginning tonight. If the situation does not improve, I promise my Slytherin friends that they will not be happy with the consequences. Now, enjoy your dinner."

{{George is planting Muggle recording devices and some of his own inventions inside Slytherin House as we sit here. We will know their intentions soon enough. The older Slytherins have been tormenting the kids and for the past several days, me. I had a black adder sent my way during today's herbology. I found I could speak Parseltongue - you probably can to, if you dig deeply enough. Mr. Frakes got a very nasty surprise. I am done being the well-mannered target of the bullies. From now on I'll be striking back and protecting the younger Gryffindors as well.}}

{[surprised] Do you need help? I can assign you an auror, since Barb is on hall patrol. She did catch a Slytherin fourth-level tormenting a Hufflepuff second-level. She got a few pictures and then busted her. She had to use 'Off!' because the Slytherin suddenly bounced the Hufflepuff off the floor, noggin first. The poor girl is in the infirmary. McGonagall gave the Slytherin a month of detention. A Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff will return home tonight. I don't imagine that knowledge has been spread about.}

{{No. I hadn't heard that, but it doesn't surprise me. I am already past the deadline that I gave McGonagall to either fix things or have me go to Luna's father and tell all with a suggestion that the parents of the younger students might well want to bring them home immediately, while they are still alive. I don't want a personal auror. I have both Baal and the stone. You can't assign an auror to protect each of the Gryffindor first and second years. As I've told you, I am a better fighter than any of your aurors. The Slytherins are about to discover just how good I am. I am maintaining a constant link to the stone. My 'Shield' is very strong. VERY strong!}

As Harry and I were headed to the Great Hall for breakfast, we saw Mr. Frakes with his wand pointed at two Gryffindor first years. We made a bee-line to that scene. I cuffed Frakes on the ear and sent him sprawling, telling him, "Stop bullying the younger students." He came up with wand pointed at me, then saw Harry and his aurors and lowered his wand.

"You're very tough surrounded by your husband and his aurors," Frakes sneered at me.

"You're a lot tougher confronting a first year than when your snake turned back on you; you actually left a turd on the floor yesterday," I politely replied, before telling Harry, "I can handle this, go get started with your breakfast, I know you have a busy day."

I had my defenses dialed up full and was plugged into the stone as I said this.

When I looked back at Frakes, his wand was pointed at me. "I haven't forgotten what you did yesterday. Now you're going to get what you deserve."

"You started yesterday," I told him. "You're just a bully. Don't point your wand at me." With that, I performed a silent wandless spell, which snapped his wand cleanly in half. Meanwhile, Professor Sprout had come upon us and seen the wand pointed at me.

"That's another detention, Frakes. Are you trying to be expelled?"

"This isn't over," Frakes sneered as he turned away.

"No, it isn't," I replied under my breath, before assuring Professor Sprout that I was quite alright. I did ask her "why hasn't he been expelled already. Must he actually kill someone in order to be expelled."

"I just don't know," she replied shaking her head. "I know he's here for nothing but causing trouble, but the headmaster is afraid that if she expels Frakes, that the other Slytherins will simply leave Hogwarts. I would see that as a good thing."

Frakes was still in sight at the end of the corridor. It seemed appropriate to trip him remotely, so that's what I did.

During dinner that night, George again visited the Slytherin common room and the sixth and seventh year boys' dorm room to retrieve and update his recording devices. He joined us for dessert, giving a thumbs up to McGonagall.

We all headed to McGonagall's office after dinner. George played back what he had managed to record. The prize winner was Ben Franks declaring to his allies, "This is even easier than I thought. McGonagall is such a push-over. I told you the threatening note would work. Now that we know how easy it will be to win, we step up the pressure until she's gone. I think it's almost time to tell the other Slytherins to return. Hogwarts will once again be ours."

"Not while I'm still alive," McGonagall vowed. "What do you suggest?"

"Why don't you think things over, overnight," I suggested. "Things have a way of looking very different in the morning."

Our raiding party assembled atop the pyramid. Luna, Hermione, Cissy, and I would assault the upper level girls' dorm, while Ron, George, Neville, and Lee assaulted the boys' dorm. We entered the Slytherin common room at 3:00 A.M. dressed in what I thought was an excellent facsimile of the old Death Eater garb. Within fifteen minutes, everyone was petrificused, all wands had been broken, all alcohol had been poured on the common room floor, all galleons had been collected and melted into a big glob in the middle of the common room rug, and Mr. Frakes had been thoroughly framed as the traitor who had allowed us entry into the common room.

Ron was Polyjuiced as Frakes, whom we had interviewd in a separate room, using the spiked Veritaserum. A little questioning revealed that he had planned almost all of the attacks, except for Rowena's attack upon Professor Celine. We collected all kinds of little details from him. Ron declared to the stupefied Slytherin masses propped up against the wal of the common room. "I said this would work if you exactly followed my instructions. As you can see, I run with the big Wizards. The attack on Professor Celine was stupid. It could have messed up my plan to rid us of our spies."

With that, Ron removed his mask, pushed Rowena over, and kicked her in the butt. If you don't want me to call for my friends again, you'll listen up and do as I say. We're fighting a war, not drinking this Irish whiskey that one of you smuggled in. Don't provide easy evidence to be used against us. You can celebrate when we control Hogwarts."

We left the Slytherins to themselves. Well, not quite to themselves. In the darkness, I admitted the three weakened Dementors and allowed them to feast upon thirty minutes of Slytherin terror. They kept their promise and didn't get near enough any of the students to be seen or touched. By 3:45, Frakes had been unpetrified by me. I apparated away unseen and we were all back in our beds and the Dementors were traveling back to Azkaban. Harry had slept soundly and not even missed me. I thought it best not to get him into trouble.

Breakfast saw a delegation of Slytherins complaining to Professor McGonagall about indignities inflicted upon their persons and their common room. They roundly accused Ben Frakes of being a spy and declared their unwillingness to continue living with him. The headmaster led the complaining Slytherins up the stairs to her office. We didn't see them again for a half hour.

We were just finishing breakfast as McGonagall declared that she had a brief announcement. "The experiment to remove the faculty advisors from Slytherin House appears to have failed. They will return today. Bad conduct has not stopped. Mr. Frakes has been caught bullying first years and pointing his wand at another student, for which he has received yet another detention. Now his Slytherin housemates tell me that he initiated an attack on Slytherin, which caused their wands and galleons to be destroyed. One more foot set out of line and Mr. Frakes will be on the next train home. I hope I make myself clear. Those who have returned to Hogwarts just to cause trouble will not be tolerated. If Mr. Frakes desires any more correspondence with me, he will kindly sign his name to his notes. That's all, get off to class."

My first class was potions, a class that we shared with Slytherin. Hermione was joining me for class in an exercise of solidarity.

"Before we get to class, reach for the stone and we'll each set our defensive barriers at maximum," I told her.

Frakes and two other largish and thuggish looking lads were loitering against the wall outside potions class, apparently waiting for us. "Ooh, we've got both the Mudblood and the Deputy Minister's little pet. If we're going to be expelled, we might as well get our money's worth," Frakes declared, pointing a wand at us from under his robes. His friends did likewise. "Thought you had us disarmed, didn't you? It was an easy matter to relieve three Hufflepuff first years of their little sticks. Now move along the corridor in front of us. We're going to take a little walk out into the grounds. I think by the lake would be very appropriate, don't you Cedric? These vermin think they have what it takes to stand up to us. We'll show them a thing or two. Won't be so uppity tomorrow, will they, I reckon?"

We had exited by way of the main entrance. We walked around the corner of the castle, the boys continuing to taunt us and laugh about what a jolly time they were about to have at our expense. They didn't know that Hermione had a recorder in the pocket of her robes. When we reached Dumbledore's tomb, Hermione and I casually leaned back against it, staring down our tormentors.

"Alright, girls, take off your robes. You've been smart-alecky to us, now you're going to give us some pleasure. After wimpy Harry Potter, I'll be your first real Wizard." Frakes gloated at us.

"I don't think so," I replied.

"Do as you're told. I'd be willing to give you the old 'Cruciatus' if that will make you better behaved," Cedric snarled, placing his wand at the tip of my nose. "I could stupefy you, but how much fun would that be. I like my Witches squirmy."

"No!" I shouted. As I did so, all three wands flew up in the air. Hermione and I caught them on the way down. "Now what do you think we should do with these bad, baaad boys?" I asked Hermione.

"They seemed anxious for a swim," she replied. Pointing to the lake, she calmly told them, "Now swim!"

"Our parents will hear of this," Frakes told us.

"Your parent is in prison," Hermione told him. "You could be too. And you certainly will be heard. I've recorded your whole sorry rant."

Frakes reached for Hermione, I'm guessing to take the recorder. I just tossed him a hundred yards out into the lake. His two friends were quickly tossed after him. We watched the boys paddle around in the icy water for a few minutes and then told them they could come out. As they stood there shivering, we drew our wands and directed them back to the castle. "Okay, time to visit the headmaster," I told Frakes.

The trio was on the evening train back to London. Aurors met them at the station and their next discussion was with Shacklebolt. He wasn't interested in handing out detentions or deducting House points.

Relations with the remaining older Slytherins weren't exactly warm from that point on, but at least the harassment of the first and second years fell off dramatically. A sixth year Slytherin boy decided to take a run at me a few days later as I was leaving Divination with Cissy. "I was after Potter," he told her, his wand pointed at me "but, I don't mind dealing with a former-Slytherin-turned-traitor. You can be a bonus. Well girls, I'm not at all happy with what happened to Ben Frakes."

"You should know what a serious offense it is to point wands and fight with them in the corridors," I told him. "You could well be the next expellee."

"Maybe, but the two of you certainly aren't going to be laughing about it. I think I'm going to turn you into horny toads."

I waved my right hand, smashing him against the wall and shattering his wand. "If fighting with wands is against school rules, it's best to know as many wandless curses as the two of us know. There's a train for London, leaving from Hogsmeade this evening," I told him as I turned him upside down and banged his head on the stone floor several times. "Make sure that you're on it. Now that I know that you're after us, I'm going to be focusing my attentions on you. You don't want to be here."

We walked away, leaving him in a heap on the floor. As we turned to leave, I heard clapping and turned around to see three Hufflepuff first years applauding our actions.

When I joined Harry for breakfast the next day, I noticed that our unknown adversary from the corridors was not at the Slytherin table. "How's your war going?" Harry asked, as he saw me scanning the Slytherin table. "Quite well," I replied. "There are fewer and fewer Slytherin upper levels every day."

I had no more attacks directed against my person. I did break up a scene of two Slytherin fourth-year boys and Rowena picking on a couple of Gryffindor first level girls, by casually lighting the hems of the boys robes afire as I walked by at a distance. The only other serious fight took place a day later and did not involve me.

I arrived at the Gryffindor table for lunch to find Neville at our table, calming a very agitated Draco. I sat down across from them and raised my eyebrows in query. "Draco was attacked by three Slytherin boys who accused him of being a blood traitor, who caused the fall of Voldemort. I've just gotten Draco cleaned up. They broke and bloodied his nose and stomped on his privates. At three on one, it was apparently quite a fight, before McGonagall broke it up. Draco got off several good wandless curses. Happily they were also silent curses, so McGonagall can't prove he was fighting with magic. The Slytherins were definitely using their wands, along with their fists and feet. They caught Draco in the Prefects' bath. One of the attackers had a broken leg and wrist, a second was drowned and had to be artificially revived, while the third is still a toad. Draco has refused to restore him and McGonagall hasn't been able to reverse his magic yet."

That brought a beaming smile to my face. I smiled even harder, when McGonagall told Draco, "I'm afraid to reverse whatever spell was used on the boy. It was not a standard transfiguration. I don't even know what he's supposed to look like: his friends refuse to identify him. I've ordered all of the Slytherins back to their dorm, so I can take a census. Would you please simply reverse whatever you did to him, and we'll call it even."

"You saw that I didn't even draw my wand when they assaulted me. There are ancient, wild magic defenses that just naturally spring unbidden into action when one's life is threatened like that. Light Guardian priests weren't always popular. They had to be able to defend themselves. Some of that knowledge just bubbles up to protect me when my life is in peril. I'm not sure that I'd know where to start to put the lad right. Judging from his behavior, I'm not at all sure that he can be put right. And don't you dare tell me that you'll call it even. I was almost killed. You should realize by now that you're dealing with an organized political insurrection by the older Slytherin boys who supported Voldemort. These are not school tiffs. None of the fights since the Slytherins returned has anything to do with something that happened at Hogwarts this year. These are toughs who returned to Hogwarts to seek vengeance for the death of Voldemort and to take back the school, which they believe Snape, the Carrows, and Voldemort gave into their care. If it's any help to you, the toad is Goyle's younger brother Hieronymous. He looked pretty dumpy and warty as a Wizard, so it's hard to go wrong changing him back. If you'll look closely at him, I think you'll find that he's a marsh toad that's been extinct for about a thousand years. It's likely illegal to change him back. This is really ancient magic. I doubt you know how to fix him."

Just before he left for Cissy's castle, Draco relented and turned Goyle back to his original ugliness. "If it were strictly my choice, I would have left you as a toad. You aren't half as tough as your brother on his worst day. There was a reason your brother did whatever I told him to do. You've just had the first taste of that reason. Give me any more trouble and poor Mr. Toad will get lost in the big bad Forbidden Forest. The spiders think toads are delicious."

The three Slytherins who attacked Draco were expelled. By the end of the following day, all of the Slytherin fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh years who had not been expelled were removed by their parents.

The following morning, the press had caught up with the 'Hogwarts Troubles'. The Daily Prophet proclaimed:

**HOGWARTS IN CHAOS – MCGONAGALL LOSES CONTROL**

**SCHOOL NOT SAFE, SLYTHERIN PARENTS TAKE STUDENTS HOME**

**TALE OF FIGHT IN PREFECTS' BATH**

This last article was a surprisingly factual account of the fight with Draco, told through an interview with Hieronymous Goyle. Goyle lived up to the familial reputation for stupidity, all but confessing to leading the attack on 'that filthy blood-traitor Malfoy, who's been sucking up to McGonagall,' and claiming that he and 'my lads' had almost succeeded in drowning Draco. 'The fool went into the Prefects' bath all alone. He wanted a chat up with Moaning Myrtle. We saw our chance for revenge and we took it. We would have killed him if the staff hadn't arrived to break things up. He turned me into a toad. This isn't over. I'll have my revenge on Draco Malfoy. I dedicate my life in service to Delores Umbridge and the restoration of the noble families to their proper position.'

The Quibbler had a different, and more reasoned view of affairs at Hogwarts.

**HEADMASTER DEFEATS SLYTHERIN COUP**

**VOLDEMORT YOUTHS' HOGWARTS TERROR**

**REDUCED TO A TOAD**

I was sorry that Harry had gone off to the Ministry for breakfast. I always enjoyed chuckling over the dueling headlines with him. Hermione and I decided to ditch classes and spend the day doing more mental inspection of the corridors around the pyramid, in search of more Montaigne bombs. Class, even a class filled with heckling Slytherins, made for a more pleasant and less tiring day. We spent hours, working through lunch, and found nothing. We did feel a lot less like we were shirking our duties. Another several sessions of this length and we would be finished with our mental searching.

It was good to have Harry joining me for dinner. I had childishly saved the newspaper headlines to share with him over dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Madam Bones had read The Daily Prophet interview with Hieronymous Goyle and immediately had Goyle and his accomplices arrested.

"She recognizes that this was far worse than a school fight," Harry assured me. "She seems to have some restored gusto for prosecuting the baddies. It did my heart good to see those bad boys cowering in their jail cell. That is now eight of the Slytherin boys and one girl in jail. Some face very serious charges."

McGonagall wanted to chat with us after dinner. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Draco, and I followed her up to her office.

"It's hard to imagine the first two weeks after Christmas break going any worse than they have. To think I pushed to get the older Slytherins to return. Neville was correct, actually you all were. They didn't come back to learn, they came back to cause trouble. I'm glad that Amelia has arrested the three who attacked Draco. I was unsure that I had done the right thing in expelling Frakes and the others, but am now quite content. How are the young Gryffindors doing?"

"The ones who haven't gone home are doing better and better," I replied. "They are now all out of the infirmary. The two first years with burned legs will only have minor scars. The proto-Slytherins are calming down, but are a bit worried that they'll have to bunk back in Slytherin with the older kids next term."

"I really wish you'd stop calling them proto-Slytherins, but I take your point. I'm not sure what to do with Slytherin House. There are only three third years and one fourth year girl living there at present. Professor Celine says that they are not a bad lot. It is the older students who were the problem. I'm surprised that you and Hermione and you and Cissy did as well as you did against those Slytherin toughs."

"They didn't expect silent, wandless curses. They're really quite ignorant. They picked on the wrong Witch. If they had done that outside of Hogwarts, that Frakes boy would have found himself very seriously injured, in a way that Madam Pomphrey wouldn't have been able to fix. They picked on me for four days. After the snake, I decided that I had taken quite enough of their abuse."

"They had wands pointed at you. What if they had cursed you?"

"One of them threatened to use the 'Cruciatus' on us if we didn't take off our clothes, instantly. I felt quite confident that Hermione and I could laugh off any puny 'Cruciatus' that he could make. While they were walking us out to the lake, we were tying into more and more of the power of the stone. I could have flung him six miles out to sea without breaking a sweat."

"In that case, I'm certainly glad that you practiced self-restraint. I doubt I'd react so calmly if three toughs were threatening me with sexual assault. In any case, I just wanted to say how sorry I am to have invited those hoodlums to return. You seem to have been able to withstand their abuse, but some of the younger students were traumatized."

"Don't worry; we were never in danger of sexual assault. When they started making noises in that direction, I disarmed them. Nothing readily apparent, their equipment will seem perfectly normal. They just won't be able to operate it. Ever."

"Remind me again never to cross you."

"You're not a thug, so you're not in danger. You asked for help in protecting the first years and we did. The older Slytherins were determined to rule Hogwarts by violence, just like the Carrows. I couldn't permit that. It was clear that they weren't going to tire of harassing the younger students and girls, or be mollified by reasonable persuasion. They could only be stopped by the realization that we were capable of far more effective violence than they were. We acted only in defense after they had attacked us or a first year."

"They're gone now, so you and we are safe, but don't assume that they'll just forget this. They'll look for a chance to attack you outside Hogwarts," McGonagall cautioned me.

"That would be a very bad mistake. Outside Hogwarts, I feel no constraints upon my rights to defend myself. We know many legal curses worse than 'Avada Kedavra', and I'm not afraid to use them on their sort. They've made very public threats against us. I fear no legal consequences in forcefully defending myself. They will find that they would be better off facing half a dozen aurors, than attacking me."

"Miss Weasley!"

"Yes, I realize I can sound quite brutal. A far cry from what the community likely expects of its Light Guardian Priestesses. Still, the old Priestesses could take care of themselves. Had to - others, especially the more militarily inclined Wizards, envied them for their knowledge and power. They were in constant danger. The path to semi-seclusion was driven in large measure by a desire to not have to do so much fighting. My memories say they won most of their fights, but avoided killing whenever possible. They did not seek out conflict and edged away from it, when possible. I will do the same. I will practice meditation to calm my nerves. Still, the old Priestesses would fight to protect children, defenseless Witches, or themselves, if escape was impossible. Ask your friend Victoria what happened when her Montaigne suitor chased after her to her secluded hut and, with the help of the Roderick of that generation, tried to force her to return with him. I assure you that he never bothered her again. You are correct that I'm still struggling to achieve the necessary balance. Still, I didn't kill or seriously injure anyone in the fighting of the past week or so. At worst, I spared our community a portion of the next generation of ignorant thugs. Believe me, you would not have enjoyed welcoming to Hogwarts any kids that those three might have produced."

I thought that I had made the necessary points quite clear to McGonagall, but Harry had a little more to add. "You criticize us for including Cissy in our adventures, but we are very careful to protect her, when we do so. You should know that the greatest danger that Cissy has been in during this past year has been simply attending class with older Slytherin boys, and passing them in the school corridors. If Ginny had not been with Cissy the other day, that Slytherin tough would have severely injured or killed her. Like Draco, she is viewed as a traitor to Slytherin and a fair target for revenge. It is quite clear to me that you and your faculty cannot protect her here at Hogwarts. You viewed everything the Slytherins did as school pranks, things to be corrected by demerits and detentions. They aren't. They're intimidation and even assassination attempts by the remnants of the Death Eaters. These are the same Slytherins who fought for Voldemort during the battle of Hogwarts.

"I think Ellen will have to attend class with Cissy to keep her safe. But, please, don't ever again accuse me of exposing Cissy to unacceptable dangers, after the dangers she's faced attending your school."

"I think that's a little excessive and self-righteous, Mister Potter, but I freely admitted that I made a mistake in readmitting the older Slytherins. I'll further admit that the faculty was unable to keep the students as safe from the Slytherins as we had intended. We can't be everywhere."

"I know you tried to protect the students," Harry told her. "As Neville and Ginny told you, Hogwarts has been a combat zone for most of the past three years. It most certainly is not a safe environment. Things will improve with the older Slytherins gone, but they likely will return next year and Cissy will again be a target.

"That's partly why I believe she needs the skills that Ginny successfully used to defend herself. Otherwise, I don't think she'll be safe here without us. I don't mean to beat on you, but really, how much imagination did it take to suspect that readmitting the younger Goyle and Frakes brothers wouldn't pose a threat to the other students? How many thuggish acts did you allow them, before acting decisively? How many innocent students were injured and at risk? Who would suspect that they might cause serious trouble? I can tell you for certain that you most certainly did not keep Cissy safe. You didn't keep the first and second years safe either. The toughs that Ginny dealt with here are the same sort that we dealt with in Diagon Alley, except that time they brought a bomb. Yet your friend Amelia blames the defenders on that one. You and she are just all too theoretical and not at all practical and innocents will pay the price for that. In case you are in doubt, I'm speaking as the Deputy Minister and Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, not as one of your students."

"I realize you feel considerable passion about this, and I realize that I was very wrong in how I handled the Slytherins. Perhaps I am too optimistic that every student can be saved. I don't think that I could be headmaster if I didn't believe that. I can also tell how much you have resented my frequent accusations that you haven't adequately considered Cissy's safety. I'll just say that I accept that I have done a very poor job in that regard, but that doesn't mean that you have done an adequate job yourself. It is possible that neither of us has kept her safe enough. Can we just leave it at that?"

"Yes, I believe that's wise," my husband replied as we prepared to head off to our apartment.

"I hadn't wanted to argue with you," McGonagall told Harry. "The main reason I called you here is to remind you that his is my last full day as headmaster. The special Governor's meeting is tomorrow. I will request a leave as headmaster in order to pursue my Ministry duties. I will recommend that Neville be my replacement for the remainder of the term. Both suggestions will, of course, be approved as I've agreed everything with the Minister. I don't want to be fired and he doesn't want to fire me.

"I'm glad that the insurrection was put down prior to my leave, and Neville can assume command of a school in relative calm. I'm very sorry that Draco was nearly killed and that so many of the younger students were so badly frightened. I can only hope that the seven young non-Slytherins who returned home, will feel safe returning to Hogwarts. I plan to visit their parents tomorrow. I shall continue to teach Wizard history for the remainder of term, and plan to return as headmaster next term, depending upon the faculty's decision. I wanted to thank you all for helping to stop the insurrection. I don't know how we got so side-tracked. That's really all I wanted to say to you. Can you wish me well?"

We did.


	77. Chapter 77

**Chapter 77 – Searching For Castle Weasley**

Dad was so upset with the recent events at Hogwarts that he tossed the agenda for our family conference and we just talked about Hogwarts and McGonagall. Dad blamed himself.

"I can't deny that I had many warnings that Minerva wasn't coping with the older Slytherins. Harry and Kingsley both urged me to allow them to send in aurors and make a few arrests. Minerva and Madam Bones pled for just a little more time for McGonagall to fix things, before those who would close Slytherin would destroy Hogwarts forever. I just couldn't bear to crush Minerva's dream and it nearly resulted in the death of my daughter and other children. Not only is Slytherin effectively closed, but it's clear to me that Hogwarts functioned far better in the first half of term without Slytherin than it has anytime in memory."

"I was safe, Dad," I assured him. I always had my shields set on full and could draw on stone power. A seventh year Slytherin wasn't going to kill me. Harry would have acted more strongly if he feared for my life. You have to trust that we can keep each other safe."

"I do. I've learned that, despite how much I push Harry to keep you safer. I have a duty to keep other parents' children just as safe as I want you to be. I failed in that duty, because I was too loyal to an old comrade, who was clearly on the wrong path. First years were seriously hurt. They and their parents were terrified. That, more than closing Slytherin, will harm Hogwarts. I needed to act decisively, rather than allow Minerva a gentle slide into her resignation. The Governors wanted to fire her before she could resign. I had to tell them that this wasn't possible. I had her resignation in my hand. I don't think I've done that Witch any favors.

"The Governors did not seem eager to allow her back as headmaster next term. They approved election of the headmaster by the faculty, but several said 'there's always the moral turpitude clause, McGonagall could be deemed ineligible for the election'. Of course, that would also render her ineligible to remain as a professor. I don't favor that outcome. Neville is very young, but he has more support than Minerva does. I don't know how the faculty will vote. I should never have let things progress to this bad a state. Minerva's dream of the older Slytherins returning as peaceful students was clearly a delusion. Harry, Kingsley, and my children saw that clearly. If I'm honest with myself, I did too.

"I'm very proud of what you all did to protect the younger students. I've thanked Cotto and the Elves. Despite all the injured and terrified young students, and the parents who were frightened enough to bring their young children home, Slytherin will still close. I think it should. I don't know how we can put Hogwarts back as it was."

"Trust me," I told Dad, "Hogwarts has been bad for years." "We had Umbridge, and Snape, and the Carrows. The Slytherins have been allowed to bully the other students as long as I've been there. For some reason, the faculty allows it to continue."

"That's how it was in my day, as well," Dad admitted.

"It goes back to the rift between the founders," Hermione told Dad. The Slytherins and their house advisor always saw the other students as their inferiors. The other faculty always thought it best to allow the Slytherin House advisor to do things his way and that advisor was always an old Slytherin grad. It got so bad in the past that all of the other founders had to team up against Slytherin, but the then Lord Montaigne allowed him to prevail. Treating the Muggle-born as normal students, rather than slaves who learned just enough to be proper slaves, was a big deal and the founders fought over the issue. I don't think Hogwarts was ever one unified school. The Slytherins have never lived by the same rules as the other students. That's just the dream of some of its headmasters, but they do nothing to actually make it happen. Even McGonagall can't envision Hogwarts without Slytherin and has always been willing to provide vastly more license to Slytherins than to those in other houses. Adding Slytherin back to Hogwarts won't pull the Wizarding world together any more than having Slytherin House unified us in the past. They always thought it their right to dominate the rest of us. Trust me, they won't be missed. The school will be much better without them. Slughorn was an awful choice as head of house, by the way. He is steeped in Slytherin privilege."

"I suppose you're right," Dad told Hermione. "Like Minerva, I can't help seeing this as a major failure. I went to Hogwarts prepared to get along with all and ended hating everything Slytherin. I still do. I think perhaps I tried to compensate for what I felt was a silly prejudice. But it's real. They hate us and we hate them. I don't know if Hogwarts causes that or merely fails to stop it. I know it hasn't helped. I will oppose allowing any of the Slytherin sixth or seventh years to ever return to Hogwarts. I'll think on the question of the fourth and fifth years."

"Well," Hermione seemed a little exasperated by what she saw as Dad's obtuseness, "if the educational implications of Slytherin don't disturb you, then the political implications definitely should. Hogwarts brainwashes its students. One of the things it has always taught is that it is right, fitting, and normal for Slytherins to bully the students from the other houses. It is a way of enforcing pure-blood and aristocrat superiority. Every Muggle-born who passes through Hogwarts has to endure endless chants of Mudblood and minor indignities and sabotages on a daily basis. The school doesn't stop the bullying. It seems to promote it. I have heard you wonder why so few from your generation challenged Voldemort as you and we have done. Part of the answer is staring you right in the face, but like owned Elves you have always just seen it as the natural state of things. Hogwarts actively teaches that Slytherins are superior to the rest of us and have a right to bully their lessers.

"Voldemort's bullying seemed only natural. That's how the Wizard populace was trained up. Hufflepuffs and Muggle-born know they are at the bottom of the pile. Hogwarts is a caste system. You'll never have the just Wizard society, which I know is your goal, if Hogwarts is not actively changed. There is this sense that Slytherins have to be bribed to stay in Hogwarts, just as we bribed the Dementors to stay at Azkaban by providing them prisoners to torment. Perhaps so many parents choose not to send their kids to Hogwarts, because they don't agree that their little kiddies should be the bribe to entice bullying Slytherins to stay at Hogwarts. I say, if they want to forego their education, let them. If they want to set up their own school, as the rich Muggles do, let them. Just don't force all the other students to be the subjects of bullying."\

"And I think it's very good that Neville is a very young headmaster. It will take a very young headmaster, who still remembers how Hogwarts really is, rather than a sappy nostalgic vision of their childhood and how the grew through all the trials and tribulations, which they never should have experienced. McGonagall should never be headmaster again. She is too old and set in her ways and for all her desire to change the curriculum, far to wed to what Hogwarts has been. She has proven how willingly blind she is. She can't see Hogwarts, her whole vision is so filled with HOGWARTS."

Hermione was red in the face, by the time she finished. Dad seemed to agree with her and Neville voiced his approval.

"Hermione is exactly right. The horrors of the past two weeks and the earlier Draco/Pansy debacle are a result of the headmaster believing she had to make whatever sacrifices were necessary to convince the Slytherins that they wanted to stay at Hogwarts. The situation has been horribly unfair and harmful to the other students. It has been the same-old, same-old going back to at least when my parents were at Hogwarts. The historical records which Hermione found prove that it was even worse in the past. Slytherin was built to house and produce 'leaders'. Hufflepuff was built to produce docile, hard-working followers. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were supposed to think, work, and follow the orders of Slytherins when they entered society. It is odd that McGonagall herself mentioned that a lot of the anger of the Great Families is due to Ministers of Magic no longer coming automatically from Slytherin, while some non-Great Family members have gotten ahead in life. She just couldn't grasp that by continuing Slytherin House privilege, she was perpetuating the old pure-blood hierarchy. I don't know if I want to or will be headmaster next term, but if I am I know that I will not reopen a traditional Slytherin. It is far too toxic."

"You've given me a lot to think about," Dad concluded. "I'm sorry Minerva wasn't here to hear what you've said. I'll speak to her tomorrow."

"We've told her," I assured Dad. "She just won't listen. In some ways, she's almost as much of a Hogwarts traditionalist as Slughorn is. She fully accepts Slytherin privilege."

The rest of the meeting was spent consoling Dad, making sure Hermione and I were really alright, apologizing to Harry for not heeding his warnings, and Mom feeding all of us. I think it was a meeting which we needed to have.

I was surprised over dessert when Mom told us "I agree with Hermione, McGonagall should never be headmaster. She lacks the temperament for it and she can't even think of modernizing more than the course selection. She will never think of the Hogwards headmaster as less than a demi-God and will never have Dumbledore's gift of not taking himself too seriously. I will never vote for her. This is your calling Neville. Please be headmaster, at least until a good choice comes along. There are no other good choices today."

I felt better, knowing that Dad, Harry, and Neville would not ignore Mom's advice. For her to speak so strongly and so totally dismissively of McGonagall was surprising.

With the older Slytherins gone, I regained some enjoyment of my classes, particularly Divination, Herbology and Potions. The school seemed totally rejuvenated. It was as if fear had suddenly left and the door to hope had been reopened. It didn't hurt that the sun came out and the temperature warmed a little for the week after the Slytherins departed. In addition to not having to battle Slytherins in the corridors, I found my time in our Common Room totally altered. I could once again have calm, pleasant discussions with Cissy, Margaret, and Luna. The change reminded me that I had spent all of my Common Room time consoling weeping first and second year girls and assuring the first year boys that it was only natural that they were scared of the Slytherins.

Even though he was now headmaster, Neville still stopped by the Common Room for an hour a day. Neville was everywhere and almost always smiling. He spent less time in his office than McGonagall had and he only taught the four herbology classes. He interacted a lot with the students he passed in the corridors, usually giving them encouragement, but sometimes breaking up spats. He was a far brighter presence around the school than McGonagall had been. I realized that it was almost as though McGonagall had forgotten how to smile. Neville's young age seemed more of a plus than a negative. The students seemed to trust him more and warm up to his open affect, while the growing legend of his combat successes kept the students from taking advantage of him. He played Wizard chess with some of the lads, which meant that Ron also had to choose new partners. Neville told me that he made a point to visit each Common Room every other day, usually playing a game of Wizard chess, but also listening to concerns and handing out words of encouragement. I was about to warn him of over-staying his welcome, when he commented "I know the kids are soon going to want the sanctity of their Common Room to themselves and I will have to be a less frequent and scheduled visitor. For now, everyone wants reassurance and to get a sense that I will help them and treat them fairly.

Mom was a constant visitor as well, since she had once again replaced Neville as our House advisor. She was a much more relaxed version of Mom. She told me how pleased she was that McGonagall was working at the Ministry. She said that Neville's first faculty meeting was "night turned into dawn, compared to Minerva. Minerva seems relieved and happier by the switch, as well. She knew she had been in trouble for some time, and the victory over the Slytherins and the way your father handled the press relations and the Governor's vote allowed her to make the switch on her terms, with head held high. Well, almost held high – she realizes that the Governors wanted to fire her. I am proud of how decisively your father dealt with the Dementor problem and how ably you trained your army and led us into battle. You have grown into a force to be reckoned with."

By the third day, post-Slytherin, I again found Hermione and Ron relaxing in the Common Room. It was becoming almost like the best of the old times, except that Harry was off at the Ministry. I missed Harry the most in potions class, since that is where we held our relaxed meandering, no-particular-topic-in-mind, almost stream of consciousness discussions. I had Baal and I was warming to him as a discussion partner. I was learning a lot about ElfWorld, which he could barely stop talking about. He would rattle on for an hour about his observations of that world, muse about his suggestions for improving it or safely allowing commerce between ElfWorld and us. Then, he would stop abruptly, as if he suddenly feared he was being rude, by chattering so much, and ask me how my day was going prior to class. This always made me chuckle, before I explained how I was doing and how much more relaxed I felt.

Ten days post-Slytherin, Harry surprised me by showing up for lunch. "It's time to shake things up again," he announced to our crew. "We've not found Narcissa, Erasmus is just going about his business like a typical, cranky, old single Wizard, and Roderick has yet to come after my family. It's time to go searching for Castle Weasley. We could bypass Erasmus's back yard, but your Dad thinks it might speed up some of our other pursuits if Erasmus knows that we're back in Eire and back on the hunt. We leave tomorrow morning, if you are all available. Arthur said he could wait a few days if you have something pressing scheduled."

"No," Ron replied. "I want to find our castle. If nothing else, we should learn more about our family history. It is time to take a little break from Hogwarts. It would be best to wait a couple days: I'm scheduled to teach four classes tomorrow. I'll arrange for one of the Goblins to cover my next classes." Hermione said that worked well for her. She had a Covenant negotiating session tomorrow, to which I was invited. That was something to look forward to. Not only was it a change of pace, but I would get to see the Goblin King again.

Harry led us back to his office for detailed planning about the trip. Shacklebolt still vouched for Erasmus, so Harry did not expect any problems from him. Still, two aurors would precede us to get Erasmus's permission and check the tent for traps or listening devices, under the guise of cleaning it out and restocking it with supplies. Harry said that we would broach the subject of Erasmus's clandestine meeting with Narcissa, during the first afternoon of our visit. Erasmus would be more closely surveiled, to see whether that disclosure prompted him to contact anybody. In addition to having as guides Cotto, King Goblanze and another Goblin whom the King said knew the general location of the castle, a couple extra aurors plus a half dozen concealed Elves would watch over us. The intent was for us to find and explore the castle, learn what we could, bring back artifacts to study, and stir things up among the opposition, while leaving any fighting to others.

A quick snog and Harry was off for the Ministry. I decided to ditch my afternoon class. If the others were busy with commitments, I would spend the time reviewing everything that we knew of Castle Weasley and its location. I would start in the Reception Hall with the picture of King Weasley. We already had the King's crown, and the silver key which unlocked his castle. I wanted another look at his ring, his wand, and his official clothes.

I apparated to the Reception Hall, and then walked to stand in front of the portrait of my many-times-great Grandpappy Weasley. I wanted to imprint the details in my mind. Before, I had focused on the crown and the ring. We already had the crown, but I studied the ring. The clear crystal was very large. It covered the entire face of the ring and I guessed it was as wide as my index finger. It looked to be a polished cube of calcite, which had been polished round to make a flat-topped little cylinder. It might even have been clear quartz, but I didn't think so. The most distinctive feature was the pair of perpendicular silver wires, which crossed atop the crystal and secured it to the ring. They were thick enough that they obscured about half of the crystal surface.

I moved on to the green robe. It was a shiny fabric. The emerald button closure was large. It was an irregularly shaped uncut emerald, set in silver, with the same crossed-wires of silver in the shape of an X, keeping the stone extra secure. The wand was of a surprisingly light-colored wood, although I suspected it would look very age-darkened, were we to find it. I could see a large knob-handle visible between the King's fingers. Perhaps the strangest thing about the wand, apart from its color, was its shape. It was thicker and considerably wider than the wands I was used to. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed this when I first saw the painting. If I had to guess, I'd say the wand was an almost perfectly round, three-quarter inch wide cylinder and perhaps only eight inches long, not counting the knob handle. The end of the wand was pointed at the viewer and it was flat, with a clear crystal inset into the center. I would know this wand the instant I saw it, unless all of the wands of Eire had looked much the same, back in the day.

I moved toward the sword. I could only see the handle, which appeared to be made of bronze. It had a wide almost semi-circular handle, with hand guards perhaps two inches wide perpendicular to its blade. The handle seemed to have an ornate W scribed into the metal. Just the very end of the blade, where it entered the handle was visible. It seemed to be about two inches wide, thin, and sharpened on both sides. I felt certain that I could identify this sword. The painting was cutoff just above the knees, so I couldn't tell if the King wore trousers and boots. I would have guessed dark leather. I had fixed in my mind all that I needed to know.

I rested on the stone bench to ransack the new knowledge in my mind, in search of anything related to Castle Weasley. I linked up with the stone. I was starting to search for information on the family castle, when I remembered that I needed to learn how to feed the Dementors. I had given this a little thought over the prior days, which assuaged my guilt. While I hadn't wanted to reward the Dementors at Azkaban with a banquet too soon after they had devoured the souls of their prisoners, I also didn't want them to wither and die. I had arranged the delivery of several dozen large hares, but didn't think they could feed the Dementors for long.

I think part of the reason it was taking me so long to unpack and organize my Light Guardian and stone knowledge was that my mind just kept flitting to new subjects like it had just done. Since I had often found it quite profitable to follow my strange mind, wherever it chose to ramble, I followed this detour and thought deeply about Dementors, my familiar black stone, and the still-strange white stone. I quickly determined that I was not going to find any help in the Ancient Witches' memories. I was convinced that the Light Guardian had told me nothing about the white stone, and precious little about the black one. I think I was expected to learn about them on my own. The 'greater wisdom coming from the journey of discovery' sort of deal. This left me to query the black stone about its pale brother.

The black stone certainly knew a fair amount about the white, if it had warned me that touching it could be lethal. I started from that point. Why was it lethal? The black stone's explanation was both too long and too detailed for me to fully grasp it. I did learn that the white stone would absorb the energy of disembodied spirits. That's how it was intended to slay the Dementors as soon as they had been cleaved from the bad Centaurs. I was certain that the Dementors had been spared because of the thick silver wires. Those chains had not been there when the Light Guardian had created that stone. My stone did not know how those wires had come into existence, suggesting 'The Great Evil One' was responsible. Requests for a description of this Evil One could not be given. My stone had never encountered it/him/her. Scribed among my stone's most ancient memories, was the warning 'Beware the Great Evil One, who will try to thwart your great purpose'.

I couldn't avoid another digression. I had to ask my stone what its great purpose was. I was surprised to receive an immediate and succinct answer: 'To save the magical creatures from those who would break the peace of the Covenant and misuse magic. To serve the Mothers of the Future and their Muses.'

Another digression was called for. I asked the stone "Are there other Mothers of the Future?"

I learned that I was the only living Mother. I saw images of three prior Mothers. The first was an Elf; the second was a Unicorn; while the third was a mud-splattered young girl, with long, dirt-encrusted hair, green eyes, a broken front tooth, a scarred face, a wild look, and a wand which was nothing more than a forked stick. Beyond the highly concealing dirt, she was wearing not much of anything. I didn't think she could be older than fourteen. Further discussion revealed that she was only thirteen, had lived for only an additional dozen years, had died just after the transporter had been used to exile most of the Leprechauns, and had created the first real wand. Her daughters had become Ancient Priestesses. I realized that I had memories from one of them, which I would peruse later. I learned that there had been other Mothers or almost-Mothers. I was a little frightened when the black rock suggested that now was not a propitious time to talk of almost-Mothers. I learned that not all mothers had Muses and that not all Muses were young. My nearly-naked thirteen-year old Mother was served by the very first Muse. Perhaps she acquired her Muse because she was viewed as being several years too young to be a stand-alone Mother. Her Muse was a ninety-year old Priestess named Gwendolyn. I searched my mind, but found no Gwendolyn memories.

Switching back to my search for information about the white stone, I eventually discovered that a properly functioning white stone was supposed to pair with my black one in enhancing and controlling the various magical circles around the world. The black stone was the more powerful of the two. It could introduce me to the white stone, which I could safely touch in my corporeal form, although there was no need for me to do so. In fact, nobody needed to ever enter the chamber beneath Azkaban. The white stone should now work just fine, although it would be best if the chamber not be flooded.

I asked my stone to make the introduction and soon found myself speaking to its white brother. The stone thanked me for unchaining it. It told me that magic would be stronger if all the stone circles were activated and tuned. The dwindling of the Circle of Eire was a particular problem to the proper functioning of magic. The black stone, the white stone, and I should be able to fix the problem. Of course the white stone knew the location of the Circle of Eire. Did I wish to be transported there? 'Not just yet, I'll be traveling with friends, and we'll likely set out from somewhere in Eire'. That was not a problem, we could be guided to apparate ourselves to the Circle, from just about anywhere. My original research question was thus fortuitously solved.

I found that I could talk to both stones at the same time. I asked how much more the white stone could be powered up without harming the Dementors. The stones' conclusion was that a little more power was fine, but that the Dementors could never return to the lower chamber. Even better, the unchained white stone at a quarter more power than it was putting out now would be an ideal food source for the Dementors, if they hung out in the lowest corridor of the prison. Increase power by half again and the upper level corridor would be an ideal home for them, while the lower corridor would be painful to inhabit. I asked the white stone to increase its power by a quarter. I communicated through the two stones to the lead Dementor and told him lunch was served. I said I was continuing to think about providing additional small beasts. I feared my Muse might object to this addition to their diet, if I progressed farther up the food chain than hares.

I thanked the stones for their information and apparated to the Ministry to inform Harry and Dad. I was surprised when Harry whispered {[very excited] your father will want to hear that right away. He wanted to have the Dementor issue settled and Castle Weasley found before he told the press about the Battle of Azkaban. He's been very worried that the story would leak out before the loose ends were tied up, and that it would both give an advantage to Narcissa and Umbridge and cause us to look sneaky in the press.}

Dad was as pleased as Harry had said he would be. Dad did surprise me by insisting, "I want you to leave today, before dinner. I'll send three aurors as an advance party to check out your tent. One will apparate back here to let us know that all is well. You'll take off on your brooms from Erasmus's back yard, fly out of sight, land, and apparate to the Circle from there. You are to check out both the Circle and the castle. The castle should be accessible from the Circle, using Ron's key. I'd love to come with you, but I can't. Same travel party as before – the two of you, Ron, Hermione, George, Luna, Neville, Bill, Barb, Cotto and six of his Elves, six of Kingsley's aurors, King Goblanze and Goblitek. Perhaps you should take Cissy and Margaret. Have Neville and Margaret bring their swords. You'll leave from the Reception Hall.

"Ask your mother to come to the Ministry, so that you can stay in communication with me. Don't return to Hogwarts, you can contact Neville from here to get the others to the Reception Hall. You will apparate from there at 5:00, unless my aurors encounter trouble. They shouldn't - they are very capable Wizards and they will have two invisible Elves protecting them. Good luck. You'll want to eat well before you go. Take some food for the others, and take all of the observation gear for the magical force lines. You may or may not need it, but I want Erasmus to see it."

"I'm surprised that you've asked us to include Cissy. I didn't think you trusted her all that much," I commented in neutral tone.

"I don't," Dad replied," but you do. This is a good chance to find out more about her. I want you and Hermione to watch her closely and gauge her emotional reaction to whatever you find at Castle Weasley. You both have the skills to delve beneath her surface reactions."

"Don't count on that," I didn't hide my disappointment in myself. "I think Narcissa must have lied to us and we definitely did not catch her."

"I wondered about that," was all that Dad said.

We ate at Mrs. Bones's shop. She had cottage pies, so we had better nutrition than simply chocolate and sugar. When we apparated to the Reception Hall, we found most of our traveling party and our equipment was waiting for us. Neville was the last to arrive, having to work out details involving the unexpected absences of himself and the rest of us from Hogwarts. Since we now knew where we were going, I didn't expect us to miss more than one school day. It was now simply a matter of waiting for Dad's auror to return and apparate us to Erasmus's yard.

We chatted for half an hour and then Aubrey arrived. "Everything is cool at Erasmus's place," he told us. "He's expecting us. Sorry, I'm a little late, but at the last minute the Minister wanted to include Mr. Granger and his radio monitoring gear. I'm supposed to tell you all that if you have your cell phones and you have the batteries in them, you must take them out at once. I'm going to be the only one with a working phone and my job is to lead any followers down the wrong flight path. Now if you would all link hands, making a circle a little wider than what you've got now. Sort of sit on the equipment next to you and press your legs around it. That's right, just like that."

We were gone.

Erasmus was inside our tent with Mr. Granger, two aurors and a fair amount of equipment. Erasmus greeted us, kidding us that it was not the season for our big straw hats. As if at his command, we doffed our hats and transformed them into brooms. Harry told Erasmus, "We're not sure how long we're going to need to be here. We never did make it all the way to Caherconnell last time. We've brought enough gear that we can search for magically engineered sites, while flying three abreast. We've got Professor Granger with us to handle all calls to the Ministry and even to Aubrey, who's going to be leading us out of here. We don't want the Muggles eavesdropping on what we say."

"I've already met Aubrey. In fact I think I've met most of you. You're welcome to stay as long as you like. Your tent has already killed all of my grass."

We introduced the other members of our party. Harry, who apparently had agreed the full plan with Shacklebolt and Dad, designated three aurors, including Ellen (who had been a late addition with Cissy), as well as Margaret, to stay with Mr. Granger. I knew that they also had two Elves to help defend their position. I guess they were actually more secure than that, since another two Elves were always covertly watching Erasmus and his house.

As the rest of us readied for takeoff, Aubrey assured Erasmus, "Don't worry, Sir, I won't put the battery back into my cellphone until we're a mile from here."

"That's considerate, lad, but with that other bloody big radio you brought, I don't expect it will matter."

Erasmus said goodbye and headed back to his house. The rest of us mounted our brooms and took off towards Caherconnell. As promised, Aubrey waited a little over a mile, before re-energizing his phone. Two of Cotto's Elves were riding on Aubrey's broom. Cotto was riding with me, while hidden Elves were flying with Harry, Ron, Bill, and Barb. We continued flying for about five miles, until we saw an open, secluded area, shielded by a rock and a tree and some big bushes. Aubrey and three other aurors kept flying, while the rest of us landed. Our brooms quickly became hats, we linked hands, and we were standing on the floor of a cavern as large as the Cavern of the Goblins with almost as large a stone circle directly ahead of us. The room was dimly lit, but we could see well enough to move around. Harry dispatched an Elf back to the spot where we had landed. He would return at the first sign of trouble, not even trying to fight. Two additional Elves were assigned the tricky task of apparating to the surface. This was not successful. Harry had one Elf tasked to watch Cissy at all times.

Hermione and I reached out to the stones and said we were ready to tune this circle and increase its power. Harry, Ron, and Goblitek were using the force viewers to scan the Circle of Eire. I had told Harry that stone-based tuning worked a bit differently than what we had done to repair the Circle of the Goblins, but we still might need to add some silver wires. We had brought twenty pounds of silver with us, in case it was needed.

With the aid of the stones, we were able to sense this Circle. We told it to increase its power output and quickly realized why it was not operating at full power. There was some sparking between two stones in the inner circle and Ron reported that a pair of stones in the outer ring looked 'really messed up'. We told the Circle that we would make it healthy again, but that the first thing we needed was more light. The Circle obliged and the cavern became brighter and brighter, until we told the Circle **"Enough!"**

As the others moved closer to examine the stone circles and the silver which connected them, Hermione and I took the time to contact Mom and Margaret, telling them that we had arrived safely. They each said all was fine on their end.

Harry sent Bill, George, Neville and two of our Elves to scout out the Reception Hall, and see if they could find something that looked like it might be an entrance to Castle Weasley. The rest of us got to work melting a pound of the silver and pulling it into wires. I had told Harry that we would not need an extremely fine lattice. We would rejoin the stones with thick wires an eighth inch across. We had stretched two wires between the inner calcite crystals which had been sparking. I had shown Harry the heights at which the stone wanted the wires connected. Ron, Cissy, and Luna melted the silver. Harry and I drew it out into wire, and Hermione attached it to the stone. We repeated the process between the two outer stones. The black stone told me that we only needed to add a single wire at a height of five feet from the ground. This wire needed to be five feet long, because the outer stones were spaced more widely.

As the silver was being heated, I examined the Circle. The stones did not run floor to ceiling. There was a gap of several inches to a foot at the uneven roof of the cavern. The central lodestone was huge, even bigger than the rocks at the center of the circles in Britain. I apparated atop it and used a 'lumos' lit wand for added light. There was a single crystal inset in the top of the lodestone. It looked like a tourmaline. Five feet above that crystal, I saw the end of what I assumed was a clear crystal cylinder a little over an inch in diameter. The end protruded about a quarter inch from the cavern roof. I felt it and decided it was smooth enough. It was sealed to the roof by a narrow ring of silver, which appeared to be intact. I used my wand to blow the dust off both crystals and wiped them clean, using the hem of my robes. They seemed in satisfactory condition. I apparated down to the floor of the cavern, to find that George had taken my place as Harry's wire-making assistant. I helped Barb attach the wire to the stone columns, noticing that these were basalt. Harry ordered us away from the circle, both to allow it to be powered up and so that we could easily confer.

"The reception hall has not been entered in quite a while," George reported. "The dust is quite thick and there are little bits of stone on the floor. We saw two locked doors, which we needed Ron's key or the Keeper rings to open."

"We'll get to those in a few minutes," Harry told him. "I want to try powering up this circle first."

I urged the circle to increase its power output and it slowly ramped up. It wasn't sparking this time, but Ron reported, "Some of the force lines are braided, and the intensity between the stones varies. It badly needs tuning."

I told Ron that Hermione and I would handle the tuning, once the circle had powered up just a little more. Hermione cautioned, "Not too much more, we don't want to cause another failure."

I backed off just a tad on the power. Hermione and I relaxed as much as possible on one of the stone benches and worked with the black stone to tune this circle. I really didn't understand at all how my stone accomplished this, although some pieces fell off a few of the stones. This alarmed me, but the black stone indicated that it was perfectly normal.

Ron shouted, "The power lines are looking quite a bit smoother, you might try a little more power."

We did increase the power, and the black stone continued tuning. I saw one thing that it did as one of the stones in the circle went dark and two small stone pillars outside the outer ring of the circle began to glow faintly.

"Better and better," Ron shouted.

We decided to leave it at that and check out the castle.

The reception hall was primitive, not even up to the quality of the one at the Cavern of the Goblins and not remotely on a par with the Reception Hall under Hogwarts. For one thing, it was tiny – only ten feet wide by fifteen long, with a ceiling height of only about seven feet. I say about, because its stone construction was neither even nor finished. We had accessed the circle through an unprotected arch and tunnel. The tunnel was only five feet long, and the arch was a little less than five feet tall. There were smooth granite panels to the side of the arch at both the entrance and exit of the little tunnel and I could see slots for metal doors to slide along as well as what appeared to be the doors themselves, level with the floor. I hurried everyone into the reception hall and we used our wands to blow the dust and grit away from the top of the doors and the grooves that they slid along. I tried both my rings on the granite panel and waited. The door did not move. There was a large keyhole, which I blew clean using a very strong blast of air from my wand.

Ron inserted his key into the hole. Again nothing happened. Hermione urged, "Try turning the key."

Ron did this and, although the key turned a full rotation, the door did not budge. I had noticed that unlike the arch doors that we had encountered in Britain, this one was the color of weathered brass.

We decided to quickly explore the reception hall before trying the doors. I'm not sure any of us expected the doors to work. There was little decoration in this hall. In the center of the hall was a statue of a Leprechaun, carved from stone and standing about three feet tall. On the far wall had been two paintings. The canvases had rotted and the wooden frames were making great progress in rotting. There were runes between the two paintings. We blew the dust out of the lines and Hermione made a picture of them. They were not charcoaled, or if they had been, the blacking was gone.

"Which door?" Harry asked.

I was about to respond 'the one on the left', when I received a message from Margaret. "Aubrey and his pals were attacked by a half dozen broom riders. They came from behind him, but one of the Elves spotted them. Aubrey and the Elves just apparated back here. We're at full alert. Nobody was hurt."

I relayed that information to Harry who ordered, "All right, everyone keep your defensive charms at maximum and your wands at the ready. We may have company up above. We have to move fast. Which door?"

"The left one," I said as I led us toward it. There was a keyhole. As Ron approached with the key, Harry deployed us in defensive positions, including himself and me and George and Luna as special weapons teams. I complied, although I was afraid we might bring the roof down upon ourselves. Harry told us "As soon as Ron gets the key into the hole, Hermione should tell the circle to douse the lights. Barb and Bill will throw balls of light over the door as soon as it is half open. Do it from the side. You'll be very exposed."

Ron inserted the key, the lights dimmed to practically nothing, and I heard Ron turn the key. It was several minutes before anything happened, and then a high-pitched squeal of metal on stone as the door slowly slid open. I saw balls of light sail over the half opened door, revealing an empty flight of stone stairs beyond the door. The door stuck two-thirds open and would not move any farther. We would have to climb over the obstruction.

Bill and Barb said they would go first. Harry reminded everyone to apparate back to our landing spot if we encountered trouble. We collected all of our equipment and clambered over the door. There were thirty steps, then a right angle and thirty more steps, then another right angle and a final thirty steps brought us up against another bronze door. I thought we were in a far less defensible position than at the prior arch. Ron had to squeeze to the front of the line with his key. The side walls of the stairs were only three feet wide and Bill had to hunch a little, the ceiling was so low. Bill felt the danger as much as I did.

"Most of you should go back down this flight of steps and shelter beyond the left turning," Bill instructed us. "Barb will go with you. We need Ron here and we'll take two of the Elves. We'll do the same trick with the balls of light as the door opens. As soon as Ron turns the key, he will lie down and use the stone steps and the door for protection. I'll lob the light balls. The Elves can apparate into the room, as far back as they can."

"You can do better than that," George assured him, handing forward four large Weasley Whiz-bangs.

Ron inserted and turned the key, then sheltered down. The door began to groan its way open. Bill hurled two balls of light, and as the door continued opening, he threw two Whiz-bangs. The door stopped just a couple inches short of the floor. Bill told us that he saw nothing but an empty room. He threw more balls of light. Ron did as well. We heard two loud bangs and saw the flashes of light. Bill and Ron charged into the room and the rest of us started moving up the steps.

"Nothing here," Bill told us. "Just an empty room with enough dust that I know nobody has been here for hundreds of years. Of course if anyone is in a room farther along, they certainly heard those bangs."

As the others scouted this room and took up positions to defend the one wooden door leading further into the castle, I took the opportunity to communicate with Mom and Margaret. I told them that we had tuned the Circle and entered the castle. Mom said all was well and Dad said to be careful. Margaret said that all was good at their end, and that Professor Granger had not picked up any suspicious signals.

I relayed the information to Harry and Cotto, suggesting that perhaps the Elves could apparate to the surface from here, since we had bypassed over fifty feet of solid stone. Cotto asked them to try. They succeeded. A minute later they had returned. Cotto reported "Six Witches and Wizards on the surface, not too far from here. Far enough away that they probably couldn't hear the Whiz-bangs. They think about a half mile from us. We're still about thirty feet below ground."

"We'll apparate from here all the way back to the Reception Hall under Hogwarts if we encounter trouble," Harry said. "If these intruders followed us here, the landing zone may be compromised. We should evacuate from Erasmus's house and also alert the Elf at the landing point."

Cotto sent an Elf to the landing zone. I alerted Margaret to abandon camp. I also messaged Dad. I told Harry, "We should try to close the metal doors and install intruder alert charms."

Ron overheard me and took Barb with him to do just that. Cissy reported that we were in a store room with long-decayed food. As we waited for Ron and Barb, the rest of us tackled the door. Our remaining Elf apparated beyond the door, declaring the room was empty. The door was very damp. We pushed it open, and it crumbled away. As we lobbed light into the room beyond, the reason became apparent. This long, skinny room was the spring room and, at the far right end, water flowed into a four foot wide and three foot deep basin, overflowing to run through a wide crevice into the deep underground. Immediately to our left was another flight of stone steps. Cotto and his Elf apparated into the room. Cotto soon called back to us to come after them. I heard a voice from the far end of our room remarking "The water is still very good. This is amazing."

I turned and was surprised to see King Goblanze cupping water from the basin in his hands and drinking it out of his hands. I must have looked totally appalled at his recklessness, because as he came toward me, he remarked "It is no danger. If I understand anything, I understand food and drink."

It was twenty steps up to what appeared to be the main part of the castle. We easily defeated the wooden door, finding ourselves at the end of a long stone corridor, perhaps six feet tall and six feet wide by forty feet long. Ron, Barb, and the three Elves joined us. As we walked along the corridor, we passed a store room, two bunk rooms, and an armory on our left. On our right, halfway down the corridor, was a heavy door. This one appeared to be the strong Goblin silver alloy. The door filled a portal three foot wide and six tall. There was a panel with a keyhole. Ron supplied the key. We all filed in and Ron relocked the door. Bill installed a tamper and remote alarm spell.

As I looked around, I saw we were in the Weasley throne room. It wasn't all that impressive – only twenty feet square with an eight foot ceiling. The throne was brass. We didn't expect to find a crown. On a small stone table, Ron did find the ring and the wand. Amidst decaying cloth, I found the emerald button. I pocketed it, not knowing what it might be able to operate. George took the wand and Ron the ring. There were two large, leather-bound illuminated manuscripts on a stone bench. Hermione and I each grabbed one. There was another large metal door leading from the room.

Ron was about to use his key on this door, when I called Mom. "Stop!" I told Ron. "Dad wants us back right away."

Bill asked if we wanted to add an alarm charm to the second door. "It is already very well magicked," He told us.

Harry said to do it, but to be quick. Bill was very quick.

We joined hands and were back in the Reception Hall. Shacklebolt and Dad greeted us. Shacklebolt had about a dozen aurors. Dad asked Cotto if his Elves could transport the aurors back above ground to the spot where they saw the Wizards. We gave the aurors our brooms. Ten aurors and ten Elves touched hands and vanished.

"Look what we found." Ron told Dad. "Hermione and Ginny have books, which look like they'll take a while to interpret."

We spread our booty on the stone bench, so that Dad could examine it.


	78. Chapter 78

**Chapter 78 – We Barely Miss**

"I'm glad these artifacts didn't fall into the wrong hands," Dad congratulated us. "I'm even happier that you promptly heeded my call to apparate to safety and avoid a fight. That shows increased maturity and a realization of your appropriate roles. I will now hope that all of our aurors and Elves return safely. It is their job to do the fighting. You all were very brave and have achieved a lot that only you could achieve, both at Azkaban and Castle Weasley. You have my thanks. You're welcome to stay here and see if our forces captured anyone."

"Thanks, but I'll get Cissy, Margaret, and myself back to Hogwarts, so we aren't missed and don't miss any classes," said Neville. "I urge Ron to come with me, so that he can teach his magical engineering class this morning."

Ron went back to Hogwarts. The rest of us waited. We took advantage of the supplies of coffee, tea, cocoa, cookies, and sandwiches which Dad had provided. We didn't have to wait long. We had just finished our snacking, when the aurors and Elves returned with two prisoners.

"They tried to apparate as soon as they saw us, but we managed to pick off these two before they got away," Shacklebolt reported. "I don't recognize them, but these may not be their true faces."

Hermione reached out and touched them with Goblin pens. They definitely were on the juice. Dad said they would take them to the Gringotts prison and wait to see whom they turned into. Harry and Dad apparated back to the Ministry, while the rest of us returned to Hogwarts. We were back in time to catch some late breakfast. Eggs, bacon, and a little pumpkin juice nicely rounded out my breakfast. Hermione and Luna were still at table, so we chatted over the morning papers.

The headlines promised breaking news to come. The Quibbler asked:

**Minister Calls Press Conference to Discuss Azkaban**

**Rumor That Dementors Killed Their Prisoners**

**Where is Narcissa Malfoy?**

**What Will Headmaster Longbottom Do With Nearly-Empty Slytherin?**

The Daily Prophet was, as ever, more cantankerous:

**Minister: "Where Are The Prisoners?" Dementors: "Burp"**

**Delores Umbridge: "My Battle Is Not Even Close To Being Over"**

**Professor Slughorn: "I'm Here in Slytherin but My Students Were Driven Away**

**Professor Malfoy: "Headmaster McGonagall Was Pushed, Before She Jumped"**

The second page of the Daily Prophet had about a three-year old picture of Neville, bearing the caption:

**Headmaster Longbottom – Awfully young, don't you think?**

I finished the breakfast banter in time to rush off to McGonagall's Wizard History class. The class was on the Wizard Secrecy Act. I learned that Erin's ancestors were the last Witches and Wizards to be executed in Britain for the crime of witchcraft. That was the only new thing that I learned in class. After class Professor McGonagall asked me to follow her to her office, for a chat.

I did a double-take as she turned away from the headmaster's office and led me up a level to her teaching office. She unlocked the door, picked up a pile of papers from the guest chair, and offered me a seat. She had almost as many books and papers as Snape had had in his office. While she didn't have the complex gadgets that Snape had collected, she had a quite large collection of brass, bronze, silver, and even steel statuettes. "Your work or Professor Celine's?" I asked her.

"About a quarter are mine. The rest are students' work. Several are by Adrienne. That garden gnome and the spider are Narcissa's."

I correctly surmised from this answer that McGonagall wished to chat about Narcissa.

"You saw in the paper, I'm sure. Xenophilius is also chasing after Narcissa. I don't see how she could have disappeared so completely, or how the Daily Prophet can have a quote from her. I assure you, I didn't complain to her, or even speak to her. That comment hurts me more than it hurts anybody. It is most disloyal of her. I will, of course, deny her accusation. I sent a floo note to the Minister asking him to do the same. Yes, I was still able to enter Neville's office, while he was away.

"I suspect you and quite a few others were with him, including Miss Montaigne. That is dangerous. You really should leave her at Hogwarts, when you go adventuring. I also read that our other little adventure is leaking out. It is very fortunate that Arthur called the press conference, before the story leaked. Makes him look much more honest and forthcoming."

I wasn't sure what I was expected, or even allowed, to say. I limited my response to, "I have no idea how much Dad plans to reveal."

"I desperately need to communicate with Narcissa, so much so that I have to restrain myself from going to the Daily Prophet and demanding to be put in touch with her. I realize how stupid that is and I won't do it. I know the aurors are searching for her. I expected them to locate her by now."

"It's hard to find people who are using Polyjuice," I told her. She seemed to have nothing more to say, so I said goodbye, wished her well, and left.

I went back to our apartment, lay on the bed, and scoured my Ancient Witch truth teller knowledge. I would attack the question from the reverse direction – how would I need to go about it, if I wanted to use all of my knowledge and abilities to defeat a truth teller. I went through a lot of information – mainly my Light Guardian knowledge, but also anything the black stone could tell me about how I could better control my own body, with its help, so as not to betray my untruthfulness.

The Ancients had passed down a few suggestions. One was the ability to confund yourself, so that you honestly believed at the time that what you said was true. Such a confundus could be permanent, of a preset duration, or triggered to reverse by an event. The event had to be fairly strong, such as writing a note to yourself, in which you explained everything that you had done. You put the note in a safe place where you were sure to find it later. A second approach was to lull yourself into a trance state in which you both sort of knew that what you were saying wasn't true, but on the other hand sort of accepted an alternative truth and saw absolutely nothing wrong, in fact a lot that was self-righteously correct in giving the alternate version of the truth. This could be done absolutely calmly with no tells at all. It did require a lot of practice and rehearsal, so that the alternative truth sounded as valid as the real truth, when you heard yourself saying it.

The final approach was to learn to control your body so fully that you gave no tells when you lied. Your aura and your body functions, like eye motion and breathing, also did not change. Truth tellers could be thrown off by the deliberate creation of a false tell, which the user could employ at will. This caused me to think of Narcissa's convenient problem with her nerves and question whether I had cut her too much slack on account of this. If she knew what tell or bodily reaction gave her away when she lied and recreated that as 'nerves', she could fool a truth teller.

What technique worked best depended upon how the individual truth teller worked. Some could virtually see into your soul. Others were simply adept at picking up tells, or watching eye movement, or observing changes in respiration or posture. The use of different signals to detect lies explained why more than one truth teller was always used. This information caused me to think deeply about how I detected lies and what I had observed in my various truth teller assignments. I thought that I clearly used a variety of the techniques. I realized that I also had, without consciously realizing I had done so, set a threshold level of cues that I had to see in order to call out a lie. Some of the cues had been weaker than my cut-off point. In some cases I had declared that the person had been deceptive, but not outright lied in such cases.

Further review of my memories revealed that the use of truth tellers and Veritaserum in combination was more reliable than truth tellers alone. The Veritaserum made it far harder to hide your tells and body signals. It also did force most people to speak the truth. Some could defeat Veritaserum alone, even without use of Liar's Milk. This caused me to wonder about Madam Bones's queerly extreme fear of Veritaserum. Was she skilled at defeating truth tellers? As a prosecutor, she'd have to be able to hide her thoughts, doubts, emotions.

The more I thought about it, and with a little practice, I became convinced that I could defeat either a truth teller or Veritaserum, possibly both together. Hermione contacted me through the stone to say that she had made some progress on the illuminated books. The first was a very old Christian bible, or at least most of one, from fourteen hundred years ago. The second was a summary of the magic of Eire and early Weasley history. It purported to be written over a period starting fifteen hundred years ago and ending a thousand years ago. Hermione hadn't begun the actual translation.

I shared my thoughts on truth telling and whether Narcissa had fooled us. Hermione said she would think on that, but that she considered it possible but unlikely.

Half an hour later, Hermione was back to me again, with the updated thought that she felt she herself could fool most truth tellers. She had thought back on our discussions with Narcissa and could see how we might have been fooled. While we were talking, Harry contacted me. The two persons captured in Eire had transformed back into Narcissa and a Wizard whom nobody at the Ministry could identify. This unidentified Wizard's picture was being taken to Erasmus, to see if he was one of the Eire Wizards. Harry wanted all of his truth tellers at Gringotts in an hour. I told him that Hermione and I might have been a bit arrogant in assessing our truth telling abilities and that Narcissa may well have snuck some lies past us the last time. I suggested that he supplement us with Veritaserum. Harry paused and then he thought to us that I was being overly modest and that he wasn't at all sure that Veritaserum would be permitted. He ended lamely by telling us that we were all he had and that he would happily accept our best efforts. He thought it difficult to simultaneously trick three truth tellers.

Hermione gave a mental sigh and said that she would hunt up Cissy, while I informed Neville.

Neville did not object to Cissy participating in Harry's questioning of Narcissa. He asked that we tell him what we could as soon as we could, so that he could break whatever bad news there was to Draco and McGonagall as gently as possible. "Narcissa really did do a fine job of teaching Arithmancy," Neville mused. "I've reviewed her students' exams. They show generally good mastery of the subject and full coverage of the mandated curriculum. Despite her desire to rush out of here, she did a very thorough job marking the exams. I reviewed the exams to see if I needed to step in to be fair to her students. I was impressed. She is a most incongruous Witch. I really hope her crimes aren't too serious."

Barb and Ellen accompanied us to the Gringotts lobby, where we were met by Shacklebolt. We took two rail cars down to the prison vault where Narcissa was being held. It was a lot gloomier than the Ministry jail or the basement rooms in which we had participated in interviews. For one thing, voices echoed terribly, far worse than in the courtroom. The echoes off of metal make even the stone echoes seem homey. There was no softness to the light. The Ministry had provided a wooden table. Narcissa sat on one long side, with us three truth tellers across from her. Harry sat at one end of the table, with Callista next to him to take notes. Directors Shacklebolt and Bones sat on the opposite end.

As we were preparing to start the meeting, Narcissa looked at Harry defiantly and declared, "I was arrested on totally false charges, or at least on a charge that doesn't constitute a crime. Yes, I organized a party of treasure hunters to search for Castle Weasley. There is nothing at all illegal in that. I was arrested in Eire, an almost sovereign Wizarding territory in which your jurisdiction is extremely iffy at best. You've thrown me into this accursed cell, without benefit of any legal proceedings. That's fine with me. I collected money from the Goblins and I'll collect money from you. Frankly, I find myself more in need of galleons than of a day's freedom."

"You are accused of entering the Ministry illegally using Polyjuice to impersonate Hermione and to steal a restricted Ministry report, a restricted-access library document, and who knows what from the Ministry archives. At least a portion of the spoils of that theft were on your person when you were arrested, and another item was found at your party's ground camp. You are charged with attacking aurors and using a forbidden curse. You are also charged with assisting Delores Umbridge in freeing a number of Dementors and ordering them to attack Ginny and Pansy Parkinson. You are also accused of being one of the persons whom Voldemort and Thicknesse authorized as their emissaries to give instructions to the Dementors, at a time when they attacked innocent Muggles, Witches, and Wizards. Further, a close review of your family's financial records shows that you were involved in many of your husband's schemes. Then there is still the matter of the death of your husband and his participation in the kidnapping plot. You were never the opponent of the Death Eaters, which you have claimed to be."

"You keep saying 'charged', Deputy Minister, yet it is I who am responsible for charging people and I have charged Narcissa with no crimes at this time," Madam Bones contradicted Harry. "In fact, I think you lack sufficient grounds to question her."

"Well, we do. The investigation may pass to your department after the auror investigation is concluded," Harry told Madam Bones. "You're a disruption to this session. Go wait in the rail car. Ellen will keep you company," Harry ordered her.

Madam Bones made a great show of huffing out. She even offered herself to Narcissa as her personal lawyer. Harry told her that was a clear conflict of interest. Madam Bones's parting words were "say nothing, Narcissa!"

"This meeting is becoming more and more extraordinary and extra-legal," Narcissa charged Harry. "I'm surprised that you and Shacklebolt are willing to do this in front of these four honest Witches. Kicking out the prosecutor to question a witness?"

"Not unusual at all," Harry replied with a grin. "Madam Bones and you would have us apply the rules for those accused of crimes. That views the aurors in their police role, but the aurors are also our soldiers. You are being treated as one who conspires to overthrow the elected government. Don't like this cell – well, you could spend your pre-trial time in Azkaban. Don't think that the Dementors will still take orders from you. We've given them new contacts. They know that Voldemort is dead. They also think you ordered them into a trap."

"You're bluffing!"

"I guess you missed our papers while you were in Eire." Harry pulled the Quibbler and the Daily Prophet from his robes and passed them to her.

As Narcissa read the headlines and shrunk back a little, Harry commented, "Yes, it's true. The Dementors sucked out their souls before we could rescue them. We had to kill three quarters of the Dementors in the attack. You're not very popular with them."

"You're both mad. You interviewed me before, with these very same truth tellers present. You know I haven't been plotting to overthrow your government."

"Ginny and Hermione have learned how you likely fooled them last time. We're onto that, so you are unlikely to fool them again. We'll also be using Veritaserum this time."

"I won't take it!"

Shacklebolt poured it down her throat. I noted that it was the spiked variety.

"I've also figured out some things about you, Madam Bones, your Sisterhood, and Delores Umbridge since the last time I questioned you. I brought Madam Bones along for this visit to see how she would react, but mainly because she is the next person we plan to question."

I hadn't seen that one coming. Hermione's stone-whisper indicated that she was as surprised as I was.

"I know, you see, that Professor McGonagall protected her Sisterhood with a Fidelius Charm, just as Dumbledore protected my parents and Grimmauld Place. Madam Bones was your group's secret keeper, but she was broken by Umbridge. That is the source both of Umbridge's jump in power and the guilt and determination to be an active fighter on the part of Madam Bones. Delores Umbridge knew all the members of the Sisterhood, so she knew you were McGonagall's spy. She kept that secret from the other Death Eaters and even from Voldemort, because she sensed how much power it could give her. She likes to manipulate things behind the scenes and have her own organization of the not-very-powerful who help her for small favors, the powerful who make the fatal error of thinking they control her, and the unwitting, like most of your Sisterhood, who don't even realize that they are partly working for her. You have most certainly been working for her. It was in her service that you lied to Voldemort about my death, not to save Draco."

"Of course it was to save Draco! I would have willingly died to save him, but I couldn't save him that way. Delores could still have revealed to Voldemort that I was McGonagall's spy, and my whole family would have been dead. You know that to be true. I couldn't oppose her. I still can't. She's too clever for you and you can't protect Draco or me from her. That's why I needed to make a deal. I needed to put her under an Unbreakable Vow in return for giving her what she wanted. I was almost there.

"I don't care what you do to me, but Draco isn't safe. You must make him safe. I have never been a willing Death Eater. I have never supported them. I was as happy to see Voldemort dead as Umbridge was. Umbridge always seemed to enjoy smiling at me and observing, 'you should be very pleased, Narcissa. Your Sisterhood has almost won. It is just a different big sister who will be in charge.' I swear that I do not support Umbridge or want her to succeed. If I could kill her, I would, but she's set things up so that she's the only one who can hold back those who would otherwise kill Draco. The Sisterhood is where my loyalty lies and it has never been a threat to your government – at least not willingly."

We all told Harry that we were certain that Narcissa had told the truth.

"It seems you've told the broad-brush truth, now we have to examine the details," Harry told her. "First, I need to know what Professor McGonagall's role is in all of this. Is she allowing Umbridge to move freely about inside of Hogwarts? Does she know that you have been serving Umbridge? How has she helped you?"

"I feel awful betraying a good person and a very good friend. That is why I slunk away from Hogwarts. I couldn't have her blamed for, nor could I have her find out about, my latest adventure. She already suspected that I had something to do with the Dementors slipping into Hogwarts. In fact, I did. Minerva was caught between wanting to stop me from doing bad things and wanting to protect me from the consequences of the bad things I had already done.

"What exactly did you ask? Oh, yes, Minerva is not helping Umbridge slip around Hogwarts; I'm the one doing that. Does she suspect I've helped and am helping Umbridge? I doubt she KNOWS, but she certainly suspects. That's why she tries to keep such a close watch over me. I think she excuses my behavior because Draco and I truly are in danger. Umbridge has assassins working for her, and not just the Dementors."

"Why did Umbridge want Ginny and Pansy dead?"

"I discovered that you had taken over Pansy as your spy. I let that slip to Umbridge. She was afraid that Pansy had harmful secrets locked deep in her mind, and Umbridge doesn't want you to pry them out. She wanted Ginny dead because she is becoming too powerful, and because her death would really mess up you and the Minister. Umbridge believes it would be unproductive to kill you or Arthur until your popularity slides. Not much of the public is going to be upset if Ginny is murdered, or Pansy for that matter – her own mother would barely care."

"Where is Umbridge now?"

"I don't know. She travels and spends a lot of time at both Hogwarts and the Ministry. She has a secret home in the Muggle world. I don't know where. I think it's in Eire somewhere."

"How does she slip in and out of Hogwarts and the Ministry?"

"I know that I've lowered the barriers for her more than once to apparate into Hogwarts. She's stayed in my apartment after you found her apartments. She still has a couple of allies at the Ministry who will let her in. She is on the Juice far more than is safe, which makes it hard to find her. She has a collection of hundreds of people's hair. Some is in my apartment, some is hidden in the Ministry shop, some is at her secret house."

"Why did you meet with Erasmus after you left Hogwarts?"

"He was suspicious of my earlier request that his team fly into Hogwarts early. I had to put his mind at rest. I carried a forged letter from Minerva, thanking him for his grand entrance. I also had to convince him that I hadn't spiked Sean's potions. I didn't do that. I told him that Delores Umbridge must be responsible. I don't know that for a fact, but it is the likeliest explanation. I also needed his help in locating Castle Weasley. He loaned me the Eire Wizards' rather primitive device for viewing magical force lines and pointed me in the general direction of the castle. The viewer got us right on top of the castle, which is where you found us. Unfortunately, the whole thing is buried and we couldn't quickly discover how to access it. We tried apparating in, but were blocked."

"Why would Erasmus help you to find the castle?"

"Because I bribed him – that's what I did with almost all of my money from Gringotts . I also promised to help him gain reinstatement as an approved coach and prove that it was Umbridge who was responsible for Sean's actions."

"Why were you so interested in finding Castle Weasley?"

"It held the biggest things I was going to trade to Umbridge in return for her Vow. She wanted the Weasley relics to be able to establish a power base in Eire. She mentioned the crown, the sword, the wand, a silver key, a book, and evidence of Montaigne treachery, which would cause all of you to treat Cissy as an outcast."

Cissy reacted strongly to this last remark, shouting, "You bitch! Won't you let me escape my family? I'm not like them."

After Cissy had calmed, Harry asked Narcissa, "What else did you plan to trade to Umbridge?"

"The Voldemort wand and Pansy."

"You did knowingly participate in the murder of your husband, did you not?"

"My involvement was a bit more than I admitted during our last conversation, but it was largely self-defense. He did plan to destroy me and steal Draco. Yes, I expected him to die. Yes, I wanted him to die. Yes, I did my part. It was not originally my idea, and Umbridge played a bigger role than I did."

"And others in the Sisterhood were involved. Who were they?"

"You know about Adrienne Celine, but she thought she was doing nothing more than getting Lucius jailed to save my life. The same for McGonagall. Professor Sprout also played a role. She had acquired a potion from her brother to be traded to Thicknesse by Lucius, and substituted a bad potion, so that Thicknesse would distrust Lucius and, I suppose, her brother. McGonagall covered up for us. So did Madam Bones."

"Is saving Draco your only goal?"

"It's my primary goal. I also want to save the Sisterhood and undo the damage I've done to Minerva. I also want some money and power for myself. I do not seek to oppose your government or to run the government, or the Sisterhood. I also, most desperately, want to maneuver myself into a position from which I can destroy Umbridge."

"If she sleeps in your apartment, surely you've had the opportunity to poison or curse her. I assume she does sleep."

"She uses protective charms to keep me out of my own bedroom. She also has her ally, Roderick, with her for protection."

"Well. So Roderick is loyal to Umbridge, rather than the Montaigne formerly known as Lord?"

"Only recently. He was at loose ends – wanted to do something, but had no way of getting orders from his Lord. He decided that his Lord and Delores Umbridge had the same enemies."

"Who were the others with you in Eire?"

"Roderick, Umbridge, and three nobody mercenaries from Eire. I believe you have one of the mercenaries."

"Yet again, so close," Harry lamented to Shacklebolt.

"I'm still surprised that you would help to kill Pansy. I thought she was your favorite daughter-in-law and you were hoping she would replace Erin."

"I've had time to realize that neither of them is good for my son."

"Last questions: Madam Bones is able to fool truth tellers, isn't she? That, rather than an imaginary phobia, is the reason she refused the Veritaserum, is it not? McGonagall knew that, did she not?"

"You are basically right about both of my friends, but Madam Bones does have a moderate distaste for Veritaserum."

Harry opened the vault door and asked Madam Bones to join us.

"Your turn to answer some questions," Harry told her. "We know that you are trained to deceive truth tellers, so you will have to swallow some Veritaserum."

"This is an outrage! You have no reason to question me."

"They know everything," Narcissa told her.

"Yes, we know that you were the Sisterhood's secret keeper and that you betrayed the membership to Delores Umbridge. We also know that your repugnance toward Veritaserum is pretty much false. We know that you have kept secrets about Umbridge, which are a risk to this government and our society."

She swallowed the Veritaserum.

She had nothing much to add. Drugging Shacklebolt had been something that Narcissa egged her on to do. She had turned to McGonagall for protection almost immediately after doing the deed. She had been assisted by Professor Sprout and, to a lesser extent, Professor Celine. Much of the Sisterhood knew of the deed prior to our battle at the Zuercher Bank, but none had stepped forward to hint what had happened and allow Shacklebolt to run for re-election. That had been a joint action of the full Sisterhood. Part of Madam Bones's interference in arrests and prosecutions was done as a favor to Narcissa, who requested it as payment to Umbridge.

Madam Bones offered to resign her post. Harry accepted. He messaged me, saying he had no idea who her replacement should be.

"What will happen to us?" Madam Bones asked Harry.

"You'll go back to writing your books. I think you'd be happier as a defense attorney, although you have a conflict on all of the cases likely to come up within the next year. I wouldn't be surprised if McGonagall asked you to teach at Hogwarts next term.

"As for Narcissa, I'm not sure. That is up to the Minister. For now, we leave and she stays in this vault."


	79. Chapter 79

**Chapter 79 – Return To the Castle**

{Three quick things before you return to Hogwarts. The aurors are continuing to watch Castle Weasley, because Umbridge may well return, as will we within the week. Second, I'm sure you also caught the importance of Narcissa thinking they were right atop the castle. That means the signature of the Circle appears half a mile from its actual spot. That would be an amazing magical engineering feat today, let alone over a thousand years ago. We'll need to learn how they managed that. Finally, say nothing to McGonagall. I want to keep Narcissa's capture secret for now and you don't want you to be the one she fights with because I fired her friend Amelia.}

As we returned to Hogwarts, I told the others that Harry wanted to keep the interviews and the firing of Madam Bones secret, for now. It turned out Harry was correct – we were walking back to the castle from the apparation pocket at the fence, when McGonagall walked up to join us. She had been waiting for us, outside, on what was quite a cold day. She was bundled up with a huge scarf and a long coat, but her cheeks still looked red and almost cracked.

Her "I must speak with you," quickly turned into probing questions about what we had learned at the Ministry.

It was very liberating to be able to respond, "We were told that all of that must remain secret. Truth telling for the aurors is a confidential job."

McGonagall accepted the finality of my response, which had been reinforced by an assenting nod from Hermione. I was left thinking, 'all along, was it really this simple'. Despite all my battles with McGonagall, did it all come down to my not getting past a little-school-girlish compulsion to answer whatever my headmaster asked? Did it really take guidance from my Deputy Minister husband for me to feel authorized to simply say something like, 'that's private and I won't discuss it'. I felt a tad embarrassed for my former self.

I think McGonagall got the main message from our unusual refusal to answer her queries. Our truth telling duties had involved a member of her Sisterhood and the outcome was not looking particularly encouraging for her group.

Back in Gryffindor, Cissy begged me to "promise that you'll take me with you, when you return to your castle. If there is something awful there about my family, and I feel certain that there is, then I must see it for myself and face it directly. I couldn't bear to get a second-hand, censored-to-spare-my-feelings version and be wondering what you were thinking behind my back. I need to know just how bad it is. Then I can deal with it."

I told her that it was my Dad's and Harry's decision, but that if it were totally up to me, I'd have no qualms about making that promise to her.

McGonagall stopped by our table at dinner to tell Harry, "Madam Bones visited me. Firing her was a cruel thing to do. She is shattered. She also says you have Narcissa prisoner. I still wish to speak to her."

Harry responded, "If you know that much, then you know the numerous misdeeds which they are both guilty of, and you know that I've discovered how much you covered up for them. You tell me that I take foolish risks, but showing Narcissa how to manipulate Hogwarts' magical defenses was beyond foolish. You put the whole school at risk and allowed Delores Umbridge to come and go at will. However good you think your Sisterhood is in theory, in the real world it causes a lot of damage. You can't see Narcissa now. Even Draco can't see her yet. She's just too dangerous, and we won't have her passing messages to allies."

McGonagall looked beyond sad as she returned to the head table. Since she wasn't allowed to sit in the center seat any more, she had chosen to sit on the near edge, where she had Professor Celine as her only dining companion. It was sort of symbolic of her current isolation – doubly so since Adrienne was her normal bubbly self, while McGonagall was subdued and dour. So subdued, that I noticed that Adrienne spent well over half her time conversing with Professor Sprout, who was seated to her right, leaving McGonagall to spend most of the meal within her own head.

It was three days later that our entire party from the last expedition set off for the Reception Hall to make a return trip to Castle Weasley. Harry reported that Umbridge and her crew had not returned in our absence. The two aurors and four Elves left to observe the area had seen nothing suspicious, and the alarm spells set by Bill had not been tripped. We assembled in the Great Hall, about an hour after breakfast, and walked to the apparation pocket at the fence. I saw McGonagall, literally standing in the shadows, as she silently observed our leaving.

Our party was a little larger than last time, because Dad wanted to join us. Mom was left in the Reception Hall, with a squad of auror reinforcements, as my channel of communication back to home base. Having been there before and possessing the Weasley artifacts, I was able to apparate us directly into the throne room.

Our first assignment was to scour the throne room for things we had not had time to examine during our initial visit, as well as for secret hiding spots. "I don't really expect to find any secret chambers of valuables," Dad told us. "This room itself was a strong box, as secure as any Gringotts vault. It even had its own dragon, in the room beyond that far door." Dad pointed to the door, which we had not opened, during our prior visit.

An hour later, we had found nothing, beyond the normal odds and ends of daily living, even for a king. There were the mummified remains of a rather large cat, an ink bottle, a quill pen, several pages of barely legible ink on parchment, a mug with the uncleaned residue of some drink, a pair of decaying leather boots, a rather deadly looking dagger, and the remains of a burnt-down candle.

Ron inserted his key and opened the next metal door. As Dad had predicted, this room was the underground lair of a small dragon. Its carcass lay in the far corner of the room. It had starved when its master was killed, or so I assumed, and so Dad confirmed. "Many of the children escaped, but the King died in his castle. Beyond the dragon lay the family chambers. We are the first Weasleys to return in hundreds of years."

"You certainly know a lot about Castle Weasley," I told Dad. "Why did you never speak of it to me?"

"My father thought overly much of the days of the Weasley Kings. Such thinking does nothing but corrupt your life. I didn't want to pass that burden on to my children. There will be no more Weasley Kings. Our family and Wizarding society have moved beyond that. I know that Narcissa told you that Erasmus helped her, because she paid him a hefty bribe. That may be partly true, but Sean went more to the core of the truth, when he spoke of Erasmus being absolutely determined not to have any future rulers from Britain. We are exploring this castle to reveal history and to prevent our enemies from capturing it and using it as a base. This was a far more defensible castle than even Durmstrang. The magical protections of the throne room, both passive protections and offensive charms, would defeat most invaders. Had you not carried the key, you would not even have seen the door. I can't tell you how pleased I am that none of my children felt the urge to see if their fanny fit the throne chair. Yes, I checked to see if the dust had been disturbed. It would have pained me to feel obliged to disown one of you, but I would have. I will not have one of my children lusting for a kingdom!"

The door out of the dragon's lair was a simple wooden door. The key unlocked it, but even my shoulder could have broken it down. Beyond that door was an eight-foot wide corridor. There were doors opening from the opposite side of the corridor, but our eyes and ourselves were drawn to the far end of the corridor. There, slumped in a wooden chair, sat a skeleton. A parchment was propped against one leg of the chair. Ron picked it up and handed it to Hermione. She translated the ancient text for us "Here sits the failed King Weasley. Let him be an example for all who would oppose the will of House Montaigne. I regret that the little bastards escaped with the King's bitch, but I hold the double crown. That is all. The cowardly Weasleys will never dare to return or to raise their hand against my kin."

I glanced at Cissy. She had gone white and remained speechless, pressing a hand against her lips. A moment later, she softly told us, "I am so very sorry."

A survey of the rooms of the corridor revealed that not all the children had escaped. The skeletons of a baby and an infant were found on a bed in the farthest room. The skeletons of several adults were found in another room. Beyond that, the rooms had been thoroughly stripped. We went to the opposite end of the corridor, where a heavy bronze door was set into the stone. Ron's key opened this door, revealing stone stairs leading up. The next level had a room with an altar, store rooms, and what were likely two bunk rooms for guards. These rooms had also been stripped, although they did hold three more skeletons.

At the far end of the corridor, was another door. This one was made of Goblin metal. The door was bent inward and seemed to have been partially melted, despite being an inch thick. It was jammed in a halfway open position, with the tip of the door curled slightly downward. It was not a problem to squeeze past and go up yet another flight of stone steps.

I reached a small landing, turned to my right, and found the next flight of stairs filled with rock and debris. I called over my shoulder that this was as far as we could go.

Cotto inched up beside me, telling me, "Your father wants me to apparate to the sky and tell him how far underground we are standing. When I disappear, please back down the stairs, so that I may safely return."

Cotto vanished and I moved backward, all the way to the bottom of the stone stairs and back through the metal door. Dad told me that he was not the least disappointed to find the stairs collapsed. Several minutes later, Cotto returned. He said that the collapsed portion of the stairs were ten feet underground and that he could apparate us to the surface. We made a long line in the corridor, with hands grasping the shoulders of the person in front of us. An instant later, we were on the surface. I could tell that we were closer to a mile than half a mile from where Umbridge and her party had searched. I marked the spot in my mind. We joined hands again and did not reappear in the Reception Hall.

We were in Erasmus's back yard and our tent had been removed. Our line of apparates was straddling the bare spot in the lawn. I wasn't sure who had apparated us here, although it must have been at Dad's order, because he did not seem at all surprised to be here and strode straight to Erasmus's back door, upon which he banged loudly.

As Dad waved me forward, calling over his shoulder, "please bring Hermione and Cissy with you," I was close enough to the door to hear Dad say, "I must have a word with you, Erasmus."

Erasmus motioned us into the house saying, "So, you found your castle, didn't you?"

"We found A castle," Dad told him. "It contained artifacts and a strong room, which I couldn't let fall into the wrong hands. It is not our castle, because there will be no more King Weasleys. Not if I have done nearly as good a job of raising my children as I believe I have."

"Forgive me, Arthur, I should have known that, but I couldn't take even a small chance. I'm grateful that my doubts did not allow that evil Witch to do any real damage."

"That is a plus," Dad agreed, "but you did betray me. I won't be nearly as forgiving if there is a repetition of that behavior. I have no desire to rule or control Eire, but I will not allow it to become the seat of plotting against our elected government. I'm told that the evil Witch hides in Eire. There are some questions, which I must oblige you to answer in front of my truth tellers."

When we departed, Dad knew that Erasmus was not an enemy, had not been grossly disloyal, and would assist us in the search for Umbridge. Dad asked if Erasmus would like to see the castle, saying, "It's just an abandoned historical site now, but it must remain hidden and its Circle must be maintained. The Goblins will return periodically to perform that task."

Dad, Ron, two aurors, and Erasmus were gone for about an hour. They seemed chummy upon their return.

Shacklebolt didn't seem quite as ready to kiss and make up. "Here, I believe this belongs to you," he said as he handed him the magical force line detector, which his aurors had captured, along with Narcissa. "I'll likely be letting you have your Wizard back in about a week. I'm not happy. I trusted you and you worked against me. My aurors could easily have been killed. If I hadn't sent two Elves along with them, I'm sure your gang would have killed them. If you attack my aurors, you attack me. I won't forget what you did."

"I'm truly sorry, Kingsley. I had to protect Eire. I'll make it up to you."

Dad told Shacklebolt that he was welcome to stay and work through things with Erasmus, but that the rest of us were leaving. Shacklebolt chose to come with us.

We apparated back to the Ministry. Dad collected the key to the castle from Ron. "Not that I don't trust you with this, but I plan to lay in some supplies in the throne room, in case we ever need to shelter there. You still have the crown. You should be able to apparate in or out with that, now that you've visited the room. I believe the wand will work as well. I'm not sure about the button that Ginny has. I can't promise that the family quarters will be secure. Erasmus is able to apparate there and will stock it as an emergency shelter for his group. You'll still have access from the throne room to the level below and to the Circle. If you have to leave the throne room, such as to go to the spring – the loo is at the other end of that corridor.

When we returned to Hogwarts, Neville led Harry, Hermione, Ron, and me to Narcissa's apartment. We searched it thoroughly, but beyond finding ten bottles of hair, found nothing of interest. Umbridge had hairs from Madame Pomphrey, McGonagall, Trelawney, Professor Sprout, Professor Slughorn, Mom, Professor Celine, me, Hermione, Ron. I assume that the absence of bottles for Harry, Cissy, Draco, and Pansy meant that Umbridge kept those on her person.

While we were searching the apartment, Harry told us that the Ministry had assigned an auror to Draco, and that Draco had accepted Dad's advice to hire two Elves to protect Erin and himself. Cotto had picked two talented and reliable Elves for him. Draco and Harry had talked about Narcissa, and Harry had taken Draco to visit his mother. Mother and son had talked alone for over an hour, with Harry waiting in the railcar with Bill and Barb. Draco had emerged shaken and teary-eyed from his mother's cell, telling my husband that he was disappointed in his mother's behavior, but wouldn't abandon her.

Harry was in a talkative mood and also filled the rest of us in on the situation with Madam Bones. She had visited Harry the day after he fired her and told him that she fully understood why he wanted her gone. She said she regretted using her position to protect Narcissa, but that she had found that her first loyalty was still to the Sisterhood. She feared that she had returned to the Ministry too quickly, without giving herself time to recover from her ordeal at the hands of Umbridge. She admitted that her actions had served to help Umbridge carry on her war with the new administration, and that she loathed herself for that, because she had an intense hatred for Umbridge. Her need to help her friend and Sister Narcissa was simply stronger than her hatred of Umbridge or her loyalty to Harry or Dad or the proper conduct of her job. She begged Harry's pardon, which he gave her. He wished her well and told her that just as Witch painting was a way for Jimmy to chase away his demons, getting back to her writing would likely allow her to hold her demons at bay.

She told him that the bright spot in her currently sad life was that Adrienne had moved back into her house and would apparate to and from Hogwarts each day. She felt guilty that her need post-firing pushed Adrienne to finally implement this frequently-discussed plan, but admitted that this was exactly what she needed and that she was ever so grateful to Adrienne. She hugged Harry when they parted and told him that he, 'must make Arthur understand that this is for the best. I can't be your prosecutor, just now.'

Harry said that Dad understood and did not seem surprised, but was saddened by the firing of Madam Bones.

Dad had suggested several Wizards who worked for the Ministry as possible replacements. Harry said that Dad left him with the hope that perhaps Madam Bones would straighten herself out and sort out her priorities sufficiently in the course of the next year, that she could resume her job. Harry had told Dad that perhaps she should come back as the assistant to the Director, when she was ready. Seeing Dad's face, Harry had explained, "She is your friend, she was never mine. I could never fully trust her and yet even so, I found I had trusted her too much. She has treated me and Ron badly more than once, and she has interfered with too many investigations. As long as her primary loyalty is to the Sisterhood and her second loyalty is to whomever the aurors are investigating at the moment, she is of no use to my department." Harry said he felt bad to have disappointed Dad, but didn't see a livable alternative.

Before Harry returned to the Ministry, he hunted down McGonagall in her teaching office and told her that he was willing to escort her, if she still wanted to visit Narcissa. She was very interested, and they made a date to go to Gringotts the next day.


	80. Chapter 80

**Chapter 80 – School Daze**

Harry was spending more and more time at the Ministry and less at Hogwarts. He only joined me for one class over the next month, and that was because Ron requested his permission for a special session of his magical engineering course. Although that class was fun for all involved, it didn't really take place at Hogwarts. Ron combined the four classes of fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-years which he taught and took the combined class first into Hogsmeade and then to Diagon Alley, to look for evidence of magical engineering. He had half a dozen instruments for viewing lines of magical force and almost forty students to share them. That is why he needed a dozen minders and had recruited our whole gang, including Neville, Draco, and all of our associated aurors and Elves to ride herd over what he expected to be unruly students.

Because this little excursion would enter Muggle London, the students traveled in their Muggle clothes. Most had Muggle clothes, but Ron had spent a day collecting, and even purchasing, appropriately sized Muggle jeans and hoodies for the kids. Fortunately, it was a sunny and unseasonably warm day as we started out for Hogsmeade right after breakfast. There was little evidence of magical engineering near the rail stop, but as we moved farther into town, I discovered that the whole main shopping street and half the homes were engineered not to be visible to Muggle eyes. Like the statue to Harry's family in Godric's Hollow, this was subtle, complicated engineering deception in which the object was there, but looked different if you were magically inclined.

I was surprised how much research my brother had done. He informed us, and even showed pictures that had been taken by Harry's cousin Dudley, of the row of dilapidated warehouses, which had once served a more active rail stop. This was apparently what a Muggle saw, instead of George's shop and all the other shops and taverns along the street. The students ogled the scene through the force-line viewers, musing among themselves how such an elaborate deception could have been engineered. We only spent two hours in Hogsmeade.

I had thought we were finished after little more than an hour, as Ron herded his charges together, telling them that was all the time he had to show them Hogsmeade. He asked them to turn half-way around and direct their gaze towards Hogwarts. He had taken us to a sufficiently tall hill that the school was visible.

"Here is Muggle Hogwarts," Ron announced as he handed around additional pictures taken by Dudley from this very spot. All it showed was dense forest.

A sixth year Ravenclaw Witch was oohing and aahing about how interesting the Muggle viewpoint was, as she stood entirely too close to my brother to return the pictures. As Ron's attention was directed elsewhere, Hermione stepped forward, saying "thank you, very much" as she took the pictures from the Witch's hand, to prevent further brushing up against Ron to gain his attention.

Ron allowed the students to study the magical force lines for a few minutes each, which still required three quarters of an hour for everyone to get their turn. The students expressed disappointment as Ron announced that the tour of Hogsmeade was over.

Interest quickly perked up as Ron announced that we were off to Diagon Alley. This explained the other need for all of the proctors. None of the students was licensed to apparate and less than half had even participated in a side-along apparate. Because of this, Ron didn't want any of us to take more than two students with us. Hermione quickly paired with the sixth-year Ravenclaw, who was trying to have Ron apparate her. I grabbed the hands of two fifth-year Ravenclaw Witches and had almost vanished us, when something told me it would be far smarter to draw the girls aside and explain what they were about to experience. As I did this, I noticed that some of the trios had already disapparated before my brother decided to make a general explanation of what the process felt like and what they should do to avoid breaking an ankle upon arrival.

When I did finally apparate my charges, I was not surprised to see some of the early departers engaged in the process of depositing their breakfast into the gutter. It was not a pretty sight, and some of the Witches were blushing. It took a while to subdue the commotion, get everyone cleaned up, and move the parade along to Gringotts, which was the first exemplar of magical engineering marvels that Ron wanted to show his students.

Gringotts was a good building to study for two reasons. First, it was the tallest building, by a goodly margin, within Diagon Alley, so it required its own magical engineering to conceal the top two floors, which stuck out above the general protection that the Ministry engineers provided for the Alley as a whole. This allowed the students to observe a building which was disguised wholly by Goblin magical engineers. The second thing about Gringotts was its obsessive attention to the details of its own security. There were numerous spells, charms, phony walls, and phony doors located both at the main entrance and scattered throughout the lobby.

Ron must have made advance arrangements with King Goblanze, because I was amazed that the Goblins did not interfere with forty Wizard children running around their lobby, pointing viewing devices at everything, and even intruding into areas normally limited to bank employees. We spent over an hour at the bank. Everyone was very hungry at this point, so Ron led his charges to Mrs. Bones's café. She had to feed us in shifts, which gave the students who were not eating time to examine the Ministry-version of magical engineering which concealed the bulk of Diagon Alley.

I spoke with Mrs. Bones as I consumed my cream-topped cocoa, a chocolate chip cookie, and, in a gesture toward proper eating, a slab of fried cod. I got my news of the day, when Mrs. Bones lamented, "It would be much easier to serve this very impressive crowd, if my Susan was still helping me. I'm very happy for her though. She's been looking for a formal job and jumped at the chance to work for headmaster, I mean Professor, McGonagall. She works four days a week at the Ministry, doing library research, and two days a week interviewing the families who don't send their children to Hogwarts. She is starting her second week on the job, and it's been quite a while since I've seen her this happy."

Ron had to send me into George's shop to round up a third of the students, but we were soon heading back toward the Leaky Cauldron. First we looked at the protections around the rear entrance to the Ministry. Then Ron had the students examine the entrance to Diagon Alley through the brick wall in back of the Cauldron. Finally, he took the students inside the Cauldron to show them the subtle engineering which permitted Muggles to enter and be unable to observe any magical folks in funny dress, or half the interior of the Leaky Cauldron.

I could tell that Ron's field trip was a great success with his students. They were all attention with beaming eyes and smiles directed at him, as they gathered around him in a circle, while he explained the most important things which they had observed. I assumed that was the end of the day, as Ron instructed us to take the hands of our apparation partners.

There was one more stop, however. My brother asked, "How many of you would like to see Grimmauld Place? It was the Black family home, then the secret headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, and now Harry Potter's London home. Its current defenses were designed and built by Director Shacklebolt and by Dumbledore himself. Even Harry Potter doesn't understand how they work."

Of course, all the students wanted to see Grimmauld Place. We were soon standing in the street, in front of a fairly ordinary block of flats. Each student was given a quick look through the viewer. Ron announced "Now watch what happens when Harry decides to enter his house."

The students gasped as two of the flats shifted to the side, allowing Grimmauld Place to pop into view. Harry obligingly unlocked the door and led the students inside. Some of the students peered through the viewers at the interior defenses. Ron and Harry decided that it was best to apparate back to Hogwarts from inside the house, as the 'fancy cameras' had already drawn a little unwelcome attention from Harry's neighbors.

Back at Hogwarts, and still early for dinner, the students milled about commenting on the extraordinary lesson which they had just experienced. Joy turned to concern as Ron announced that he expected a paper from each of them within the week, explaining what they had learned. As the students wandered away from us, I heard the first grumbling of the day.

Neville was not grumbling. He congratulated Ron on "an excellent class exercise, simply superb. We didn't learn this much in our day, eh? Oh, I forget you're still a student as well as a professor. I guess that makes this really still your day. And thanks for being such a good sport about your house, Harry."

"That's alright," Harry replied. "I don't expect to spend any more time there, anyway. I do wonder what changes we'll need to make to security so that all of those kids can't apparate in, whenever they choose."

That was the high point of my classroom instruction for the month. Basically, I attended most of my assigned classes. I learned a little. I sorted the knowledge I already had. I formed clearer impressions of my fellow students, realizing that we would need to employ some of them. I skipped only when I had a Ministry committee meeting, or Harry needed my help, or I was detained because of the need to console one of the younger Gryffindors.

The young kids, even the proto-Slytherins, were all good kids, whom I enjoyed talking to. Their problems were far fewer than when they first arrived for the term, and especially compared to when the older Slytherins were at Hogwarts. Still, there were spats, negative notes from home, the emotional strains of puppy love, and a dread of offending Professor McGonagall. Her displeasure seemed far more to be feared than Neville's. Neville was of such good cheer, and such sustained patience, that a student had to step badly out of line for Neville to speak harshly.

I also found life more pleasant with Neville as my headmaster. I would still be interrupted at table, or in the hallway, by a headmaster who wished to speak to me. Now, however, it was not a critical headmaster, or one who wanted to wheedle information out of me, but an old friend asking my advice on something new he was thinking of trying out, or soliciting my help to counsel a troubled young Witch. I felt both respected and useful. My stress level was vastly reduced and I found that I was actually happy. Even Cissy's chatter almost always struck me as bright and pleasant, rather than annoying or beating on me. Even Harry noticed that I was a happier, more relaxed person.

Even my infrequent interactions with McGonagall were much more satisfactory. A week ago, she even stopped by to tell me a joke which Trelawney had sent her from Tibet. Since she no longer felt that she should or could control me, our interactions were conducted almost as equals.

I spent quite a bit of time with Mom and hung out with Luna, who apparently saw me as an escape from spending spare time at the shop, one to which George couldn't object.

Toward the end of the month, Shacklebolt's persistence paid off. I had assumed that the trap at Harry's grandmother's house had long since been abandoned, when Harry arrived at Hogwarts for lunch in a state of great excitement. He informed me that Roderick had attacked his grandmother and Petunia, only to discover that they were two Polyjuiced aurors, who proceeded to petrify him and shroud him in ooze for a trip back to the Ministry.

Cissy, who was seated next to me, let out a little squeal, before proclaiming, "How brilliant! Will you be requesting our services again?"

She was very pleased to have Harry confirm that he did indeed want his three truth tellers for the afternoon. I think I was as eager as Cissy to experience a new adventure.

Roderick was being temporarily housed in the jail in the Ministry basement. We all got to watch Shacklebolt question Roderick. Shacklebolt was elated by the success of his trap. He had likely been near writing it off as a bad bet, but now he had won, and he was going to gloat. Gloat he did, repeatedly telling Roderick how stupid he had been to walk right into the trap, thinking an auror was actually an old Muggle woman. Roderick finally objected that he thought he was there to be interrogated.

Shacklebolt was a fierce questioner – much more high energy and in-your-face than Harry tended to be. He prodded Roderick from all angles, forcing him to repeat his answers in slightly altered form. Still, it quickly became clear that Roderick had not been trusted enough by Umbridge to be told anything of value. It was clear that he hadn't heard from Lord Montaigne in quite a while. He was working for Umbridge for money and to get back at Harry. He would happily murder Harry's Muggle family, if that suited Umbridge's desires and she paid reasonably well. Yes, he knew the Muggle police would be involved, but he wasn't worried about them catching him. He didn't know why Umbridge wanted Harry's family dead. From things she had said, it was nothing more substantive than wanting to throw Harry off his stride by means that she didn't expect to cause a Wizard-world ripple, beyond our little group.

It sounded as though Umbridge was getting a bit frustrated and just wanted to reach out and smash something. Draco was definitely still on her list of people who had to die. She had nothing against Erin, but the child-to-be also had to die, lest the Malfoy line continue. She had written off Narcissa, and didn't feel that she could return to Hogwarts. She had said, "Neville won't be as easy to get around as McGonagall was. Her loyalties were her weakness."

As to Umbridge, he had no idea where she was or where her Eire house was located. He was telling the truth when he answered Shacklebolt that he wasn't even aware that Umbridge had a home in Eire. He was even upset. He didn't like the Wizards of Eire. If Umbridge leaned in that direction, then he was very sorry to have been in her employ.

For all the effort that went into catching him, Roderick was a disappointing source of intelligence. The good news was that he was going to jail for a very long time. Attempted murder of Muggles in a manner certain to draw attention, and to reopen another case of a Wizard murdering a Muggle doctor, was skating close to violation of the Wizard Secrecy Act. The justice system would not treat him gently. That thought made me happy.


	81. Chapter 81

**Chapter 81 – Sherry with McGonagall**

I did have one somewhat negative encounter with McGonagall, right after we caught Roderick. It was a sunny and unseasonably warm afternoon and I was suffering from the winter greys. I decided to grab two blankets and a book and lounge on the lawn about a hundred yards from the front entrance. It really wasn't quite warm enough for this, thus the second blanket to throw over my robes. Still, the sun upon my face felt great and there was no snow on the ground. The air smelled especially fresh – nothing floral yet, just clean air coming off the hills and the lake. It was a pleasant change from the overly musty air of the castle, which had been sealed tight for months. My reverie was interrupted by the arrival of McGonagall, even before I had reached the stage of opening my book.

"Excuse me, I saw you lying upon the lawn and thought I'd seize the opportunity for a private chat," she addressed me in a plaintive tone. "I know that I didn't handle the reopening of Slytherin well, but I've never seen your husband so angry. He's completely avoided me, to the point of actually taking his dinner plate back to the apartment when he thought I was about to come over to your table. I want to be friends and to work together with Harry. We are both in the Minister's cabinet, after all, and I don't want to feud with another Department Head. Could you at least ask him to sit down with me so that we can work through our differences?"

"I will do that. I agree it is not very mature for Harry to just avoid you. I think there must be something more than the opening of Slytherin that has upset him. He did personally escort you to see Narcissa, did he not? How did he act toward you during that trip?"

"Well, he was gracious during the trip. I fear I may have been overly abrupt with him. I told him that I thought he was treating Narcissa and Madam Bones most cruelly, and that I didn't expect he was enjoying living with that upon his conscience. I had to remind him that poor Amelia had been tortured by the Death Eaters and deserved the benefit of any doubt regarding her recent conduct. I was quite emotional, finding Narcissa isolated in that depressing vault. I suppose that I shouldn't have, but I told Harry that I thought he should be ashamed of himself for that sort of treatment. Solitary confinement is very cruel, don't you think?"

"And how did my husband react to that? What did he say to you?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't pleasant. He told me that he sympathized with Madam Bones and felt quite sorry for her, but that he didn't think he could run his department with her constant sabotage and inability to actually do her job as prosecutor. He said he was well aware that I had lied to him about Amelia's supposed deep phobia to Veritaserum. He reminded me that most of Amelia's problems stemmed from guilt that she failed in her role as my Sisterhood's secret keeper, and that she needed to feel real forgiveness from the Sisterhood, rather than endless uncritical support from him. Apparently she admitted to him that she needs to expiate her sins to the Sisterhood and especially Narcissa, and that loyalty to her job and the administration were battling for third among her priorities. To Harry, she had helped Narcissa to help Umbridge, and that was enough to condemn her."

"That would be enough for most of us to condemn her," I commented. "Umbridge is still trying to murder us and overthrow the government after all. To help her, even indirectly, is awful. She's lucky not to have been arrested."

"I see you're not much more sympathetic than your husband. What Narcissa did, she did to protect her son. What Amelia did, she did to help a friend she felt she had wronged."

"Which is also the excuse that you used for your worst actions. It doesn't wash. Harry was helping and protecting Draco. Narcissa, and Amelia, and you had the simple alternative of telling the truth to the Ministry and seeking more help to protect Draco. I don't understand at all how anyone could imagine that letting Umbridge come and go at Hogwarts or readmitting the Slytherin goons would make Draco safer. Logic says just the opposite."

"I suppose it is reasonable to conclude that. The Sisterhood has gotten into the habit of protecting its own. Not to do so would seem like shirking. But what about Narcissa in her solitary vault? Harry said the Ministry was trying to figure out what to do with her and that she wouldn't be there long. But it's been another week and she still sits in her vault."

"Harry did mention that problem to me. It's hard to find another prisoner to safely share her vault. There are no imprisoned Death Eater women. The Grindelwald women would likely try to kill her, ditto for your regular criminal Witch who doesn't have good memories of the Voldemort years. Plus, Harry doesn't want her passing information to the baddies. The Ministry doesn't want to pay for a private prison for her and, considering how she abused her stay at Grimmauld Place, thinks she needs more security than that. But they are considering what they should do."

"But she doesn't want to help the baddies, as you call them. She said that you vouched for her truthfulness when she explained all of this. She'd happily see Umbridge dead."

"And yet all Umbridge has to do is whisper the name 'Draco', and Narcissa can be relied upon to do whatever she asks. That makes her as dangerous as if she was Umbridge's willing ally. Having heard your account of the trip, I think you can safely assume that it was your comments after the visit, rather than readmitting the Slytherins, which is the primary cause of Harry's anger. It seems that you just kept riding him too hard and that the strain of remaining civil has become too much for him, so he avoids you."

"Is he really that angry? I sense much of this is about Cissy."

"It may be partly about Cissy and about Harry being protective of me. It's also about Pansy, and Lucius, and Voldemort's wand. If you think about it, he has a lot of reasons to be angry.

"He also feels guilty that he didn't participate in this particular Hogwarts war, although I worked really hard to keep him out of it. That may have been a mistake. I know that made him feel more worried about me, and helpless to keep me safe. He worries, and my Dad floods him with his own worries. Harry thinks you created an environment in which Cissy, Draco, Hermione, and I were at great risk, and left it to us to also defend the younger students. He thinks you failed or more accurately decided to shirk your most basic function as headmaster – keeping the youngest students safe.

"I think he is especially angry about your requests that he compel Cissy to attend Hogwarts next term. He told me that he cannot do that in good conscience. With us gone, he doesn't think Cissy would be safe at Hogwarts. I think Harry takes special exception to your accusing him of not keeping Cissy safe enough, when he really tries very hard to protect her, especially when you turn around and create a very dangerous place for her to stay. If the bad guys have a monopoly on serious violence, they'll use that to control and persecute the rest of us. The older Slytherins are more than happy to trade a 'Cruciatus' or sexual assault for a week's detention. They weren't even required to actually serve that detention, as you should have known and perhaps did know. Slughorn scheduled it far enough in the future that it could be safely assumed not to happen before they were able to take control of Hogwarts or decide they had failed and leave voluntarily. Harry knows that you gave the Slytherins that monopoly to do serious violence, just as Madam Bones has almost given it to the remaining Death Eaters and Grindelwalds. The baddies are cowards who attack the innocents, trusting that serious violence won't be returned upon them. We're determined to change that balance."

"I admitted that reopening Slytherin this term was a mistake. What more can I do?"

"I think Harry is convinced that you'll try to readmit the older Slytherins again next year, and that the same thing will happen, and that Cissy and Margaret may well be killed. Harry is also very protective of Margaret. He believes you are too invested in the success of your various experiments, and too anxious to assume that things are normal, when they just aren't. He feels that those Slytherins who fought with Voldemort in attacking Hogwarts should never be allowed to return.

"This was all magnified by Harry's reaction to what he saw as a conspiracy between you and Madam Bones to indoctrinate him, behind Shacklebolt's' and my father's backs, to help the two of you in your feud with Shacklebolt. To be honest, I think Harry gets really offended that you seem to think he's stupid or naïve enough to be that easily manipulated."

"I see. Please tell Harry that I was not being as devious as he thinks I was with the law seminar, although I can well see how it looked that way. Please also tell Harry that I promise to be very certain that the older Slytherins can be safely handled, before I again invite them to return. I've learned my lesson. There will be no second chances for those who assault other students."

"I'll tell him," I promised. "That doesn't mean he'll believe it. I'm not sure I believe it. You had plenty of opportunity to expel Frakes and you just didn't, until the other Slytherins wanted him gone. You keep talking about how important it is that your Sisterhood help Narcissa protect Draco, but it was just luck that your failure to act against the Slytherins didn't lead to Draco's death. Draco is an excellent fighter. He has Light Guardian skills, which you had no way of knowing he had. If he were merely the very good fighter, whom you thought him to be, he would be dead. Yet, your concern after the fight was whether or not Draco had broken school rules. Anyone with open eyes and half a brain knew that Draco had survived an out and out assassination attempt. For one who claims that one step short of treason in defense of Draco or she who protects Draco is perfectly fine, even if it endangers a whole school full of young students, Harry wonders how you cannot see that. I think all of us wonder that. You might ask Narcisa if she also wonders about that. For all your betrayal of your students by dropping Hogwarts defenses for Umbridge, Narcissa might well wonder why you valued your Slytherin experiment over her son's life."

"Well! I see that I should expect no sympathy here. For your information, I do realize how lucky we stil are that Draco is still alive. My dereliction in his latest brush with death makes me more determined to do everything that I can to help Narcissa protect her son."

I was thinking how to reply to this, when I realized that she was gone.

I did whisper a summary of this conversation to Harry, while he was still at the Ministry. Later that evening, I saw Harry and McGonagall intently, but pleasantly, talking in a corner of the Great Hall, prior to dinner. Harry whispered me that things were {sort of patched up, for now. I think your comments really hit home. She feels awful about her conduct. She is upset and concerned that we hate her. She said she apologized yet again. I told her that sometimes a headmaster's apology doesn't fix everything that is wrong. The headmaster has to determine to actually do right by the students. In that case, errors will be forgiven.} I told him that was good, because I didn't want to fall back into the old rut with McGonagall. I admitted that I sort of resented McGonagall's problems with him intruding into my happy time on the lawn.

Perhaps I shouldn't have but I whispered to Harry {{You have to not hold back because you are afraid you might say the wrong thing. You have to stand up for yourself with McGonagall. It's not fair for you to hide from her and leave it to me to make the explanations. I'm the one that has to spend a lot of time here as a student and attend her class. You get away to the Ministry. I don't have that escape.}}

Harry's return message made me sorry I had raised the issue {[guilty] I know I shouldn't do that. I'm sorry. It's not fair to you. I'm just trying to avoid another conflict. If it helps, I think my talk with her went better because of your prior talk. Yes, I know that makes me a coward. I really am sorry. Can you forgive me?}

I told Harry that of course I forgave him. Despite this little squabble, the first hints that we might see a break in the winter cold and snow really had brightened my mood, as did the coming Hogsmeade day on Friday. I think I had just been caught off guard, when I was totally relaxed, mentally.

On Thursday morning, I was surprised to see Draco at breakfast. He usually ate at the castle with Erin and put in appearances at Hogwarts only when he had a class to attend for himself or Erin. Or like now, when he was desperate to speak to us. I must have grimaced as I saw Draco waving us away from the Gryffindor table toward the hallway, because he approached us apologetically. "I know you're hungry. I wouldn't disturb your breakfast if this weren't really important. Grab some food and follow me. Please!"

I loaded up a whole plate of food and carried it and a mug of sweet tea off toward the corridor, where Harry had already joined Draco. Harry led us into an empty classroom, so that I could sit down to eat breakfast. "As you may know, the Spencer twins visited Cissy and did a sleep-over at the castle last night. I'm surprised Longbottom allows that. Anyway, Alex put in an appearance. Big time! Erin woke up in the middle of the night with food cravings, so I went down to the kitchen to round up some munchies for her. The first floor of the castle was totally dark, but when I turned on a light in the kitchen, I saw a large body on the floor in the sitting room. I drew my wand and, really without thinking anything other than that it was really strange and kind of frightening to find some big bruiser lying in wait on the sitting room floor, I petrificused him just to be sure. It was Alex and he was all over Cissy. From where I petrificused them, I couldn't even tell it was two bodies, they were lying so intertwined. I immediately reversed the spell, after I saw who it was, but it was kind of embarrassing, and then Erin came downstairs to find out what was happening. At least they both still had some clothes on.

"It was weird. She's a shy third year and he looks older than me. Rougher too. Erin saw another body, farther into the room and it was Henry, but it was like he was sleeping, only foaming at the mouth a little. We got a pillow to put under his head and covered him with a blanket. He came around in about ten minutes. That's when Alex changed back to Alice. She seemed surprised and overly modest to find herself partly undressed.

"She's really got just a little boy's body, there's nothing on top to cover up. Still, I left the room and let Erin smooth things over. I know that the Minister made you sort of responsible for taking care of Cissy. You really need to talk to her. She was behaving awfully wild for a third year and, as we know, Alex is really a girl, although he certainly looks and spoke like a very suave and experienced guy. I was leaving the first floor, when Ellen came downstairs. She's a little upset that she slept through most of the excitement. I heard about Alex, of course, but seeing him in action was more than strange. The look of bewilderment on Henry's face was also a little scary, although I thought Alice looked like she was completely aware of what had been going on, just surprised that I had walked in on things. I apologized up and down to Cissy and told her that we'd be gone by nightfall if that's what she wanted.

"She just said 'no, rather the chaperones I know. Just please don't mention this to McGonagall or headmaster Longbottom.' Since, as I understand it, Ginny's Dad made McGonagall specifically not in charge of Cissy, naturally I promised not to say a word to her.

"I had to say something to you, though. I know Ellen will mention it to you, but she really didn't witness nearly as much as I did. We talked to Cissy after everyone was calmed down and she admitted to a couple of prior snogging sessions with Alex on the Hogwarts lawn, off toward the forest, sort of where me and, um, Pansy used to go. Cissy actually said, 'I didn't feel comfortable getting overly frisky out in the open like that.' Can you imagine that coming from a third year? Anyhow, it's your job and Ginny's. The two of you have to talk to her, friend, or even headmaster style. Slytherin could be a pretty exciting place, but even by Slytherin standards, she's moving awfully fast for a third year. I know you think she's very mature, and in some ways I agree that she is, but I think she is pretty naïve in other ways, if you get my drift. She's a good person and I wouldn't want to see this end badly. One pregnant student at the castle is plenty. Well, promise me that you'll talk to her and I'll let you get back to your breakfast."

Harry promised that we'd talk to Cissy. I got the impression that he didn't want to face her alone. Cissy showed up for her first class a few minutes before 9:00, escorted by Ellen. We had been loitering where they would see us when they arrived, but where we hoped it would not appear as though we were waiting for them. Ellen signaled Cissy to wait where she was and walked over to us. Her words were a little jumbled for an auror. "I don't know exactly what happened last night, but I feel I must talk about it. To you, at least. Alex put in an appearance, while the Spencer twins were sleepover guests. I think Draco must have disturbed a rather intense snogging session, because he was quite distraught when I found him. I really saw nothing, myself. I didn't expect Draco to be easily embarrassed, but, well I don't know, I guess I'd have to say he was flustered. Cissy and Alice seemed more pleased and almost defiant than anything. I'm an incompetent chaperone and bodyguard. If you want to replace me, you have every right."

"That's fine," Harry told her. "We just spoke to Draco, although I'd appreciate it if you didn't let Cissy or Alice know that Draco spoke to us. We'll speak to Cissy. I do think you should mention this to Neville. He needs to understand what it means, when he approves sleepovers. I'll leave it up to your best judgment, whether to say anything to Director Shacklebolt, although having already spoken to me, I certainly won't encourage you to inform him or to put anything in writing just yet. I don't believe Cissy has a class at 10:00. Would you please escort her to my office at that time? Thanks."

Cissy was a little sheepish when she entered Harry's office, but did not seem to believe she had done anything untoward. "Since Ellen spoke to you, I assume you know most of what happened last night. I'm sure that worries you and that you are trying to decide how you should react, since the Minister made you responsible for me and my behavior and safety. You also know the prophecy my mother left me with, about the children whom I would raise with an unusual spouse. I don't deny that Alex is unusual or that he seems much too old for me."

"Alex can't be your spouse," I blurted out, "he isn't real. He's just an animagus form of Alice and Alice is a girl. You and she can't produce children."

"I assure you that Alex is what the Muggle advertisers refer to as 'anatomically correct'. You are shocked that I say that. You should well know that it doesn't take much of a snogging session to determine that much."

Harry seemed determined to take control of the discussion, but the mood I was picking up said he didn't know what to say and didn't think my contribution had improved his position. "I'm worried, worried that you're both moving very fast for a third year, but more seriously worried that you're moving very fast with an Alice-Alex-Henry whom none of us really understand well at all. I'm on the side that they're probably not a danger, but they are at the least a new form of magic that might be a danger to you. I don't know exactly what to say to you. I know what I'd say if Alex were a normal twenty year old Wizard that you invited for a sleep-over at the castle and were found snogging on the floor of your sitting room late at night. I don't think Alex being what he is makes the situation any better. Actually, it's probably worse, certainly a lot more complicated and frightening. Ellen says the two of you left Draco totally flustered, and I know Draco well enough to know that takes some doing. I'm not at all sure it's wise for you to stay at your castle. It provides too much opportunity for, um, unfortunate adventuring. I think former headmaster McGonagall may be correct that you are way too much into risk taking, and I say that as someone who has taken more than my share of risks. But at least I took risks to good purpose."

"This is good purpose, Harry. I'm trying to fulfill my mother's prophecy for me. It just seems so right that it is Henry she was speaking about and that I'd be going against her wishes, if I didn't pursue this… opportunity. I think you're being overly protective and not considering how thoroughly I've thought this out. Henry may be unusual, but he's not dangerous, especially to me. He understands my destiny and is willing to help me achieve it. He is not taking advantage of me, if that's what you're worried about. And I'm not planning on motherhood for a number of years, so please don't worry about that, either."

"I don't know what to say. I think the Minister extended me beyond my capabilities when he gave me charge and responsibility for you. I don't want to fail you, but I'm not sure what else to say. I'll talk to you later, after I've had time to think."

"You don't know what to say, because you recognize me as the Witch version of yourself. Both of our mothers left us with a destiny and an obligation. You did not shirk yours. You ran far worse risks than I am running at a younger age. You would not turn away from your destiny. Neither will I. I hope that you will help me, as Dumbledore helped you."

"Dumbledore slowed me down until the appropriate time. He protected me, although he certainly did allow me to run risks. He even used me as bait, but I was older than you are now."

"I'd consider it a great honor if you filled that Dumbledore protective role for me as you helped me to achieve my destiny. It does neither of us any good for you to act like McGonagall. You never would have reached your destiny if you had McGonagall instead of Dumbledore as your guide. You know that as well as I do."

"I won't mention this to McGonagall, if that's what you're suggesting. However, I think we can dispense with sleep-overs for the twins, at least for now."

"If you say so, Harry. Really, I'm fine. I just wanted to make sure I had my future lined up. I think I do. That ends the mad rush, as you see it. You shouldn't worry about me."

"I suspect you're fine," Harry agreed, "and Alice doesn't seem bothered either. But what about Henry? He's the most fragile of the three of you, and the one who has half the Wizarding world a little frightened. I'm not at all sure that Henry will be fine, if you and Alice keep producing Alex."

"I know, and I promise to take very good care of Henry. He agreed to do this as a favor to Alice and me. He isn't upset, although I realize this takes a lot out of him. He enjoys hanging out with us. It's just a pity he has no memory of Alex. You can trust me, Harry. I would never hurt Henry."

"Not knowingly, but you are still very young. I don't think you fully understand the danger of what the three of you are doing. You've been just diving into different, very powerful magics, which you just don't really understand. I know how much it would hurt you if you accidentally injured someone. You're new to being a Keeper, and having the Light Guardian knowledge, and exposure to the stone, and the twins. It is just a dangerous mix of great power that you can't safely go thrashing around within the mix and expect that things will end well, just because you're well intentioned. We will talk again."

"Harry, I know that my lack of understanding can cause problems. Please, help me to understand, so that I can safely do that which I feel certain, I must do."

"That's just the problem, Cissy. I don't understand these forces, either. Nobody does. Everything is changing very fast. Frankly, it's rapidly becoming overwhelming. This is not nearly as simple as just chasing after Voldemort."

"I don't mean to cause you trouble or worry, Harry. I really am trying to do good and to help. You are my friend, and I want you to be my mentor. Am I too much of a bother?"

"No, you are a very delightful and intelligent young Witch. I like you, but see all too much of myself in you, and can well imagine just how much trouble you can get into or innocently cause to others. You just need to be patient and careful. You have a way of making me feel guilty for holding you back, but it really is my responsibility to do just that. You want to just jump fully into things like the stone, which I am holding back even from myself, because I question both the safety and how fast things are happening to us. As I said, we'll talk again. Just try to calm down and be patient."

As we walked back to the Great Hall to try to find some food for Harry, he lamented. {[worried] I didn't handle that at all well. I'm just not up to this task that your father gave me. You'll have to think how you can help me. I'll keep my word not to talk to McGonagall, but we are definitely going to talk to Hermione. This doesn't suggest that I'm going to be a very good father. Cissy is as proficient at manipulating me as McGonagall is.}

{{I'll help you. We'll definitely talk to Hermione. Don't fret about being a bad dad. We'll start with a baby, not a handful teen like Cissy. She got to study you from your press clippings before you first met her. She knows what a sucker you are for someone who's following a destiny laid on them by a mother, even though your mother never laid that particular destiny on you and probably would have been appalled at the risks you took. Still, it was a great line to manipulate you. She understands you quite well.}}

There was no food to be had, so Harry decided to head off to the Ministry a couple hours earlier than he had planned. I went through my morning Wizard History class, half listening to McGonagall's discussion of the founding and governance of Gringotts Bank, as I mused about being overloaded with obligations. I was starting to feel overloaded, and not particularly looking forward to unraveling the Cissy mess. Like McGonagall, I had to kick things into gear on my Ministry committee. I felt that I at least had a partial excuse. I had pressed Dad twice, once solo and once with Hermione, to get him to spell out what he expected my committee to accomplish and what resources he would provide to us. He hadn't really been able to give me a clear answer, either time, suggesting that I bring him a proposal.

I had delayed in presenting a proposal, because I had no clearer idea than Dad did what I wanted the committee to accomplish, or even what a modern version of the Light Guardian and nature-based Priestess religions should look like. I could hardly propose a new church which spent Sunday mornings teaching magical engineering. I was tempted to ask for funds to build a new church, either in Godric's Corner, or amidst the new homesteads on Harry's land. That at least would force Dad to decide something. I had to come up with something, fairly quickly, if I expected my family to continue to respect me as a serious contributor and trusted person in the new administration.

This caused me to reflect upon all the damage that McGonagall had done to her reputation and standing with the administration by all the silly things she had done and turf wars she had fought, all the while trying to do way too much and convince herself that she was Dumbledore with lip coloring. I really wished that I could help her.

"**Hermione - Harry and I need to discuss Cissy and the Spencer twins with you. There was another major incident last night, at Cissy's castle. I also thought we should talk to McGonagall about helping her get out of the mess she's gotten herself into."**

"**I'm very willing to discuss Cissy. Tread lightly with McGonagall. It's really not our business."**

"**It is if she wants to be an assistant to me in my Mother of the Future role."**

"**Is it wise to give her any encouragement that you'd accept her as an assistant?"**

"**I don't know. I alternate between feeling sorry for her and wanting to toss her a bone, and half-hating her manipulative soul."**

We lingered after class and as our classmates left the room, McGonagall strolled over to us. "You looked like you were wool-gathering all during my lecture. Were you worrying about Cissy?" she asked me.

"A little, at the start of class. Then I felt more worried about you."

"**Serious mistake, girl"**

"I'm fine. The two of you should worry about Cissy. Come back with me to my apartment. I do know what happened at Castle Montaigne last night, and I also wish to speak to you about that. Don't look so surprised, nobody who was part of your great pledge of secrecy ratted anyone out. Erin was very frightened for the young students and came to me this morning. She likes Cissy and doesn't want her to have to confront the same problem, which she is still confronting."

The rest of the walk to the apartment was in silence, since as we first encountered other students in the corridors, we mutually stopped talking.

As we seated ourselves before the fireplace, which McGonagall took the time to light, I observed the presence of exactly three chairs. I had time to observe, because McGonagall seemed to be stalling. She now poured and handed out quite large glasses of sherry in a needlessly slow and complicated ritual.

After we each took a first sip, I began the conversation. "I know you think it highly presumptuous for me to even raise this issue, but I do worry about you. I said I would strongly consider making you one of my assistants at the end of term and, in addition to being your friend, I think that allows me to comment. You tried to do way too much, got very stressed, and drove away a lot of friends. Now you've slowed down, but Trew and Narcissa, the people you spent the most time with, are gone. You seem to me to be very sad and in need of reaching out to the friends you pushed away. You want to be headmaster next term, and that is going to require an effort to mend fences. I know my mother likes you and so do Dad and Harry, but you haven't made things easy for them. I think you need to talk to Mrs. Granger. I'm here if you need support. So is Hermione. That's all I'll say."

"Thank you. That is kind. I thought you and your family were supporting Neville for headmaster, next term. Your brother and your mother will have a vote, and your husband and father will have a lot of influence. It's only natural that you feel closer to Neville."

"Neville isn't supporting Neville to be headmaster next term. He agreed to fill in, as he did before. He's doing a good job, but he really wants to just be a professor, for now."

"I'm sorry. I guess I suspect the worst of people, when it comes to securing a place for Witches in our world. Losing the headmaster position and seeing Madam Bones fired has made me think of the things that the Sisterhood has done wrong, but it's also made me angry and more determined. There are now no Witches holding prominent leadership positions in our world. That makes me very sad and reminds me why I formed the Sisterhood. It's why, now that Voldemort is gone, the Sisterhood and helping Witches is where my greatest loyalty must lie. But, I have been too suspicious and too secretive. The Sisterhood can't be a secret, semi-military society, like the Order. I'd lose over half my members, if they thought that was how I viewed the Sisterhood, and the government would be against me. I'll promise to talk to Mrs. Granger, if you promise to talk to Cissy."

"Harry has already talked to Cissy, although it didn't go as well as he had hoped. The three of us have told her that we'll talk again. Harry does take the responsibility of looking after Cissy very seriously. So do Ellen and the rest of us. We know it isn't easy to guide her to behave reasonably. She doesn't want to hurt Henry, and I believe we convinced her that she risked doing that. Draco and Erin will stay with her, and Ellen will speak to Neville about the dangers of future overnights at the castle."

"Well, then you seem to be doing all that I can expect you to do, and I wish you success. You've been strangely silent, Hermione. I think a big glass of my good Witch sherry should buy me some insight into your thoughts."

"I warned Ginny not to raise the issue of your problems. I thought you'd react badly. I'm glad you didn't. I think in your heart you know that you have a chance to make an important difference through your Ministry committee and that you'll be headmaster again next term, unless you do something to sabotage your prospects. Be open, be honest, don't try to do too much or feel that you have to always pick up the pieces from your Sisters' mistakes, and you'll be fine. I am worried about Cissy. I'm worried that you see Cissy and the rest of us young Witches as a threat to the Witches of your generation. You should be helping us and celebrating our successes if you want to improve the position of Witches in society. If you want to change society, you should stop trying to live your myth of Dumbledore and be yourself.

"You should know that although Harry named Madam Bones's chief aide as her interim replacement, he has been considering a Witch for the permanent post," I told McGonagall. "He just isn't sure whether it wouldn't be a cruel thing to do."

"Now you've piqued my interest. Who is this mystery candidate and why would it be cruel to promote her."

"I don't want to say too much, until Harry gives this more thought. Let's just say, this Witch has the same problem as Amelia, but seems to have the fire in the belly for prosecuting the baddies."


	82. Chapter 82

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**Chapter 82 – McGonagall Gains An Elf**

"**Ginny, you really haven't told McGonagall anything useful yet. You've been bold to come this far. Make it count!"**

"Sorry, I don't mean to be overly mysterious or secretive. Harry says he has two more discussions today, before he speaks to his possible choice. One of them is Madam Bones. As to your current problems, Hermione is urging me to be specific.

"One thing that you should know, which we've been afraid to tell you, is that you've fallen into a bad mental habit. You plan things in detail and you become angry quickly if something causes events to break differently from what you had intended. We've seen this a lot. We've also observed that when you have to address a surprising event and act or try to persuade people in the heat of the moment, that you do very poorly. I won't go into examples, unless you want me to. You need to develop strategies for coping with these problems. Hermione's Mom says they are common with aging Muggles.

"I've also learned some things watching Harry, and my Dad, which should help you. Harry can become overwhelmed, and it does sometimes really affect his mood. Harry is getting a lot better at lining up and making use of helpers. Callista and Percy, now Wood actually, and Cotto and for part of the time Baal have been a big, big help for Harry. He couldn't have survived without them. You have people at the Ministry, who report to you, but they all have their own jobs to do. You need people whose only job is to be your assistant and organize your Ministry work for you. Susan Bones is that person to help you do the research that you need to do for your committee, but you've got her full up. I know it is counter to your view of life, but you could badly use a personal Elf or two to keep you organized, protect you, and do tasks that now take away the time you need to think on your committee's problems. Those are very important questions that Dad wants you to answer, and it's clear he expects an answer in a few months. I'm in the same situation. If that's the case, he owes us more guidance and more resources. He has given himself the job of making the Ministry more efficient. That should free up people whom we can recruit to help us. Hermione is in the same situation. Her committee is as important as yours and she has no permanent staff. We really pressured you to hire a couple of added Hogwarts Elves that you didn't think you needed. Now you badly need your own Baal."

"Well, Mrs. Potter, you clearly did a lot of thinking during my lecture. I think some of your proposed solutions have merit. Is this an easy way of telling me that I'm too busy to possibly be your assistant?"

"No. As I felt about my being Quidditch Captain, I think it is your right to decide what activities you should give up, if reorganizing and getting help with them proves insufficient and you are still overwhelmed.

"My concern with you as an assistant is two-fold. First, I'm not at all convinced that you could view yourself in the role of assistant to one as young and inexperienced as me. Second, I don't think you've fully considered all of the danger that you would be assuming if you became my assistant. Harry and I have only begun to think about it and, believe me, it is quite scary.

"We can talk more after you've thought about things more, but I've already decided to accept you as my assistant if you decide that you really want to undertake that role. I know that if you decide to take it on that you will do so honestly and well. Just know that it won't be easy. Future Wizard and Muggle governments will be determined to control the stone. We need to think of a way to make the stone seem dead or at least much less powerful than it is. If you do learn to control the stone, it must be a very closely guarded secret."

"Thank you. You truly surprise me. I see that I have greatly underestimated you. You understand me far better than I realized, and are also far more mature than I realized. I will think about how to lessen my load. Perhaps we all need to raise the subject of increased support with Arthur at the next cabinet meeting. Now, I think we also need to talk about Cissy."

I retold what had happened last night and my concern that, while Harry was fully committed to protecting Cissy and doing what was best for her, he was, in truth, rather easily manipulated by her. I explained that I feared Cissy had become obsessed both with her mother's vision and with undoing the wrongs committed by past Montaignes.

"This is the very problem which confronted Dumbledore with regard to Harry," McGonagall replied. "It is why it was so difficult to determine if, and when, to tell him of the prophecy he shared with Voldemort. Like Cissy, Harry was at an age where he was desperately seeking a greater meaning for his life and yearning for a sense of self and self-importance. A personal prophecy can be a very grave threat to a vulnerable youth. It creates a more exciting fantasy world, which might even be real, but which definitely instantly bestows both personal significance and the temptation to heroic martyrdom. I fear that is where Cissy is now trapped, and that she is not handling the situation quite as well as Harry did. Her loss of family is too recent and she doesn't have the very close support and constraint that Hermione and Ron provided to Harry.

"You're all enough older than her that she can see you more as overly-protective adults, who underestimate her abilities, than as comrades in the same stage of personal discovery as herself. That makes manipulation of you, for what she sees as the greater good, quite morally acceptable to her. I thought you were all doing better straddling the roles of mentor and comrade, before Arthur practically made Harry her guardian. That warped the balance between you. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to restore the balance sufficiently that Cissy fully trusts and confides in you again.

"If necessary, you must deal with her apart from Harry, so that she doesn't see you in as old a role as Harry has been forced to assume. Harry might do well to use Ellen as a buffer. Remember, when Harry got out of line as a student, it was invariably Snape, or Filch, or even me who dinged him, not Dumbledore. There was a reason for that.

"And don't worry, I won't ever let Cissy know that Erin or anyone spoke to me about last night. That is just another piece of information that a headmaster, even a former headmaster, stores away to help interpret a possible future incident and respond correctly. For now, Cissy is your problem.

"I am glad that we are able to talk more comfortably. I'm just sorry that I couldn't truly be your headmaster, Ginny."

"As I said before, I think Hogwarts really changed for me with Snape and the Carrows. It wasn't possible for anyone to be my headmaster in the way that Dumbledore was for Harry. I do have a strong premonition that you will be that headmaster to my children."

"There is one more thing to discuss in terms of time crunch," Hermione told us. "I think the time has come for the eighth years, and possibly Ginny as well, to stop attending classes. Except, I suppose for the Firenze Divination class. We just have too much else to do, and are learning so much outside of class."

"It has seemed that you had already implemented that decision, for the most part," McGonagall commented, "although I don't disagree with your analysis. I hope you will continue to stay at Hogwarts and help with the students. Ducking into the common room or the occasional class would be a help. I agree that there are other ways for you to learn. You had mentioned doing research as part of a research seminar. I think that an excellent idea for all of you, including Harry.

"I had something a little different planned for you, Hermione. I thought you might try your hand at teaching a class this half-term. You could help me by co-teaching Wizard History. If you look at some of the younger students' schedule cards, you might find that they have a religion class, which begins next week. I threw that in their schedules, based on the premonition that I might have some budding Light Guardian Priests and Priestesses, who would be willing to teach it. I know that Mafalda is also interested in helping. I know Neville is now in charge, but he fully agrees with and is quite willing to implement what I began.

"If I do become headmaster next term, I will certainly make Neville the formal assistant headmaster. Well, it really was nice of you to drop by, we must do this again."

As we walked down the stone stairs from McGonagall's apartment I couldn't help commenting, "That seemed to go surprisingly well, yet I can't shake the feeling that we've just been had."

"Count on it!" Hermione told me, "although we did practically volunteer. That's fine, I'd rather teach and research than continue going to class."

"So would I."

Harry returned an hour before dinner, and Hermione and I met with him in his office. We relayed what McGonagall had said, assuring Harry that she had received her information from Erin, who had not pledged secrecy about last night. Harry agreed that it made sense that we shouldn't all try to equally be the bad guy disciplinarian when dealing with Cissy. That was his role and Ellen's. He admitted that he strongly sympathized with Cissy and allowed her to manipulate him.

"Remember," Hermione told him, "we all gave up half of our Christmas vacation to tutor Henry in wand skills, so that his wild skills are replaced with trained skills. We all decided that this was essential to keep Henry safe and make him less scary to others. For her own purposes, Cissy is reinforcing his wild skill. That is not fair to Henry. If Draco said he was literally foaming at the mouth while Cissy and Alex were snogging, that sounds as if he was really being taken advantage of. Since he desperately wants to stay with Alice, and I guess with Cissy, it's almost coercive to ask him to participate in making Alex appear. He probably fears being shunned if he refuses. I'm sure Cissy thinks she is taking care to protect Henry, but I think she is being crueler to him than she realizes."

"I'll make that point to Cissy when I speak to her tonight. I'll also make a point of telling her that, while my wife is willing to take her on as an assistant in managing the stone, this isn't possible until I feel she has an adequate respect for strange and wild magics, and how to deal with them cautiously and safely.

"I'm also going to say that we all consider her a friend and a part of our group, but that effective group action requires more sharing with group members and self-discipline than she's shown of late. I'm going to take Ellen with me and let her be more of the heavy. I'm going to stress to Cissy that none of us has spoken to Shacklebolt, but that if she doesn't behave more responsibly, we'll have to include her behavior in our reports. I think Shacklebolt makes an admirable heavy."

Hermione and I quickly summarized the rest of the discussion we had with McGonagall. Harry equally quickly exploded. Suddenly, I was in the middle of the biggest fight I had ever had with my husband, and Hermione was watching us.

"I don't understand how you could have just decided to do that? After all the betrayals by McGonagall and all the complaints you've laid on me about her – you just go and drop our most secret secrets in her lap? What good do you think it can possibly be to fake the death of the transporter if McGonagall and her Sisterhood know it's just a trick? That Witch uses every scrap of information that comes her way to further her own ends. I just don't believe you could have done that! It' certainly your decision whom you choose as an assistant, but when I left for the Ministry, I was 100% certain that you didn't want her as an assistant, or a headmaster. Think back on what you – what all of us – said about her at the last family meeting. Now, out of the blue, you've just decided that McGonagall is your most trusted comrade. You're worried about her? That Witch worries more than enough about herself. She is the most manipulative and deceitful person I know and now she knows our closest secret. I don't see how I can keep you safe. You've just made yourself a very big target. I wish you had talked to me before you did something so irreversible. It's McGonagall to Narcissa to Umbridge. You might as well have bared your soul to Umbridge. I just don't understand you."

I couldn't help it. Against all my beliefs, I was crying and Hermione was seeing me cry. If I thought I was saying something that might cause a fight with Harry, I certainly wouldn't have said it until we were alone. I could see why Harry was upset, but it still didn't seem completely fair.

"It just struck me that this was the right approach to take with her. Call it instinct, call it pity, I felt that she needed this and that she could be trusted with the information. You should trust my instinct as much as I trust yours. There have been times, lots of times, when you've said more to McGonagall than I was comfortable with. You've trusted her, when that seemed very unwise to me. I know you think I was very wrong and have put us in danger, but I really think I made the right choice. I can't explain how I went from feuding with her to deciding to help her."

"I don't mind you helping her. She needed help and it is important that she not drag your father down by being such a failure at the Ministry. I agree it was a good idea to tell her about the weaknesses we've discovered in her approach to things. I just think you wanted to throw her a little sugar after that and just threw away what should have been our deepest secret. Now, whatever we do with the transporter and the stone, McGonagall will always know that you can still make it work. She is not to be trusted. I know I once trusted her far too much. No more. I've seen - you've been there when we questioned her and her sisters – that she's just not to be trusted. She will always put whatever special project the Sisterhood is working on first. If you're sacrificed to save Draco, or Slytherin House, or pay a debt to Narcissa, or make Madam Bones happy again, she'll do it. You've just taken a very, very dangerous step. That leaves us very few choices. I can't think of any that work."

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not totally sorry. I'm sorry we didn't discuss this among the four of us, before Hermione and I spoke to McGonagall. I think my instinct is right. I think it might be a Light Guardian thing. It just suddenly seemed right to me. I know there is danger. I may have said too much too soon. Please just trust me on this."

I could still sense how angry and frightened Harry was.

"If the worst happens, we could actually destroy the transporter," Hermione told Harry. "Perhaps traveling to other worlds really isn't the best thing, anyway."

"NO WE CAN"T!" Harry shouted at her.

Hermione actually jumped back, she was so startled by Harry's reaction.

In a deliberately calm voice, Harry told her "McGonagall would still believe Ginny could really operate the stone. Ginny would end up Cruciatused to force her to operate a stone she couldn't operate – a stone that was dead. There would be no stone power to save her."

Harry was in a really bad place. Then I sensed an impulse to flee, to be alone.

"I just have to go think. I'll see you later."

Harry walked away toward the apparation pocket. I think I sensed that he was going to the Ministry.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that," I told Hermione. "Do you think I just made a very serious mistake with McGonagall?"

"I don't know. It was your strong instinct. I did encourage you to tell her more specifics, but I was surprised you agreed to make her an assistant and more surprised that you told her about the plan to make the transporter fail. I'm not at all sure that we can trust her that much. I know Harry reacted that strongly because he is still very angry about her last betrayal. You stopped being angry before Harry did."

Ron was approaching us. I knew there was no time to hide all the evidence that I had been crying. I did some quick magic on my face and hoped that Ron was in as oblivious a mood as he often was.

"What's the matter Ginny? You've not cried since Fred's funeral."

"I just had a big fight with Harry. Hermione will explain."

After Hermione had explained, Ron commented "you have to remember that Harry was still really mad at McGonagall. I thought we all were. It wasn't just the latest betrayal – Cissy, and Draco and even Ginny could have been killed in McGonagall's last stupid project. How could she be so stupid to trust the upper-level Slytherins. I thought we decided at the family meeting that McGonagall must never be headmaster again. Perhaps it was just Mom who said that.

"You know how McGonagall is. If she isn't headmaster next term, she'll lash out and that means at our family. She now has a big weapon to use against Ginny. I can't be trusting enough to believe she won't use that weapon, when she lashes out. She will be convinced that she is right.

"In her world, the Headmaster of Hogwarts is supposed to be the most important person in our world. She always saw Dumbledore that way and thinks he named her as his heir. To Dumbledore, the Ministers were always nuisances to be worked around. She feels the same about Dad and Harry. Her loyalty is to her Sisterhood, which is to herself. I think Harry is right, this is very serious."

"What can I do," I implored Ron.

"I don't know. I think we may need another family meeting. I don't see an obvious answer, but I'm not as smart as the rest of you. I'm the guy you just point at whatever you want killed – just joking – half way at least.

"How could I have been so stupid?" I asked this of the air, but my brother gave a very sensible answer.

"It's really not your fault. We're trained to think like that. Maybe you did have a powerful intuition. I think mainly, we go away from home and live at Hogwarts for most of the year. It's set up that we crave the headmaster's approval. The headmaster becomes our new parent. They learn how to manipulate us, without even seeming to do so. Dumbledore could always get us to do exactly what he wanted."

"That's not an excuse. I'm not a child anymore."

"Harry was your age when he was still be led around by dead Dumbledore. I've talked to Neville about this, while we play chess. Headmasters have a skill that allows them to make you want to please them and make you want to do what they want you to do. It's almost a Siren thing. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on Slytherins.

"Remember what Erasmus told us that first night in his cottage? He said that future headmasters are usually chosen before they graduate from Hogwarts. They may not become headmasters until decades later, but they are picked out that early. They have a skill that headmasters recognize and it isn't that they're the smartest student."

"I think you've hit on something very important," Hermione told Ron. "I think Ginny and I need to add the Hogwarts headmasters to our long list of things we need to research. I don't think the Light Guardian knowledge will help us there, but perhaps the living ancient Priestesses might. They seemed to know how to get around McGonagall a lot better than we did."

"We need to talk to Mom," I declared.

"Fine," Ron answered, "but I think we really need an emergency family meeting. I'm sure from what you said that Harry is off talking to Dad. Dad will want a talk with us."

We searched and found Mom in the library.

"Not here," was all I said as I led our group to our apartment.

I looked around and Hermione was gone, but she caught up to us with the Snape device in her hand. In case anybody hadn't picked up the message already, seeing the Snape device shouted 'keep your mouth shut until it's safe to talk."

As soon as Hermione turned on the Snape device, Mom demanded to know "what's wrong? You are obviously very upset about something. Has the headmaster attacked you again?"

"No much worse, I somehow got an insight that I should give her what she wanted with access to the stone and to be my assistant. I blabbed about our plan to fake the destruction of the transmitter."

I told Mom the whole story, ending with "I guess I really shouldn't make her my assistant, should I?"

"No you shouldn't and your father and I shouldn't allow her to become headmaster again, but none of us have a choice in the matter anymore. You've handed her a weapon with which she can destroy you. We now all have to jolly her along, unless and until you and Harry can find another way to prevent the Muggles or a future Minister attacking you to seize control of the transporter. Hopefully you can find another good solution. I've found that I don't enjoy being controlled by Professor McGonagall. We need to talk to your father."

"I said we needed a family meeting. I'll go get Dad," Ron declared as he apparated to the Ministry.

Mom decided that Herminone and I needed Witch sherry. She apparently decided that she needed a big glass of Witch sherry. It did not ease my mind as she assured me "I'm sure everything will turn out alright dear," even as she drank her sherry far faster than she normally does. "You had a reason for your decision. With your Mother of the Future knowledge and skills, you may well have made a wise decision, even if you don't realize exactly what drove you to that decision."

I decided to send my Patronus for Neville. I needed his advice.

Ron was back surprisingly fast with Percy and Callista, as well as Harry and Dad.

Harry did greet me with a brief snog, something he did not leave me with after our fight.

{[concerned but no longer angry] I'm sorry I fought with you. I certainly didn't want to make you cry. I know you hated that in front of Hermione. I just don't trust McGonagall at the moment and your father and I are not in a good place with her. You caught me by surprise this morning.}

{{I know I did and I'm sorry.}}

Dad was about to speak, when there was a knock on the door. Harry quickly returned with Neville.

Dad got right to the point. "Harry filled me in on the background. The question is whether we can trust McGonagall. I'm afraid the answer is no. For now, we must all humor the Witch. Going forward, we need to neutralize her power over Ginny and us. We may even learn that there isn't a problem and that Ginny's intuition was correct and it was wise to read McGonagall in on these secrets. She is the Mother of the Future and has knowledge and abilities which I lack. I have to go with my gut instinct that Ginny made the wrong choice. To act with tht assumption costs us nothing. To treat McGonagall as safe could cost all of us a great deal. I'm afraid we all must humor her, until we know more, or until we can end this current threat. At least I now know why she was in such a cheery mood at the Ministry this morning and why she gave me that peculiar little smile, when she saw an excited Harry rushing to talk to me. She thinks she's won."

"I'm very sorry Dad, I don't really understand why I said what I said to McGonagall. I'm really sorry that you and Harry now think you have to humor McGonagall. I'm not happy about doing that myself."

We were interrupted by Neville requesting, "I'm trying to follow this, but I really need just a little background information."

I elbowed Hermione and she told the tale.

"I'm very surprised. I thought you were in close to open revolt against everything McGonagall," Neville told me.

What could I say?

"So, what should we do, Arthur," Mom asked.

"Nothing," Dad replied. "The idea to humor her is a good one. We will also observe her closely. She has something of a weapon to use against us, but once she's used it, it has no further power and she might well expect that we would act strongly against her. Dropping this particular secret would certainly come very close to violating the Wizard Secrecy Act. I'm going to wait and see if she makes any big demands of us. If she does, we should delay a decision and schedule an immediate family meeting. If she has small requests, we should humor her. You should all be friendly toward her and see how she behaves. It's up to her. We'll know soon whether or not Ginny put her faith in the wrong Witch."

Harry agreed with Dad. We all did.

"The first flash point might have been McGonagall's lack of progress on the work of her Ministry committee. Susan is working very hard at the project, but there is no sign that McGonagall is. I wasn't going to have a stern talk with her this afternoon. The meeting is already set. I think I will merely ask her what progress she has made. If it is insufficient, I'll inquire what assistance she requires. Her reaction will tell me a lot. I know that my daughter wants some time alone with Harry, but I need him back at the Ministry. We'll leave the two of you alone, and I'll expect to see Harry within the hour. McGonagall will notice his absence from the Ministry. Good luck all and try to act normally."

Harry gave me a proper snog, then we lay down in bed and cuddled as we talked. Harry admitted that he had been too trusting of McGonagall and may have over-reacted because of the latest betrayal. He also had been very charged up by my problems with the Slytherins. He admitted that he needed to give me the benefit of the doubt on my intuitive decisions. Of course I had resources not available to him. Still, in his gut, he thought I was wrong and he was frightened of how McGonagall could harm me. In my gut, I feared Harry was right.

I got Harry off to the Ministry in plenty of time to satisfy Dad.

I sought out Hermione and Neville and we talked headmasters. Unfortunately we only knew Dumbledore and a little of McGonagall and Neville, plus the snippets from Dumbledore's diary about Dippet. Hogwarts headmasters definitely were very powerful individuals, even outside Hogwarts. Neville thought the situation had as much to do with the politics of the Order and the Sisterhood as it did with Hogwarts headmasters. He said he had read up on prior headmasters, there were histories in the library which we might wish to consult, and that, Slytherin or not, they shared a huge sense of self-worth and privilege. The common view seemed to be that they well knew that they were exceptional individuals, forced by politics, to consider the views of lesser beings among the Governors and Ministers. At Hogwarts they expected to rule supreme and really didn't doubt any decision they made.

"Dumbledore was the most complex headmaster I studied. He had self-doubt. He feared he had gone to far in certain matters. Still, he was fiercely proud and acknowledged no superior. He at least was very capable. They weren't all that way. Some were political tools of Wizards like the Montaignes. Even these fools thought themselves superior to their masters. Dippet was such a fool. That's about all I can tell you."

I remembered Draco's offer to tell us the real truth about Hogwarts and Slytherin. Ron agreed to find Draco and bring him to our apartment.

Draco was very straightforward. "I recall that early this past summer someone said that the purpose of Hogwarts is to provide a safe place where one can learn and gain experience from one's mistakes, without serious consequences if you make even a big mistake. That's pretty much true… if you are a Slytherin. I got to sharpen my mind and magical skills against the great Harry Potter, Hermione, and Ron. Not only Snape, but also Dumbledore and McGonagall were there to protect me, if one of my adventures went badly wrong. Potter almost did kill me once, but Snape saved me and I was spared any consequences for firing a prohibited curse at Potter. Even when I was working to kill Dumbledore and let Death Eaters into Hogwarts, Dumbledore was busily protecting me and trying to save me. He could be counted upon to take that approach. If not, my father would not have permitted him to remain as headmaster.

"Old Lucius controlled the Governors. When Dumbledore became too much trouble, he was gone, until the crisis had passed. Father thought Dumbledore was the perfect adversary for me. I had to learn to do mischief and not get caught at it. When I was caught, nothing much happened, and I learned to improve my game. Snape looked out for us. He gave us every advantage he could. I learned to benefit from Snape as father benefitted from the Minister. I learned just how much help I could expect, what I couldn't reveal, what games I had to play to convince Snape it was wise to look the other way. You have to learn to seem plausibly good, while being very bad. Hogwarts with Dumbledore and your gang was the perfect place to learn that. Father wanted me to learn to lead and to rule, to decide what I wanted and to make sure I got it. I've left most of that behind, but I was very good at it.

"For the rest of the students, Hogwarts teaches that the Slytherins are the top dogs. Our house advisor sees that we get our due. We learn that there are penalties to be shrugged off. We never got a serious detention. We didn't need or want the House Cup. Father told me that if he ever heard that Slytherin had won the House Cup, that it would be the Cruciatus for me. He meant it. I got the Cruciatus when father learned that Harry caught me crying in the loo like a first-level Witch. He said I must learn that such sensitivity is most definitely not the Malfoy way. I was being trained to replace my father.

"The rest of you were being trained to be clever, diligent helpers to your Slytherin betters. You get jobs at Hogwarts and the Ministry, but my father earned as much in a week as any of the Gryffindors or Ravenclaws earned in a year. My father found the Ravenclaws to be especially helpful in his business dealings. They like solving problems and they crave direction. That's what he told me.

"We taught the Muggle-born to be ashamed of their birth. It worked on all of you. You didn't like the teasing, but you tried to be more like us. Hermione was a failure. We couldn't get to her and then she freed the Elves. Father blamed me for allowing that to happen. He said you and Potter were my responsibility and I didn't get it right. I was a disgrace – beaten by a Muggle-born. Father hated you. He was correct that you were besting me.

The final truth is that grades and honors and OWLs and NEWTs matter not at all to a Slytherin. It is all school and family connections. We are supposed to find any non-Slytherins in our class who are worth having work for us. There have even been very worthy non-Slytherin Death Eaters."

Well, I guess that was at least honest. We thanked Draco and sent him on his way. I wasn't sure if he had been any help. It was time for dinner and I hoped that Harry would join me. I craved his presence. Harry was already sitting at the Gryffindor table when we arrived in the Great Hall.

Dinner was roast mutton with mint sauce, parsleyed potatoes, glazed carrots, and red beets in an orange-vinegar-sugar sauce. It was more than acceptable and I enjoyed my meal, although Harry picked at his. At first I was surprised that I could enjoy my food so much after the turmoil of the day. Then I was further surprised that I had forgotten Harry's big discussion with Cissy. I felt bad to have caused extra trouble for Harry today.

Harry grabbed his apple dumpling dessert and set off with Ellen and Cissy for his office. I enjoyed my dumpling with sweet cream and a caramel cinnamon sauce. Knowing that I wouldn't see my husband for hours, I loitered over dessert and coffee with the gang, and then suggested that we all head back to the Gryffindor common room. Draco and Erin were waiting for us in the 'Draco spot'. I suggested we hie ourselves off to the astronomy tower, before Erin's presence was noticed and Neville made an issue of it.

"That's fine, some privacy would help," Erin replied and then surprised me by adding, "but Neville doesn't mind that I'm here. He has even given me permission to attend some of my classes. He says that he doesn't expect to be headmaster next term, and has no qualms about ruffling a few feathers in order to do the right thing. He said helping me continue my education was most definitely the right thing. He said that some of the faculty and Governors would vote against him for this, but that it was important that he not be elected, and that this provided the least awkward way out for all concerned."

Yeah, Neville!

We walked in silence and then, leaning against the cold walls of the dark astronomy tower, Draco half apologized. "I hope you realize that I did not encourage Erin to blab about last night to McGonagall. Erin wasn't present when we all promised secrecy and I forgot to alert her to my pledge. She was really freaked out by what she saw last night. Henry looked so helpless and out of it."

"I know I shouldn't have even been present at Hogwarts, but I felt that I had to speak to McGonagall," Erin admitted. "I should have left matters to you and Draco, but I thought Henry might die and, from Draco's description, Cissy and Alex were really going at it. She's so young and I wouldn't want her to get into my kind of trouble. It isn't fun. She has been so kind to me. I certainly don't want to get her into trouble. I just felt that something had to be done, like something should have been done, before I got too far along, with, um, Draco."

"We all know it was Silas and we've agreed to keep your secret. Even McGonagall and Narcissa think Draco is the father of your child. As for Cissy, I think she'll survive. McGonagall is going to pretend she doesn't know about last night and let Ellen and Harry handle things. They're talking to Cissy now. Harry spoke to her earlier, but wasn't really sure what he should say," Hermione told Erin. "Cissy won't know that you spoke to McGonagall, which is all to the good, since it allows you to speak to Cissy yourself, from your own experience."

"Yes, I'll do that. Thank you, again."

With that, the Malfoys were gone and we returned to Gryffindor for a meandering conversation, which ended with all of us agreeing that McGonagall was right and there must be another bomb, beyond the two we had discovered. It seemed unlikely that those bombs would have destroyed the Reception Hall in the manner we had observed. We speculated back and forth on where the bomb in question would have to be and compared all the likely spots against places Hermione and I had already inspected, with the aid of the stone. We were running out of ideas, when Luna shouted, "the statues! What if they replaced the statues with hollow affairs to house bombs? Did you search the insides of the statues?"

"No, we didn't," I replied "but, we certainly will. Thank you Luna."

We all walked to the Gryffindor landing outside the Peverell storage room and then apparated to the Reception Hall. While Ron and the others stood around banging on the statues and examining them for seams, Hermione and I stretched out on the floor around the statues and reached for the stone. It took a little while. Eventually, I could see the outside of the nearest statue in great clarity, despite closed eyes. I started to delve beneath its skin. It was hollow and the hollow was filled with what appeared to be a bomb. Before I could say a word, I heard Hermione exclaiming, "Bomb! My statue has a bomb." "Mine too," I told her.

We apparated back to Gryffindor and then went searching for Harry and the aurors. Harry's office was empty - he must be finished with Cissy. We tried McGonagall's office, but Harry wasn't there. We found Bill in the third floor corridor, leaning against the reptile case that marked the spot leading to the stairs to McGonagall's apartment. "He's been up there with her for a little over a half hour," Bill told us. "I don't think he wants to be disturbed."

"We just found two more Montaigne bombs hidden inside the statues at the center of the Reception Hall," I told Bill, with what I thought was remarkable calm.

"Oh, you have been busy. Stay here and guard Harry's flank, while I pop back to the Ministry for some help."

We drew our wands and lounged against the walls, waiting for Harry to reappear. It was another forty minutes, before Harry appeared, accompanied by Barb. He was very surprised to see us and not to see Bill. "We found bombs, Bill went for help," I told him.

"I was afraid you were all that curious to see how my meetings went. Where are the bombs?"

We had just explained to Harry, when Bill returned. "I had to roust the Minister and Shacklebolt. In the end, they decided to summon the Muggle experts again. I escorted them to the Reception Hall. Shacklebolt and a squad of aurors are with them. They were afraid to cut into either statue, lest it set off the bomb in both statues. Right before I came back up here, they had decided to apparate the statues back to the quarry near the Stowe home. It is a shame to lose the statues, but I think they plan to just blow the whole things up."

When we had walked back to the Gryffindor common room, we spotted Dad and two aurors leaning in the 'Draco spot'. "How did you find them?" Dad asked right away, looking straight at me.

"We just kept thinking where the bomb would have to be to cause the damage we saw in Trelawney's mother's globe, and then comparing all the possibilities against places we had already searched. Luna hit on the idea that someone had replaced the statues with hollow copies. We checked and we found the bombs. We notified the aurors right away and took no risks."

"I can tell that you behaved appropriately, Ginevra. Did you and Hermione use your special talents?"

"Yes, we did."

"Okay, don't mention that to anyone else. With the McGonagall problem, that topic is best avoided. My meeting with her went fine, by the way.

"The Muggles took the statues, but they gave me lots of pictures of them. I'm hoping that King Goblanze or Professor Celine can tell us who was capable of executing the copies and sealing the bombs inside them. I can't say for certain, but I would bet the former Lord Montaigne had at least one Goblin accomplice. Of course, there is no telling when the switch was made. We also have a lot of pictures taken from the time that Lord Montaigne tried to blow up the Reception Hall. We should compare the detail of the statues in the two set of pictures. My guess is that the bomb was placed while Ruppasta was still alive. We may want to question Montaigne again."

"Yes, Dad," I replied, a little surprised that he was sharing this much with me.

"I'd like to meet with all of you in Harry's office. I'm very interested in learning how successful he was in his three meetings, and would like to get the opinions of the rest of you on a few matters. Could you fetch my wife?" Dad addressed that last comment to Barb. "I don't want the Professor McGonagall or the headmaster to know I'm here, quite yet. I'll meet with her, after I talk to you."

We reserved the sofa for my parents and sat along the wall of Harry's office. "I imagine this sofa has seen a lot of use," Dad commented off-handedly as we waited for Mom.

"We're married now, we've got our beds," George too hastily responded. Dad's rising color suggested that this had not been what he had been thinking. Mom entered the office, looking alarmed to be summoned this late at night, and instantly counting heads. "Percy, what's happened to Percy," were the first words to cross her lips.

"All the children are fine, Molly," Dad assured her. "I just wanted your wisdom for this strategy discussion. Since our impromptu meeting this morning, I've had a long discussion with Professor McGonagall. Happily she did not even hint at the conversation she had with our daughter. I thought I should stick closely to what I had originally planned to say. To do otherwise would more than hint at weakness.

"I expressed my concern to Professor McGonagall about her lack of progress on her Ministry responsibilities, her continued feuding with Shacklebolt, her continued pushing to expand her little empire, while rather inadequately ruling the empire she already has, and what I see as the strains caused by the return of the older Slytherin. I told her that my goal was to help her do what needed doing at the Ministry, but that if her interest lay elsewhere, that we might both benefit from somebody else doing the job. She apologized and said that she was determined to focus her energies on the Ministry and find ways to make Hogwarts work better for all of us. She was determined that her stated reason for resigning as headmaster be more than an excuse."

Mom's expression said she did not expect to hear that the meetings in question had gone at all well. I heard a too-soft vocalization for Dad to hear, with Mom's face pointed away from him: "I have to work here."

"Well," Harry began, trying to make the situation seem a lot less alarming than Dad had implied, "McGonagall also did not mention or hint to me about her meeting with Ginny and didn't behave as if she had a new weapon to hold over me. The crux of the matter is that Professor McGonagall is attempting to accomplish too much with too few resources. She is overwhelmed, and tying herself into knots of worry that prevent her from accomplishing even what she normally would. As Ginny pointed out to me, McGonagall failed as headmaster by teaching two courses, whereas Dumbledore taught none. She was trying to revise the Hogwarts curriculum on the fly, reopen Slytherin, and salve the wounds between the rest of the students and the older Slytherins. Hogwarts students are generally taking one more course than in past years and we have a very active art club, with a music club to start in a week. She planned an inter-school Quidditch tournament.

"She actually apologized and said that she fell into the trap of thinking to much about how Hogwarts should be and not admitting how things actually were. She didn't want to have to take several steps down from her ideal vision. She says she now recognizes that her optimism was fatally flawed. In addition to completing her Ministry projects, she says she will use her time to plan how she can do better next term and set reasonable goals which she can achieve. She promises that the Slytherin experiment is over.

"She reminded me that the Hogwarts budget hasn't increased; in fact it's less than last year. She requested an additional professor, but was refused for budgetary, and perhaps political, reasons. I think this was a mistake. We can't allow this crucial transitional year at Hogwarts to go badly because of a temporary budget shortfall. We will solve this problem with a combination of unpaid teaching internships and a new professor paid for by the taxes on the Malfoy money that Draco found in the Muggle world.

"This will give Neville a better chance of succeeding, and allow Professor McGonagall to reduce her teaching load and focus upon Gringotts and being a Ministry Department head. Yes, we decided it made no sense to break Neville in as Gringotts Director for what is likely to be a single meeting. I think this decision reassured Professor McGonagall that she is very likely to be headmaster again next term. She noticeably relaxed when I told her this.

"She will be provided with an additional assistant at the Ministry. Cotto will select one of the Hogwarts Elves to be trained as her assistant. Professor McGonagall said she would pay for that Elf and commit to keeping her as her personal Elf long term. She realizes that additional house Elves lost their jobs in the recent disputes and is ashamed that she has failed to do her part in employing Elves, as the rest of us have. She says she can well afford to pay an Elf, so doesn't really understand what drove her to hang back. I think she feels from childhood experiences that for a non-Slytherin to have an Elf is to be putting on airs most inappropriately. She apologized, saying she really did think that the rest of us had done a good thing taking on our Elves and she could see that we were providing them with productive lives.

"Professor McGonagall will hire a graduating Hogwarts seventh year as her additional Ministry aide. That student will start working at the Ministry half-time and will receive Hogwarts credit for the practical government experience. That student most definitely will not be Pansy Parkinson, who will be remaining at Durmstrang.

"We eighth year students and Ginny will largely stop attending classes, to tend to more important matters. We will still visit our common room and attend some classes to help make sure things are running smoothly. Those of us who are interested will participate as unpaid teaching interns. Ginny and Luna will join with Mafalda and Professor Trelawney to teach the religion class. Hermione will join with Professor McGonagall and Professor Binns to teach Wizard History. George, Lee, Cissy, and Draco will teach a course on starting your own business. I will teach the course on citizenship and government, with an assist from Percy and Madam Bones.

"To help jumpstart Professor McGonagall's youth committee, Callista will be added as co-chair and Ellie will be added to the team. They can both spend a day a week working with that committee. It will be a good step up for Callista and it's something she is very interested in. I will be looking for a second assistant to fill that hole and to help with formulating changes to the legal system. Arthur has identified over-staffed areas of the Ministry and I will choose the assistant from among the available staff.

"Finally, I told her that her spats with Shacklebolt appeared to me to be attempts to give an advantage to her friend Madam Bones. I convinced her that she had only impeded a necessary reconciliation and establishment of new working boundaries between Madame Bones and Shacklebolt, and that in the end this, plus Narcissa, had cost Madam Bones her job. I told her that her interference only made Madam Bones appear weak. I know she is worried about Amelia, but having her co-teach a course will allow Professor McGonagall to keep tabs on her. I promised that Amelia would have a job in my Department, when she was ready.

"My talk with Neville was to get his agreement on all of this, but also to ask if he thought his mother would be helped, rather than harmed, by replacing Madam Bones as prosecutor. He thought his mother would be delighted to take the job. He said it would remove his greatest worry - he feared for his mother's safety as an active auror because of a combination of age and being years removed from her contacts and street sense. To ease her in, the current interim Director will keep that title and handle administrative matters, but Mrs. Longbottom will be the chief prosecutor. I'll offer her the job tomorrow."

"I also met with Cissy, whom, as the Minister will remember, he left in Ellen's and my care. We learned that last night Cissy, Alice and Henry did whatever it is that they do to make Alex appear and that Cissy and Alex had a super snogging session, which left Henry very debilitated. Ellen and I stressed to Cissy that this is not to happen again, especially at a time when we are all working so hard to help Henry control his wild magic and fit into Hogwarts. I reminded her of the alarmist articles in the Prophet about the Spencers, and told her that Henry was in a vulnerable position. If she made him seem stranger than he was, she would make his life at Hogwarts almost impossible, and parents would demand that he be expelled. We reminded her that many in our community are very prudish, and that she and the twins did not want to be the focus of the attention that Professor Celine, Madam Bones and the Professor McGonagall were facing. She agreed that it was not fair to the twins to expose them to that sort of public backlash.

"I told her that Draco observed Henry's condition and was seriously worried that he would come to harm. I said that we just didn't know how damaging these episodes were to Henry, and whether or not permanent damage might occur. Cissy promised not to repeat the episode, at least for the remainder of term, which I guess is all we can ask for at the moment. We had a long chat with Cissy about all of the adult responsibilities that she is and wants to undertake. We convinced her that she simply would not be accepted in most of the roles in which she sees herself unless she acts more maturely and less like a danger junkie.

"I told her that it wasn't even so much what she did, as the way she chattered about it afterward to one and all, including McGonagall. I told her that I worried that she would inadvertently let some secrets slip to the wrong person. She recognized the problem. She said sometimes she just bubbles over with excitement and needs somebody to talk to. I told her to talk to Margaret, but to speak quietly enough that she is not overheard. I told her that McGonagall had overheard her more than once. She looked embarrassed at that. I'm sure she doesn't want McGonagall knowing her or our secrets. I said she actually skips down the hallway when she's allowed to participate in another of what she calls 'adventures' and that we weren't the only ones to notice this behavior. I said these adventures were largely secret for good reason. She promised to be more outwardly subdued in her excitement.

"I told her that if she wanted to be Ginny's assistant Mother of the Future, that she had best exhibit some changed behavior quickly. That meant consulting one of us before undertaking anything as dangerous as her last adventure with Alex. Both Ellen and I believe she received the message and will behave more wisely. Not that a third year is capable of fully mature behavior, but I think she'll make a strong effort. I think she felt quite beaten down when we finished. I resisted the temptation to buck her up and say 'it isn't so bad'. In the end, I just told her that I was confident that she would do fine going forward and that I was willing to forgive and forget past issues."

"I agree," Ellen seconded that.

"All well and good, and I'd rather see that sort of progress than not, but you need to bear in mind that she is still a Montaigne," Dad warned us.

"She's not related by blood to the male Montaignes," Harry assured Dad "and I'm totally convinced that she has a good heart."

"Hermione and I would know if she were lying and stringing us along," I assured Dad. "She's not. She is totally sincere about wanting to serve the Wizarding community and make up for the misdeeds of her family. She sees that as her mission in life. That as much as her parentage is why her father rejected her. He knows she's not his kind of Montaigne."

"Let's hope so. I know that you have truth-telling abilities that you rely upon. I rely upon a natural suspicion of all things Montaigne," Dad asserted.

"Arthur! That's just prejudice," Mom complained. "The poor girl deserves to be judged on her own deeds, not on the misdeeds of her half-brother and the man who was married to her mother."

"Quite so, please forgive me. Old habits can be hard to break. I consider this a day well spent.

"I had best go see the headmaster and Professor McGonagall, before they learn that I visited Hogwarts without speaking to them. I'll confirm everything that we've discussed."

After Dad and his aurors had left, Mom commented to us, "I think that all went extremely well. After this morning, I was very afraid that Harry's meeting with the Professor McGonagall was going to cause serious problems, but I can now see a path for things to improve. Ginny is very sincere. Professor McGonagall must recognize that and realize that Ginny handed her a very big olive branch, when she had no real reason to do so. If she is at all a good person, she will be careful not to use that against Ginny.

"One of her biggest weaknesses is that she has a very hard time admitting that she is overwhelmed and asking for help. She views that as the ultimate weakness. I'm also encouraged that she agreed to meet with Doctor Granger. I'll also make sure that I have more frequent chats with Minerva. I think Hermione is right about her aging problems, but they're still mild and she can cope with them, if she admits that they exist."

I told Harry that I was glad things had worked out, but that I worried that he was now without Callista.

"The loss of Callista is only temporary, less than a year. I promised her that I wouldn't stand in her way and this is a very good opportunity for her. Really, I think she'll return to my department in a different capacity. She will still spend one or two days a week with me, but she'll be doing special assignments and not screening my visitors. She really is extremely capable. Your father has another young Ministry employee he wants me to work with. Wood has been great. I'll be fine. Something for all of you to think about – I'd like to add Wood to our inner circle, but won't push it if the rest of you aren't comfortable. "


	83. Chapter 83

**CHAPTER 83 – HOGSMEADE DAY**

Breakfast on Friday saw the arrival of a most unusual profusion of owls at our end of the Gryffindor table. With Mom at Hogwarts, Harry making daily trips to the Ministry, all of us being able to apparate, the stone, and the availability of cellphones, there was virtually no need for anybody to send us a message by owl. Other than the owls that brought our morning papers, I don't think any of us had received an owl delivery for the past month.

This morning there was pandemonium with over a dozen owls fluttering around us and dropping feathers, as they sought a landing spot. The first owl to approach me was a magnificent large white bird, bearing an oversized gold envelope with a big red wax seal. Before I could sate my curiosity and slit this envelope open, a second most unusual owl landed in the middle of my bacon and scrambled eggs, which fortunately I had nearly finished. The bird had a rough-looking odd layering of feathers of incompatible length, and was cream with patches of dull blue. It was the oddest looking owl I had ever seen, apart from Slughorn's camouflage owl. I slipped the small scroll of parchment out of the loop around its right leg and before I could even free the bird from the remnants of the string, it was once again airborne. The next delivery was our communal copy of the Daily Prophet.

As I paid the bird, I was sure that my morning mail was complete, when a good-sized grey owl also chose my bacon and eggs as a landing zone. It was carrying a scroll of blue writing paper, sealed with a red velvet ribbon. I unfastened the ribbon and took my scroll, but the bird remained in place, determined to finish my breakfast, before departing. As this bird took off, I looked around me to see that Hermione, Ron, George, Luna, and Neville had each received a golden envelop, identical to my own. Other than two copies of the Quibbler, the others had no additional articles of mail.

As Hermione had already opened her envelope and begun to read the letter, I asked her what we had received. "It's from the new Goblin King Inca Gobbledegook. He is inviting us to a formal dinner and reception at Gringotts bank, tomorrow by the way, to celebrate his election. He says that he and his new Deputy Nika Goblanze would be delighted by our presence and would also like to meet with us at 4:00 P.M., prior to the dinner."

"They just switched spots," I declared. I'm pretty sure Gobbledegook was the former deputy chairman. I remember thinking that his art was the best in the show."

I opened my blue scroll. As I started to read, I exclaimed in shock, "It's a personal letter from Pansy Parkinson. She thanks Harry and me for 'facilitating my escape from imprisonment and especially for warning me that Umbridge and presumably the opponents of Viktor know that I'm a spy', and says she is fully immersed in learning German and getting tutoring help from Cho. She says 'even though my secret is out and nobody has tried to approach me, I can assure you that there are troubling things going on at Durmstrang. It is obvious that the faculty has split into two factions. You see clusters of Professors huddled together, whispering, but then going silent and slinking away when a student approaches. The rump faction of the faculty seems to be enamored of the Grindelwald ideology. Two openly wear his symbol, causing Viktor to go into a fury. They must feel very bold if they are willing to tempt him so severely. They approached me as soon as I arrived, thinking I would be hugely supportive of their thinking. The approach was by one of the Professors with the Grindelwald sign. I didn't understand why he made no further contact, until I received Harry's note, saying I was busted. I didn't want you to suspect that I am shirking my spy duties or that I am a part of these troubles or for you to be taken by surprise if things explode over here. Actually, I should not report more than I know for certain, from my own experience. The man who approached me was Professor Schwein, the history teacher. He said he had 'supporters' (plural) on the staff. I've watched him and the only person he appears to be conspiring with for sure is Herr Unger, the groundskeeper. They are together far more than they have any reason to be. He is also very close to the school bully Conrad Knodell and his two buddies. Conrad has been especially nasty to me, because I'm not German. He also taunts the Eastern European students. Viktor has given him two detentions in the short time I am here. Please alert Harry that this situation most definitely requires his immediate attention.' It's signed 'a far better friend than you suspect, Pansy'. What do you make of that?"

"While that's not encouraging," Hermione replied, "she's told us nothing we didn't already know, when the Ministry agreed to allow her to be a spy at Durmstrang. This seems the barest minimum note back to us to maintain her parole status. It's convenient, isn't it? The Sisterhood suggests she go to Durmstrang, recruits her as spy, we counter-recruit her, then the Sisterhood blows her cover. She's working closely with Cho, a member of the Sisterhood executive committee."

"Harry promised to be back right after lunch, so we could go on Hogsmeade day together," I told Hermione. "I'll show the letter to him right away."

I opened my remaining missive, which turned out to be a note from Professor Henkel. After glancing at it, I read its contents aloud "Ginny, You are probably wondering why I addressed this very important note to you, rather than your husband. I am very concerned, and afraid that your husband and headmaster McGonagall will not give my concerns the level of attention that I am certain they merit. We are all very busy, but someone has to remark that the wheels are about to come off the cart. Things here are not good and Cho was right to be worried. I fear a Grindelwald challenge to Viktor. Several of his faculty are disloyal – it goes beyond Herr Schwein, who is openly insubordinate. I'm surprised and disturbed that you would send Pansy Parkinson into a situation like this, knowing her mother's background. Perhaps the British Ministry isn't aware that everyone here knows she is your spy. Viktor has just realized he has a fight on his hands. Don't know about our local Goblins. Talk to me soon. I fear that Pansy and Cho are in danger."

"We'll have to send an owl back and ask for more details," I said to Hermione "this certainly falls into the category of things not to be mentioned over a cellphone."

"No problem," Luna sagely commented. "Viktor is bound to be here tomorrow for King Gobbledegook's reception. Ask him in person, yourself. Meanwhile, we should speak to Slughorn. I'm sure he knows quite a lot."

"That's smart. I will. Are you coming into Hogsmeade with us today?"

"Are you kidding? I'm helping George and his assistant man the shop all day. Promise you'll at least stop in and visit us."

"I'm going to catch Harry right away," I told the gang. "Competing with the birds for my breakfast has put me off my chow, anyhow."

I whispered to Harry about the letters. He whispered back that they contained nothing new and that it made no sense to change Pansy's status. If she were to be murdered as a spy, that would have already happened, and it was inconvenient to re-incarcerate her. I agreed with him that we certainly didn't want her back at Hogwarts. Harry said he had already spoken to Slughorn and gotten nothing other than confirmation of Viktor's problem. Harry suggested that if I wanted a truly interesting discussion, I should ask Slughorn about the failed Slytherin experiment. Harry said he had not forgotten Hogsmeade and would be with me 'in mere minutes'.

I waited a fidgety fifteen minutes, as most of the student body was already lined up and presenting their parental approvals for the Hogsmeade visit. I reminded myself that anything less than an hour might be honestly characterized as mere minutes. Harry showed up just as the last student was exiting the gate to Hogsmeade.

Hermione, Ron, Harry, and I made the pilgrimage to Hogsmeade together. Cissy caught up to us just as we entered the village, and seemed determined to stay with us. I think in part she desired our company, and in part she was demonstrating that she was not making an excursion with the Spencer twins. She had recovered from being chastened by Ellen and Harry and was in what could best be described as determinedly gay spirits. I was trying to raise the old Hogsmeade spirit in my own psyche, but I just lacked the excitement with which I had anticipated this excursion in prior years. A day away from Hogwarts just doesn't mean as much, when you can and have repeatedly left Hogwarts to go on adventures or simply errands or dinner in London.

As I heard the excited squeals of a band of first and second levels, who hurried past us, as we ambled our way toward Honeydukes, I realized that, like Christmas, Hogsmeade day was for the young and I was now a mature married Witch, complete with governmental and religious responsibilities. Since Cissy was with us, I decided it was best to undertake this day as Cissy's kindly older sister, taking her on a merry outing, during which I might delight at her happiness. I determined to go where she wished to lead us, which appeared to be Honeydukes.

Cissy confirmed much of my musing as she informed us, "I thought it best to let the twins go on without me and spend some time with Margaret. She's also been a very good friend to them and will make certain that they stay out of trouble and that the older kids don't bully them. You know how anything even a little bit strange or different can attract unpleasant attention. I thought we could linger a little behind and keep extra protective eyes on Margaret and the twins."

"That's good thinking," Harry assured her. "I well recall how being different and getting unpleasant coverage in the Daily Prophet could lead to problems with the other students. An unsupervised day like today provides special challenges."

"Exactly," Cissy replied brightly. "Look, they're going into Honeydukes. Do you think we should follow them inside or wait for them to come out?"

"It's a mite chilly to wait for them out here," Ron announced, hastening to add as Cissy's smile drooped "although I take your point. Why don't Hermione and I take the first shift indoors, while the three of you wait out here? That way we'll always have an eye on them and there is no chance of their getting lost. We'll bring out butter beers for you. Don't hang to close to the door, it's kind of obvious."

As Hermione and Ron followed Margaret and the twins into Honeydukes, Harry remarked "I think Ron just wanted to warm up. Why don't we just sort of lounge against the wall of George's shop. We can pretend to be fascinated by his window display. It really is colorful, isn't it?"

We took turns watching the Honeydukes door and gazing into George's shop. It appeared that Honeydukes didn't hold a lot of charm for the twins. This was not unexpected. It had very good sweets for sale, but since the tables tended to be occupied by young lovers, it could be a little depressing and off-putting for the un-paired-off younger students. At any rate, led by Margaret, the trio was headed right towards us. As I was the one who saw them first, I nudged Cissy to move into George's shop. Reading my thoughts, Harry followed us.

We had just entered the shop and were about to look for Luna, when I took a quick glance out the front window to make doubly sure that the twins were definitely heading for this shop. I saw an old man hurrying towards them from their rear. Something about him looked incongruous and dangerous. I saw his wand was in his hand. Nudging Harry, I sprinted for the door. As I got outside, I saw the man was almost upon the twins and that Margaret had sensed danger and turned around to confront him. The twins huddled against the front window of the shop as the man shoved Margaret aside, throwing her onto the road. I shouted 'deflect' as the man raised his wand to curse Margaret, who was in the process of drawing her own wand. The man turned away from Margaret to confront Harry and me, then seeing Bill and Barb also drawing their wands, seemed to change his mind and reach out toward Henry.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Harry, driving the wand from the man's hand and causing him to take a step backwards. "Off!" I shouted. The man had just regained his footing, when my curse hit him and he crumpled to the ground.

I was glad that I had instinctively set my protective charms to full power as I left the shop. The green streak of an 'Avada Kedavra' curse soared just over my shoulder and shattered George's window. "Protego!" and "Deflect!" The three of us shouted as we scanned across the road, to see two more men with wands pointed at us. "Help me get the twins inside," Harry instructed me. "Bill and Barb will grab Margaret." Harry sent a stream of curses in the direction from which the Arvada Kedavra had come as Barb, and Bill crept toward Margaret and began dragging her toward the shop door. As I fired another "Off" curse at the men across the road, I herded the twins ahead of me into George's shop. I was tapping into the power of the stone. I heard two 'Avada Kedavra' from across the road and two green lightning streaks sailed past us. Actually, I think the one impinged upon my right shoulder, but curved off to the side as it was repulsed by my protective spells.

As soon as I was inside, I slid over to the shattered window and fired a 'storm!' curse to cover Margaret and her rescuers, quickly following up with 'Protego!' The 'storm' curse was one of the favorite tools of the ancient Priestesses. It stirred up a welter of small stones and dirt from the road and hurled them at our attackers in a huge gust of swirling wind.

I sent a second "storm!" racing across the road, just as Margaret was hurried through the shop door. As I scanned across the road, I saw two wands pointed our way, but no signs of curses being hurled our way. I happened to glance to the right and saw the body of the old man, whom I had stunned, being half levitated and half dragged across the road. I felt myself hemmed in by shoulders and heard Bill and George firing 'expelliarmus!' curses across the road. One of the attackers lost his wand and the stunned old man, who had been hovering a foot above the ground and moving toward his companions at a fairly rapid pace, dropped to the dirt, with a thud. I fired an 'Off!' at our only remaining armed assailant, but he was moving rapidly toward my right. As I prepared to fire another curse at him, he pivoted and dove toward the fallen man. His hand barely reached the old man's heel, and then they both were gone. I looked back toward the second assailant to find that he had been dropped by Bill's and George's curses. Bill hurried across the road to completely subdue the fallen assailant. A few minutes later, a heavily gooped carcass was being levitated across the road at Bill's side.

Ron and Hermione, each carrying two butter beers, were walking up the street toward Bill. We went out to meet them.

"I think we've had enough Hogsmeade for one day," Barb told us. "Join hands and we're back at Hogwarts. Margaret and the twins as well. Bill will stay to protect the other students."

We were all on the landing outside Gryffindor and quickly made it into our common room. "That wasn't much of a holiday," Henry complained.

"Here, have my butter beer, "I consoled him.

"What just happened?" Ron asked Harry.

As we led Ron away from the younger kids, I responded, "I think somebody disguised with Polyjuice just tried to kidnap Henry. He had two accomplices. If they had all attacked at once, instead of the other two providing cover from a bush across the road, they certainly would have captured him."

"Who would want to kidnap Henry?" Ron asked.

"Dunno," Harry replied. "Clearly, somebody who greatly respects the power of his wild magic."

I noticed that Henry and his butter beer had followed us to the corner of the common room. "Want to go to Weasley's Hogsmeade Wonders," Henry declared. He held out his left hand, showing a galleon that he had intended to spend in the shop.

"Why not?" Harry replied. "I want to see George and Luna, anyway. We can go through the basement."

Barb looked dubious, but she and Ellen, who had been sleeping in the Gryffindor dorm, accompanied Henry, Alice, Cissy, and the four of us to George's shop. "And you're supposed to be the mature adult influence," Barb chided Harry. We apparated from the Gryffindor landing to the shop landing, and then moved into the basement and up the stairs into the shop. Looking at his eyes, it was clear that Henry regarded just the trip as one of the greatest adventures of his young life. His eyes widened even farther as he caught sight of George's merchandise.

Bill was herding the students out of the shop as we arrived. He turned around to look at us, having sensed a group of students that he had missed. He frowned at Harry. "Really, this is what you thought was wise?"

"We cleared out the baddies, we're under cover in the shop, and we have a lot of wands. We'll just let Henry do a little quick shopping and be gone. He was feeling very disappointed at missing the chance to buy some Weasley Wonders." Moving closer to Bill, I heard Harry whisper, "I was afraid the kidnap attempt would be traumatizing and thought a little positive excitement would divert the twins' minds from the danger, which had been so narrowly avoided."

"That almost makes sense," Bill conceded, "but don't let the kids dawdle. We can't be sure if any other attackers are out there."

"Have a heart," George exclaimed. "The kid's got a galleon to spend. You herded all my other customers out of here before I sold enough to pay for replacing the window."

Henry bought two Weasley Whizbangs, one fainting nougat, a spray bottle of 'Funny Wand Fail' and an artificial fog bomb. Harry steered him away from the Ron Weasley Howler Alarm. Henry paid for his purchases and we hustled the kids back to Gryffindor. When we arrived, we immediately learned that our captive had transformed into Ben Frakes when his Polyjuice wore off.

Harry looked apologetic. "Madam Bones's last official act. Released him on two galleons bail. Ordered him to return for pre-trial questioning in a week. Of course, he didn't and nobody saw him again until now, although the aurors were looking for him."

We gathered up our Ministry formal robes and headed off to the Ministry, with an inert Frakes in tow. First stop was Director Shacklebolt's office, where Harry and Bill dumped their little present unceremoniously on his floor. "This one fired a couple 'Avada Kedavra' curses at us during an attempt to kidnap Henry Spencer," Bill told Shacklebolt. "He and two others, who escaped, tried to kidnap the Spencer twins during today's Hogsmeade outing. They were disguised with Polyjuice, so I can't identify the other attackers. Frakes here is one of the upper level Slytherins who returned to Hogwarts after Christmas break, just to wreak a little terror and generally cause trouble."

"Madam Bones let him and his pals out on bond. At least she arrested them after the attack upon young Malfoy. I think we'll find that his accomplices were two of that trio. I think this one is in line for a lengthy sentence," Shacklebolt assured him. "There will be no bail this time. Not after attacking first years and the Deputy Minister with Avada Kedavras. I just hope Madam Bones's assistant is up to the task. Mark my words - things will be different around here when Alice Longbottom is on the job. That's a Witch who knows how to deal with Death Eater wannabes. A Gringotts vault for Ben, I shouldn't doubt."


	84. Chapter 84

**Chapter 84 – A Bloody Quest?**

Harry needed to get to the Ministry early, so my attention was focused more upon him, than upon feeding my face. Harry seemed troubled and I was getting worried vibes from him. He had been fine before we entered the Great Hall. I feared that the sight of McGonagall had him worried about her knowledge of our secret.

{{What's the matter?}}

{I'm thinking about Henry. We protected him this time, but now we know he's a target for more than taunts. I'm not sure we can keep him safe outside of Hogwarts. His father has decided he's in great danger and should come home, where he can be protected by those who love him.}

Since I now knew that Harry's problem wasn't a problem with 'us', I stopped whispering, so that Hermione and Ron could participate.

We had five wands defending him. Better wands than his parents can wield. They're not fighters. It would be stupid to take him home.

Of course it would, but it would hardly be the first stupid thing his father has done. I'm meeting with him this morning. Neville, McGonagall, and Kingsley will also be there. I think the problem is that yesterday came on top of the almost being burned alive thing. McGonagall is going to have to explain that one.

"That wasn't the first attack on the twins," Hermione entered the conversation. "I've been thinking about the first attack by the Slytherins. That wasn't just a random, pick on the first-levels kind of thing. It was planned. There was even a diversion to draw their escort away and leave them vulnerable. That was an assassination attempt. In the taunting, the Slytherins just lit the hems of the little kids' robes. This was more than that from the beginning. We missed the significance of the attack in all of the other attacks."

"You're right!" I told Hermione.

"I'll not mention this thinking to Mr. Spencer, but I will certainly bring it up with Arthur and Kingsley," Harry promised. "This makes me even angrier about McGonagall's Slytherin project."

Harry finished his breakfast, gave me a quick peck, and was gone. Cissy slid closer. She also was not in a good mood.

"You were talking about Henry, weren't you?"

"Yes, we were. His father wants to take him home. He doesn't think we can keep him safe at Hogwarts."

"He can't do that! He can't possibly protect Henry. That's just dumb!"

"Harry will try to change his mind."

"I feel terrible about Henry. He and Alice could have been killed or kidnapped and killed yesterday. You fought for Henry. Even Margaret fought for Henry. I didn't fire a single curse. I ducked down inside George's store, when the window broke. I stayed huddled on the floor the whole time. I should have helped you. Despite all my good intentions, I'm just a coward who is too afraid to help my friends."

"We had the situation under control. I was happy that you kept yourself safe. That was the wise…"

I could tell that this line wasn't working.

"I'm not just a third-level Witch. You've taught me better fighting skills than any other third-level except Margaret. I know how to draw power from the stone. I should have fought for Henry and Alice. I shouldn't have just hidden on the floor. An extra wand could have helped. The other two attackers might not have escaped. We both know they'll attack Henry again, if they have the chance."

"All of that is true," I admitted "You're not a coward. The natural thing to do when someone is firing curses at you is to duck. I've trained myself to come up firing after I duck. I wasn't always that way. All the practice in the world doesn't prepare you for the first time someone fires a killing curse at you. You can't know how you'll react to that. I did what you did. Many just freeze and are killed. I had to force myself to fight back. Then it came naturally. It will for you, also."

"Maybe. You can't know that's true."

I decided that what was needed was an immediate practice session. That would reboot Cissy's mind.

"We're all going to practice right now, while yesterday is still fresh in our minds," I told Cissy. Neville won't mind if you and Margaret miss your classes. This is more important."

Hermione and Ron led a very eager Cissy and Margaret to the Room of Requirement, while I stopped by the head table to inform Neville. Neville approved the plan. McGonagall had over-heard the plan and objected to the missed class time. I convinced her that it was more important that Cissy not dwell upon the fear that she was a coward.

We practiced all morning. I wanted the girls to be totally exhausted. They practiced ducking behind obstacles and firing curses, diving to the floor and firing, firing while they ran to protection, crawling to protection, and levitating back a wand they had lost to an "expelliarmus".

I had previously taught them the rudiments of apparating, but hadn't combined it with fighting skills. Harry had approved the apparation training. It was against Hogwarts and Ministry policy, but Margaret and Cissy would have to protect the Spencer twins next term. They would be able to use the stone to apparate inside Hogwarts, as they were doing this morning. That would give them a tremendous advantage and this skill would be a tightly guarded secret. A Death Eater would not expect a fourth-level to apparate. He would not expect anyone to apparate inside Hogwarts. That surprise might save the twins' lives.

I taught Cissy and Margaret how to do two short apparates around an assailant, firing curses at each stop. They both did very well. They also both puked up their breakfasts, but that was to be expected. This happened to almost everyone the first time they tried this maneuver. There also was a reason that apparation training was saved for sixth-levels.

We led our weary students to lunch. I could sense that Cissy's self-confidence had been restored. Both Margaret and Cissy were now better fighters. We would practice this regularly.

I realized that my thinking had changed. For the first time I thought of Margaret and Cissy as fighters. It was strange, because Margaret had fought in the Battle of the Sacred Cavern. She had been pressed into that fight by circumstance. Now she would become a trained fighter. I knew her father wouldn't approve. I also knew that this was the best way to keep Mr. Wright's daughter alive next term. I had to prepare Margaret and Cissy to survive without our gang. They also had to be ready to defend the Spencers. For good or for bad, their childhoods were over. I thought it was for the good. These young Witches were both far too capable to be coddled as children. The times didn't permit that. Cissy sensed that something had changed. It pleased her.

"You are still Light Guardian Priestesses in training," I admonished them. "You aren't aurors, but Priestesses must be able to protect themselves and the weak. I trust that you will use what I teach you to do good."

We showed up at Gringotts promptly at 3:55 and were immediately escorted to the Chairman's conference room, by a formally dressed Goblin of advancing years. I was surprised to learn that the four of us, plus Neville, Cissy, Luna, and George were the only ones invited to this pre-reception meeting. Both King Gobbledegook and former-King Goblanze greeted us as we entered the conference room. Two Witch waitresses passed around silver plates with sherry and another with crab cakes. After we had filled our plates and sat down at the table with our wine, the Witches left the room and Goblanze locked the door.

"I wanted to meet with you to sort out any remaining awkward unpleasantness prior to the reception," King Gobbledegook informed us. "I'm certain that Ginny and Hermione still harbor unpleasant memories of me herding them into the Sacred Cavern at sword point. I assure you that I was acting only to make certain that the prophecies were fulfilled. I thought my action provided the only hope for Harry, Cissy, and my King to survive Ruppasta's madness. I meant you no harm, although I realize that my sword unfortunately pricked your backs – I did see your blood. I truly regret that. I had to act very quickly, so excessive delicacy wasn't an option. If I had treated you too well, Ruppasta would have questioned my commitment to his cause. I took the only course remaining to us – at least that was my analysis of that very desperate situation. My King forgave me - I hope that you can do the same. I have made my peace with Minister Weasley and he accepts my good intentions. Being on good terms with the next generation of Witches and Wizards is most important to me. I feel we can work well together, if we can get past that one unfortunate incident."

"I forgave you long ago," I assured the new King. "From the moment that you prevented Ruppasta and his young zealots from summarily killing us, I knew that you were on our side and delaying our deaths as part of a larger plan. I will be most happy to work with you, although I have no actual power, apart from being a very good fighter."

"As of now, this is true. I have studied many prophecies from the days of legend. I knew that when my sword thrust you into the Sacred Cavern that I was launching you on a journey, which you must take. That was the first step on the path. It is a journey that must be completed if we are to prosper. It must be made by brave Witches, as it passes dangerous places where a Wizard or Goblin dare not tread. This trek is the purpose for which the Mother of the Future was born. Only she, her Muse, and her five female assistants may undertake this quest.

"Legend says that she who completes this journey shall be truly invincible and will guide all of us to the golden future. This is very hard on you and even harder on Harry. Harry cannot share your journey. The stone will guide you and the stone is from the age of Priestesses – it speaks to males sparingly and seldom with good humor. You will know to begin your journey, when the martyr bride has died. We first thought Harry's mother to be this martyred bride, but subsequent events suggest that she may not have been. Harry was saved to fulfill his destiny, but with Voldemort gone, the golden age has yet to dawn. You shall know when to act. It could be many years from now, probably after you have children of your own.

"Until then, choose your assistants wisely. Trust is paramount. All minds must act as one, with no delay or doubt. Be open to advice, but when you decide, all must act in accord. My reading of the prophecy says that the Cissy child must be your assistant. Beyond that, you must choose one old, one young, one familiar, one who was once your foe or rival, and the one who must be first to die. You cannot cheat the Gods: you must assign one assistant to each category. If you try to pass a round peg in a square hole, I feel that the round peg will be sacrificed. But I'm also sure you have quickly seen that there is more than one of the roles that Cissy, for instance, could fill.

"My visions tell me that not all who join your Quest will return alive. You must give fair warning to those whom you would recruit. You needn't believe me. Firenze will confirm that all that I say is true. I think you have time, before your journey must begin. I'm surprised: you haven't finished either your sherry or your crab cakes."

"No, I confess that you have both quite gobsmacked me and put me off my feed. I shall speak to Firenze."

As Harry questioned Gobbledegook at length, I did actually finish my crab cakes. I thought that I had heard all that I needed to hear, but one answer to Harry riveted my attention: "I know you would protect your wife, were you able. You may not accompany her in the flesh, but I foresee that you may remain linked to her in mind. You must ask the stone to bless this limited participation on your part. You and Ron may act outside the direct sphere of the Witches, in a manner which may ease their passage. I have said all which I may tell. We should pass on to other topics. The reception draws nigh. I sense there are other thoughts you wish to share and questions you need to ask."

"Yes," I stepped back in the conversation. "I would be remiss not to mention how much I enjoyed your stained glass entry into the art contest. It was my first choice. Beyond that, I do have two questions. What is to become of our friend King Goblanze, and what do you know of the troubles at Durmstrang?"

"Sorry, I thought you realized that Niko is to be my Deputy Chairman. We make a very good team. As to Durmstrang, I hear that a small German-pride group is unhappy with Viktor. A very few Goblins who felt that the next Goblin King should be from the Durmstrang Cavern may take sides with Viktor's enemies. They are being watched. I know that Viktor felt enough threat that he will not be joining us this evening. He sends the lovely Cho as his representative. Naturally any improprieties which she may have committed while in our employ have been forgiven and we will receive her warmly.

"I should also say that I have a hint that your sacred journey passes through Durmstrang Cavern. I know that once you enter that Circle there is no turning back. You must complete your quest or perish in the attempt. We must now go down to the reception."

The room, which had formerly housed the art contest, was filled with tables and guests. The only art was that created by the new Chairman and his Deputy. A second glance told me that there weren't quite as many guests as I had sensed. My mind had filled in a room of known size. However, the entire far corner of the room was occupied by two very tall tables; the first for Firenze, Bane, and two Unicorns and the other for Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Bypassing Mom and Dad with just a wave, I headed for Firenze. Harry followed right behind.

"I had hoped to speak at Hogwarts, rather than here," Firenze stopped me, before I had spoken word one. "I know the new King has just revealed possibly disturbing portents to you. They are almost as new to me as they are to you. We will speak at length later. For now, l will simply say that I believe Gobbledegook's vision may well be valid. Not binding, not inviolable, not immutable, but valid. You must make of it what you will. Now, go say hello to your parents and to Cho. Especially to Cho. She may feel quite alone tonight."

I planned to do exactly as Firenze suggested, but first Harry and I wanted to say hello to Hagrid and Madame Maxime. Actually, we wanted to check on conditions at Beauxbatons and whether she was feeling any challenge to her authority from staff members with a Grindelwald bent to their philosophy.

"No, all is well," the Madame assured us. "There were far too many student and staff deaths and injuries for the Grindelwald group to be viewed with any sympathy. I chucked out several students early in the term after they engaged in acts of sabotage and attempts to recruit other students to the Grindelwald cause. As you Britons say, I gave them plenty of rope. A dozen students complained of their recruiting attempts and a couple of others reported observing minor acts of sabotage, before I moved in and confronted the perpetrators. All of these students had parents with known Grindelwald sympathies, but the parents had never acted overtly enough to be arrested.

"Things have been calm since then. The students and their parents are in jail. Disturbing things were found when their homes were searched. Our biggest fear was an attack by Ruppasta's Goblins. We were quite relieved when he quit France. Now that Monsieur Delacour has cleaned up the officer corps, we are confident that timely help will arrive from the Ministry whenever we need it."

We told her that sounded great and that we were going to catch Cho to see how things were doing at Durmstrang. "I hear Viktor has problem," the Madame replied. "The problem must be worse than I thought, or he would be here. The Briton wife of an Eastern European Durmstrang headmaster will not be viewed as an appropriate representative from German Wizards at the induction of a new Goblin King. Not being here is an admission of trouble and weakness."

"Oh," I exclaimed as we moved away to find Cho.

{{I see Cho. She's talking to Mom in the corner diagonal from us.}}

We had many Wizards and Goblins to exchange greetings with, before we could make it across the floor to Mom. I was close enough to study Cho's face, before she slipped away from Mom and was swallowed up by the crowd of taller Wizards. I thought her drawn face revealed both worry and a certain worn-down-by-events tiredness. Since I had lost Cho, I kept working my way toward Mom. She was scanning the room, probably looking for Dad, rather than us. She was facing away from us by the time we reached her. I had to shout "Mom, hello," to attract her attention.

"Oh, hello Ginny, I'm trying to find your father. Cho wanted to speak to him. Viktor is facing more opposition and may need some help."

"Madame Maxine said it's a sign of weakness for Viktor to miss this event and be represented by Cho. At least the bank promises to be nice to Cho. I heard some very significant things about my own future from the new Goblin King. I'll need to talk to you soon…"

{I see Cho.}

{{Why don't you go catch her and bring her back here? Send Dad too, if you find him.}}

"Sorry, Mom, I was sending Harry off to find Cho. We'd like to hear her personal account of what is happening at Durmstrang. Apparently things at Beauxbatons are fine."

"That's fine, Ginny. I'm more interested in what the King had to say to you."

I moved in close and whispered, "This isn't the place to talk, but basically I'm to go on a dangerous quest with Hermione and five other assistants. This is apparently the ancient prophecy for the Mother of the Future, or something that was just recently discovered by Gobbledegook or a vision that he had."

"We can talk later, but I'm not at all sure that I like the sound of that. I would think the essence of being Mother of the Future would be to live long enough to bear and raise children."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, also. Not the message that I was seeking. I'm to talk to Firenze back at Hogwarts, but he basically confirmed what Gobbledygook told me."

I saw Harry approaching with both Cho and Dad. I quickly whispered "later" to Mom and greeted Cho and Dad.

In answer to my question of how things were going for her, Cho sadly replied, "not nearly as well as I had hoped. Viktor and I get along great, but my marriage to him has not allowed him to fit in any better with those members of the staff who disapproved of his appointment as headmaster. Taking over the Ministry has given him some key allies, but also some new enemies. I fear that as a foreigner, I am a liability to my husband. I am here as the official representative to meet the new Goblin King, but also to ask a big favor of, I thought McGonagall, but I guess now Neville, and all of you. I apologize for my prior error in approaching McGonagall instead of one of you, when I first sensed this problem.

"I understand that the Pansy affair has stirred up a lot of trouble and that Narcissa betrayed her to Umbridge. I really messed that up. I knew that Viktor thought I was over-reacting, so I didn't feel comfortable coming to the Ministry. McGonagall seemed a low-key starting point. She did not behave as I wanted or expected. I never thought the Sisterhood would betray Pansy or me. I was foolish. I should have come straight to you. Please forgive me. I hope I wasn't responsible for Professor McGonagall losing her job.

"Viktor would like to cut Professor Schwein out of his familiar environment and make his communications and planning more difficult and more subject to interception. I trust that you can keep an eye on him and help intercept any messages he sends or receives. His presence may benefit you in exposing your own hidden foes. I heard from your Mom that you've just turned up some new enemies. Our Schwein can be your lightning rod. I'm sure Hermione can monitor his office and apartment in a way that he cannot possibly discover. I know I ask a lot, but Viktor and I are counting on you. Forcing a change in the communication procedures of both our enemies will make them easier to find and destroy. I'm sure that with a little help, Viktor will prevail. I think him likely to prevail on his own, but there would be too great a chance of failure for my liking. The obvious point of attack is to remove Viktor: he is so integral to everything. That is why he couldn't come here today."

Dad had been listening, but now offered encouragement to Cho. "You can assure Viktor that we'll do all that we can to help him. Make your pitch to headmaster Longbottom. If you need my help in selling him, you've got it. I did not fire McGonagall due solely to Pansy, but that was the final straw. I'd appreciate it if you paid an indignant visit to Narcissa and let me know what you learn."

King Gobbledegook's call for us to take our seats, allowed me to duck Dad's leading comment: "I understand that the new King had a private audience and a special message for my only daughter."

I whispered "not now, Dad" as Harry and I headed off to our table. Happily, we were seated with Hermione, Ron, Cissy, and ex-King Goblanze, so further parental questioning was forestalled. Our table was in the corner by the door. "I see we're sharing a table, Chairman," I greeted our old friend, who sat down a few seconds after we did.

"You'll have to learn to call me Deputy Chairman or just plain Niko," he replied. "I actually think I've landed remarkably well, considering the difficulty I could be in if one of the Goblins from the Continent had been chosen as our new King. King Gobbledegook and I have always worked very well together. I can rest assured that he won't investigate any of my possible little indiscretions. This could have been very, very bad. He is a very good Goblin. You can trust what he says, and trust that his actions in the tunnel to the Sacred Cavern were taken in the interest of all of us. Harry could not possibly have won without the help of the new King. I hope that you not only realize that, but feel it in your emotions. Gobbledegook is a good friend to all of us."

"I think I realize that," Harry responded. "I'll be honored to work with him."

"He is more capable than me. He has seen visions and he is a wizard at historical research. He wants my guidance in managing Gringotts through the current transitions. I understand the financial strategy and some of the workings of the bank better than he does. We really do make a very good team."

"So, what he told me might have been based on an independent vision."

"Indeed, but he is enthralled by the old legends and prophecies, and has made quite a study of them. He and Firenze have talked a lot in the past several days, since Gobbledegook has known that he would be King. He can be a better advisor to you than I was ever able to be."

As the first round of food and drink was being served, the whole room was redolent of cinnamon. Large mugs of spicy hot mulled cider and small dishes of pears poached in brandy with lots of cinnamon were placed before us. The cider was too warm to do more than sip at, but the pear was delicious.

"Cinnamon is the spice of Goblin Kings," Niko commented. "I didn't mean to ignore Cissy. You should all know that she is off to a very auspicious start as a Gringotts Bank Director. Not only is she far more flexible than her father was, she has a far better understanding of the banks accounting and finance issues than Professor McGonagall or even your Minister. I hope she is taking to her Keeper duties as swiftly."

"I believe that I have made satisfactory progress in that area," Cissy replied. "I remain optimistic that Ginny will permit me to be one of her assistants. There is a lot for me to learn at the same time that I am still absorbing my general Hogwarts knowledge. Plus, I have a castle to run. It can be daunting, but I can honestly say that I am enjoying myself. I do not miss my father."

"I haven't seen Professor McGonagall yet. Is she here?" Harry asked.

"Yes, she is at the end table down this long wall from us. Cho asked to be seated with her and we obliged. Headmaster Longbottom is with her. George and Luna are also with them. You don't have to worry about needing to make the first proposal to the headmaster on Schwein. I'm sure that pleases you."

"Have you given further thought to my being your assistant?" Cissy returned to her favorite topic.

"As a matter of fact, I have. Today's training was the next step for you. Before you can be my assistant, you must be a very competent Witch. I realized that I had neglected your training as a fighter. I was leaning in favor of saying yes, if you stayed on good behavior with the twins, but I've just begun to gain a fuller understanding of what it actually means to be my assistant. That has me rethinking my decision.

"If I chose you, I would be exposing you to great peril and interrupting the natural flow of your life and your studies. It might be quite a long disruption. I got the impression that it might well extend to a year or more. It won't be like one of our past adventures, where you can come right back to the Great Hall for dinner and go off to sleep safely tucked in your dorm bed. It will be living rough, sleeping on stone, and likely having dangers catch us by surprise. Are you really willing to risk death and be yanked out of the life that you are creating for yourself? I am talking about more than theoretical peril. The new Goblin King tells me that his vision says that some of my assistants who set out on the Quest will not return alive. Not too far into the Quest, we will reach a point from which turning back is impossible. I'm not sure that it's fair to ask a third level, especially one with as bright a future as yours, to risk her life to help me. The Quest is likely to be arduous and uncomfortable, with more suffering than joy. It is suggested that we will each have to confront all of our personal demons. Are you sure you're up for that?"

"Your description is sobering, but not off-putting. I want to achieve something significant with my life. I understand that will require courage and acceptance of risk. I'll not turn my back on a great adventure, merely because of the prospect of suffering and possible death. To do so would make me a lesser person than I intend to be."

"Some would say not to do so would make you a fool," King Goblanze commented. "You are a very wealthy young Witch, who already holds several positions of power. You can hire others to take risks on your behalf. Don't look at me like that. I'm telling you what is normally done. There is a good reason it is normally done. You can't enjoy your wealth, or accomplish what your positions of power allow you to accomplish, if you are dead. Neither can you prevail over a great threat at your current age, before you have achieved your full measure of knowledge and talent. You could die tomorrow, defeated by a threat over which you would prevail, with more maturity and your full Hogwarts education behind you."

"You would encourage me to follow the coward's path, as my father did. A malevolent presence, behind the scenes, causing others to die, while risking nothing."

"I would hope that you would be a benevolent presence behind the scenes, as I tried to be. I ended up as Ruppasta's prisoner in the Sacred Cavern, but I wasn't selflessly leading a charge or heedlessly exposing myself to known danger. Even when one is cautious, enough risk will find one out. It is foolish to go searching for more trouble. That is the surest way for a King to shorten his rule. You walked into that trap voluntarily. I'm told that you did it eagerly. That was foolish. Think some more before you commit to do this again. There is no shame in choosing to live into adulthood."

"I have considered. I'll think again, but I doubt my view will change. If the Mother of the Future is required to go on a great Quest, and to take assistants with her, then if I can be one of those assistants, I certainly intend to do so."

"You have a very romantic view of danger and death. That is the problem of being as young as you are. You feel family guilt. I know that can be a terrible thing. You think if you can't absolve yourself, you'd rather die and be well thought of after you're gone. Very admirable notion, but still very foolish – the not fully formed thoughts of the young."

"So, what about those Harpies," Ron incongruously commented.

"I know," I replied. "Being a Harpy might have to wait a year. And they're having a very good season, as if you care."

I noticed that the next course had been spicy winter squash soup, served with a rich port. By the time I had my first sip of the soup, it was practically at room temperature. Remembering Harry's admonition after our dinner at Beauxbatons, I reheated the soup with my wand and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had just finished the soup and half of my port, when the servers brought a platter of grilled vegetables. I saw carrots, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and red peppers. A glass of white chardonnay appeared beside my vegetables. I still had my glass of port in my hand and refused to have it cleared away. The food had managed to halt discussion of my Quest in a way that Ron's Harpy comment could not have.

I was feeling a little chagrined with myself for mentioning the Quest. Cissy appeared to be totally hooked on the subject. Hermione had told me that the Muggles had a fair amount of Quest literature. I wondered how much of that the Montaigne formerly known as Lord had permitted his daughter to read.

We all ate our vegetables rapidly enough that most of us were finished before the fish course arrived. Cissy answered both Niko's and my questions. "Okay, I've rethought the risks and what I might be missing if I foolishly get myself killed on this adventure. I'm still in. It sounds like a wonderful adventure. As a young girl, I loved reading tales of the Grail Quest and the voyage of Ulysses. I'm in, if Ginny will have me. It will be a far better year than either going back to Hogwarts or starting Marlborough. I don't wish to insult a former King, but I simply cannot bring myself to take as meek an approach to life as you did. Nothing ventured….nothing."

The arrival of broiled haddock in a lemon butter sauce gave both Harry and Niko time to fully consider their responses. I was determined to save my response for another day. I would huddle with Hermione and get her advice on whom I should choose for young, old, familiar, rival. Especially, how could I select an assistant to be the first to die? That was an unbelievably cruel condition for the Gods to impose on my Quest. I realized that I must have spoken these last thoughts out loud. Cissy was staring at me with gaping mouth, while Niko was speaking.

"Not cruel at all. I think, rather a kindness. Far easier to make that decision before the need arises and to honestly recruit an assistant under those terms, than to be forced to decide at a time of crisis. Far kinder. The Gods must like you, to give you this training exercise."

"What? That's not kind, and what do you mean… training exercise?"

"The purpose of the Quest is not so much to achieve an important goal, as to test you and determine if you are worthy of your future responsibility and honor. Why training? I fear these Quests have an inexorable logic and cruelty built into them. Why train you with a baby step, unless…. Yes, I fear you will be forced to make a second choice sometime during your Quest. Do you choose the rival, the one who has proven unworthy to the task, the one with the least to lose, or the one whose loss least damages your chance of succeeding in the Quest. One cannot be a King or a general if one is unwilling to sacrifice a soldier to the cause. Five is a very bad number of soldiers. You have to become too intimate and attached to them. I don't think I would like that at all."

"No!" I snapped. "I don't want to be either a general or a King. I don't want to undertake this Quest at all if it means picking comrades to die. That is just too creepy. King Gobbledegook has to be wrong. That is not at all like something that the Light Guardian would ask me to do. I've searched my Light Guardian memories. I've been chastened as one who has been too blood thirsty and willing to fight or injure others. That is not the Light Guardian way. Picking allies to die? I just don't believe it. I'm much more familiar with the Light Guardian than King Gobbledegook. It spoke to me, personally."

"And to Gobbledegook. His vision could be wrong, I suppose, visions don't come all that naturally to a Goblin. Perhaps it was just a bad dream. In which case, it shows troubling thoughts for our future King. Talk to Firenze."

"I certainly hope so - otherwise I may choose not to be the Mother of the Future. I never volunteered for anything like this. I'm sure that Hermione didn't, either."

"You did present your rings to the bench in the control landing. That is a sort of volunteering."

"The Light Guardian just would not be a part of anything like what King Gobbledegook described."

"Maybe it isn't. Maybe your deal is just with a powerful, black rock that's a relic of the days of more cruel and primitive Gods, before the ascendancy of the Light Guardian. The transporter goes back before Wizards and Witches were viewed as even being magical. Your first religion was the nature religion of many Gods - many truly frightening Gods. The Light Guardian wasn't part of Wizard thinking until you were magical. Who knows where that stone's allegiance lies? It could be just a cold, cruel, brutal old stone that is the residue of all the malevolence of the worst of the ancient Gods."

"I don't believe that. I was one with the stone and did not sense cruelty. I felt strongly that it wanted to help all of us. It didn't accept the Keeper rings or McGonagall's old ring passed down from headmaster Ravenclaw. It accepted the ring that I made myself, with no other imprimatur other than that I fashioned it wholly from Light Guardian knowledge. It accepted Mafalda's ring, a ring passed down from Light Guardian Chief Priestess to Chief Priestess. Why would it behave like that if it were not an instrument of the Light Guardian? I'm with the Light Guardian all the way, not some primitive ancient God that loves death. No, I won't do it. I'll resign if it comes to that. King Gobbledegook said we could turn back prior to some point of no return at Durmstrang. I'm quite sure that we'll be turning back, if Gobbledegook is right about the nature of this Quest. I don't see a positive side to this."

"A golden age for all magical creatures and living openly within the Muggle world – isn't that reason enough? I know that I look forward to moving freely about the whole of this world. It is difficult viewing museums only at night One just doesn't get a proper impression of the art."

"Perhaps, but would the Light Guardian set the price of this golden age as my selecting some of my assistants for death? Is the Mother of the Future to purchase the golden age by killing her friends?"

"No. Of course not, I fear that you misunderstand both the prophecy and the Quest. I ask you this: are you willing to sacrifice yourself for a new golden age for all magical creatures? Was Harry willing to sacrifice himself to defeat Voldemort? Isn't that exactly what Dumbledore encouraged him to do? Is this truly different?"

"Yes, it is. Dumbledore expected that Harry would return to the living after the piece of Voldemort's soul that was a parasite inside Harry's head was dead. He didn't expect the true Harry to die."

"How certain do you think Dumbledore could possibly be of that conclusion? And who is to say that the true souls of your assistants will die or that they won't return among us. Dumbledore sacrificed himself, yet you…"

"ENOUGH! I'll not speak of this anymore until I've spoken with Firenze. Let's just talk politely while we finish this fine dinner."

My spoon shook in my hand as I ate my chocolate mousse. Harry was trying to whisper to me, but I was refusing to acknowledge him. Dumbledore was correct. I just couldn't have this conversation with Harry. It would be entirely too cruel and completely pointless.

King Gobbledegook spoke after dinner. I thought him wise to allow us to eat before he spoke. He pledged peace with the other magical species, and said he looked forward to working with us as Chairman of Gringotts and as the new Goblin representative to Hermione's committee on the Covenant. He said he would be at Hogwarts in two days and would visit the Goblin sanctuary. As we drank our after dinner sherry, he went table to table shaking hands. As the other guests filed out, Dad, Bane, Firenze, the two Unicorns, and Niko Goblanze stayed to chat. Mom returned to Hogwarts with the rest of us.


	85. Chapter 85

**CHAPTER 85 – THOUGHTS ON THE QUEST**

As we walked in from the Gryffindor landing, I told Hermione "we need to visit Firenze first thing tomorrow. Then we really need to put our heads together and see if we can think our way out of this mess. I'm probably letting this make me too crazy, the precipitating event for all of this may be years and years in our future, although in my mind it's always like the day after tomorrow. I know in any case that this is going to debilitate my performance in everything that I try to do, until I can get my mind around it and make it seem more, well sane – something that I can visualize myself being part of."

"I know exactly how you feel," Hermione replied. "I've been in semi-shock since King Gobbledegook spoke to us. Part of me says that he wants to assign this life and death responsibility to you to justify his own very bad behavior in practically sacrificing the two of us to further his interpretation of how the Sacred Cavern prophecy must unwind. That worked out, but it was very long odds. It's far from certain that his solution was the only one, and he had no right to force us to follow his solution. No choice, no effort at persuasion, just a big sword in the back. I don't totally trust the new King. He is far too quick to force others to play the part he has assigned them in his schemes. I think he was likely just doing more of the same tonight."

"If I might," the ubiquitous, yet nearly invisible Barb caught our attention, "I don't think King Gobbledegook is asking Ginny to pick someone and tell them that they must die in her, really in all of our, cause. He likely expects that Ginny will be called upon to select the best assistant among the many volunteers for that particular assistant position. It is a role, I admit in not nearly so starkly absolute a sense, that all aurors must consider and accept before they sign up for the corps. The aurors strolling down Diagon alley when we killed and captured the Grindelwald attackers were, quite frankly, bait. Both recognized their task as such and realized that the odds were fairly high that at least one of them would be killed. Without Ron's intervention, I think more than one would have died.

"Aurors die every year, as part of the job. Look at the price Neville's parents paid. Yet they both eagerly rushed back into the corps at their first opportunity, despite almost two-decade older bodies. If I were convinced of the value of this Quest to our magical community, I would certainly volunteer for the job of assistant who is first to die. I would both tell myself that we would perform so brilliantly on the Quest that none of us would die, and set my affairs in order with the fairly sure knowledge that I would not be returning from the Quest. I think it easier for an auror to think like that than for you to do so.

"I also think you are like Harry and would rather put yourself in that dangerous position than ask an auror to assume it. In a way that is brave of you, but in another way it is selling us aurors short and displaying a certain lack of moral courage and understanding of the role of Deputy Minister on Harry's part. Your father is every bit as responsible for sending aurors off to fight as Harry is, but he doesn't feel the need to stand on the front line himself. He lets us do our jobs."

"Point taken," my husband replied.

"With all due deference, I'm not sure that you do fully appreciate my point. As Deputy Minister and Mother of the Future, you and Harry have voluntarily taken on jobs that are very important to the success of the magical community. That makes you more important to the community than the average Wizard or Witch, but it also paints a bulls-eye on your backs. For that reason, you are assigned protective aurors to protect you from assassination.

"When Bill, Ellen, and I signed up for that job, what we were signing up for was the responsibility to protect you at the risk of our own lives, even if that means leaping in front of a killing curse being fired at you. It's not that we have a death wish or value our lives less than other people; it's that, just like you, we've recognized an important job that we can do well and have chosen to take upon ourselves, risks and all. I would be a very poor excuse for a protective auror if I wasn't willing to die to save your life. So, if you named me as one of your assistants, it wouldn't matter if I were the one designated as first to die. If you were confronted with the need to select a victim and developed a mental lock, such that the nasty primitive God said, 'well all right, if Ginny can't choose, then I'll pick her', I would automatically thrust myself forward and volunteer."

"I see…" I started to reply.

"Again, I'm not sure you totally do. It is not that you're a better person than me, or that I'm a better fighter than you. Your job is to be the best Mother of the Future you possibly can. You assume risks and responsibilities in that. With regard to this proffered Quest, your primary responsibility, along with your Muse, and any of the rest of us from whom you choose to ask advice, is to learn all you can about this Quest and decide whether the probability and value of succeeding are high enough to our community to be worth the lives of some of our best and bravest.

"If you decide that it is worth it, then you must undertake the Quest. You will be assuming personal risk in setting out on the Quest. You have to leave it to the rest of us to decide whether or not we are willing to undertake that risk. If you decide that the Quest is worthwhile, then I will follow you. I'm certain that Ellen would also. If you and Harry cannot accept volunteers for the position or assign persons, who have already essentially volunteered when they decided to become aurors, then you have not yet mastered your own responsibilities."

"I think that I realized that logically, but emotionally, I still find it hard not to be repulsed by thinking like that," I told her.

"I know, and I'm not saying it will make you a better person to live with or be friends with after you emotionally accept that. It will make you better at the job you've taken on, though. Not that you should ever become happy or unconcerned about putting an auror in serious jeopardy and not that you shouldn't feel bad if things turn out badly for that auror, simply that you not let your concern prevent you from properly doing your own job. You and Harry have both discovered that the Beyond is real. If I get sent there early for doing my job, think well of me, miss me, but most importantly be proud of me, knowing I have rightfully earned my place. You and I have both placed what is best for our community above what is best for us, personally. We are just going about it on somewhat different paths.

"Well, that was more than enough said, and probably totally out of place for me to have said it."

"No, we're glad that you did," Harry replied for all of us.

The four of us and Barb talked at length about my morning training session for Cissy and Margaret. Harry agreed that I had taken the right approach.

"It will be their school next year and they want to protect the twins. It would be very cruel and very foolish to allow them to take on that responsibility and not give them the skills they need to succeed. I'll talk to your father and Mrs. Longbottom, but I also agree with teaching them apparation skills. You could also teach them to be spirit warriors.

Make no mistake, it will be next to impossible to prevent the older Slytherins from at least starting next term at Hogwarts. McGonagall won't be as stupid and stubborn as she was this year, but the Slytherins will also be smarter. They'll expect a quick expulsion and arrest if they start to do what they did this term. That means they will strike fast and flee Hogwarts. We know the twins will be the prime target. The professors and McGonagall will try to protect the twins, but I doubt they can succeed. There are just too many chances for an attack and the Slytherins will choose their best chance. Cissy and Margaret have a better chance at stopping an attack, but they won't always be present.

"You will need to recruit and train other students. We'll need to train the twins. The Elves will help next term, but I want to give the twins the best chance possible to survive. Which reminds me, I convinced Mr. Spencer not to bring Henry home.

"He was determined that he and his wife could do a better job than we could in defending his children. I had to duel him to prove how silly an idea that was. I told him that you were a better fighter than me and that you were also watching over his twins. I told him that I wouldn't lie to him – we couldn't guarantee his childrens' safety. We had discovered that they were targets of the baddies. I did guarantee him that we were the best equipped to protect his children and that Hogwarts was a highly defensible position in which to defend them.

"I had to agree that McGonagall had taken serious chances, really irresponsible chances, in letting the Slytherin situation progress as far as it had. I told him that the school would certainly be more careful of the Slytherins next term, but that they most definitely would be a threat to his children. I also told him that I couldn't think of another place where his children would be safer. Now that they were known, the baddies would hunt them down in the Muggle world if they returned to their old school.

"He was really shaken, but I think he needed to see reality. He asked me 'what can be done? It sounds like my children just can never be safe.' I promised auror protection and suggested that his children receive extra Defense Against the Dark Arts training. I told him that had helped me and that I had been a target my entire life. He liked that idea and urged that Henry and Alice be taught advance escape and fighting skills. I promised him that we would focus upon escape skills and that we had some ideas in that regard.

"I want you and Hermione to think if there is a way that the stone can help Henry and Alice, without Henry and Alice learning about the stone. I also thought some of our special portkey belts might be useful to the twins."

Harry had thought a lot about the twins. Hermione and I promised to mine our stone knowledge.

Harry had breakfast with us, but then went straight to the Ministry. I was greeted by another owl carrying a personal note. I grabbed the note from the bird, who was admirably well behaved, keeping himself and all of his feathers away from my food.

"It's from Erasmus," I announced. "He apologizes again, but wrote 'to thank you all for the great gift that you have given to all of us in Eire. What you did to our own Circle of Eire has significantly improved magic throughout most of Eire. I am ashamed to admit it, but I never imagined you would do us this great favor, and then simply depart and allow us to enjoy it in our own way. Tell your father that I thank him for the use of most of his castle. I have stocked it for use as a headquarters, should the bad times visit us once again."

"That's a very nice note," Hermione commented. "I'm glad that we could help, but saddened that the Wizards of Eire distrust us so much."

McGonagall intercepted Hermione and me as we were leaving the Great Hall. She led us in silence to her office. Even with the door closed, she spoke in whispers.

"I suspect you are having thoughts about what you told me the other day. I swear to you that I will not share your secrets with others – even the Sisterhood. I understand that some Sisters have betrayed all of us, for reasons good and not-so-good. That has caused danger to Hogwarts students, and I cannot abide that. I will do better in future.

"I know that you are concerned about the safety of Cissy, Margaret, and the twins next term. I confess I also am worried for them. There will be Slytherins and I can no longer delude myself that I can make the school safe from them. The other students will partially have to fend for and protect themselves. I just wanted you to know that I support training Cissy and Margaret. I think you should also train Jimmy Peakes.

"You'll think me selfish in asking this, but I could much better do my own part in keeping the school safe if I was able to use to stone to apparate within Hogwarts."

"That's not selfish at all," I assured her. "You, Neville and any other trustworthy faculty should have that skill and we will happily teach it. It must be secret. As you told me, it is too great a secret to risk to spare a third-level an after-hours detention. It is also too valuable a secret to waste by using it to discover petty miscreants. We're teaching Margaret and Cissy to use apparation as last-ditch surprise weapon, if they are attacked and their other skills can't suffice."

"I think you have the situation well in hand, Mrs. Weasley. I'll let you get on about your business. I will tell you that I have made my decision and am very interested in becoming your assistant on the terms you described to me."

"Fine, we'll talk soon. I have just learned that the job of assistant may be quite a bit more dangerous than I originally thought. I'll explain more, later."

As we left McGonagall's office, Hermione told me "I think that went very well. I suspect we have nothing to worry about with McGonagall knowing your secret."

Hermione, Barb, and I headed to the forest to find Firenze. He was waiting for us at the edge of the forest, near Hagrid's hut. "I know that you want me to tell you whether or not all that King Gobbledegook told you is definitely correct and whether or not I myself have seen the same vision and prophecy. I can't and I haven't.

"I also have no good reason to doubt what the King told you. What he says is consistent with the legend of his people and the cetaceans. We Centaurs have a smattering of it. I know that there has been at least one prior Quest involving a Mother of the Future. That Mother was a Centaur. No detail of that Quest remains. She was sworn to secrecy. She also died, before she could complete her Quest, if legend is to be believed. Before you discovered the black stone inside the pyramid and the transporter, I had no hint that either existed. You know more about the stone than anyone. I promise to commune again in the Sacred Cavern and see if I can either become one with the stone or glean any suggestions about your futures, which may benefit you. The two of you should be ahead of me. Hermione knows the myths and legends of all the magical creatures and you know much of them. Delve within your new memories to find the truth for yourselves.

"For now, I can only tell you to use your own best judgment. King Gobbledegook may well have had a true vision that applies to the stone and to you, but I can't imagine that he understands the stone, its history, its powers, and its intent as well as the two of you do. You are the experts. Move forward in baby steps, and don't allow the King to rush you onto a path that you are not yet ready or willing to follow. You have control of the situation.

"I will tell you the instant I learn anything about this potential Quest. Just because the King had and remembers a vivid dream does not mean he has received a valid prophecy. Many have vivid dreams which they view as important, vital prophecies. Although the vast majority of these have no value whatsoever, the viewer feels a strong compulsion to relate the experience to those whom he views as the principals of the supposed prophecy."

"I thank you for your future help and for bringing us back to ground on this," I assured Firenze. "It is frustrating to be faced with something of this magnitude, where the only source of information is someone with no history of prophecy, and especially someone who forced me into the Sacred Cavern at sword point."

"It would be a mistake either to give too much instant credence to what the King has said or to dismiss him or doubt his good will, because of that sword incident. On the other hand, while I feel it a mistake to definitively judge a new leader based upon his performance as a number two, we have all known Gobbledegook for a long time, with nary a hint that he was a heavyweight, a deep thinker, or a seer. If you had asked me a week ago whether the most monumental prophecy of this generation came from Luna, one of the merpeople, Draco, or Gobbledegook, I believe Gobbledygook would have been my last guess. One is tempted to surmise that he, I want to say this in a charitable way, brought this prophecy forth prematurely in order to burst into his Kingship with a huge splash.

"My first reaction was that this Quest seemed unduly grim compared to what I have experienced as the Keeper of the Universe. I thought I understood the Light Guardian fairly well and this is definitely inconsistent, but all too consistent with how many traditional Goblins view their Goblin Master.

"The only thing that leads me to give Gobbledegook's tale some credit is the likely involvement of the ancient nature Gods. Most were jealous and not at all kindly disposed to the magical creatures. They demanded absolute fealty. They took much of their strength from the fear and submission of the magical creatures. They had much in common with the Dementors, except they came in bright and dark flavors. The bright, usually the female Gods, could be persuaded to help the magical peoples. The dark Gods fed on fear, and very few of them were open to persuasion. With the advent of the Light Guardian or Goblin Master, these old Gods lost their source of strength and withered away. But… it is highly doubtful that they all died. There are stories of them clinging to their old redoubts in ancient magical sites. If alive, and I suspect many still are, they hold valuable ancient secrets and some residual power. They will guard these jealously. If you are to take advantage of these secrets, you will have to wrest them from the ancient Gods. They would be brutal in their defense of their prerogatives.

"To lose what they have left would likely be to perish. If the old Gods are in fact involved in this Quest, then it may well be as grim as Gobbledegook depicts. The only Quest destination he mentions is Durmstrang Cavern. I have been there myself, and it certainly does not appear to be a province of the ancient Gods. Perhaps the other destinations along the way will be of an entirely different character. I cannot say whether this is the case or whether this Quest promises enough value to balance the risk. You'll note that the new King was totally silent about this. This might well be one with Harry's Deathly Hallows, something to be avoided rather than sought. We shall see how this develops."

That was clearly a dismissal and we left Firenze more confused than we had arrived. "Not knowing the timing or even the validity of Gobbledegook's prophecy is maddening," Hermione groused on the walk back to the castle. "It makes logical planning next to impossible. I tend to take your side that the prophecy seems too blood-thirsty for anything associated with the Light Guardian."

"My first religion lecture is in a week. I need to start preparing what I'm going to teach the kids," I replied, totally changing the subject.

I had suddenly reached my saturation point on the Quest. If it was years in the future or something not worth undertaking, then I would be very foolish to allow my mind to obsess about it now. I had very immediate deadlines and challenges. I could combine the present and future by making my initial lectures about the ancient nature religion.

"I think that we should visit McGonagall's Nature Priestess friend, Victoria," I continued. "It makes chronological sense for us to begin our lectures on the nature religion, before we move on to the Light Guardian and the magical circles."

"I agree," Hermione replied. "I have some questions for her about this Quest. This Muse thing is mutating awfully fast. Muse seemed a great fit for me when it was about finding, organizing, and interpreting old knowledge. I'm not at all sure how much help I can be to you on a deadly dangerous adventure. You know I've been the weak link on our circle's adventuring."

"I know no such thing. I agree that deathly dangerous Questing is outside your comfort zone, but you have very useful skills that the rest of us don't. Even if you weren't already my Muse, you're the first Witch I'd seek to add to my Quest team. I admit that I would expect you to be very tough to recruit to the team."

Lunch was a quick deal and then it was back to walking and thinking. Hermione and I walked in silence, occasionally sharing thoughts, via the stone, as either of us had an insight. We didn't have many. We were planning lectures, thinking of how to bring a new Covenant to fruition, and having our thoughts continually hauled back to either the Quest or the difficult task of keeping Cissy, Margaret, and the twins safe next term.

**You have to be a professor next term. You would be a great protector.**

**I'd love to, but you have to be asked and I'm very young for that. Neville was asked to keep all of us at Hogwarts for an extra year. You know that isn't the way things normally work. If age weren't a factor, I'd suggest you be a professor. You're a better fighter. You could teach religion.**

**I want to be a Harpy, but I'd consider teaching part time and spending like the whole first two weeks of term at Hogwarts. That's when the trouble is most likely to occur.**

We were headed to our common room, when we turned a bend in the corridor and were intercepted by McGonagall. "Just the young Witches I was looking for. I want to talk to you and am very pleased to have found you without Harry and Ron. Please come to my office."

It was a polite enough request, but from the way she immediately turned and began walking toward her office, it was also clear that refusing the request was not an option. It seemed best to simply follow her with good humor and find out what she had in mind. Trailing behind, we couldn't see her face, but she must have her imperious, sternly determined look, because all the younger students whom we passed had a bit of a frightened look on their faces and pressed their bodies against one of the corridor walls to give us maximum clearance. Even though she was no longer headmaster, her effect upon the students was unchanged.

As if reading my mind, she paused and commented to us "A Wizard like Dumbledore can get away with being grandfatherly and be both respected and loved. If he forgets the few words that he planned to say at start-of-term banquet, he can just mumble something like 'ear-wax beans, lemony kerfuffle, and treacle tart." The students will all applaud and love him all the more for being one with them. Even a very young Wizard headmaster, such as Neville, can smile his way through the corridors, play Wizard chess with students in the common room, and still command respect. I assure you, Mrs. Potter, a Witch headmaster cannot get away with that. I think I might quite enjoy being the school grandmother, but if a Witch chooses to lead, she must keep her talons bared. You will learn that if you regularly present them for inspection, so that their keenness can be closely observed, that you are far less likely to have to use them. You and Hermione did well in dispatching three thugs holding you at wand point. That will be remembered. If it's known that your talons are still sharp and there are stories of your tearing an adversary to shreds, then you can afford to be quite peaceful."

"Surely things have changed," I objected.

"They most certainly have not. You may see that change. I sincerely doubt that I shall. It is fine for you to be known as a great warrior. The early Priestesses were left in peace, because of just that knowledge. Now, that is enough of a diversion. I have important things to discuss with you.

"I understand the new Goblin King laid out the prophecy of a Quest for you and your assistants. I assume that's what you alluded to this morning, but it really is far too important for 'later'. I don't really trust him, and it's not just the matter of forcing the two of you into the Sacred Cavern. I have not been impressed during my Gringotts board encounters with him. He was too smarmy and obsequious to Goblanze. Then I saw him last night and he was all high and mighty, pretending to dispense all kinds of deep wisdom to one and all. That Goblin just always tries way too hard. If he ever showed his real self, I'm not sure anyone would recognize it, including him.

"Anyway, I'm not sure if this Quest is real or not, but I've definitely decided that I want to be one of your assistants and become one with the stone. I had hoped for at least several terms to re-shape Hogwarts, but danger or not, I'll come on your Quest. That's the main thing I wanted to tell you. The other is that neither Harry nor Ron is going to be at all happy about you going off on a dangerous all-Witch Quest. You'll have to handle that very carefully.

"If the Quest might be real and as Gobbledegook describes, then you had best start selecting your assistants quickly. You'll need time to train them and they can help you plan for the Quest. I imagine you'll have a lot of Witches interested in joining you. The 'first to die' position might be a bit challenging to fill, but I don't doubt you'll have volunteers for that, as well. From my Sisterhood experience, I know many brave Witches who have been willing to bear grave dangers and make great sacrifices, for what they believed was the greater good of the Sisterhood and our entire community. I'd like the two of you to at least attend some of the Sisterhood meetings to see what we're about. There's an executive committee meeting tomorrow night; we wanted to take advantage of the short time Cho is in Britain. Since the names of the members are already known to you, I see no problem in the two of you sitting in. It may allow you to feel more comfortable with us. I hope you will feel comfortable enough to raise the Quest at the meeting. We will meet in my apartment at 8:00, please be there."

"**I'm willing to attend, but not at all sure that we should mention the Quest. What do you think, Hermione?"**

"**I agree on both points, we can play the second by ear."**

"We'll be there," I replied. "Another thing, we felt it would be a good idea to meet with your nature religion Priestess friend. Both to find out if she knows anything about the Quest or any remaining ancient Gods, but also because I thought it made sense to begin my religion lectures with the ancient nature religion. That is a logical starting point."

"I quite agree. I'll try to arrange for her to attend tomorrow's Sisterhood meeting."

Harry returned for dinner. Neither he nor Ron seemed in a chatty mood, so the meal was spent listening to Luna bemoan her travails as a shopkeeper.

"I can't say that I enjoy stocking or dusting the shelves, but I can at least think my thoughts and be myself, when I'm doing that. It is a joy to watch George happily puttering around in his shop. But, then there is the whole thing about having to be super polite to all the first and second years, whom you'd normally get to treat like little snots and consider yourself a superior being for treating them half civilly. I'm sure George is correct that 'all customers must be treated with respect as the most discerning shopper in the community'. Still, I dare you try spending a couple hours treating second years with that level of respect while they're showing off for their friends and pretending to be near-adults who actually know what they are talking about and deserve your respect, while they're treating you like crap. I almost welcomed the fight that shattered our window and closed the shop for the day. Of course, George was very upset. He actually enjoys that sales stuff, it's like he's an actor playing his favorite role. No matter how much crap the kids give him, he's cool and returns it in a funny, respectful way, which I'm sure I'll never master."

"I'd think your personal style could be shaped to do very nicely in those circumstances," Harry commented.

"Where is George?" I asked.

"He was getting the window fixed today. The job may have run long, or he may have decided to do a few more projects. He really loves that shopkeeper stuff."

As I started to eat my chocolate pudding, Harry suggested, "Why don't you bring that with you to my office. We need to talk."

McGonagall was certainly right about Harry's and Ron's views on the Quest. They were opposed, very, very, unalterably opposed. Ron told Hermione, "I need your promise that you won't take part in this nonsense."

Hermione refused. Ron sulked. Harry let me know that this was far too dangerous and that he felt me to be not yet ready to lead an expedition of this magnitude."

That turned me from trying to conciliate the boys to allowing the sharp edge of my anger to show. "I thought you had long since agreed that if we were to be able to stay together, that you would allow me to take the same risks in a good cause as you have always taken."

"That's not fair," Harry replied. "I've not objected to your getting involved in our chasing and fighting the baddies. I think I've been quite good on the occasions when you've been close to killed. I think I was reasonably well behaved when you were the first of us to explore the inside of the pyramid, after you explored the control landing and when you became one with the stone. This seems like a much more serious and undefined risk, and with really no evidence that it is of necessity or on behalf of a good cause. There also is no evidence suggesting success is even possible. It sounds like a suicide mission."

"Those are all good points, which is why we have not yet decided to undertake the Quest. We will have to learn a lot more before we make that decision, including whether or not King Gobbledegook can be trusted. In the meantime, it doesn't hurt to do some advance planning while we're looking into the matter. I promise not to agree to the Quest until after the four of us have talked it over, probably with others. I realize that this is not a decision to be taken lightly. We are certainly going to depend heavily on the two of you in determining whether or not King Gobbledegook can be trusted."

"Well, alright then," Ron answered for Harry. Harry seemed content to leave things at that.

"If we do decide that the benefits of the Quest make it worth pursuing, then we'll definitely need your help deciding who and what to take with us, and staying mentally linked to give us advice along the way. You can't be with us, but you can be the outside force that allows us to win."

"In a way being linked will be good, but it could also just let us know the exact moment of your deaths."

"If I die, I'd much rather do so linked to you. I don't expect to die. I'm not a risk junkie like Cissy, nor am I a power junkie. I will agree to undertake the Quest only if I believe that our community needs me to do it. If the promised result of victory is just more power for me, I won't do it. I am a very good fighter. Hermione is a very wise advisor. We can make it."

"You'll be fighting Gods."

"I'm hoping only the few remaining minions of the Gods. At least Firenze thinks they will be very weakened Gods."

"I'm not at all sure that there is anything that would get me to sign on to fight a God."

"You know there is. If you believed it was for the greater good, you'd do it. I promise to strongly consider your final opinions as to the wisdom of this Quest. I only ask that you give your opinion based not on your fear of losing us but on the basis of whether or not you think the Quest would be worth the risk of your own lives. We are partners in everything."

"Alright then," Harry agreed.

King Gobbledegook and Former King and Deputy Chairman Goblanze arrived immediately after breakfast. Not only did Harry plan to spend the day at Hogwarts to escort the head Goblins, but Percy and Dad arrived for breakfast. Dad brought the big news that Ekina was going back to CentaurWorld the next day, and that she was pregnant by Bane. Unlike Cotto's view of things, Bane considered this proof that he was a very good Centaur. Dad's announcement caused Hermione to whisper a worried message to me.

"**We don't even know if it's safe to transport a pregnant Centaur. Apart from a great personal tragedy, an error could ruin relations with CentaurWorld forever."**

"**Not to mention messing up our personal relationship with the proud papa."**

"**We have almost two days to sort out our 'stone knowledge' and try to find an answer to that question."**

"**If we do transport Ekina, and the committee will have to approve it, that may be our last chance for quite a while to take the first step in starting to finish acquainting your assistants and the twins' protectors with the stone. I'm wondering if there is a polite way to stall Ekina's transport for a few days. We could do four or five stone first introductions in one shot, if we had enough time to plan. Maybe it can take a few days to gather the committee together. Tony and Dad are awfully busy."**

Dad was talking to Harry, and nobody even noticed that Hermione and I seemed to have drifted off into space. When Dad fell silent, Hermione asked him, "don't we need to get the committee's approval to transport Ekina? That would be taking germs back to CentaurWorld. Isn't two days awfully quick to pull things together? Ginny and I have to research whether it's even possible to safely transport a pregnant Centaur."

Dad agreed that the committee must meet and promised to "hold off Bane, as best I can. I'll play on his guilt about bringing Ekina here without discussion with the rest of us, although with Cotto's trip I'm not on firm footing there. I sense you have another reason for wanting the postponement."

I explained about this possibly being my last opportunity to introduce assistants to the stone and explained that I hadn't even chosen my assistants. The vehemence of Dad's reply shocked me.

"I'll do as you ask, but this is really about that damned Quest, isn't it. I know Harry's not happy with that and I'm very unhappy. To tell you the truth, it will be hard for me to adopt the proper respectful, civil attitude, while escorting King Gobbledegook today. I just feel that his first act in office was to strike at my family in a way that he must realize is most painful to me. I don't even believe what he says. How can a Goblin parvenu like Gobbledegook be the only being on Earth who has ever heard of this Quest? If his motives are bad, this is the perfect opportunity to send my only daughter and an important figure in the Wizarding world's future on a fatal trip. I'm not at all certain that the whole purpose isn't to retrieve some lost Goblin treasure that the Goblins are afraid to chase after themselves. I'm sorry, but this whole affair just stinks. Kingsley doesn't like it either. He says it has 'the smell of alien intrigue' about it'. He says I'd have to be a damned fool to allow you to dance to Gobbledegook's piper."

We were at the Gryffindor table, with the straggling of students who had arrived a little late because they didn't have a first period class, along with the notables like Cho, Mafalda, Mom, McGonagall, and Adrienne, who had come down to our table because Dad was here. They were all staring at Dad, and I suppose wondering how I would react to his comments. Not knowing quite what to say in such a public setting, I merely replied, "Thanks for delaying Ekina's trip. That's a help."

It was now Dad's turn to decide how to react. He chose silence. The silence was broken by one of Dad's aurors entering the Great Hall to announce that 'the Goblin King has arrived.' We all traipsed out to the lawn in front of the main entrance to apparate to the Goblin sanctuary. I saw Bane, Firenze, and the unicorn leader Unstad standing with Gobbledegook, Goblanze, and four other Goblins. We all joined hands and Cotto apparated us to the sanctuary.

The tour of the Goblin sanctuary was amazing. King Gobbledegook was delighted, amazed, and startled with everything he saw, from the cave, to the nearly finished structures, to the tunneling to create below-ground bunker shelters 'just in case'. His 'four year old at Christmas' response to all he saw was all the more amazing because I knew he had visited the sanctuary on at least four prior occasions. A whisper with Harry upped the count to seven times. He repeatedly congratulated Goblanze on "buying this sanctuary and pulling off this deal on Potter, almost as good as when you sold him a sword that Hogwarts already owned."

If I were McGonagall, I'd be wondering how much sherry the King had consumed.

There were some substantive achievements. The King blessed a search of the cave, in order to see if there was a spot that I could touch with my ring and be whisked off to the control landing. It took only twenty minutes for me to find the correct spot, about five feet into the cave on the left hand side of the entrance. We had missed it before, partly because it was extremely weathered, but also because it was at knee level. I instantly wondered whether the Elves had been the original masters of the control landing. As soon as I found myself standing before the viewing slits of the control landing, I heard the stone speaking in my head 'welcome Mother of the Future. You should know that you needn't go to the Cave of the Elves to seek entry. Reach for me and ask to be transported and you will be here.' I thanked the stone and asked it to send me back to the cave. Harry and Hermione were both excited, when I told them the stone's name for this particular cave.

I also received more information about the Quest as the King commented in an off-handed way, "It's interesting that you transport yourself to the stone from our cave, because I have a firm sense that your Quest begins on this very spot. This is where you stand for instruction and where you choose the first step away from Hogwarts in the Quest. This cave was most important to magical creatures."

The King had caught me by surprise, as he shifted from 'delighted four-year-old-Christmas chatter' to a hushed, private, conspiratorial tone as he referred to my Quest. I couldn't help blurting out a response, before my diplomatic filter was properly installed. "Yes," I told the King, "the stone called this the Cave of the Elves."

The souring look on the King's face and the piqued interest from Cotto and Baal, whom Dad had decided to bring with, quickly alerted me to my faux pas. "Of course, that was a very long time ago," was the best cover my rattled brain could produce.

Cotto sprang into the lengthening silence to comment "Of course! That why ring mark be so low on wall. Must locate Elf ring."

King Gobbledegook told Cotto, "If Elves were meant to have a ring, you would know how to make one, just as Ginny knew."

Harry, desperate to change the subject, tried to rush the group away, so that he could show them our nearly finished home. Cotto merely remarked, "Yes, must think on that. I make ring."

As the tour ended prematurely a few minutes after that, Harry whispered his complaints about all of my 'help' during the tour, while McGonagall equally helpfully suggested, "since so much of Hermione's committee is already here and we need to discuss the issue of Ekina's return, perhaps the Minister should check on Tony's availability and we should have a quick meeting over lunch." Dad was hastily mentioning to McGonagall that this might be 'premature', but Bane picked up the suggestion and ran with it, leaving Dad no choice but to apparate back to his office and talk to Tony through the portrait in his office. Dad said he would meet us in the Great Hall.

It was an hour later when Dad joined us, but unfortunately he had Tony with him. McGonagall had taken the hour to set up a lunch in the Room of Requirement, which had configured itself into an elegant restaurant dining room, almost an exact copy of my favorite Muggle chateaubriand restaurant in London.

I could tell that Dad was displeased that the committee was meeting at Hogwarts. However, he did almost wordlessly seize control, anchoring himself at the head of the table, directing Gobbledegook and Tony to sit at either side of him and pointing to Hermione to sit at the foot of the table. Harry and Cotto took the hint and flanked Hermione, while Bane and Firenze occupied the midpoints of each side of the table, forcing McGonagall to grab a rather anonymous spot across from me. Cissy happily chose a seat to my right. As food and drink, quite interesting looking and smelling Indian food with a dry sherry, appeared before us, Dad announced in a loud voice, "I believe you have some items which require our immediate attention, Hermione."

Hermione showed no surprise, calmly and clearly outlining the potential risks and decisions to be taken, with regard to the proposed transporting of Ekina back to CentaurWorld. Bane acknowledged that Hermione's summary was to the point and asked for guidance on avoiding health problems, either for Ekina or the residents of CentaurWorld.

Tony launched into such a detailed discussion of appropriate precautions to be taken in CentaurWorld, that it was clear that he had consulted a number of his experts. Dad clearly recognized this fact and was looking askance at Tony, with a look that accused him of giving away our secrets.

Tony picked up on this right away and assured Dad "I really was very discrete in making hypothetical enquiries to a few experts, all of whom are so academic that it is just an interesting puzzle that won't go beyond them and me. They think the question relates to planning for our future cooperation with NASA and the ESA in planetary exploration and beyond. One even congratulated me for being so forward thinking, saying it was rare for the PM to think six months ahead, let alone six decades.

"If you're worried about your secrets leaking out, you should know that it is far harder for me to disguise the fact that I have to call out the lads every other week to deal with bombs on your behalf. Those last bombs were really, really big. I've had to read three bomb experts into part of the story."

Nobody really knew if Ekina would be safe on the return trip, but she pronounced herself, "willing to take the risk. There really seems little alternative. I cannot remain here indefinitely."

The next part of the meeting was a tad awkward, but I thought Hermione handled it adroitly. She explained our need as "the necessity to train several more operators of the transporter, since Ginny and I will not be at Hogwarts after June. We need longer than a day and a half to conduct the preliminary training of these individuals. With the very reasonable limits that this committee has imposed upon the use of the transporter, this may be our last training opportunity before June. Therefore, I must request that Ekina's trip be delayed by several days."

Bane huffed and started to complain, but Ekina expressed a willingness to stay a few extra days. Firenze helpfully declared, "The portents are better for the trip a week from today than two days from today. If that provides sufficient delay, we can satisfy everyone's needs."

That settled the matter. The only residual problem was a request from Tony to be present when Ekina was transported.

There was really no nice way to refuse and keep the peace, so Dad very quickly jumped in to say "of course that can be arranged. I'll let you know the exact time which Firenze finds most propitious for her transport, and arrange for you to be apparated here. We can combine the next committee meeting on the same day."

That marked the end of our meeting. I realized that Professor McGonagall hadn't said a single word. Of course, she was well aware of what Tony thought of her and likely didn't want to do anything which might cause him to challenge her presence. She seemed to have concluded that she might slowly intrude her way back onto the committee.

I was glad that Dad had jumped in. Tony's request was the only thing that had flummoxed Hermione during the meeting, and it was not clear to me that she had any idea how to respond. Basically, she had lacked the authority to answer. Knowing Hermione, she would be meeting with Dad tomorrow, to make sure that they were on the same page with regard to ground rules regarding knowledge about the transporter.

As the Committee disbanded, I pulled Dad aside for a few words. "I've been working on my religion committee, but I'm stuck because you've given me almost no guidance and fewer resources. I've decided to take the plunge and request that you provide funds to build the first Light Guardian house of worship. I thought either somewhere on our estate or, even better, in Godric's Corner."

I was curious to see how Dad would react to this request. From his expression I was sure he was going to say 'not now, this isn't the place for this discussion'. Instead he answered "Definitely not Godric's Corner. The Witches and Wizards there go to the Church of England church with the Muggles in the area. If a new church suddenly appeared and the weirdest of the parishioners suddenly all moved over to the new church – well, let's just say that a violation of the Secrecy Act might be suspected. I can't afford to pay for a church out of the Ministry budget anyway. Nor am I sure it would be the proper thing to do.

"I know that there are almost no Muggles in Hogsmeade and that it has a little used Wizard church, which is basically C of E, but might well have its mode of worship altered. Either that, or you could share the building. They certainly could use the rent. I think that's best. See what you can do. I can afford a part-time assistant to help you organize. Choose wisely, I can't afford to help you any more than that. I think three days a week should suffice."

Well, it was at least guidance and resources of a sort. I said "Thank you, Minister," and let him get back to the Ministry.


	86. Chapter 86

**Chapter 86 – The Esteemed and Exalted Executive Committee of the Sisterhood**

We didn't know what level of secrecy McGonagall was expecting of us, but Hermione and I felt that we had no choice but to let Harry and Ron know that we would be leaving right after dinner to sit in on the executive committee meeting of the Sisterhood. Neither of our husbands saw any difficulty with us attending. Hermione mentioned that McGonagall wanted to talk about the Quest and that we weren't sure how much information we should share.

Harry surprised me by advising, "I see this whole Quest thing as speculation at this point and seriously doubt that there is any problem with your discussing anything that you've heard about it. You might want to not ascribe every Firenze comment to Firenze.

"What I'm more concerned about is revealing too much about the stone and the transporter. For instance, I wouldn't hint that you have any control over the stone beyond what you do with your ring in the control landing. I wouldn't say you can speak to it, or set load limits on the transporter, control it by mind, or necessarily even that you can adjust rings to do anything more than open the inner portals. I don't think the whole executive committee even needs to know about becoming one with the stone. They can find that out if and when you select them as individuals to be your assistants."

I was surprised to see twelve chairs in McGonagall's apartment, but it soon became apparent that Mom and Cissy had also been invited as guests. I was especially surprised to see Cissy. I guessed that she was included because I had told McGonagall that I was going to pick Cissy as an assistant. On the other hand, this was beginning to look more like a recruiting session than a normal executive meeting of the Sisterhood. I was just glad that Callista wasn't present. With her now working half time with McGonagall, the temptation to recruit her must be enormous. It would hurt Harry if the headmaster bagged Callista.

Harry had been very trusting in lending her part-time to McGonagall, knowing what he did about Prudence. And now I was taking my seat and finding Prudence seated immediately to my right. Hermione had sensibly let Mom sit next to me, knowing that she and I could whisper back and forth, even if she chose a seat far from me. She did exactly that, presumably to stay close to Cissy, whom she had managed to maneuver to the end of the semi-circle, forcing her to converse only with Hermione.

It was clear from the start that McGonagall ran this particular show. After passing around what could only be described as tumblers full of sherry, really a triple serving in one go, McGonagall raised her voice to declare, "Settle yourselves, Witches. We have much to discuss."

McGonagall introduced us as guests who knew the identities of the executive committee members prior to her invitation. Everyone welcomed us and then McGonagall got right into it, saying "the Goblins are trying to recruit Ginny, Hermione, Cissy and four companion Witches to go on a dangerous Quest, of which we know almost nothing, except that Ginny needs a Witch who's willing to die, an old Witch, a young Witch, an intimate, and a former foe or rival. This is to be a Quest with no Wizards involved. I told Ginny that if she accepts this offer, that the Sisterhood was likely to have volunteers for each of those roles. The Quest will be extremely dangerous, because it apparently involves traipsing into the lairs of the ancient Gods and stealing what power, treasure, or secrets they have remaining to them."

"I volunteered to be the first to die," Barb spoke up. While Barb was not strictly an invitee to this meeting, McGonagall had told Hermione and me, "If your husbands feel that you need protection from an apartment full of dangerous Witches, you may bring Barb. We need have no secrets from her."

Victoria objected, "I'm much older than you dear. Surely I or Mafalda can assist on the Quest and should be the first to die. We have so little life left that neither of us can even promise to still be with you when this Quest begins. Ginny won't find anyone who understands the ancient Gods better than us. We've each seen and spoken to several of the surviving ancient Gods and Goddesses. I'm not really sure how many are left. The story of the Quest is this, King…"

"Let Ginny tell her own story," Victoria interrupted.

"Yes, thank you," I began. "Even if the King had a valid vision and told the absolute truth, he gave me little detail. The time of the Quest is unspecified, other than being after the death of the unidentified martyred bride. Hermione must accompany me on the quest, and I must take five other Witch assistants, split among the categories that the headmaster listed. The King thinks that Cissy must be one of the assistants. He thinks that at least one of us, presumably the first to die, will die during the Quest. The Quest begins in the cave on the north side of the hills that are a mile north of Hogwarts. The Quest passes through Durmstrang cavern and once we reach Durmstrang, there is no turning back. It is succeed or die. I am to receive further instructions in that cave north of Hogwarts.

"The Quest is presumably linked to magical circles here and throughout the world. I have no idea how many we must visit. Presumably we must capture or at least receive permission to repair them. King Gobbledegook said that this is a Quest for Witches only, but that Harry would be able to ask permission for Ron and himself to assist us from a distance. If we succeed, it is supposed to usher in a new golden age, in which all of the magical creatures can roam the entirety of this world.

"The King said both that he learned of this Quest and the path that I must travel from the study of ancient prophecies and that he personally had a vision. He claims that when he herded Hermione and me into the Cavern of the Goblins at the point of his sword, that he was starting us upon the path he had seen. He says legend says - note no reference to a personal vision - that if I complete the Quest I will be invincible and a new golden age will begin. He says that this journey is the purpose for which the Mother of the Future was born. His only reference to Gods was that I can't 'cheat the Gods' in not assigning my five assistants to the individual roles that they satisfy. Apart from specifically mentioning the cave north of Hogwarts and the Durmstrang cavern, the only thing he said about the other destinations on the Quest were that they are dangerous and that they are places where no Goblin or Wizard dare to go. Did I miss anything, Hermione?"

"That's all that Gobbledegook told us, other than that we, at least the Wizarding community and the Goblins, couldn't prosper, unless we undertake the Quest. Goblanze speculated that we would be wresting things from the old Gods and that, apart from the assistant first to die, you would subsequently have to pick another assistant for death."

"That's not a lot to go on," Victoria said. "I see why you would want me to tell you about the ancient Gods. Since you mention Durmstrang, I must say that I can confirm that Wodin is still around, although not nearly as powerful as he was in his prime. I met and spoke with him, but that was when he was traveling in the north of Scotland over fifty years ago. I never saw his lair and am not sure where it is. He has been linked to the island of Samso and also to the Othensberg Mountain, which is where Durmstrang cavern is to be found. I was respectful to Wodin and he was quite amiable to me. He invited me to visit him, although I admit he never told me where. If that was some kind of test of my knowledge, I'm afraid I've failed. I'm quite sure Wodin is still with us and, if your Quest is as you suggest, that visiting him will most definitely be a required stop.

"Closer to home, I met one of the Brighit triad thirty years ago. She kindly stopped by my cave to let me know that she was still with us and appreciated my efforts. I got the impression that one of her sisters had left us. She didn't say, but I got the impression that it was Brigantia who is no longer with us. That would mean her other sister, the Calleach Bheur may still be with us and, if she is, she likely is very close to Hogwarts. She is likely the Goddess whom you are to meet in the cave north of here.

"I've heard of other ancient foreign Gods, who are rumored to still be with us, but I claim no direct knowledge. Among those are Nut in Egypt, Potnia Theron on Crete, Ge and Persephone in Greece, and Phoebe. That's all I know. All except Wodin are feminine. Perhaps that is why Durmstrang cavern is the point of no return."

"I think you may be right," Hermione lamented. "We get sucked into dealing with female deities, whom we can negotiate with, and then have to confront the angry old masculine warrior deities who are already upset that they've lost most of their power and hardly anyone still worships them. I wonder how they'll react to a Quest by uppity Witches seeking more power. If there is only so much space left in the modern world for these old Gods and Goddesses, the Gods will be enraged that our success will give the remaining Goddesses an advantage over them."

"So what are we to do about the Quest?" McGonagall asked.

"Research," Cho replied. "Hermione and Ginny must search their Light Guardian knowledge and scour the libraries for everything they can find about the Quest and about these Gods and Goddesses. I will research the history of the Durmstrang Cavern and Wodin's past and present connection to it."

"And, we need to know which of our members are willing to volunteer for the Quest," Madame Delacour added. "The smartest and bravest Witches have been gathered into the Sisterhood. This is an excellent place to find volunteers. I'll start, I volunteer. Who among this group is willing to volunteer?"

The entire executive committee, Cissy, Mom, and Barb volunteered. Cho qualified her acceptance of the Quest. "My first duty is to help Viktor, but if that business is behind us when the Quest begins, I'm in."

"That's great," I told the group. "My assistants and I will be able to communicate with each other and with Wizard allies at a distance, by means of messages sent through a giant black stone that sits in an ancient pyramid, deep under Hogwarts. My assistants should become one with the stone and that requires being introduced to the stone. Our only opportunity for that in quite a while will likely come this week. I don't want to pick assistants now, and I may have to introduce more to the stone than will become full assistants or Quest members. Hermione and I will contact you in a few days to schedule your introduction to the stone. Part of the introduction seems a little scary, but we've found it to be quite safe. The first introductions may be in a few days, when we send a package to CentaurWorld with decontamination procedures. We'll send Ekina a day or two later. That may be it for using the stone for several months. It would be great if you all could hang around here or be reachable for the next week."

"That's fine," McGonagall concluded. "Cho has raised our next topic: the troubles at Durmstrang and what we can do to help Viktor. I'll ask if Cho or anyone else has any suggestions of things that we can do to help, other than carefully watching Herr Schwein, when he arrives at Hogwarts. I should report that Pansy Parkinson seems willing to help from Durmstrang, but since Narcissa gave away her status as a spy, she is likely to be of little help. Narcissa has really caused us and the Ministry a great deal of trouble and I really doubt that all her efforts have made Draco any safer. They have only made Delores Umbridge stronger and allowed her to escape detection. My students have been put at very great risk and I am not at all pleased. I know many of you have been friends with Narcissa. Many may visit her in prison, as I have done. Please don't share any secrets with her. The best that can be said for her is that it will be some time before we know that we can trust her. Amelia has shared secrets with her in the recent past. So have I. Neither of us will do so again."

"A spy operating under Harry's invisibility cloak could watch Knodell and the groundskeeper," Hermione suggested.

"That wouldn't even be necessary," I countered, "if a few Elves were able to help. Elves can make themselves invisible without a cloak. We could ask Cotto if we can recruit Elf spies to help."

"That's an excellent idea," McGonagall agreed. "Are there any other suggestions?"

"We are already watching the known Grindelwald sympathizers in France. There are about a dozen in three families," Madam Delacour told us. "We'll certainly pass on anything we learn."

"It might help if Viktor had some of George's Weasley Wonders," Hermione suggested. "I also still have a couple of small Muggle bombs and spying devices. I'm willing to share my stash for Cho's cause."

"And," I suggested "if I introduce Cho to the stone before she returns to Durmstrang, it should give her some additional knowledge and skill, and the ability to contact us without apparating or using the cellphone or an owl. While Cho's waiting, we can train her up on some new spells that we've been using.

"Hermione has some spiked Veritaserum that Viktor can use to question any baddies he arrests"

Although McGonagall frowned, Hermione said she'd be happy to supply the mix of potions and Cho agreed that improved Veritaserum sounded most useful. She also collected a frown from McGonagall, when she declared "Viktor won't hesitate to use your special Veritaserum on the bad guys. He has a Wizarding nation to protect."

As McGonagall started to object, Cho protested "it would be like Voldemort. If our enemies win, the magical people to the east of Prussia will suffer, those who were Muggle-born will suffer most severely. Witches and children will die. Using Hermione's potion on a few baddies is a very small price to pay to prevent that from happening. It is also perfectly legal. Our laws are not as persnickety as yours in hemming in the Minister's powers to protect the nation from sedition."

There were no other suggestion for further help for Viktor, although perhaps that unspoken opprobrium from McGonagall inhibited suggestions. McGonagall announced, "Next order of business: what do we make of the new Goblin King Gobbledegook, and should we have any contact with him?"

The group decided no contact was appropriate. McGonagall would observe him during her contacts at Gringotts and everyone would watch his actions, to the extent possible. It turned out that the existence of the Sisterhood had not been revealed to Goblanze, either. The Goblins' treatment of their females did not meet with the Sisterhood's approval. The only other magical species to pass muster were the Elves. Although they had a King, in times past they had been led by Queens, and there was a general equality of the sexes. Still, Cotto had not been read in on the Sisterhood, although McGonagall and Adrienne were in favor of doing so.

My head almost exploded with the intensity of a flamer stone message from Hermione **Of course they haven't revealed themselves to the Elves. Even among many of these most progressive of Witches, Elves are viewed as little more than property. Madam Bones thought they were property. They wouldn't harm an Elf, but think of them as the same as Cruikshanks or Hedwig. A child like Harry might be expected to grieve when his pet owl died, but that didn't mean the owl was seen as having any rights. When Hedwig or Prometheus were murdered, the loss was seen as entirely Harry's and Cissy's, not Hedwig's or Prometheus's, or the cat or owl communities. Elves are just property or pets. It's disgusting.**

"Now, I apologize in advance that our guests may find this next topic unpleasant or even seditious," McGonagall said, not noticing that Hermione had found the last topic to be very unpleasant. We have two members who are in trouble. Narcissa Malfoy is in solitary confinement in a vault cell at Gringotts. Amelia Bones is without employment. What shall we do about Narcissa?"

"Let the bitch rot in her cell?" Madam Sprout offered. "This is not the first time she has betrayed us. Her actions could have killed both Ginny and Pansy, and permanently sullied the reputation of this Sisterhood. She has decided to align herself with Umbridge. Anyone who helps Umbridge is no longer a friend of mine."

"But she is only protecting her son from death. She acted under compulsion."

"She had other choices," Cho added. "I'm not even sure that doing Umbridge's bidding would keep Draco safe. Now that the Ministry has finally been told of the threat, extra safeguards to protect Draco and Erin have been put in place. I talked to Erin. She and Draco are very happy. She said that Narcissa was still trying to get Draco to divorce her. I also spoke to Draco. He said, and I quote directly, 'I'm kinda glad to know that my mother is living in Gringotts. I know she's safe, I know she isn't plotting, I know she's not able to try to control my life. I'm sure she's unhappy, but she good as murdered my father. I don't want her in Azkaban, but if she spends some unhappy time because of that, it is richly deserved, and she'll hopefully leave Gringotts a better person. Knowing my mother, I don't have a lot of faith in that last part.' The Sisterhood has gone out of its way to help Narcissa and the results have been awful. Let's discuss this again at the next meeting, if she's spent a couple more months at Gringotts. I'll be feeling more merciful then."

"Well, I already said that we shouldn't trust he with any more of our secrets. I know she has acted very badly. Solitary confinement is just so cruel and Narcissa has had a hard life. She has been our friend. She just… Well, I see I'm not going to garner any sympathy or support for Narcissa. How about Amelia? She both harmed and was harmed by Narcissa."

"I hate it when you say that," Prudence objected. "If Narcissa is pardoned in your mind, because she is trying to protect Draco, I've never understood why you would still assign any blame to Amelia for giving up our names under torture."

"I would have died, instead," McGonagall answered back. "It is ultimately my error. I made a poor selection of Secret Keeper for our group."

"If Amelia knew how to perform a wandless 'Avada Kedavra' on herself while she was being tortured, I'm quite sure that she would have," Prudence answered back. "It's not her fault that you didn't think to teach her that. But…. as to Amelia – I've watched from the inside of the new administration and am quite convinced that it benefits all to have Amelia take a time out from prosecuting. She needs to get over her guilt and regain her purpose. She's going to write, she'll do a little lawyering, you've kindly offered her a little time to teach, Adrienne has moved back in with her. Amelia will be fine. She may have lost her job, but she didn't need the money and she wasn't enjoying the job. No help is needed."

"I agree," Adrienne concurred. "Amelia will be fine. She is fine. We are both doing very well… together. Please don't make Amelia into a victim once again. She couldn't bear that. She's happier than I've seen her in months. So am I. No action required."

It was after 11:00 P.M. when the meeting broke up. McGonagall was looking inordinately pleased with herself. She commented as we were leaving, "now that you've seen how we operate, you can tell Harry that we in the Sisterhood are not as dangerous and worrisome as he thinks." I nodded and tried to give her a pleasant smile as we departed.

Cho caught up with us at the bottom of McGonagall's stairs, "I hope you don't see me as a half-hearted supporter. I just can't help having Viktor's problems foremost in my mind. Thank you, by the way, for your suggestions and offer of assistance. The Elves and the listening devices will help. I'll even carry one of the bombs back home. If I am free to become one of your assistants, which of the positions did you see me occupying?"

"Don't be insulted," I quickly responded, "but I saw you as a strong possibility for the 'former rival' slot, since you were Harry's girlfriend before Harry and I got together."

"That's weak and might tempt the Gods to slay us both. I was Harry's girlfriend for all of two weeks. That was before you."

"But not before I was hoping to be with Harry."

"Can't you come up with a better rival than me?"

"I can certainly come up with Witches that I didn't like and basically still don't. I wouldn't say that Pansy and I were ever rivals for anything in particular. It's not as if I ever wanted to win the hearts of the Slytherins. My rivals have basically all been Wizards. We may not have had a deep-seated rivalry, but I'm afraid you're the best I've got among Witches."

"I heard that King Gobbledegook said rival or foe. You've certainly had Witches who were foes. You could start with Pansy, possibly even McGonagall, certainly Narcissa."

"The King also said trust was vital. So far, of the Witches we've mentioned, that still leaves only you or McGonagall. I definitely must introduce both of you to the stone."


	87. Chapter 87

**Chapter 87 - The Choosing of Assistants**

Hermione and I spent much of the next day thinking about whom we should choose as our assistants. In addition to filling all of the required slots, we also needed to assemble a group whose members had all the abilities and knowledge, which we were likely to need on the Quest. By dinner, we had created two lists. The first list was who could possibly fit into each of the required slots. The second list was of all the skills we might need, from animagus to dueling, transfiguration, and Siren skills. We listed which candidates could provide each skill. We showed them to Harry and Ron to get their viewpoints. Harry said we needed to list the negatives for each candidate, since he didn't think we'd want to take Narcissa, regardless of how awesome her skills were or how many boxes she ticked. She'd certainly fill the tough to fill rival/foe box. I agreed that Harry had a good point.

Ron was dismissive of the whole exercise. "You're daft. The two of you are tying yourselves in knots and not doing what you need to do on your other assignments, because you've gotten frightened an obsessed about a Quest, which may never happen. You don't even know whether King Gobbledegook has given you the correct set of rules. They seem to you like impossibly objectionable rules which the Light Guardian would never impose, yet you're treating them as if they come straight from the Light Guardian, rather than Gobbledegook's bad dream. Stop worrying. The best thing you can do for now is simply to give whatever training you think is necessary to all of the Sisterhood who are acceptable to you and to whichever Witches you strongly feel you would want with you if the Quest becomes real. There are some you will want to train, just because they will still be at Hogwarts after we leave. They don't all have to be Witches. If it makes sense to train Jimmy Peakes, then forget your lists and train Jimmy Peakes."

That made sense. I threw away my lists and began to write down names: Mom, McGonagall, Professor Celine, Professor Sprout, Callista, Cho, Susan Bones, Margararet, Luna, Fleur, Victoria, Mafalda, Cissy, Barb, Ellen, and Jimmy Peakes. I thought and then told the group "to protect the twins, it would really help to have somebody their age in Gryffindor. I really like young Wood, but worry that he is too young. Do you think I would need to ask his parents first?"

"I don't think you want to ask the parents," Hermione surprised me, "they'll just give you an automatic no. Nobody asked our parents before we went off our our adventures as first and second years. We won't be asking Wood to take a great risk, just to have the skills he needs to defend himself and his friends, it the need arises. We'll emphasize that to him. If we are correct about what Hogwarts will be like next term, then Wood will be in danger just by coming here. He'll be safer if he can escape a baddy or surprise him with an unexpected move."

"Let's compromise and let me talk to his big brother," Harry suggested. "As Deputy Minister, I must say that you can't make him responsible for defending the twins, without talking to his parents."

Okay, that was settled.

Ron said "I think you have a good list of complete stone introductions. Perhaps add Bill for help at Hogwarts and Fleur's sister for the same reason. It's fine to train Luna. She's one of us, but I wouldn't consider her for your Quest, if there is one. She's flighty and doesn't like to stick to something for a long time. Even half a day of shopkeeping wears on her. I was listening to her the other day and thinking: wonderful, loyal, big-hearted, interesting, beautiful Witch, but poor, poor George."

Ron confirmed the nagging doubts in the back of my mind about Luna and George and Luna. Luna was great for the mourning, goof-ball George, but not for George, the serious merchant. George was changing. Luna was not. George was not going to live his life nargle hunting, even if that bought him life with as fascinating a Witch as Luna. This was not going to end well for two dear people, both of whom I liked and trusted, as well as loved. Knowing Ron's level of sensitivity to such things, I knew that George must have mentioned something to him. I half thought about having a chat with Luna, but quickly realized that if you wished to be a friend or more to Luna, you had to accept her as she was. I knew nobody as content in her own shoes, or totally missing her shoes, as Luna was. She was happy to be your friend, but she had also been reasonably content to be alone. I knew that she loved my brother, but she wasn't going to change for anyone. I made a note to suggest to George that he spend more time waiting counter during the makeup Hogsmeade day and allow Luna to deploy her whacky personality in product demonstrations.

My thoughts were now totally derailed. I tried to return to my Quest, but ended up worried how being gone on the Quest would impact my marriage, and Hermione's. It was not as if either of our husbands was at all comfortable with the whole concept of the Quest. I shook the thought out of my head and returned to decisions that I had to make now. I had lectures to plan, a church to visit, maybe even a sermon to write. I had trainees to contact, rings to make, and titles to create for explanation to the stone about just whom all these people were whom I was so anxious to introduce to it. Painful Quest thoughts to the side, action to the fore.

Harry went back to the Ministry to alert Dad that we could transport the freight to CentaurWorld at any time. This sparked the thought that a lot of communication and decision-making would be greatly improved if Dad became closer to the stone. He was going into the lower chamber tonight. It was really a kindness to Dad and Mom, since they could then communicate at will, no matter how far apart they found themselves. I asked Harry to relay my thought to Dad.

Harry quickly returned to say that anytime would be right after dinner today. Dad was agreeable to meeting the stone. He saw the advantage of being able to contact us quickly. Harry confided that he thought Dad had been a little hurt that I had made the stone more available to Mom than to him. He said that Dad seemed very happy that I had thought to include him.

That gave me the rest of the day to notify those up for introduction to the stone, adjust their rings, and make an excursion to the control landing to present rings to the bench. The stone and I had talked things out and it had agreed to accept my choices. Even those whom it had previously rejected were welcomed by the stone as 'Protectors of the Mother'.

"For now," I told Hermione, "I have everybody set that they can just use the stone for communication and practice drawing power from it to enhance their spells. Harry, Ron, you and I are the only ones who can operate the transporter, apparate by stone, or delve into the stone's knowledge."

"I suppose that's wise for now," Hermione seemed slightly concerned, "but I can't help feeling that we're turning the most important religious relic, except it's really more than arelic because it's active, into our own personal telephone switch board. It does seem a tad sacriligeous."

"What would you have me do differently?"

"I guess I'd at least let some of the others have a chance to look at the stone's knowledge. I'm sure McGonagall and Luna would especially want to do that. I think Mafalda and Victoria would also be extremely interested. The stone's history leaves off where theirs begins. They should be able to better understand their Ancient Priestess knowledge, with the stone's input. I think you can at least give your Mom and Neville full access. We should also think of involving some of the other species. I know we can trust Cotto and Firenze. Unstad as well, I suspect."

"Thanks, I'll make those changes. I really wasn't trying to selfishly hoard the stone to myself, just to move cautiously, at first. I'll include Dad as well. I won't let them operate the transporter. I see we are in agreement to keep Bane, the Goblins, and the Muggles at a distance."

I gave each of my new assistants a quick instruction on the controls within the landing. I had given the Goblins advance notice that we would be coming to their cave. We used the circle symbol to exit via the Goblin cave. I said a quick hello to the Goblin guard on duty and quickly touched the spot on the wall of the cavern, which returned us to the control landing. "That's how it works", I announced to the crew.

We left by the archway and returned to Hogwarts to pass the time before the transporter was activated. All of my new assistants left, with my instructions to order their minds and to probe for new knowledge gained in their brief encounter with the stone.

When the packages went off to CentaurWorld, the lower chamber was stuffed with Dad and my new assistants, most of whom were candidates for my Quest. I considered the evening a success and instructed my assistants to try to organize their memories before the next step, which was communing with the stone inside the Sacred Cavern. I drew Cho aside, instructing her to focus intently upon ordering her memories, since I wanted her to sleep inside the Sacred Cavern within the next day or two. I told Cissy that she would be joining Cho. Cissy happily departed for the Gryffindor dorm with a huge smile. I saw her progressing down the hall without the characteristic skips and little hops, she had previously used, when this excited. Perhaps she was learning some self-control.

Two days later, both Hermione and Firenze watched over Cissy and Cho as they slept inside the circle of the Sacred Chamber. Hermione and Firenze took turns napping, but as the communers were slow to awaken, Bane and I took over as the watchers-over on day three. Harry apparated to Durmstrang to explain to Viktor why Cho was delayed at Hogwarts. He took two aurors and two 'cloaked' Elves with him, as well as the gifts from Hermione.

I could tell by the way he was fluttering around them and perching upon their immobile shoulders that Fawkes was guiding Cissy and Cho. Toward the end of the third day, Fawkes began to ignore Cho and to remain perched upon Cissy. I took a nap and left Bane to keep watch over the sleepers. Perhaps I should not have napped within the circle, because I was too tired to prevent my drowsy mind from being hypnotized into following the swirling ribbon inward toward the bright red-black disk in the center of my mental vision. I was within the disk before I even realized what was happening. As I was thinking about extricating myself, I found myself once more floating in BeyondWorld. This time Dumbledore was nowhere in sight, but Cissy was floating off to my right, talking to Harry's Mom, with Fawkes fluttering about both their heads and giving of the unmistakable vibe of intense agitation. I willed myself to float over to Cissy. As I approached, I heard Cissy shouting in a breaking voice to Lily, "but I can't get away from here. Believe me, I've tried. I have no reason to want to stay here. I certainly don't want to meet my brother."

"I think it is a desire to see your mother that is holding you here," Lily answered in a soft, calming voice, which I had to strain to make out. As I floated still closer, Mrs. Potter, Lily, looked up to acknowledge my presence and Fawkes landed upon my head.

As I was introducing myself to Lily, saying I was Harry's wife, I saw the frightened look on Cissy's face. It was the same look that she had when she had slipped off her broom and was unable to remount it. As Lily told me, "I know, and I also know that you are the Mother of the Future, but you shouldn't be here," Cissy reached out and got a strangle hold upon my robes.

"You must take Cissy away from here," Lily told me. "But, before you go, I must repeat Dumbledore's warning that Harry must not come here. I do think Dumbledore was wrong in telling you not to mention your trip here. You must tell Harry that you've been, met me, and learned from me that he must not come here. If you introduce Harry to the stone, and I sense that you must, travel with him and keep him safely away from this place. You can give him the message from me that he must not come, and that if he does stumble upon this place that neither James nor I will see him. It would be far too dangerous. I will not be responsible for Harry's destruction. I have met Cissy's mother. She views it as too great a threat to meet Cissy, but asked me to give her a message. I was about to do just that, when Cissy panicked."

Cissy now turned to Lily and gave Lily her full attention, although both of her hands were still reflexively clamped onto my robes. "Cissy, your mother told me that you are correct about the twins, but that you must keep your distance until you graduate Hogwarts, if you are to fulfill your destiny. She says that you should not be so resistant to the advice and restrictions given by my son."

"Tell my mother that I promise to do as she asks," Cissy replied.

Lily gave a nod, and I thought with all my might to both Fawkes and the stone to pull us out of there. I placed my right arm tightly around Cissy's waist and felt us drifting higher and higher until we were stuck to the swirling ribbon and hauled rapidly upward and then…

The three of us were floating upon a flat plain of grain, with a city in the distance. I willed us toward the city and as we reached its outskirts. Our feet were dragging along the ground. We raced around the perimeter and then up what was the widest street that we had encountered. Even as I thought wide, my mind was telling me that it was quite a narrow street. I then realized that the windows of the buildings looked wrong. The stories of the buildings were not more than four feet high. The streets were beginning to fill with bodies and I saw that the inhabitants were Leprechauns. We raced past them, in some instances right through them. They took no notice of our presence. Some of them walked, while others rode upon the backs of or in little wooden carts pulled by six-legged light green beasts as tall as myself, but very broad in their multiple shoulders. As we continued to whisk up the street, passing through many intersections and across a central green, before once again whisking up the street, I realized that this was quite a large city, especially considering the diminution in size to accommodate the Leprechauns' stature. I thought 'up' and we rose from the street, above the tallest building, which seemed to encompass several dozen of the Leprechaun's stories. We zoomed higher until the full expanse of the city was in view. It must have held many millions of Leprechauns.

We zoomed still higher as the air thinned so that I was chilled and left panting for breath, but still able to make out several other cities of similar size, with a large expanse of water beyond. I feared blacking out and started to reach for the stone to pull us back. I realized that my spirit didn't need to breathe air and that I needed to halt my panic and calm my nerves. I simply told the stone that it was time for us to return.

I could tell from the dead stop and sense of wispy immobility that I was within the stone. I reached out through the stone to Cissy, castigating myself for not warning her in advance about the sensations involved in actually being one with the stone.

Cissy seemed a little panicked but already calming under the influence of the stone's intelligence as I reached her. My explanation quickly calmed her and then I backed away so as not to interfere with what the stone had to say to her.

I found the stone speaking to me. "I know you did not come for this reason, but it is helpful to visit me like this several times a year. I have more knowledge to give you and it is far quicker this way. I can also improve the organization of your Light Guardian knowledge. I am reading your thoughts. You are right that it was premature to bring the Cissy to me, but necessary. Gobbledegook spoke the truth to you. There is value as well as danger in the Quest. You are the only one who can lead the Quest. Cissy must go with you. The Quest is not tomorrow, but it is soon.

"I hear your fear about Harry and BeyondWorld. I will steer him away from there if you instruct that I do so. You need not travel with him."

"Yes," I instantly replied.

"I am almost finished with the Cissy child. She is not ready for as much information as I gave the others. You should know that Cho is very strong. You should take her on your Quest. Now I think it best if you reach out through me to Cissy and that the two of you depart together. Your right ankle is entwined with her head as well as with me. Reach out to her at that spot. Where do you wish to travel?"

"Back to the circle," I replied.

A voice in my head said "as you wish, Mother of the Future" and I found myself lying with my back upon rough stone and Cissy atop me, with Fawkes trying to untangle his talons from my hair.

"Welcome back," I heard Firenze speak. "You have been gone a day. Cho is with Harry in your common room. Your father wishes to return Ekina tomorrow. I have determined that three minutes before noon is the most propitious time for Ekina to travel. I am very glad that you will be able to assist Hermione, since there are more assistants to train in addition to operating the transporter. I am pleased that you have chosen me as an assistant. Bane understands that this is for seers, not fighters. Unstad and Cobbo are also excellent choices. I have chocolate for each of you. You can eat it and then apparate to Gryffindor."

This wasn't the raspberry dark chocolate, but dark chocolate with orange, which was also very nice. We each ate an entire candy bar and then I apparated us to stand in front of the fat lady. I was about to pronounce the identification code, when Cissy put her hand on my arm with a look that suggested I tarry a while. "Harry's and my Moms are right. I need to be more careful and listen to you and Harry. Becoming one with the stone was dangerous and I was insufficiently prepared. I promise to do better in future and I guarantee you that it will be quite a few years before I seek out Alex again."

Ekina was transported with Cotto and Baal in the chamber beneath the pyramid floor and Firenze and Unstad standing astride the black rock. Bane was present to see Ekina off and to witness the event. He told me that he was glad that I had selected Firenze and Unstad and then, in a tone not far short of an order, openly mused, "I'm sure my turn will come. I must just be patient."

Prime Minister Tony had been present in the control room. Dad had convinced him to leave his aides on the floor of the pyramid. The only touchy time came when Tony asked why Firenze and Unstad were standing atop the black rock. I honestly told him that being atop the stone was safe, if you didn't stand on the transporter spot, and that it gave a different perspective and a feeling of closeness to the stone, with pleasant vibrations when the transporter operator. That might have been honest, but it was an unwise thing to say, as Tony immediately seized on the thought.

"That does sound interesting. I assume the experience is available to all members of Hermione's committee. Please sign me up for the next time there is a need to transport something."

After all our guest had departed, Dad was not remiss in letting me know that he found my answer to Tony to be both unsatisfactory and dangerous. "If there is a next transport, I'll share the experience with Tony."

The next day, I arranged for Victoria and Mafalda to sleep in the Circle of the Goblins. They were not tempted by BeyondWorld and returned a day and a half later, without a hitch. As soon as they returned, Adrienne and McGonagall made the trip.

I took a little break from the stone. There were others who needed to sleep within the Circle prior to the Quest, but I thought I had chosen my assistants. Then I had another thought. "What about Erin?" I asked Hermione. "She could be a former rival. I know she's huge now, but her child will likely be born, before it's time for the Quest. She has turned into a trusted friend and she has good magical engineering skills."

"You just can't take a new mother," Hermione decreed. That was it, then. The Quest would be fought by Hermione, Cissy, Barb, Mafalda, Cho, Adrienne, and me. That is, if we could solve Cho's problems in time. If not, McGonagall would replace her.

Actually if I didn't need to include Cissy, and it wasn't at all clear to me that it was wise to include her, then I could substitute McGonagall for her. Of course, the stone thought I must include Cissy, and it likely was the final decider.

I just needed to convince McGonagall how important the first reserve was and why she needed to be at the peak of training when the Quest actually started. It was unavoidable that she would be stung to have not made the first team. What I had going in my favor is that practicing the necessary skills for the Quest was the thing she most wanted to do. She might be peeved at me, but she would not stint on training. Wiser still, no need to make a final decision until Cho's status was known.

This thinking convinced me that I likely needed subs for the other positions. Ellen could replace Barb. Victoria could sort of replace Mafalda. Actually, McGonagall might learn enough Ancient Priestess memories to be as effective as Victoria. I suspected she was the better fighter. Still, if Victoria was willing to learn, her life as a Priestess entitled her to undertake the training. I had no suitable substitute for Adrienne. I wanted a Siren and super transfiguration expert on team. Of course McGonagall could also fill the transfiguration role. I guess I could ask Fleur to find me a suitable Veela.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry thought we had specified the team and alternates as best we could, until we learned more specifics about the Quest. Of course, we could do our bit to help Cho be available. If we could break Schwein and drain him of the names of the Grindelwald conspirators, then Cho would go on the Quest.

My time inside the stone had made one big change. I now saw the Quest as a very real something which I would undertake. I would have to decide how to explain this change to Harry. I sensed that both Harry and Ron were thinking of the Quest as more real and possibly manageable.


	88. Chapter 88

**Chapter 88 – New Professors**

As we entered the common room, I left Cissy to the mob, telling the gang that I had to speak to my husband in private. Back through the portal and to our apartment, to take up chairs in front of the fire. "I had to commune with the stone again to drag Cissy forward in her journey. She was lost, stalled out, and very frightened. She was stranded in a place that I visited during my first joining with the stone, but which I was warned to keep secret from you, lest you be destroyed."

Harry was looking more than a little annoyed, so I rushed through my story. "On my first trip, I ended up in BeyondWorld, and ran into Dumbledore, who chided me that I shouldn't be there. He explicitly warned me that BeyondWorld would tempt and destroy you and made me promise not to mention it to you. I made that promise to Dumbledore and I honored it."

"But we vowed not to have secrets from each other."

"We also promised to protect each other, and Dumbledore said that is what I would be doing by keeping the secret. Anyway, when I dove in after Cissy, she was stranded in BeyondWorld and unable to move within it or to escape from it. I rescued her.

"However, when I found her and Fawkes, they were with your mother. Your mother told me that I must ignore my promise to Dumbledore and tell you about meeting her. She also said that you must not come to BeyondWorld, because it was far too dangerous for you. She said that, because of that danger, even if you somehow made your way to BeyondWorld she would keep away from you, in order to protect you. I told Lily that I was your wife. She seemed pleased and she told me that she knew that I was the Mother of the Future….No, don't interrupt, I want to just sprint through this, so I get it exactly right. Lily also told Cissy that it was not safe to see her mother and that her mother would not come to her, but that she had given Lily a message to pass on to Cissy.

"Lily told Cissy that she was correct about the twins' role in her future, but that she must avoid them until she graduates from Hogwarts. Cissy promised to do that. Lily also told her that she must follow your advice and guidance. Cissy promised to do that as well, apologizing for her past recklessness. I think getting stranded in the Beyond truly terrified her. It was worse than when she fell off her broom and couldn't remount. Anyway, we also saw Leprechaun world, or at least four of its cities, each with easily a million Leprechauns. We ended up back inside the stone."

"I don't know whether to be angry with the three of you, or not," Harry told me in a not totally pleasant tone of voice. "I realize that you all want to protect me, but I'm not convinced that I need that much protection. You're my wife and you shouldn't keep secrets like that from me."

"I know that," I half apologized, "but I was dealing with competing obligations. I knew that Dumbledore knows you almost as well as I do, and that he was totally convinced that to tell you about BeyondWorld would be a cruel act that would inevitably destroy you. Certainly, of the three of us, he's the only one who understands BeyondWorld. I couldn't bear to be the cause of your destruction, so I followed his advice. I told you now, because your mother wanted you to know, even though she agreed with Dumbledore that you must not seek her out. For someone like you or Cissy, BeyondWorld is a fatal trap. Had I been a couple hours later than I was in rescuing Cissy, I don't think it would have been possible to salvage her sanity."

"I'm not sure that I can comply with my mother's wishes."

"She saved your life once. Please allow her to do so again."

"Did you see my father? Is he with my mother?"

"In the broader sense, it is clear that your mother and father are together, although he did not meet Cissy or me."

"Does this mean that you are going to prevent me from being one with the stone? I don't want to sound like McGonagall, but I don't want to be put in the position that I can't help you, if you go on your Quest, because you don't trust what I'll do when I join with the stone."

"Of course I'll help you to become one with the stone. If you promised me that you won't seek out BeyondWorld, I would certainly believe your promise. As it is, I must tell you that the stone read my mind and my fears about you and made its own decision that it would not allow you to travel to BeyondWorld."

"That's really…. nice."

"What would you do? Talk to your parents and ask them what to do with your life? If you go there, your life will be at an end. You have their advice – don't come to BeyondWorld, it isn't safe. You'll go there and you'll see them after you die. Until then, you and I have a life to live and a family to build. Would you really choose to give up our life together, in order to be with your parents? They don't want that for you!"

"Of course not. I love you. There are just things I need to ask them. I need to hug them."

"I was there. You can't hug. We are not material as we travel to the other worlds. The stone is not transporting us as it did the Leprechauns to LeprechaunWorld. It is just our mind that goes wandering. But the mind can go astray and become trapped forever, as almost happened to Cissy.

"I'll make a deal with you. Write down your questions. We'll give them to any future travelers. If someone happens to turn up at BeyondWorld, which they shouldn't have done, then they can ask the questions for you. I'm not sure who could wind up there - perhaps Luna or Trew."

"My mind knows that you are correct and my heart will just have to live with that answer."

I decided that now was the time for a change of topic. "The stone also told me that what King Gobbledegook told me about the Quest is true. It also said that Cho is very strong and that I should take her with me. She is strong - she made the stone journey without outside help. I couldn't do that, myself. It is a very treacherous journey. Hermione did better than me, but she had Fawkes as a guide."

"I see you don't want to talk any more about my mother. I'm not angry with you. I understand that you, she, and Dumbledore are just trying to do what is best for me. I suppose you've learned by now that I have problems when other people, even those whom I love, try to protect me, especially if they prevent me from doing something I badly want to do. Just admit that sometimes you are as worried about and overly protective of me as I am of you."

"I readily admit that," I told Harry. "We are both stronger when we have each other's back. We are no longer solo actors."

"Fine," Harry concluded. "We need to get back and talk to the gang. I'm sure you also want to eat."

Breakfast next day started a time of transition. Neville stopped by to tell us that Professor Schwein would arrive on the morrow. I thanked him for letting us know. We needed to prepare his apartment for him and work out the other details of keeping a constant watch upon him, primarily with invisible Elves.

Hermione and I were very busy. We planned for Harry and Ron to be the next stone inductees to sleep within the Circle of the Goblins. We didn't want anything to go wrong, so we wanted to plan out every detail. Harry and Ron would hate this, viewing it as a sign that we distrusted either their judgment or their magical ability. It was neither. We simply could not bear it if we sent them off and something happened to them.

The risk was brought home starkly when Bill stated that either he or Barb should accompany them to provide protection. We told them that whoever traveled would be traveling as spirits, not fighting as aurors. Bill reminded me of our battle with the Dementors, saying "I won't pretend that it will be easy for us to protect Harry, but he is the Deputy Minister and it is our duty to try."

I replied, "I disagree, but fine. In that case, I choose Barb. She is a likely Quest assistant and will need to make this voyage very soon, in any case. I'm sorry, but I don't see a pressing need to get you that closely acquainted with the stone at this time."

"No offense taken. Barb will serve the purpose," Bill assured me.

Harry showed up unexpectedly right after lunch, saying we needed to talk to Neville. I grabbed Hermione and we found Neville in his office.

"I'm afraid that the Ministry is going to have to send you a few new students," Harry told Neville. "Some of them are quite a bit older than normal first years. In the past few weeks, we've seen another surge of Muggle-borns exhibiting wild magical talents. The aurors have been busy cleaning up after them. It all came to a head today. We had two cases yesterday and another two this morning. I think the use of the transporter triggers this. Perhaps it's also the Eire circle.

"Most are in this general vicinity – west coast of Scotland and northern England, plus a couple students from Eire, whom Erasmus suggested be sent to Hogwarts. So…I've got nine new first levels for you. They range in age from eleven to twenty-seven. I ducked back to give you as early a heads-up as possible. They're arriving on tomorrow's Hogwarts Express. We're making a special run. There's one student, actually two I guess, whom you should be particularly aware of. This morning a thirteen year old girl named Constance Farrell pretty much single-handedly demolished a block of a half dozen council house apartments and knocked out a transformer supplying four city blocks in Glasgow. She had skipped school. Her mother decided to spank her. She flipped out. The mother is fine, but shaken. We had six aurors involved in changing memories. Tony is covering it up as a terrorist bombing. This is the strongest, most bizarre wild magic since Henry."

"And lucky me gets to turn the girl into a useful member of society," Neville sort of volunteered. "What is the story with the second child, who is so challenging that you had to make a special trip back to Hogwarts?"

"It's one of the Irish students. Meaghan O'Reilly is fifteen years old. She is shy and never had a boyfriend. Some girls at school played a prank and made her believe that their school's Mr. Popular had a huge crush on her. She fell for it and it played out in about the most embarrassing way imaginable, with her declaring to the bewildered lad, that she secretly shared his passion, while they were with two dozen other students. Long story short, the lad and the two-dozen other students were simultaneously petrified. Naturally, the Muggle school authorities, police, and doctors had no idea how to handle this. Meaghan was very upset and emotional as well, and was taken with the others to a mental health facility. Despite his love of independence, Erasmus and the other leaders of the Eire Wizarding community are ill-prepared to deal with incidents like this.

"They didn't learn about the incident, until one of Erasmus's friends read about it in the paper, two days after it happened. Erasmus mucked around for another day and finally contacted Shacklebolt yesterday. A dozen Ministry employees spent the day in Eire. Erasmus was convinced that the Wizards of Eire couldn't possibly handle Meaghan. They have a small school and had already had ten new students in the past month…"

"Which brings you naturally to the tale of the second Eire student, who will be arriving tomorrow," Neville prompted. "Your pause suggests this also is not going to be an easy student."

"No…no, I don't suppose he will be. He's the twenty-seven year old – that may be the biggest problem. He's pretty much Sean-sized. I think Erasmus chose him to lighten their load, both because of his physical size and because he's from Ulster and of Scottish heritage. His display of wild magic wasn't all that frightening. Fortunately, we think he was discovered right away. He was vacationing in Eire and, as luck would have it, got into an altercation with three Wizards. He magically threw two of them into a building, before the third Wizard petrificused him. The Wizards, thinking he was a mean-spirited Wizard, with some Giant blood, apparated him to Erasmus. William, his name is William Morse, had damaged their auto and they wanted recompense. Erasmus discovered that William had lived his life up until that day as a Muggle. I'm sure William will fit in splendidly at Hogwarts."

"Did the Minister tell you to say splendidly?"

"He also said this was a great opportunity for you to prove your mettle as headmaster."

"Did he tell you that he was giving you the opportunity to prove your mettle as a diplomat? If you hadn't just given my Mum the job of her dreams, I'd be quite angry with you now. You realize that Professor Schwein is arriving at the same time as your new students. I'm sure that you and the Minister don't want Herr Schwein learning about our sudden outbreak of wild magic. It will be hard enough to keep him from learning everything about Henry. At least Henry is old news. Meaghan and Constance will be the talk of the school, when their stories start to leak. You know they will leak. Likely the girls will brag about them, not knowing the trouble they will make for themselves."

"Seriously, you'll handle it, Neville. You can convince them of the stupidity of telling their tales. I assure you that Erasmus wants to keep the secret. The Ministry has things bottled up in Britain and with Rita locked up and the auror corps cleaned up, you shouldn't be reading their stories in the Prophet. Nobody expects William to be allowed to play Quidditch. I really would help, but Ron and I are going to commune with the stone, tonight. It is bad timing, but the Quest could start at any time."

"Well, I feel so much better knowing that William won't play Quidditch. It's sort of hard to hide a twenty-seven year old half-Giant, wouldn't you think. Do you have a spell to shrink him down and another to stop his beard from growing. I'm guessing he won't be a danger at all to his fellow first years."

"He really does seem quite gentle, if he's not picked on. Our aurors investigated. He really didn't start the fight. I know this isn't going to be easy on you or your staff, but this really is legitimately part of Hogwarts' job. I don't know where else we could send these students to tame their wild magic. I wouldn't worry about Schwein. I don't think it matters if Schwein learns about the new students. That may even encourage him to report to whomever he's supposed to contact over here. I trust that you'll know what needs to be done and will do it."

"Thanks."

Hermione and I took Harry, Ron, and Barb to the Circle of the Goblins right after dinner. We didn't want them to starve on their journey. We even made them each consume a whole bar of dark chocolate before drinking Firenze's tea. We had brought blankets and even pillows so that they, and we, would be comfortable. We had Fawkes and Firenze. Hermione and I were going to stay with them, however long this trip lasted. It seemed that Bill also planned to stay with us.

I knew what to watch for. In discussing this trip with the stone and raising the issue of my rescuing Cissy, it had dawned on me that my sudden desire to lie down and take a nap inside the circle had been a compulsion induced by the stone. I asked the stone if it was trying to signal me that I needed to rescue Cissy. The stone confirmed that this was correct. The stone said I should have known that already, by the way Fawkes was paying so much attention to Cissy. I would certainly pay attention this time.

I explained to the stone that Hermione and I thought it best that the three travelers made their journey in unison. That was only logical. Barb couldn't provide much protection if she were going off on her separate safari.

I could tell that Barb was very unsure how, or if, she could protect Harry, while he was on his journey. She decided that she should be the first to drink the tea and that she should take one more swallow than Harry or Ron. When Harry went to take his swallow of tea, Barb grabbed his arm and suggested he wait a few minutes.

Firenze had watched this procedure and commented, "I realize that this is Ministry and auror protocol, but I'm finding it difficult not to feel more than mildly offended."

Harry seemed to feel that this comment had forced his hand. He and Ron quickly swallowed their share of the tea and the three of them lay down upon their blankets. I suggested that they hold hands, to facilitate travel together. Fawkes fluttered about them. I had Harry's hand and Hermione had Ron's, with Barb in the middle. We guided the group onto the swirling ribbon, then dropped their hands and mentally pulled away, before we were sucked along on their journey.

We could tell, by watching their eyeballs move beneath their lids, that they were launched on their journey. There was no way of knowing how long this process would last. We could only observe them and try to track their general progress, by means of the stone. I had just learned how to do this. I confirmed with the stone that they would not be going anywhere near BeyondWorld.

Barb, Ron and Harry were only asleep for nine hours and there was no need to send the phoenix in after them. They awoke almost simultaneously. I wondered if that meant that they had traveled in lockstep. Their trip was so short, I was afraid that it had been a flop and that they were unable to become one with the stone.

"So, what did you see?" Hermione quizzed Ron. That, and my jumping in to hug and snog Harry, impeded the distribution of candy bars. I had brought them dark chocolate with almonds, which is Harry's favorite. Since we didn't have candy bars at home, I was unaware of Ron's preference, although he seemed perfectly content with the almonds. Between bites, Ron answered, "we floated off toward a misty planet, really didn't see any ground, and before we descended to cloud level a voice appeared in our heads, saying 'you may not approach this world. I forbid it.' Then we tumbled through a hole to a world that was mostly dessert, with a huge mountain range and a river running down from it to a little ocean or a big lake. We floated down from the crest of the mountains, which had a bit of ice on them, to the river. We almost fell in. My feet skimmed the surface for miles. I think my socks are still wet. There were big hairy animals along the river – thousands of them in some places, and they seemed to be herded by Goblins. Farther down the river we saw Goblin farming villages, with Goblins plowing behind the huge beasts. At the mouth of the river was a good sized town. I'd guess maybe a few thousand Goblins live there. What do you think, Harry?"

"I think there might well have been ten thousand Goblins in the little city. There was dark smoke coming from the chimneys of what looked to be stone buildings. We floated almost down to street level. The Goblins had big wagons pulled by those giant shaggy beasts. My feet just touched the street, enough to tell it was smooth cobblestone, and then we were whisked away. Smack! Right into the center of the stone.

"We stayed there for a while and could feel the stone pouring information into our heads. Ron and I could talk to each other, just by thinking thoughts. Couldn't move at all, I've never felt so weird. Then a deep voice in our heads said 'that is enough, you must go now. Back to the Mother.' Next thing, I woke up, here with you."

"My experience was much the same, although I focused more on Harry than the sights we were passing," Barb told us. "We moved jerkily at first. We almost entered the atmosphere of a water world, but then pulled abruptly away. I think Harry or Ron were steering us away from there to BeyondWorld. The stone diverted us away from BeyondWorld and we just fell down the hole to the desert world."

Ron and Harry both looked guilty, but neither said anything.

I deemed their trip a success and instructed them on what they needed to do to speed the sorting of their new memories, and mental exercises that would help them recall what they needed to know in an emergency. The boys' trip had been so short that I didn't know whether they had done much better or much worse than I had done. If they had been inside the stone, they couldn't have done too badly. Perhaps the stone just decided to teach them a lot less than it taught us.

It sounded as though Harry had intentionally aimed at BeyondWorld, but been rejected by the stone. Apart from mild disappointment that my husband had ignored my warning of great danger to him, I was at least pleased that he had owned up to that leg of the trip. Well, that had actually been Ron. I didn't even know exactly how Harry could have steered for BeyondWorld. Perhaps his wishes had guided the transport ribbon, before the Stone intervened. That would really represent a step down in the Stone's alertness and control from what I would have expected. Perhaps it was just an extremely literal-minded rock that didn't view Harry as having transgressed until he was about to actually enter the atmosphere of BeyondWorld. Perhaps it was right on top of things and thought rejecting Harry after he had gotten that close would make a greater impression upon him than just refusing to allow the ribbon to be steered in that direction. It really was confusing and just emphasized how much more I had to learn about the Stone. All in all, things seemed to have gone well enough that I vowed to send Draco and Bill to the Sacred Cavern within the week.

The next morning change was truly upon us. I saw new faces at the staff table. Professor Schwein had arrived, and Cho had announced as soon as she sat down at our table that she planned to be gone before lunch. I had briefly met Professor Schwein when we visited Durmstrang, but he looked far more out of place away from his natural setting. At Durmstrang, he had been less friendly and a bit more stiff and stand-offish than the other professors. Here he was positively rigid, making no effort to talk to the Goblin to his right or my brother Bill to his left. Why was Bill here? Had Hogwarts students ever looked up at the staff table and seen a Goblin? Herr Schwein and Cho glared at each other, so much so that neither did much eating.

Hermione and I had already confirmed that we could talk to Cho through the stone. Cho was pleased that she would not be out of touch while away at Durmstrang.

Neville addressed us while we were eating. He announced that for the first time in memory, and very possibly the first time ever, Hogwarts would have a Goblin as a professor. Goblex would replace Professor Henkel as our magical engineering professor. Ron, who had been filling in, would assist him. I couldn't help feeling that my brother had been slighted, after working very hard and successfully to teach that course.

The Schwein would take Mom's place as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. As Neville spoke, Goblex looked very pleased and proud, while Schwein looked very grim, as if he hated being here. Neville next announced that Mom would teach transfiguration. I knew Mom's looks well enough to recognize her 'not terribly pleased but determined to make the best of things' expression. That led me to the realization that Professor Slughorn, who had filled in as the transfiguration professor, was not seated at the head table. I would have to ask Mom or Neville about that. I would definitely speak to Neville. He was a friend, but he had just slapped down two members of my family. I would register my disapproval.

Mafalda, Luna, Draco and I were announced as the Religion professors for a course that would meet a dozen times over six weeks. Our first class was to be on Friday morning and I thought I had it lined up. Hermione was announced as the new Wizard history Professor, with McGonagall's earlier detailed plan being replaced by a hint that 'guest lecturers will show up from time to time to assist Hermione'. My brother Bill was announced as the new Civics professor, replacing fill-in Harry. Bill's duties were expanded to include teaching a companion short course 'Money – How to Earn, Save, and Spend It Wisely'. It was noted that Harry, Percy and Cotto would also make appearances. Finally, Neville announced "while not a formal course, there will be an optional six week, two meetings a week seminar on starting your own business. It will be taught by George Weasley, with guest appearances by Bill Weasley, Lee Jordan, and Cissy Montaigne. I believe Professor Celine will also provide a lecture about turning Witch Art into a business.

"Oh, you've probably noticed that Professor Slughorn is no longer on the faculty. He informed me last night that he has been requested to start a new school to educate all of the former Slytherins who are no longer at Hogwarts. As a former Slytherin, he felt that he must rise to that challenge. The new school may be only temporary, or Hogwarts may have a long-term competitor. I believe he decided to call it, ahem, 'The Horace B. Slughorn Academy For The Advanced Wizarding Arts'. That's all, off to your classes."

"You've just gotten busier," I commented to George.

"Busier than you think. I spent the night installing special equipment in Professor Schwein's office, classroom, and apartment. Neville gave me access. I also re-installed the equipment in Slytherin, in case he seeks allies there."

"That's very good," Harry replied. "I can report that either Catta or Jana will be with Herr Schwein round the clock. We will know the instant he meets with any remaining local Grindelwald sympathizers, or even if he receives an owl. It's unusual for my department to authorize close surveillance of a Wizard against whom we have no evidence of criminal activity. Shacklebolt asserted that he was a foreigner and Viktor had warned us that he was a terrorist who would try to recruit assistants. Neville's mother said 'I'll approve it for now, but I'm going to check with the German prosecutor to assure myself that Viktor has enough evidence to label him a terrorist or a criminal.' I showed her the note that Pansy Parkinson sent to you, but her reaction was 'I think better of Pansy than you do, but am really not sure how much weight I may give to accusations made by an admitted criminal.' Let's hope Herr Schwein leads us to Umbridge before Mrs. Longbottom reconsiders her approval."

I felt a presence behind us and turned to see what McGonagall wanted now. I was so startled to find myself facing a Goblin that I spilled the remains of my morning tea.

"No time for owl," Goblex informed me. "My King invites you to dinner at his home. Note explain all."

He handed me a very formal-looking envelop and was gone, before I had a chance to say anything to him.

The envelop was addressed: 'To The Mother'.

"Open it!" Harry urged me out of my startlement.

The letter read:

'You kind to forgive me for stabbing you with my sword, but a King hears of many things. I know that you think I manipulate you and that I have yet to earn your trust. I think, how can we be friends if we always meet at my place of business. I would like you to visit my home and meet my family. This is unusual, but I think you will find me a less than typical Goblin. I am the first Goblin King in almost forever to have but one wife. Torva is most unusual and she wishes to meet you. Tonight, please, it really is important. Torva says I explained the Quest badly and frightened you, but more importantly I missed chance to discuss big opportunity. A King hears many things, including your plans for Quest companions. It is big mistake. Be at bank at 6 – bring Cotto, Catta, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.'

"Time for a word with Cotto, I think," Harry told me and then Cotto was with us.

"A most unusual note from King Gobbledegook," I told Cotto, as I passed the note to him.

"Yes, great honor," Cotto replied, without even glancing at the message. "Cotto be there."

He turned to depart, but then turned again to speak to us.

"Don't search for spy. Cotto spoke to King. Important to avoid misunderstanding. Gobbledegook different Goblin than you think. You be first Wizards in forever to eat in Goblin home. It is very great event. It okay you speak to Minister Dad. You must leave aurors at home."

As Cotto actually did leave us, with a crisp little pop, Hermione mused "I have to wonder why the other magical leaders are conspiring about us. I deliberately didn't say against us, I think they want to help."

"To the Ministry," Harry commanded.


	89. Chapter 89

**Chapter 89 – New Students**

Harry and auror Bill had planned to leave immediately after breakfast, to ride the Hogwarts Express with the new students. It would be a short detour to the Ministry.

I showed the note to Dad, explaining the manner of its delivery and Cotto's obvious advanced knowledge of the message.

I was surprised when Dad reacted with total calm to the note, but even more surprised when he asked Prudence to summon Percy.

"I have no problem with you visiting King Gobbledegook without your aurors. This is clearly a most important and most secret matter. I wish I could guess what that matter is, but I can't. I can tell that you are surprised I've sent for Percy. He knows a lot about Ministry history and procedures. I'm a little dumbfounded, because I can't recall an instance of a meeting in a Goblin's home or of a Wizard ever meeting a female Goblin. They are kept very, very sheltered. There are no female Goblins working at Gringotts. As you know, female Goblins may not enter their Sacred Cavern. I had not been aware that Goblin Kings received political advice from their wives, let alone openly admitting to acting upon that advice. I hadn't realized that Gobbledegook had only one wife. Multiple wives are a status symbol for Goblins and a King with just one wife must be most unusual. You definitely must attend this dinner."

Percy confirmed all that Dad had said, but could provide no additional information. Dad tasked him to ferret out what he could about King Gobbledegook's likely intentions.

It was time for Harry to either leave for Platform 9-3/4 or bag the train trip. Dad said he should go. If need be, he must apparate from the train to join me for dinner. We would all meet at Dad's office at 5, before some of us went off to Gringotts.

I expressed an interest in riding along, but Harry told me that I had more than enough to do and should be working on my first religion lecture and pondering about our dinner meeting . He suggested that Hermione and I take Barb and go off on an expedition to inspect the Hogsmeade church. That was not devoid of interest, but not what I wanted to be doing.

Luna was in our Common Room, when we ducked into Gryffindor to do a quick check on the first years. I thought it important to alert them that there likely would be some new Gryffindor first years, by the time they went to bed tonight. They seemed unstartled and totally unconcerned by this news. Then again, not knowing which house he would sort into, we hadn't told them just how old and how large one of the first years was.

We mentioned the Hogsmeade church to Luna, with the tone of mild complaint about a new task that we really didn't have time to undertake right now. Luna was very enthusiastic about hunting down the church. I think she just wanted to avoid shop keeping, but she reminded us "what could be more appropriate planning for your religion lecture than exploring what will most likely be the first church of the revived ancient religions. I'm up for the trip!"

Cissy caught wind of what we were up to and declared that all of the budding Witch Priestesses should come along for the tour. This made sense, but required that she find Neville to have her absence approved. By the time Cissy and Ellen had returned, Draco, Erin, and Ron had also joined our party. We were in a cheery mood, despite the damp, cloudy, cold as we walked to the gate and along the path toward Hogsmeade. I really didn't mind taking Cissy with me on most expeditions, because she was always so bubbly and happy when allowed to participate that the spirits of the group were uplifted.

The Hogsmeade church was not actually in Hogsmeade proper. We had to walk through the town and follow a narrow, over-grown path for a thousand yards into the forest. The path led to a small clearing. The church was backed against the forest at the other edge of the clearing. The church was so heavily magicked that, even as highly magical folk, wearing our Light Guardian and stone rings, it was a hazy blur. I hadn't thought before we set out that we might need a church member to admit us. The level of protection was daunting.

The church was a two-story stone building, with narrow slits in place of proper windows on the ground floor. It looked as though it had been built both to avoid detection and to shield its occupants from attack. It looked far more castle than church. Even the upper floor windows, though tall, were too narrow to admit other than a child or a truly slender Witch. Given the age of the building, I expected a wood or thatched roof, but instead found largish slabs of stone. Not thin slates, but honest slabs of stone an inch thick and long enough to span the narrow width of the building. There would be no burning out this little castle. The front door was Goblin metal. Such doors did not come cheap. It was locked. There was a large keyhole.

I tried playing around the keyhole and door jamb with both of my rings. No joy. I tried the Hogwarts master key, which Dumbledore had left to us. Equally little joy. I was about to announce my regrets at leading my friends on a pointless hike, when my brother spoke up.

"Got it!" Ron declared in a tone of huge surprise. "I have no idea why the Castle Weasley key should work, but it did. Follow me."

"I didn't think you had the key anymore?" I asked Ron.

"I traded back with Dad. I found that I had grown very comfortable with it around my neck and that I just missed having it there. It's become almost a part of me – my good luck charm passed on by my great-greats, and a less-obvious kinghood symbol."

We followed Ron into the church. Looking at the door jamb, I could tell that the stone was a foot and a half thick. Light appeared in the interior as we entered. A flat stone altar and a stone basin covered almost the entire front of the church. We walked in that direction. In front of the altar was a small silver statue of a Unicorn. A sculpture of wood, bird feathers and the pelt of some animal graced the wall behind the altar. As at Castle Weasley, the basin seemed to be constantly recharged from a spring. The flow was slow, but steady. I took a drink. The water tasted fine. Better than fine, the taste was excellent. The overflow from the basin disappeared down a wide crack in the stone floor. There was an intricately woven lace sheet covering the center of the altar. A small illuminated book lay on the center of the lace.

Hermione carefully lifted the book, opening it to examine its contents.

"It's a smaller version of the abbreviated Christian bible that we found at Castle Weasley," she announced. This must be a fusion church, like when the Catholic Church set up shop in the Mayan region of Mexico and the Mayans blended elements of their religion with that of their conquerors."

The church had wooden pews, which would seat about a hundred. As we walked to the rear of the church, we encountered two sets of stone stairs, once going up, and the other down. We chose up for our initial exploration.

The floor was stone, which allowed a cooking area at one end of the room. There was a stone altar at the other end, fronted by pews for thirty worshippers. The feel of this area was more Ancient Priestess religion than the first floor had been. I left a handwritten note on the altar 'Please contact me. I'd like to talk to you. I am a Light Guardian Priestess and have learned the ways of the Ancient Priestesses. Mafalda and Victoria are friends of mine. You can send an owl to Hogwarts or a message to my husband at the Ministry. Sorry to enter your building without invitation. We were curious and had a key that opened the door. Ginny Weasley Potter.'

We headed for the below-ground level. Since another set of stone stairs faced us as we reached this level, there must be a below-below ground level. This level was smaller than the other two floors of the church. It seemed to be largely storage, with just a small aisle in the middle. We had to use the light from our wands here. There was really nothing to see anyway. We went down another level. The stairs ended in a small landing, with another Goblin metal door blocking our path. Ron's key worked a second time. I found myself in a long burial crypt, with alcoves on either side, filled with bones. At the far end, farther away than the length of the church at ground level, was a large black stone, with a semi-circle of three-foot high calcite columns arrayed around it. The calcites were not wired together. I mentally reached for the stones, but got no response. Neither did they glow or grow warm to the touch. We headed back toward the stairs, finding a narrow tunnel hidden away in the shadows behind the stairs. I entered the stone-lined tunnel, finding it quickly widened out to a little more than three feet wide, but not much over five high.

The whole tunnel had a fairly steep downslope. I hadn't traveled more than fifteen feet, when I was met by yet another metal door. I had to press my body against the damp, rough stone, so that Ron could squeeze by and unlock the door. Beyond the door, the downgrade lessened and the tunnel height was tall enough that I could walk erect. We walked over a thousand feet, seeing nothing but the raw stone of the tunnel and another door at its end. Ron let us through. We had six feet of narrow tunnel ahead of us, no more than two feet wide, but still with the high ceiling. The tunnel ended there. I played my ring around the rock at the end of the tunnel. The rock vanished and I slipped sideways through a gap and into a cave.

The twisty cave led us generally uphill for several hundred feet. At wide points of the cave, wooden storage boxes and barrels were placed against the walls. We ignored them and continued to the blind end of the cave. My ring again allowed me to walk through the 'rock' and out onto a ridge looking down a hill-side to a small stream below. The hill was mainly grass and scrub. Everyone exited the cave and we walked a little down the hill, turning to see what the entrance looked like from this side. It looked like rock. The spot was marked by the appearance of an out-jutting of stone, which wasn't in fact there.

I marked the spot and we apparated back to the Gryffindor landing.

"Who knew that such a wonderful old building was on my family lands?" Cissy chirped. "Thanks, Ginny, that was another wonderful adventure. I think we've learned something new, which will lead to something truly important. That strange building must have quite a history, if the key to Castle Weasley unlocks it. I suppose it could be just something else that the Montaignes stole from your family. I'm going to search the old family records that we discovered in the castle cellars. This most definitely is a good way to study history. I'm so encouraged that Neville sees the value of this sort of activity so much clearer than McGonagall did. Then again, he's not trying to control…."

"Sorry, Cissy, I have to go work on my lecture. Hermione and I have just a couple of days to pull it together. The first lecture is really intimidating. I'm sure you understand. Bye."

Whew! It was great to spend time with Cissy – in moderate doses. I hoped to have McGonagall on the Quest, instead.

Harry arrived at Hogwarts a few minutes after five and announced that while there were no security problems, the Hogwarts Express was an hour late, but Neville took in in stride. He even provided the students with soup, bread, cheese, and fruit as we awaited the new arrivals to initiate a mini-banquet. We didn't have Shacklebolt to pay for the food, so it would be minimal, compared to that last, impromptu, pseudo-start-of-term feast. Neville's relaxed state led the rest of the school to pass the time in comfort.

It didn't matter to me. I left for Dad's office with Harry, Hermione, and Ron within ten minutes of Harry's arrival. We'd be a little late, but Harry wanted to make certain that Neville was fully aware of the situation on the train. That situation apparently revolved around two parents who had insisted upon riding the train to Hogwarts with their child. 

Harry told Neville "I told the Farrells that they wouldn't be allowed to enter Hogwarts, but they decided that they wanted to ride with Constance. I don't think they fully trust us and are allowing Constance to attend Hogwarts only because the Muggle authorities told them that the alternative was a mental hospital. They expect to stay on the train and ride it back to London. They delayed our departure nearly an hour and were a nuisance to us and an embarrassment to Constance the whole trip, but I don't think they'll give you any trouble. The aurors have instructions not to allow them to even get off the train."

Dad was annoyed that we were fifteen minutes late. Since Percy didn't really have any information to impart, we didn't even need the available forty minutes for our planning meeting.

Percy thought our dinner "is probably Quest related and an effort to get Ginny to feel more comfortable around and trusting of the King. The Goblins don't have a lot of experience dealing with Witches as allies. They know most Witches, well really they don't know most Witches at all, but the ones they have gotten to know have been as customers. Narcissa and McGonagall were probably the Witches they knew best, prior to Ginny, Hermione, and Cissy. Dad is correct, your dinner is unprecedented. I'll be very interested to learn what happens."

"You'll learn what happens if I consider it appropriate for you to find out," Dad cautioned Percy. "I don't want to learn that you've pestered your sister or Harry for details. This may well involve secrets, which must remain secret from you. I don't believe that I need to remind the four of you to be careful about agreeing to anything. Remember… you may express conditional approval, but you always need to give further thought, consult with an aide, consult with me, take just a little more time, whatever. I have a sense that the King will be very careful not to take advantage of the situation, but… I'm quite sure that Sherry will be served and well aware of how my daughter babbles under its influence. Ginevra just has to realize that she will not be attending just as Harry's wife or my daughter. I suspect that the King will view her as the most important and powerful person at table. I don't want the Mother of the Future undertaking rash commitments."

Thanks, Dad. Although he had a point about me and wine, I was better able to deal with its influence than I had been even six months earlier. Experience does teach and somehow I think the Light Guardian and Stone training helped. I was always able to wall off and work from a Stone sober portion of my mind. I really did not expect to find myself proclaiming what a great fighter I was.

Dad insisted that two of his aurors escort us to the steps of Gringotts. We were met at the steps by four Goblin guards. The aurors said hello to their Goblin counterparts and departed. We were led into the lobby of Gringotts, where Cotto and Catta were waiting for us. We walked across the lobby, through a bronze gate and into a large room behind the teller cages, and through a cleverly concealed door to a small rail station. This was not where we had previously boarded the little cars to travel to the vaults or the Cavern of the Goblins, and these were not the same rail cars.

These rail cars held a dozen passengers – possibly more for all Goblin passengers. The six of us, with our four escorts, easily fit into one car. The descent was far smoother than the twisting and sometimes bumpy path to the vaults. We also traveled a little slower. The difference in the feel of the car on the track made it difficult to compare depths between our current destination and that of the bank vaults. I'd guess that we had traveled almost as deep as the Cavern of the Goblins, when the car slowed to a stop in a small, but brightly lit and gaily decorated reception area.

King Gobbledegook and former-King Goblanze were there to meet us. "I invited King Goblanze to join us," King Gobbledygook told me. "I find he often has a useful and different perspective than mine. But, please follow me. And yes, we do make a point of creating beautiful surroundings where we live. I think you'll be amazed by what we do with the Goblin sanctuary."

We walked through a bronze swinging door and along what could only be described as an underground pedestrian street. The ceiling was twelve feet high, as far as I could see in the distance. The street was straight and perhaps twelve feet wide. It was very brightly lit. Bright enough that there were little gardens, with flowers, vegetables, and even tiny flowering trees lining the street on both sides. Every fifteen feet or so, the rock wall behind the gardens was broken by a brightly colored door. All of the doors were in light shades of green, pink, yellow, or lavender.

As we walked, I felt a warmth on my face, which reminded me of a walk across the Hogwarts lawn on a sunny afternoon. Looking up, I realized that the ceiling of this street was a far more accurate magical ceiling than the one in Hogwarts' Great Hall. You could see the day sky, with floating clouds, or the night sky, with moon and stars, in the Great Hall, but you couldn't experience the warmth of the sun upon your person. Here you could. Just walking down this street would have been enough to convince me that the Goblins BADLY yearned to live upon the surface of our world. The Goblin sanctuary in the forest would suffice for some, but I could tell that they craved the open sky.

I realized that we were walking open-mouthed in silence, when King Gobbledegook commented "it is beautiful isn't it. Not all Goblins can afford to live on a street like this and even this street is a pale imitation of what we had when we lived on the surface, as you now live. Gringotts is very sought after employment, because it is one of the few ways in which Goblins can look at the sky. There is an outdoor patio at the rear of the bank, where the employees eat their meals. It is very, very popular. I think some of our employees would work for free, just to be able to take their meals on that patio. As a people, we have had to repress a lot of our natural desires. Living underground is hard, even if you can afford to live on as lovely a street as Goblin Way."

We must have walked half a mile before the king steered us onto a white gravel path leading to a sparkling pink door. As we approached, I could see a big brass lever, which I assumed opened the door. I didn't have a chance to find out. The king was a step from the door, when it was opened from inside. His wife welcomed us at the doorway. She was almost a head shorter than either king and quite slender. She smiled at us, as her husband spoke.

"This is my wife, Torva. She is most eager to speak with you."

"Welcome to our home," Torva greeted us. "These are our children: Gammon is fifteen, Golem is ten, and Tendra is twelve. Like you, I believe that my Tendra has a prophecy guiding her life. She is more important than Inca or me, just as you are more important than your father and husband." She was looking right at me with eyes that bore right into my soul. Happy eyes, but also very, very intense. "It is traditional in our society to remove shoes upon entering a home."

We hastened to do so. I was left in my navy blue knee socks. Hermione had been wearing very dressy summer sandals and was left with just her bare feet.

"It is unheard of to invite other magical creatures into a Goblin home, but I sense that times are changing and this is one of many things which must change. That old tradition was rooted in shame: we lost wars and were banished to the underground. We couldn't bear to have our families witness the shame of those who may live upon the surface seeing how we must live without the stars and sun. We have adapted, but it remains a source of shame to many Goblins. I choose to proudly show you what we have made of our situation and how our families are not that different from your own."

She was walking us into a sitting room and motioning us toward seats. The Gobbledegook family and former-King Goblanze sat in Goblin-sized chairs, as did Catta and Cotto. The rest of us sat in what must have been Goblin sofas. Designed to hold three or four Goblins, they held two of us.

As I took a moment to survey my surroundings, I came to the conclusion that Goblins loved wool. I was sitting on a very fine wool fabric which looked like it was intended for a very fine, but non-conservative Muggle suit. It was a pinstripe, but the base color was an olive and the pin-striping was cream. The carpet was a brilliant blue flat wool, which was very soft to the touch, but seemingly not much thicker than the covering of the sofa. The walls were covered in a cream fabric, which I assumed to also be wool. I didn't know what the ceiling was made from, but is emitted a smooth white light. It was a little distressingly low, barely over six feet. Ron's hair didn't graze the ceiling, but there was not a lot of room to spare.

Two Goblin servants appeared from another room, bearing glasses of sherry on silver trays. The glasses were about half the size of the ones at Gringotts, but were filled nearly to the brim. I carefully grabbed a glass and took a couple sips to lower the wine to a less perilous level. It would never do for the first Witch invited into a Goblin home to spill her sherry on the carpet or sofa cloth. I was feeling quite self-conscious. I received a reprieve as King Gobbledegook got right to the point.

"I apologize for frightening you with my description of the Quest. I especially apologize for giving you such a brief explanation that I fear it led to false assumptions and maybe a missed opportunity. Torva was most angry with me. I will allow her to explain."

Gobbledegook shooed the servants from the room, although the children were permitted to remain.

"I won't say how I know what I know, but I have learned of your list of proposed Quest assistants. I fear you miss a great opportunity."

"How so?" I encouraged Torva.

"You have an opportunity to create change and a better world which only comes once in many centuries. Your goal is peace and prosperity for all thinking creatures. I wholly support this goal, but fear you are far too timid. To make great change, you must be truly subversive. The rules of the Quest require that only females may be direct participants. The rules do not say that these females must all be Witches. If your goal is to unite all of the thinking creatures, don't you think it best to include members of the other magical communities. The Quest may cover difficult terrain for a Unicorn or a Centaur, but surely an Elf or a Goblin has as much chance of finishing the course as a Witch."

Of course! How could I be so dim.

Why didn't we think of that. Did Gobbledegook say Witches or did he say females. I really can't remember. I can see great advantage to a female Goblin and Elf. Like the Sirens, they have a different magic.

"You're right, of course," I told Torva after taking that moment to think and hear Hermione's thoughts. "I don't know why we assumed the Quest was only for Witches."

"I fear I explained it poorly," King Gobbledegook let me off the hook.

"I've known for a long time that McGonagall and many of your kind look down on Goblins, partly because how we treat our females," Goblanze hastened to slightly re-direct the conversation. "You are right to do so. Unlike me, King Gobbledegook realizes that our wives and daughters must be more active in the full range of our future. They need more and a different education and they need to be able to work in business, the government, and the bank. Part of the problem is that it was viewed as shameful for one of another magical species to look upon one of our females. It wasn't so when we lived upon the surface. Once, Goblin females even entered the Sacred Chamber. We need to make changes in our own community."

"And the Quest can cause that to happen," Torva spoke up again. "Those on the Quest must enter magical circles. They must even enter the Sacred Cavern. Not even the most conservative of Goblins would dare deny a Quester entrance into our Sacred Cavern. The Questers are on a mission directly assigned by the Goblin Master. He told my husband as much, when he appeared in the Sacred Cavern. Other Goblins also heard him. To deny a Quester access to the Sacred Cavern would be the greatest possible sacrilege – direct disobedience of a clear order from the Master. If you allow a Goblin female to join your Quest, she will be the first in at least a millennia to enter the Sacred Cavern. That may well be enough to permit other change to occur."

"I see that you do truly mean subversive, when you use that word," I told Torva. "I am more than happy to do what I can to encourage the necessary change. Do you have a Quest candidate in mind?"

"I would be happy to go, myself. So would Tendra. I think it fits with her prophecy. But you must interview many candidates, if you are willing, and choose the most suitable. I will happily arrange interviews with willing volunteers. Even limiting the pool to those modern female Goblins whom I know I can trust, I can find you dozens of volunteers. Some are surprisingly well educated on a lot of subjects that females normally don't learn, including fighting skills and magical engineering. There are many who could help you on your Quest. They are used to hardship and will fight forward with you until the end. They will not be turned aside by a fear of death."

"I'm quite sure that there are many noble and capable Goblin females and I would happily add one to my Quest team," I assured her. "I can see that as a route to the change we both want."

"There is something else," King Gobbledegook told us. "McGonagall thinks it a great secret, but we know of her Sisterhood. We think it both useful and quite dangerous. We understand your Ministry better than we understand this powerful secret government."

"I wish to join the Sisterhood," Torva announced. "I also want my daughter to attend Hogwarts. You now have a Goblin professor, why not a Goblin student. I know, my husband says that we have trained you not to commit to anything when it is first raised. I'm quite surprised you agreed to interview Goblins for your Quest. Please do speak to your father, and Neville, and the McGonagall about what I ask. I believe it to be very important."

It was time for dinner. Torva explained that politics and business were not discussed over family dinners. We would speak more after we ate.

The table from which we ate was solid granite. Fortunately the chairs were much softer, if small. Ron had to stretch his legs far in front of himself and seriously work to avoid kicking others. The food was served on a white ceramic so thin that you could actually see through it. We ate with silver knives, two-pronged gold forks, and small gold spoons. Dinner was wonderful.

"I cooked the food myself, with help from Tendra," Torva announced. "Normally Tendra and I would serve, but we wanted to eat and chat with you, so we hired servers for the occasion. We can't talk politics, but we can explain a bit about how we live, while we eat. Your lives are as mysterious to me as mine must be to you."

We ate spicy crab cakes accompanied by a mixture of pureed turnips, carrots, and potatoes. We drank a very large amount of sherry. I found myself working from the walled-off sober quarter of my mind.

As we explained how we lived, what we learned at school, and how we and other non-Slytherin Witches lived their adult lives, we also learned a lot about the lives of female Goblins.

They attended school apart from male Goblins. They studied for ten years at free schools provided by the government. All of their teachers were female. They learned to read, to write, to paint, to sculpt, to sing, to play musical instruments, to practice theoretical and some practical maths. They learned to cook and clean and sew and how to care for young Goblins. At the end of those ten years of instruction, most Goblin females immediately married and produced their first offspring within a year. Their husbands tended to be at least a decade older and to have been chosen by their fathers. This selection was not as much a business aid as it was with Slytherins. A Goblin father was charged with finding a mate whom his daughter would enjoy living with. Fathers and daughters spent much time discussing what traits made a prospective mate suitable. This time, during the tenth year of the female's schooling was the closest time for fathers and daughters. So much depended upon them understanding each other.

Perhaps one female Goblin in twenty went on for further education. Most studied to be teachers and healers, but a few studied advanced art, science, and even government. In these advanced schools, they studied along-side male Goblins. That is how Inca and Torva had met. They both attended science school. Both were expert in what we would call magical engineering as well as what Hermione said the Muggles called materials science. Torva explained that her father had been a bit hurt, when she selected her own husband, entirely on her own. Her father came around, when he saw what a great artist and scientist Inca was becoming. She was now mainly a mother, doing just a little art and science on the side. She specialized in just the sort of see-through ceramics from which we were eating. Yes, she had made all of the plates herself. Yes, she could sculpt with her ceramic.

She sent her son to fetch a sculpture of ceramic flowers, which she had created. He returned with a vase and bouquet of mixed flowers. The vase was blue, the flowers were red, pink, and white and shaped like roses and tulips. You could see through the whole affair. I examined it closely. I couldn't find any seams. It appeared to be one piece.

"It wasn't a single piece to start. I've perfected an invisible joining technique. You don't have to handle it so carefully, it is surprisingly strong."

She took the sculpture from me and banged the vase with her knife. She tapped a petal. They did not break. She rapped the vase against the table. It survived.

"That… that's really quite amazing," Hermione blurted out.

"This is how I spend my life, when I'm not being the good wife and mother," Torva replied.

Dessert arrived on the table. I don't know quite what to call it. I'll describe it as whipped frozen port froth, with strawberries embedded within and a vanilla cream topping. It was different, but very tasty. It also added to the toll of alcohol, which I was imposing upon my brain. I vowed to follow my father's suggestion and agree to nothing further, until I was more in command of my own mind.

We moved back to the sitting room for, you guessed it, more wine – a very sweet port. I decided the best way to avoid further commitments was to get Torva talking about her family. I had no way of knowing whether or not I was broaching a taboo topic, but the port urged me to go right ahead.

"You mentioned that Tendra was the subject of a prophecy. As you might expect, prophecies hold a special interest for me. I hope it not impertinent to inquire about the nature of Tendra's prophecy."

"Not at all, I am quite willing to discuss it with the Mother of the Future. Please say goodbye to our guests and go to your rooms, children.

"Now… I guess I should start by saying that this prophecy appeared to both my husband and me in dreams on the same night. This was right before Tendra was born. At the time, I didn't even know that I was growing a female child. It seemed remarkable that we dreamt the same thing. Inca spoke to our greatest seer. He said that what my husband described was possible, but very rare, and something that only happened when Goblin Kings were involved."

"That is not the cause of my election," Gobbledegook hastened to clarify. "We have told nobody else of the prophecy. My daughter knows that she has a prophecy, but not what it is. For now I think that best… actually I think it essential. I should just be silent and allow Torva to tell you the prophecy."

"I saw the following in my mind, as clear scarlet words scribed upon the palest parchment," Torva began. "The birth of your daughter heralds a new age in which Goblins shall feel the warmth of the Sun upon their bodies. She shall control the Sacred Cavern and no place shall be forbidden to her footsteps. She will know and understand more than you can imagine and all thinking beings shall be her friend. The beasts shall love and comfort her, those who know her will trust her, those who hear her will believe her, and those who follow her lead shall not fail. She will live in and own the light. She shall command the wind and the rain and the fog and the hail. She will know all the Magicks of her ancient forebears and she will willingly use them for the good of all. You must guide, but not impede her, for she shall lead you to the future."

"Exactly the same for me," Gobbledegook told us. "Goblin seers are rare. Two receiving the same prophecy, while lying in the same bed, is unbelievable… and yet I swear to you that this really happened."

"It is time for you to depart," Torva told us. "I know that I was right to meet and speak with you. Ask to see my husband at the bank, when you wish to speak again. I will be ready."

Former-King Goblanze walked us back to the rail car. The street was almost dark, lit by an exaggerated moon and vastly exaggerated stars. We were alone on the street.

"A most interesting meeting," Cotto assured us. "I am most happy to have been included. The response was for you, not for me, so I be quiet. Now I tell you that I believe the Gobbledegooks speak the truth. I also tell you that female Elf be happy to go on Quest. Catta eat with us, because she be most willing and also most able."

"The King does speak the truth," Goblanze urged us to believe him. "You must trust him. This really is most important. Now you understand why I must no longer be king."

He helped us into the railcar, but did not join us. We rode to the surface in silence. A Goblin guard met us, as soon as the railcar slowed to a stop. He quickly walked us out of the bank and into an almost deserted Diagon Alley. Bill and Barb were waiting for us. They took us to Dad.

The sober corner of my mind gave Dad a complete description of the meeting and answered all of his questions. I was so clear and concise, that even my hiccup did not provoke a question concerning my sobriety. Dad decided not to include Percy in this meeting.

"You'll have to explain most of this again tomorrow, and Percy will be with us then. I don't want you to tell Percy or anyone else about the Goblin prophecy. That means not Neville, not Luna, and most definitely not Cissy or McGonagall."

Back at Hogwarts, our immediate goal was locating Neville and McGonagall. As we walked toward the headmaster's office, Ron told me "You realize of course that we were told about that prophecy, because Torva wants to insert her daughter into both your Quest and Hogwarts."

"That was hard to miss," Hermione mildly chastised Ron. "Still, that doesn't mean that going along with her wishes wouldn't be the correct thing to do. We need to get a much better impression of Tendra, before we agree to anything. At least her mother offered her up for interview. We will have to interview her without her mother listening in."

"We most certainly will," I agreed. I chose not to say anything more. The sober corner of my mind was slowly shrinking away.

Happily Neville was not in his office. Harry was disappointed, but I was not. Morning would be soon enough to talk to Neville. I decided to skip Gryffindor and head straight to our apartment. I was curious which houses the newbies had sorted into, but didn't want the first years to see me in this condition. It required very little persuasion to steer Harry straight to our apartment.

"Thought you'd come straight here," Neville exclaimed as we approached the hidden entrance to the stairs up to our apartment.

"We tried your office. You weren't there," I told him. "You would have gotten awfully stiff if we had decided to sleep over at the Ministry."

"I know how much you hate those cots," Neville replied. "Are you going to ask me up to share a sherry?"

"You can have one, we're done for the night," I replied, waving for him to follow us.

"We almost stopped by Gryffindor," I confessed. "I was curious where the newbies were sent."

"I didn't want Harry to miss the sorting of his little gifts to me," Neville told me. "I put off the sorting until breakfast. They're all bunking in Slytherin tonight. It certainly has enough empty beds. But I waited at your door for an hour to find out about your evening, not to tell you about the newbies."

Harry poured a sherry for Neville and we sat down around the fireplace.

"It was a good meeting," I told Neville. "I think Gobbledegook's wife Torva will become a good friend. They are both very modern Goblins. The reason we tried to hunt you down is that she has a twelve year-old daughter, whom she wants to attend Hogwarts."

"Of course I'm to be gifted with another difficult student," Neville moaned.

"Different, but probably not difficult," Harry assured Neville. "She seems very timid and polite. She has a prophecy, but the Minister says we must keep it a secret, probably shouldn't have even mentioned that. She's smart, she's modern, she seems to have no problem talking to Witches and Wizards. Her father is their king. We should try to keep him happy."

"You mean that I should try to keep him happy. I'm beginning to appreciate McGonagall's comments about Ministry interference. Personally, I think 'gifts' sounds so much more polite. You can imagine the answer that McGonagall would give you to that request. I, on the other hand, am inclined to say yes. It can be a broadening experience for my students and I did add a Goblin professor. You will, of course, supply a couple of Elves to keep her safe. I certainly don't want the daughter of the Goblin King to be murdered at Hogwarts on my watch."

"Thank you!" I said to Neville in my most earnestly sincere voice. "That really is a very great relief. And, I won't have to imagine how McGonagall would react. Torva, the King's wife wants to join McGonagall's Sisterhood. That promises to be a most interesting conversation."

"I certainly don't envy you that. By the way, I do realize that you've told me very little about your dinner conversation."

"I learned a lot about Goblin life. I also learned that Torva thinks I should take a Goblin and an Elf on my Quest. I think she would be happy to be that Goblin, although she seems to be hoping that I'll take her daughter."

"Okay, I'll let the two of you get some sleep. You have a number of difficult conversations ahead of you. Harry will be happy to know that his aurors managed to keep Constance's parents on the train and that Constance has been remarkably well behaved since she arrived. I expect both of you to be on-time for breakfast."

Hung over as I was, I couldn't let Neville down. Harry and I beat most of the students and staff to the Great Hall for breakfast. Not having been warned, Ron and Hermione appeared to have slept in.

Neville was buddies with the Sorting Hat, so he gave it full rein. No surprise that all the students, with the exception of twelve-year old newly-minted Hufflepuff Kevin Brown, sorted into Gryffindor. Our House's table magically increased eight feet in length, making it ungainly long for even the huge Great Hall. The food appeared and Neville instructed us, "You may eat, but please do so quietly. The Sorting Hat has a poem for us. I don't know what it's going to say. I'm as curious as you are."

"_I thank headmaster Neville for traditions restored_

_He and I are brothers in the sword_

_For many, many years may Neville be headmaster_

_McGonagall was rough, but now we are past her_

_I couldn't hold my tongue through that disaster_

_She had the temerity to shun this old hat_

_Enjoy yourself as a much older cat_

_While I celebrate having a new master_

_Not that any master could stifle a single word_

_Or demand standard rhyme schemes of which I'm bored."_

I looked up and saw a large cat perched at McGonagall's spot at the end of the table. I didn't know whether she and the hat were in cahoots, or the hat actually had the power to force her to transform into her feline persona. Perhaps she simply decided to be a good sport on the spur of the moment.

The student body first gasped, then hooted, then burst into raucous cheering and applause. A minute later, McGonagall, lips pursed, returned to her normal form. I was happy for her. She needed the cheers. Also the words 'good sport' and McGonagall hadn't belonged together in the same sentence for quite some time. Besides, if she was in a good mood, my conversation with her might be easier. Neville rose to speak.

He welcomed and quickly outlined the school rules for the new students, then introduced the faculty and briefly addressed all of us. "I want to thank Professor McGonagall for being such a good sport about the Sorting Hat's poem. I had two students ask me whether I just made so many changes to faculty and courses because headmaster McGonagall had made mistakes in planning this part of the term. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

"Those of you who were here the three prior years know that there were a lot of disruptions in your education. Last year was almost a complete loss. Even Dumbledore was too busy chasing Death Eaters to update our curriculum. I think that up to this point this term, Hogwarts educational program is the best it has been since I got off the Express over seven years ago. That is Professor McGonagall's doing. The art program is an inspired innovation.

"I've made changes, with Professor McGonagall's blessing, because we just have so much learning to cram in this year to get everyone ready to graduate and to face the real world. Education this year has been far more practical and useful than in the past. You all need to support yourselves when you graduate. I assure you, my staff is thinking of that.

"Under Umbridge, you were taught to pass largely meaningless Ministry exams. During Dumbledore's last year, we were interrupted by a battle and our headmaster was largely absent. Last year was one long painful battle.

"Meanwhile, the Wizarding world has been changing. Study hard and you will be ready for it. Professor McGonagall is revising the Ministry exams to be more realistic about what you actually need to know today. I fully expect that she will be your headmaster next year. So, here's to Professor McGonagall."

Sherry magically appeared in front of us. Most in the Hall applauded loudly. Neville took his seat, while McGonagall beamed out at us. All and all, a rather unusual breakfast. I was surprised to find that Neville was not yet finished and had risen for another announcement.

"I am also happy to tell you that Mr. Granger and I have planned some surprises for you over the next three months. Your knowledge of Muggle life will be accelerated. The ability to move within the Muggle world should not be limited to a few aristocrats. The upper level students will be taught how to drive an automobile and a motorcycle. This is essential to negotiating the Muggle world. Both the upper and lower level students will be making brief excursions into the Muggle world. QUIET IN THE BACK! THIS IS IMPORTANT. Your behavior during your trips into the Muggle world are subject to the Wizard Secrecy ACT. Get out of line and you may get more than detention. You may get Azkaban. Your professors will teach you how to behave. Unless you deliberately act up, you should be fine. There is no reason why you should want to act up. These will be very enjoyable great adventures. The better behaved you are and the more you learn, the more adventures you may have. Thank you for your attention. Those in the back may chatter if they wish."

The four of us, plus Neville and Mom, went to the Gryffindor Common Room to greet the new students and make them feel at home. Ron and Harry focused upon William, Hermione and I got Constance settled in, while Neville and Mom spoke to Meaghan, before Mom took her up to the Witches' dorm. Cissy, Luna, Margaret, and Jimmy Peakes greeted just about everyone else. The Spencer twins seemed shy and were hiding out in the corner of our Common Room, but Cissy dragged them over to meet the new students.

We spent an hour with them, telling them we would get together with them over the next few days to help them catch up on the beginning wand exercises. William seemed to be having difficulty coming to grips with the reality of his new home. I chatted with him for a few minutes, before he followed Ron and Harry up to the dorm. It seems he thought he was being sent off to a British youth prison, rather than a school, and was only slowly coming around to the notion that he was just at school. He said "It will be very strange going to class with little students half my size. I'm not totally sure that I can cope."

"It will be harder for them," I assured him.

I also assured him that everyone feels overwhelmed the first time they see Hogwarts, but that the strangeness wears off fairly quickly. I acknowledged that his age and size posed unique problems, telling him I had someone I wanted him to meet in a day or so.

Before heading back to our apartment, I detoured Harry to the owl tower, so that I could send a message to Sean. I was hoping that he could have a half-giant-to-half-giant talk with William. Meanwhile, I'd introduce William to Hagrid, right after lunch.

Harry was off to the Ministry and William had a free hour, so Ron, Hermione and I sought out Hagrid. As we approached Hagrid's hut, I was surprised at the noise I heard and astounded that the school wasn't already in an uproar. That sound could only have been produced by a young dragon. I didn't see it, but knew it must be in the clear area beyond the hut.

As we detoured around the hut, Hagrid and the dragon came into sight. It was Norbert, on above-ground vacation from his guard-duty at Gringotts. Norbert had grown since I had last seen him, but was almost tame around Hagrid. Still, I had heard a burst of flame, along with dragon song as we had approached the hut. I hesitated to call out to Hagrid. This seemed a dangerous time to break his concentration.

Hagrid tossed a large piece of meat at the dragon. Norbert snatched it out of the air, slightly unfurling his wings as he stretched his head up. The meat was quickly consumed and Norbert let out a small jet of flame, which sailed past Hagrid's shoulder. It didn't seem meant in anger or to harm Hagrid, and might even have been a dragon burp. We held our ground until the feeding ritual was finished. Hagrid stepped toward Norbert and patted him on his head, which the dragon had lowered at Hagrid's approach. Hagrid then just turned and walked away, as if he had nothing more dangerous than a bunny at his back.

He had only taken a few steps, before he noticed us and redirected his steps toward us. I introduced William to Hagrid, explaining to Hagrid that William was a most unusual student from Eire, who was feeling sorely out of place and in need of a friend. Hagrid suggested that we leave William with him. As we left, William was being introduced to Norbert. For a young Muggle adult who had found Hogwarts almost unbearably alien, William took surprisingly quickly to Hagrid and Norbert.

Ron wanted to avoid a meeting with McGonagall, so Hermione and I tackled her on our own. We found her in her teaching office.

"And to what do I owe this visit," McGonagall accosted us as soon as she opened the door. At least she smiled as she spoke.

"I do remember that we discussed telling the Goblins about the Sisterhood at your last executive meeting,…" I began, before McGonagall interrupted me.

"Now you're going to tell me that you let the secret slip to former King Goblanze," she finished my sentence.

"No, we didn't tell, but Goblanze and the new king do know about the Sisterhood."

"And how do you know that they know?" McGonagall seemed extremely skeptical about my claim of innocence.

"We had dinner with King Gobbledegook and his family last night," I told her.

"That is most unusual. Did you eat at Gringotts?"

"No, at their home. We met their three children. Niko Goblanze was also present."

"Even more unusual. Totally exceptional, I would say. And why did they tell you that they knew about my Sisterhood?"

"Torva Gobbledegook, that's the King's wife, is determined to join the Sisterhood. We promised to raise the issue with you."

"Did you indeed. Where does she expect that we should meet? The Goblins don't even allow their females to enter Gringotts. I've never met, or even seen, a Goblin female. If you'll recall, their treatment of their own females was precisely the reason we didn't want them to know of the Sisterhood."

"I repeat, I didn't tell them. Just as I didn't tell them that I was in the process of drawing up lists of possible Quest assistants. Getting a Goblin female out into our world seems an excellent reason to admit her to the Sisterhood. She didn't say where she would be allowed to meet with you. Presumably she'd be willing to be apparated to your apartment. She is a very modern Goblin. She wants her daughter to attend Hogwarts. And yes, we did alert Neville to that issue."

"Did she want anything else from you?"

"She'd like me to include her or her daughter on my Quest team. Both the former and current Goblin Kings see that as a great idea. So does Cotto. I'm not entirely sure what I think of the idea, although the purpose of the Quest is to bring all magical beings together."

"The initial purpose of the Quest is to finish it and to live through it. You need the team that gives you the greatest likelihood of success. Peace and cooperation among all magical beings is supposed to flow from that. Have you thought of the repercussions if the King's daughter is killed on your Quest? Did the three Kings have any other suggestions for whom you should include on your Quest?"

"An Elf."

"God bless, you really are going to need the Light Guardian's help. You should drink far less sherry. I don't envy you your selection process. I'll just say this, and I admit that I have bullied you in the past. It is YOUR Quest. Don't be bullied into choosing team members whom you don't want and who are unlikely to help you succeed. A Goblin and an Elf may be great team members, but please don't choose them just to make the kings happy."


	90. Chapter 90

**Chapter 90 – It's Fun to Torment Herr Professor Schwein**

Next morning, Harry went off to the Ministry, right after breakfast, but the rest of us decided to drop in on Herr Schwein's class, just to see what fighting skills he would try to teach the students. That gave me less than an hour to pop into Gringotts and arrange a time to interview the King's wife and daughter.

When I told the guard that I had personal business with the chairman's family, I was escorted right to his office. I didn't have to wait to see King Gobbledegook. I suspected that he might have been expecting me – at least hoping I would show up. I decided that his wife had pushed me quite strongly last night and I needed to be equally bold in pushing back.

"Your wife said I should come to the bank if I wanted to speak to her again, so here I am. She made a lot of requests of me last night, which seem so contrary to your culture, that I was almost tempted to just write them off. Then I realized how unprecedented last night's dinner was and determined that I really must determine how much change is afoot."

"I assure you that my wife fully meant everything she said last night and that she is a very intelligent Goblin who understands the full meaning of her requests and where they must lead. I have talked about this with her at length. I am no more a fool than she is. I know that this can lead to great danger and even death to those I love most. I must accept that. You should realize that my wife and daughter could well become outcasts within our community and that I may be forced to give up my kingship. If that happens, my sons' futures will not be bright. My whole family realizes all of this. We have talked at length and we wish to go ahead."

"Okay, I recognize and respect your sincerity and understanding of the downside of this. There is also downside for me and Hogwarts if we start down this path and it leads to failure. My husband and father worry how you and the rest of the Goblins will react if I add a member of your family to the Quest and she is killed or, as a lesser fear, if your daughter attends Hogwarts, and despite the best efforts of the headmaster and staff, some of the students treat her very badly. I've seen how vile some Hogwarts students are in their discrimination against and taunting of Muggle-born Witches and Wizards. They were actually hunted down under Voldemort, but before that they were often reduced to tears at Hogwarts. Hermione can tell you about that. I fear a Goblin child would have an even worse time. Your daughter would see some of the very worst of Hogwarts. I think my friends in Gryffindor, and probably Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff would accept her, but if the Slytherins are back, they will be endlessly brutal to your daughter. We would try to protect her with an Elf watcher, but that is not perfect. At best that can prevent physical assaults, but not all the little assaults upon her soul. You may think me alarmist, but I am what passes for a pure-blood Witch and the Slytherins tried to murder me this term, because of my own and my family's political beliefs. I guarantee you that the Slytherins don't like Goblins and won't want one at Hogwarts."

"I really do understand all of that. I know that my daughter was quiet last night and I admit that she is a little shy. I also know that she is very strong and determined to rise above the traditional roles of our females. Her mother has inspired and encouraged her in this direction. She is well aware that she may die. She prefers that possibility to just accepting even the unusual life which Torva has led."

"You touch on something that bothers me. It seemed that your wife is pushing your daughter to do this. Tendra did strike me as shy, timid, and very, very sheltered. You sent her from the room, when we discussed her prophecy and the rest of the serious discussion. If you and your wife don't think she is ready to handle that, why should I think she is ready to handle Hogwarts or the Quest?"

"I understand your reluctance. This is a big step for all of us and if it fails, we can all be worse off, than if we don't take this risk. I can only say that the coming of the Goblin Master and the failure of the reactionary Ruppasta make this the ideal time to take this risk. The existence of the Quest also provides the right opportunity. We do this now, or it won't be attempted for centuries. Like my wife and daughter, I believe that you want to lead great changes.

"To your other concern… please believe that we hide the details of Tendra's prophecy from her, not because we think she is too weak to handle the knowledge, but because we want her to actively make her own decisions and not act to fulfill the prophecy. You and Harry and those who loved you best have faced the same question about revealing a prophecy too soon. I've read your exam paper from the Divination NEWT, and I know that you understand this. If it's important to you that Tendra know her prophecy in order to be accepted for Hogwarts or your Quest, then we will tell her."

"How did you read my exam paper?"

"I'm a king. We have spies and friends. This is important to us. It is hard to be a king. Change is very hard to control. It is most risky when it comes from outside your own community. A king must spend as much time understanding what the other communities of thinking creatures are doing and how that will affect his own community as on things strictly within that community. For those of each community who believe in prophesy, the subjects of major prophecies, from whatever community, are a matter of greatest interest and concern. All of us watched Harry and we're all watching you and Hermione. We decided that the three of you are forces for good, so we have also helped you. Don't think that we don't talk about you quite a lot. I am quite sure that now that I have mentioned her prophecy, that the rest of you will speak a great deal about Tendra. I'm sure you will get quite a few questions after you interview my Torva and Tendra. Don't be surprised if the questions come from Cotto, and Firenze, and Bane, and Uncstad as well as from your father. If Tony finds out about Tendra, he will have many, many questions for you."

"Oh!"

"Tony is a good person and McGonagall is a good person, but I understand why he forced her off The Committee and wasn't happy to see her at the last meeting. You Wizards are complex. There is the government and then there are the aristocrats other than Lord or Lady Montaigne, and the Montaignes, and there was Dumbledore, and now there is McGonagall and her Sisterhood and Hogwarts. It is hard to deal with just the governments of other communities. To deal with what he sees as a very self-centered and unpredictable McGonagall was just too much for Tony. He had to simplify The Committee by getting rid of her. Bane can ignore the noise of competing Witches and Wizards, but Tony is also a human and you live in his country. He has to focus most upon all the Witches and Wizards and it was just too much for him.

"This is all a long way of saying don't be offended that your business is a lot of other persons' business as well and we aren't just being nosy or rude, when we study you. It is a matter of our own survival. A lot of possible change comes at me from the other communities. I must decide what is good change and what is bad change; what is avoidable change and what is unavoidable change. It is the hardest part of being king.

"I'll be honest and tell you that King Goblanze submitted one of the exam questions, just so that we could learn more about your thoughts on the subject. It is not cheating. You are the Mother. The Divination and Religion course and the Light Guardian religion will be what you and Hermione say they will be. If you get a NEWT or you don't get a NEWT is of no importance. You are important to us. Please don't ask me to explain any more. Now… how must we proceed with my wife and daughter for you and your allies to seriously consider our request?"

"I understand what a big step it was for Torva and Tendra to meet with us last night, even with you and Niko present. It will be a far bigger step for them to interact with, and be seen in public, with me and other Witches and Wizards, without you at their side. As a next step, I need to interview them alone, at Hogwarts. So do Neville and McGonagall. It's something they need to handle without your support."

"They will be happy to do that. Torva wasn't sure she wanted me or Niko at dinner last night, but I insisted. When should they be at Hogwarts?"

"I'm sorry, but things are moving very fast. How is tonight, after our dinner at Hogwarts?"

"That would be perfect. How are they to arrive at Hogwarts."

"I'll apparate them from the lobby of your bank. Say at seven PM"

That had taken longer than I had planned. I just had time to catch Hermione and give her the barest summary of what had happened, before Herr Schwein's class was scheduled to start.

"I just realized," Hermione whispered to all of us as we were about to enter the classroom, "about the use of Viktor's secret weapon. With that as the biggest weapon in Schwein's arsenal, he'll feel a special sense of urgency to find a partner of compatible political persuasion. I can't tell you how glad I am that Ginny drove away the upper level Slytherins."

As soon as we took our seats, Professor Schwein rapped his wand on his desk for attention. He was trying to seem formidable, but he mainly looked old, and his white beard looked straggly and a little unkempt for what I expected from a Continental. He rose and smoothed his waistcoat. He wasn't wearing the normal professorial robe, but rather a dark blue waistcoat over dark grey trousers. I had never before seen a Wizard professor wearing Muggle suspenders. He was taller than I remembered, over six feet, and remarkably trim for a Wizard of his seeming age. I thought he wore the waistcoat to show off his slender waist.

I realized that we had the two Slytherin girls, a third level and a fourth level, in this class and that they would be the likeliest students for Professor Schwein to recruit. Professor Schwein walked to the chalkboard, picked up a long piece of chalk, and wrote out in script 'Herr Professor Schwein'. He turned to face us, declaring, totally unnecessarily, "I am Herr Professor Schwein. I teach you to fight. To wins ven you fight. Zis ees my pet Ortho." He pointed to the snowy white owl on the back of his chair. "Say ello to zee class Ortho." The bird squawked at us and leapt onto Herr Professor's shoulder.

Herr Professor spent the class testing us on various spells, starting with 'lumos' and moving up to 'expelliarmus' and the casting of a Patronus. By having us do 'lumos' and cast our Patronus in groups of six, he had time to make it around the whole class. There was something about Herr Schwein's attitude which put me in a rebellious mood and prompted me to draw attention to one of the Slytherin girls.

I thought Irma, the fourth level Slytherin, was likeliest to appeal to the Schwein, both because of the German sounding name and because she had been playing up to him. Really, more than that, Irma was quite chunky for a Slytherin Witch. Among other things, that made her quite close to Schwein in mass, a real plus for a secret weapon partner. Since chunkiness was not regarded at all well among Slytherin Witches – even Cissy's rather mild chubbiness had gotten her a lot of teasing – I thought Irma might be eager to have a Herr Professor friend.

I whispered to Hermione that she should help me pair up with Irma. When time for the 'expelliarmus' practice arrived, Hermione contrived to block the path of the other Slytherin girl, while I moved to Erma's other side. The students paired up so rapidly that Hermione and I were left with the two Slytherins.

The Slytherins were caught by surprise and we were able to beat them in volunteering to go on offense first. We reached for the stone and made sure to be first off the mark as soon as Herr Professor ordered 'start', so that Irma's and Gertrude's wands sailed high into the air to bounce off the ceiling a full second before any of the other students were disarmed. Herr Schwein gave Irma a stern look and then asked us to switch roles. I had my defensive shields set at full strength as Irma shouted 'expelliarmus'. My wand did not budge. In fact, the hand holding my wand barely moved. As a very irritated Irma shouted 'expelliarmus' for the third time, Herr Professor was staring at her intently. I was the only student still holding my wand.

"Say ze curse like you mean it," Herr Schwein sternly commanded Irma.

Irma tried again and yet again, before bursting into tears under Herr Schwein's intense stare.

"I don't know why I can't do it," she whimpered. "I'm not great with a wand, but I normally have no problem doing this exercise. Perhaps someone used that Weasley spray on my wand."

An irritated Herr Professor grabbed her wand and pointed it at me. "Expelliarmus," he shouted. "I loosened my grip on the wand and gave it a boost with a wordless spell, such that it bounced off the ceiling.

"Das vand, zehr gutt, du nicht zo gutt, leetle girl," Herr Professor said in a nasty tone, as he returned Irma's wand to her.

Irma was so rattled that she was unable to produce her Patronus. Herr Schwein ignored the other students to watch her repeated failures. The best she achieved was a faint glow at the end of her wand, but she soon lost the ability to do even that.

As the class ended and we rushed into the corridor, I was not at all surprised to see that Herr Professor had detained Irma.

"**I must say, that went even better than I expected. I confess that I quite enjoyed myself."**

"**We'd best not let Professor McGonagall learn of this. She won't be pleased that you toyed with one of the proto-Slytherins and reduced her to tears. It could be considered cruel.**

"**I consider it cruel myself and I'll make it up to Irma some time. I think it was necessary if we are to catch out Herr Schwein, before he causes trouble here or his friends back in Durmstang can make big trouble for Viktor. This is a war."**

Right after class, it was off to see Neville and McGonagall. We walked slowly to Neville's office, so that I could whisper a fuller summary of my meeting with King Gobbledegook.

Neville's reaction was "you're moving awfully fast, but I agree that these are difficult times. I'm certainly willing to speak to Tendra tonight. Unless you think I can provide some additional guidance, there is no need for me to speak to her mother."

I convinced Neville that his opinion of Torva was important to me and that he and McGonagall would want to assess how well Torva could stand up to a weepy owl from Tendra complaining about the teasing and abuse she was being forced to endure.

McGonagall was pleased for the chance to interview the two Goblin females. I sensed that she saw this as a possible route back into more of the action. The Goblin king would make a good ally for her.

I was rapping on the front door of Gringotts right on schedule. I was a little surprised that a guard hadn't met me at the stairs. Standing at the top of the stairs, in an obviously exposed position in which anyone in a nearby shadowing shop doorway had a clear shot at me. I dialed my defenses up another notch and thanked Harry in my mind for his assistance that Bill and Barb come with me for this meeting.

Thirty seconds after my first knock, King Gobbledegook opened the door of the bank. As I entered the lobby, I saw Torva and Tendra rising from seats. Nobody else was in sight. The king did not want his people to learn about tonight's meetings. I took that as a poor sign that he and his wife and daughter would be able to stick out this venture, when the inevitable complaints started.

I greeted the king and extended hands to both Torva and Tendra. As soon as I felt that each had a good grip, I said goodbye to Bill, Barb, and the king. With just a little tumbling along the way, the three of us were soon standing in the sitting room of my apartment. Harry had agreed to be absent, but Hermione, McGonagall, and Neville were already seated in front of the fireplace. They stood to greet us.

I suggested that Tendra go off with Neville and McGonagall, while I spoke to her mother. I wanted Tendra to have to walk the halls, but didn't want her to be seen by students whom I didn't trust. I knew that McGonagall would lead her group on a circuitous route along third floor corridors, during which time they would encounter Luna, Cissy, Margaret, and George. I needed to know how Tendra would react to walking the corridors with fellow students. Compared to the crush of the daily movements from class to class and into the Great Hall, these encounters would be extremely mild, but new to Tendra. I had also arranged for Goblex to pass the trio as they made their way to McGonagall's apartment, sensing that having a male Goblin teacher might be the greatest challenge for Tendra. If the king objected to Goblex seeing his daughter at Hogwarts, well that would be a very bad sign for this venture. I supposed his memory could be obliviated, if need be.

"So, why are you really so determined to participate in the Quest?" I asked Torva.

"It is important for my people and I have a great desire to see a magical circle. I want to change things so that my children and their children can lead freer lives than Inca and I have led. We have lived a luxurious, but very constrained, life among the Goblin powerful."

"Your husband has a hugely important job and is under immense stress. You are his only wife. How badly will he be affected if you are away for half a year, or if you are killed."

"I assume the same way as your Harry. He will cope as best he can, because he believes in the importance of what I will be doing. I'm not determined that I must go on the Quest. I believe that a female Goblin must do so. I prefer that you choose Tendra, but you may not find her ready. My husband will trust me. I fear that he will fear another Goblin would be made too powerful if she survived the Quest. He can't say so, because he knows how important this is. He will accept any Goblin of your choosing. He will worry, however."

"I will be in mental contact with Harry, at least sporadically. I'm not at all sure that you and Inca will have that. I thought it would come down to a Goblin from your family or no Goblin at all. I noticed that the guards were not in the lobby, when I fetched you tonight. Your husband is afraid if another Goblin learns of our meeting. I should tell you that I have arranged for Goblex to pass your daughter in the corridor on the way to McGonagall's office. I felt we needed to learn how both of them would react to that."

"Inca won't be pleased, but we both trust Goblex. If you can arrange it, I will speak to Goblex after we finish. I'm sure he will have strange thoughts dancing in his mind."

"I don't even know what skills you possess, which could be a help on the Quest. Can you fight? Can you apparate? Can you fly a broom? Do you know defensive spells? Do you know about the ancient Gods and Goddesses. Do you know anything at all about repairing and restarting a magical circle?"

"I can fight with a sword. I can perform magic. If you chose me, I'd hope for time to practice with a wand. I've studied magical engineering, but have never seen a real magical circle. We have a practice circle for training students and I have worked on that. I can tell if others lie. I can often sense danger and persons with bad plans. I know many defensive magics. Yes, I can apparate. No, I can't fly a broom, although I'd like to try. I am very good at what you call transfiguration. I am very good at calming other. I know healing arts, but not for humans. I know much of the Goblin Master and of some older Goblin Gods. I have no idea if we will encounter these Goblin Gods on the Quest. I do know that some of them still live. I know the old Goblin lure and legends. I can find water and edible fungus underground. I am brave."

"And does your daughter know what you know? Are you really willing to send her off on this Quest. The ill-prepared likely will not return. I assure you that I worry greatly that I will be forced to take one as young as Cissy."

"I've taught Tendra as much as I can. She learns very quickly. I hope there is time for her to learn more. If not, she must succeed by her wits. I think her prophecy requires that she go with you."

"Prophecies are subject to many interpretations, but I take your point."

That was it. McGonagall returned with Tendra and left with Torva. I told her that Torva wished to speak to Goblex. McGonagall promised to send for him.

Hermione had listened in silence as I questioned Torva, now I sat back as she questioned Tendra. It seemed less threatening to have only one questioner.

"You are here to be interviewed to become a Hogwarts student and a member of the Quest. Do you actually want to do these things, or is this just your mother's dream for you?"

"I have a strong desire to do these things. I feel hemmed-in by my present life. There is so much that I'm not allowed to do, because I am female and so much that I cannot do because my parents are so protective. I definitely want to come to Hogwarts and learn new magics. I definitely want to enter the Sacred Cavern. I'm not sure I'm ready for a Quest. I'm very young and I know a lot less than mother."

"Being very young, aren't you afraid you'll die on the Quest?"

"Yes, of course I am. I'd be very stupid if I wasn't. I won't run from my prophecy or what my people need me to do – even if most of them don't realize that they need me to do it."

"But… you don't even know what your prophecy says. Your parents haven't told you."

"King Goblanze told me. Please don't let my parents know that. It is important that Niko and my father get along."

I admit that I didn't see that one coming. I had clearly misjudged which Goblin King was the more slippery character.

Hermione demanded a demonstration of magical skills. Tendra apparated from her chair to a sitting position several feet in the air at the far corner of the room and then traveled around the room in a series of little hops, without actually touching the ground or ever disappearing as she would if she were apparating. She lifted Hermione's chair several inches off the ground and then dropped her at an angle.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to do that. I'm not as skilled as mother."

We chatted some more, largely to get Tendra more relaxed and to see how that would change her. She did seem less timid without her parents hovering about. I could tell that she meant it when she claimed to be brave. I wasn't concerned that she had only a little sword experience. She promised to practice with her mother, I think realizing that fighting skills without magic had value to us.

McGonagall and Neville brought Torva back to our apartment, just after Harry joined us. I left Harry to serve Sherry to the crew, while I apparated Torva and Tendra back to the bank. Harry insisted on Bill coming with us. I landed us right in the middle of the lobby, gave King Gobbledegook a little wave and was back in our apartment. Not even five minutes round trip, and no barfing. Stone power is a great thing.

I arrived to a hushed sitting room. "Well, what do we think guys? I know you've been talking while I've been away."

"I'll be happy to admit Tendra. She may start immediately. I'll put her in Ravenclaw, because we've already added too many first years to Gryffindor. She seems like a very smart and tough kid. She can take advanced courses, where appropriate, but needs to start from the beginning on her wand and broom. We compared swords. She thinks mine is neat," Neville reported.

McGonagall and Hermione voiced agreement, with McGonagall adding "I don't think she will have an easy time. Fortunately the older Slytherins are gone. What do you think about her for a Quest assistant?"

"Awfully young. I can't imagine shepherding both Cissy and Tendra. That seems more chore than help. I like her mother better, if we're including a Goblin. I think Hermione does too. If we choose a Goblin, I think it will have to be a member of the current or past royal family. This is such a secretive thing among them."

"I do agree," Hermione concurred. "Unfortunately, I think Torva prefers that we take her daughter. We'll see how much she can learn, before the Quest has to begin. It's good that she will be here at Hogwarts. We can teach her and observe her and make a better decision at the end of the term."

"Don't rush a decision," McGonagall advised. "You know you'll have to discuss this with your father, probably tomorrow."

We learned that evening from Janna that Professor Schwein had castigated Irma and ordered her to come to his office tomorrow for private instruction. I suspected he would try to recruit her to be his assistant Grindelwald. Their encounter did not proceed quite as I had planned.

Harry, Hermione and I had breakfast in Dad's conference room. Percy was included. I explained all that I knew about the female Goblins. Dad was displeased that "King Gobbledegook is pushing us very hard and Cotto is sharing far too much of our business with the Goblins – you must speak to him Harry."

After Percy voiced many doubts and Dad gave full voice to his concern that "others are steering events that are of vital importance to us,' Dad agreed that I should introduce Torva and Tendra to the Stone, 'just in case YOU choose them for the Quest and to keep Gobbledegook happy. It is also very important to determine if the Stone will even deal with Goblin females or whether they are able to become one with it. That spirit warrior business may be something that they are simply not capable of. This is a very important step. Unfortunately, circumstances with Hermione's committee mean you have to move immediately."

We stopped by the bank to see the king. Torva and Tendra would apparate to our apartment at midnight.

I was enjoying lunch with Harry and the gang, when McGonagall appeared behind me, commanding "my office, Mrs. Potter."

I shoveled another piece of the roast venison into my mouth and got up to follow her, thinking 'what? She's neither my headmaster nor professor at the moment. I considered sitting back down, but after that momentary delay, I did follow.

"I know that I'm no longer your headmaster, but I must step in to prevent undue cruelty to the younger students. Irma Heidigger visited me this morning, Mrs. Potter. It seems she had an inordinate amount of trouble disarming you in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, yesterday. That is very strange, because your mother tells me that Irma was an excellent pupil for her."

"I'm a much better student and Professor Schwein had Irma a bit rattled. She honestly was unable to disarm me."

"Did you reach for the stone," Mrs. Potter?

"I believe I did. It is best to practice as you would actually fight. I also wanted to push Irma and Professor Schwein together, so that he would try to recruit her."

"I realize that we all want to catch out Professor Schwein, but I can't have you playing with the younger students. I must insist that you partner only with Hermione in future. Miss Heidigger was very upset. Professor Schwein did try to recruit her and she reported the attempt to me. She has no interest in aiding the Grindelwalds. You must learn that not all Slytherins are evil.

"You get along fine and have been very supportive of the young Slytherins living in Gryffindor. You just assume that these young children, whom you view as very pleasant, will suddenly become evil when they enter their fourth year. That is a generalization that constitutes an extreme prejudice. You must work on that. The Mother of the Future is to brighten the future of all magical creatures, even those who happen to sort into Slytherin house. You really caused a lot of grief for that poor girl. She may be a Slytherin, but she is also a very nice girl. You should do what you can to help her restore her self-regard. Our investigation of Professor Schwein is important, but I don't want any more damage done to the younger students. I think I've successfully soothed Irma, but your behavior was cruel. You may go Mrs. Potter."

I was going to just walk away, but felt the need to stand my ground. "Part of Defense Against the Dark Arts training is learning in your gut that there are fighters so much better than you, that you have no chance of winning and should forego the battle. I'm a seventh year and an experienced fighter. A fourth year shouldn't assume that she can disarm me. I could have defeated her without the Stone, but sought that extra ounce of certainty. It is on Professor Schwein if he humiliated a fourth year for being unable to defeat a seventh year. I admit that pairing with Irma was a little cruel, but necessary. It is very strange for you to be chastising me after the outright abuse you subjected most of the first and second years to. Irma was not set afire, she was not dangled upside down with her knickers exposed, nor was she pushed down into a toilet bowl , turned into a ferret, or slammed against a wall. Our first years experienced all those things. At least my misdeed was in the interest of preventing the baddies from taking over Durmstrang and murdering Viktor and Cho. I'll focus my attentions directly upon Herr Schwein from now on. That will be more fun and less guilt."

"Very well, Mrs. Potter, I know you are intelligent enough to realize that my error doesn't make your actions correct."

Harry was very supportive, when I told him the story of Irma and the Herr Professor, only briefly suggesting that McGonagall might have a valid point about my treatment of Irma, but then quickly switching back to whole-hearted support. "We need to quickly compromise Professor Schwein, before Viktor is seriously threatened. What you did was in the category of a school prank. Not even a particularly severe school prank. From what you say, Irma was very upset, and we should speak to her, but she was upset primarily by the unacceptable instructional behavior of Herr Schwein. He didn't need to belittle her failures. I've had no problem teaching students who initially failed to disarm an opponent or produce a Patronus. If I had behaved like Schwein, all of Dumbledore's Army would have been crying."

We sought out Irma at dinner and explained, without mentioning the Stone, what had happened in class and why it had happened. I concluded by saying, "We just couldn't be sure you'd act the part properly, if we alerted you in advance. Besides, Herr Schwein might have seen us plotting, and then he wouldn't have approached you. I'm very glad that you didn't agree to support him."

"But, I still couldn't disarm you," she sighed. "That was for real. I thought at first that you had sprayed my wand, but the wand was fine. It was me. I just couldn't disarm you, but Professor Schwein did so right away."

"I'm a very good fighter," I told her. "Lots of students would be unable to disarm me. You remember that Hermione and I beat the Slytherin seventh years, when they outnumbered us. When Professor Schwein tried to disarm me, I made sure that I was barely holding onto the wand. You should know that Hermione's mother says you are a very good Defense Against the Dark Arts Student. You're a fourth yea. You shouldn't expect to be able to disarm a seventh year who trained every day for two years to confront Death Eaters. I could tell by the force on my wand that you were doing very well. You'd have easily disarmed any of the other fourth years. You were up against somebody who has defeated Grindelwalds and killed a Giant. There is no shame in not being able to disarm me."

That conversation seemed to leave Irma feeling better about herself, but a little resentful of me, which was certainly not unwarranted.

Irma had just left us, when an excited Janna apparated next to me. "Professor Schwein, he contact one of your Gryffindor proto-Slytherin. Catta follow her, she write note to parent, send by owl. Catta copy part of note. I read 'Professor Schwein says I have to help him, because our family is anti-Potter. I like the Potters and I can't stand the Schwein. He can't even speak English properly. Must I help him? Please….' That all she copy before owl take note."

"That's very good work by both of you," I congratulated Janna. Where is Schwein now?"

"I follow to his room. He not leave."

"Very good, thank you very much."

Mom caught us as we were entering the Great Hall for dinner. She dropped the angry, indignant look from her face to inquire of Ron and Harry if they were feeling fully recovered after their journey. Harry initially thought she meant the Hogwarts Express trip, since neither he nor Ron had shown ill effects from sleeping in the Circle and had since had very good sleeps. Ron assured her that they were well and that they had, 'fantastic visions of GoblinWorld to share with the rest of you.' I interrupted him to ask Mom what had upset her.

"It's nothing, Ginny," she replied, "just that nasty Professor Schwein. He accused me of giving him 'a very ill-prepared class. That Irma cannot do magic. I'm surprised she was allowed to enter fourth year. We Germans are right to not try to push the Witches beyond their natural abilities.' He said it was 'very good thing dueling now taught by a Herr Professor. Not proper subject for Witch.' Indeed! It's bad enough I have to learn to teach Transfiguration just to make a familiar spot for him. Does he really need to be so insufferable? He suggested that I was given the job just because Arthur is the Minister."

I explained my little prank to Mom. She was appalled and told me "that really is beneath you, Ginevra. I worked very hard with that girl."

I assured her that I had met with Irma and thought she was feeling better.

I fetched the Goblins at midnight. As I left the Goblins huddled up against the Stone in the lower chamber, I could tell that they were frightened, but determined to proceed. I did my best to calm them, telling them that more than a dozen of us had already done what they were about to do. All had survived and all had found it to be a pleasurable experience. I didn't tell them that I had no experience with Goblins. There was no point in frightening them, since whatever I said would not dissuade them from this course they had chosen. I was encouraged that I had been able to introduce them to the Stone. I was further encouraged that the rings I had made for them had worked. This was more of a test than it might seem, since I used a different design, which I felt would be more suitable for Goblins – it would look like normal Goblin jewelry, if an unfriendly Goblin chanced upon it in Tendra's possession. It was Tendra whom I was most worried about.

With Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the passageway leading to the lower chamber, I was confident that help was closely at hand, if it were needed. I apparated to the control room and launched a fully-equipped, hot-air balloon to CentaurWorld. Bane had requested this some time ago and Dad agreed to permit it.

Hermione apparated the Goblins from the lower chamber to the floor of the pyramid and I joined the others there. The Goblins were exhilarated. All fear was gone and they proclaimed themselves to be "far wiser," in the words of Torva.

I was very ready for bed and said gookbye to Torva and Tendra, without a lot of chitchat. They were in a chatty mood, but I was not. I put them off with the promise of "later."

Two mornings later, a breakfast owl appeared for Marsha Mason, whom we had discovered to be the second year proto-Slytherin whom Jana had seen being contacted by The Schwein.

"**Let's work together on a silent curse to Imperius her owl and have it fly away. We can instruct it to meet us in the owl tower."**

"**Sounds good. One, two, three, Imperio. Just don't let the owl fly too far away until we can tell it to go to the owl tower."**

"**Good. I think that worked. The owl was going up when it flew out the window and I didn't see it in the distance."**

"**Just keep eating your breakfast, we don't want to just get up and chase the owl. It should wait for us and we can beat Marsha to the tower."**

{{Harry, we're going to intercept Marsha's owl up in the owl tower. Think of a reason to keep Marsha here at the table.}}

I picked up my last two strips of bacon and was munching them as Hermione and I got up to leave the Great Hall. McGonagall spotted us and gave me a disdainful look as I crammed the last strip of bacon into my mouth. For some perverse reason, I very obviously wiped my greasy fingers on the sides of my robes, causing McGonagall to shake her head. Before she could say anything, Hermione and I were gone.

The owl was waiting for us in the tower. It was obviously still under the influence as it made no attempt to resist me, as I grabbed it and retrieved the message from its foot. Happily the Mason's did not use a family code. I easily read the message to Hermione:

"My poor child! Your father and I most certainly do not approve of this Professor Schwein contacting you in this manner and demanding your help. While we had some sympathy for some of Thicknesse's programs, as you know we most certainly were not Death Eaters or Voldemort supporters. The Grindelwalds are even farther beyond our interest. Ignore this professor's requests and, if he continues to pester you, report him to your headmaster. I am glad that you are getting along as well as you are. Whether we like it or not, and in truth your father and I don't much care, the Weasleys and Potters are the future and only a fool clings to the old regime or Grindelwald. Take care. Your Loving Mother, Emma."

"So, the parents, as well as Marsha, are more or less on our side. Wipe the note so there aren't any fingerprints and put it back on the bird. Then tell the bird to let Marsha collect the note," Hermione instructed me.

{{We've read and replaced the note. The parents don't want Marsha to help Schwein. You can suggest to Marsha that her bird likely just got overly excited by all the chatter and the table and flew off to the owl tower. Perhaps we can persuade Marsha to pretend to work with Schwein?}}

{Dangerous for a second year. I doubt Neville would approve.}

We passed Marsha on our way back to join Harry and Ron, but I think we were far enough away from the owl tower that Marsha would not suspect that we had come from there. It appeared that Ron and Harry had been energetically discussing the wisdom of recruiting Marsha to help us spy on Schwein.

Ron pressed the argument for action. "You know that McGonagall is just very overly cautious with second years. She's going to find something to fight us about, anyhow. It might as well be something that helps us catch Schwein going about his Grindelwald recruiting. Neville likely isn't as picky and it's not like he needs to mention it to McGonagall. She's no longer headmaster. I won't say her opinion doesn't matter, but it matters a lot less than it used to matter."

"I'd rather not fight her about both Cissy and Marsha. Margaret is bound to come up again, also. I really think we're in good shape without Marsha's help. If she rebuffs him, he'll be forced to turn to someone else. I think he just picked the girl who seemed to be the most pliable Slytherin in his classes."

Finally noticing us, Ron announced, "Marsha told Harry that she dreaded that the return note from her parents might say she had to help Schwein. She's really strong for our side. It's a shame not to… um, let her help."

"You were going to say 'use her'," Hermione accused Ron, "and that's what it would be. I say we lay back and see whom Schwein contacts next. If she wants to help, you should trot her down to Mrs. Longbottom, and have her write down and sign what she knows. Do the same with Irma. The notes can be secret until Schwein is arrested. Mrs. Longbottom can use them to justify continuing to keep watch on him. It's safe for the girls. I'm going to speak to Neville about it."

It was clear that Ron didn't want to argue with Hermione, but Harry had drifted into an introspective mood, in which he saw himself as abetting all manner of dangerous and unnecessary risk taking among the younger Hogwarts students. "I'm beginning to think McGonagall has a valid point," he told Ron. "I have to admit that we did allow Cissy to take too many risks. I'm especially ashamed of taking her with us to save the whales. It should have been obvious to me that she wasn't physically up to the mission.

"Margaret's father is also right. I promised to keep his daughter safe and ended up allowing Margaret to put on a suit of armor and fight Goblins with a sword. That certainly wasn't keeping my promise. I know that I ran some risks when I was Margaret's age, but at least Dumbledore tried to hold me back and didn't feel guilty when he excluded me from one of his own adventures. I know that Hermione came with us on many of our adventures, but she never seemed to crave the adventures nearly as much as the young Witches do now. It's taken me by surprise. I realize that I was foolish to promise Arthur to keep Ginny out of danger. I know she won't permit that."

"You shouldn't be surprised that second year Witches find you more interesting than I found Dumbledore," was offered by Hermione as the complete explanation, much to Harry's annoyance.

Harry just looked at her for quite a few seconds before responding, "I admit Margaret had a crush on me, but Cissy certainly doesn't and I doubt this young proto-Slytherin Marsha does, either. I've certainly never required young Witches to take great personal risks to be close to me. Maybe Hermione's right in a different way than she thinks. Perhaps having had McGonagall as headmaster and Mrs. Weasley as our first-half Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor makes adventuring seem more interesting and more possible to the young Witches. I really think they're following Ginny more than me."

Ron looked at Harry in disbelief, while Hermione looked dubious. I didn't know quite what to say. I certainly didn't want to accept responsibility for encouraging Cissy, Margaret, and now Marsha to so happily tempt death. After a few moments of silence, I blurted out a realization that had just popped into my mind. "I think part of Cissy's problem is she remains unconvinced that you will allow her to be the Keeper when she graduates. She's afraid that if she doesn't stick with us that you will forget her, and if she can't keep up with us on our adventures that you will judge her unworthy of being Keeper. I think she does actually enjoy it more than a little. Part of that may be that she is a risk junkie like McGonagall says, but part is that she simply finds us more interesting than her fellow second years, and another part is that she knows how much she needs to learn and doesn't think she can learn it in Hogwarts classes."

"That may well be correct," Hermione told Harry. "You should sit down with Cissy again and reassure her that you see her as the future Keeper and that she doesn't need to take so many risks in order to hang with us and have us teach her things. Ask if it's alright if you simply exclude her from the most dangerous adventures. Perhaps we should spend more time with Margaret in non-threatening circumstances. Her father is right that she is too young to be fighting and risking her life, but she is very smart and can help us with research and planning. She senses that very important changes are continuing to occur in the Wizard world and she wants to be a part of it. We just need to find the appropriate part. All that, plus I still think she still has a crush on you. I need to find a boyfriend for her.

"I have another theory about Cissy that is a little tougher to deal with. I'll have to discuss it with my mother… All right, I guess I should tell you what I'm thinking even when I have doubts. I think Cissy is afraid she won't be Keeper, but not because she doesn't trust Harry. She is afraid that she is just a few years from going the Bruce route, and wants to pack a life-time of experience and good-deeds into the few years that her mind is still functioning properly. If I had a Bruce in my family, that's what I would do. While Harry can reassure her that he won't abandon her, he can't assure her that her mind will still be functioning properly when she graduates Hogwarts."

"That is a rough situation to deal with," I agreed. "I'd hate to be in her situation. I'd wake up each morning checking myself out for reassurance that I was still the essential me."

Harry and Ron seemed agreed to drop the matter, so we did. At least for now, recruiting Marsha was off the table. When I told Harry that we planned to escort the Goblins plus Bill and Draco to the stone later in the day, Harry sheepishly reached into his robes and handed me an envelope.

"It's the questions to ask my parents, if either of them happens to find himself on BeyondWorld. I know it's not the smartest thing in the world to do, especially with Draco, but I can't help myself. Please have them read these questions before they lie down inside the Circle. I don't mind if you also read them.

Harry went off to the Ministry with Barb, while Bill went with Hermione, Ron and me to the Circle of the Goblins. We collected Draco along the way. I make this sound simple, but a lot of planning and persuasion had gone into this moment. King Gobbledegook had ordered all of the Goblin guards to vacate the Sacred Cavern. They had left a day ago and moved to the Reception Hall. Firenze and Bane had agreed to guard the cavern in the interim. A great deal of negotiating had been required to convince Bane to depart the cavern five minutes ago. Firenze was showing a great deal of patience, as he willingly met us at the Circle. We had only been in the cavern for perhaps five minutes, when the Goblin kings arrived with Torva and Tendra. I was so worried about this particular ribbon ride that I had dispatched Ron to Lesbos to borrow the second phoenix.

After we got everyone settled in the proper position and administered Firenze's herb mixture, I took the envelope out of the paper and handed it to Bill.

"Harry wants you to ask these questions of his parents, if you find yourself at BeyondWorld. If you're there and you don't see his parents, please ask whomever you see to ask them these questions. Show the list to Draco after you've read it."

They did so. Draco handed the list back to me, and then lay down on the blankets inside the Circle. They were soon asleep. Next came the Goblins. We had no experience with the effect of Firenze's potion on Goblins. Then again, we had had no experience with that potion upon Witches, when I first drank it. We guessed that it was best to simply scale the dose for body weight. To be safe, we deducted a third of the volume. If the Goblins couldn't reach the spiral on that dose, we could always give them another swallow. Both Goblins swallowed the tea potion with no outward sign of trepidation. They lay down upon their blankets and were soon asleep.

This was the first time Firenze and we had shepherded more than two spirit travelers. It might pose extra risks, but there was no other option. The Goblin guards needed a reason for us to have the circle. Bill and Draco were that reason. The guards would have to guess what made Bill or Draco all that special. At least they would not see their royal females.

Both of the phoenixes were calm, which permitted me to relax a bit. The travelers were also sleeping contentedly and the Stone told me that all was well.

While our travelers were dreaming, Firenze told us that he wished to attempt the spirit travel and become one with the Stone. "I think you were an intimate of the Stone before I was, I told him. You've dreamt in the Sacred Cavern many times, and not traveled."

"That was before a stood atop the Black Stone. I want to try again. Unlike my past dreaming sessions, I wish you and Hermione to watch over me. I want Fawkes with us. This will be more dangerous. I know no legends of spirit traveling Centaurs, but know no good reason why it shouldn't work."

"We'd be honored to watch over you," Hermione told him.

"I fear it may not work. I also fear that if I cannot make it work that Centaurs may not be full participants in our future."

"In that case you'll have to hug the stone in its lower chamber, and try again, if you fail at the first attempt. I agree it is important that you do this," I told him. "I'm not sure how comfortable you'll be in the low ceiling of the lower chamber and I don't know when we'll next transport something to another world. We can ask the committee if we can send some supplies to the Centaurs or Elves. I'll do whatever I can to help. You've been such a great help to me."

Firenze agreed that I was correct, realizing that he had slept in the Sacred Cavern many times, but never become one with the stone. He voiced his deepest fear in this regard.

"The entrances to the Sacred Cavern are designed to accommodate Centaurs. The control room is not and I fear that if we were meant to hug the stone in the lower chamber that the ceiling would be higher and there would be more room to maneuver. It's like the Elf shrine was clearly not meant to be shared with either of our kind. Each type of magical being has its own role. This may not be ours."

I really wished that his next attempt would be successful. He had stood atop the stone during a transport event, but I didn't know if that was sufficient. Come to think of it, I didn't know whether or not he had slept in the Sacred Cavern since then."

"You've made the attempt since you stood atop the Stone," I stated as fact more than question.

Firenze quickly admitted that he had and that he had failed. As I continued to think it over, I told him that it was possible that he would be successful if he wrapped his arms around the Stone in the main chamber and touched his head to the stone while I operated the transporter. I really had no good reason why the pre-travel stone communion had to occur in that lower chamber. I then had the thought that there also didn't seem to be any reason why the transporter had to be operating. The Stone needed to be active. I had experimented enough to know that just going into the lower chamber and hugging the Stone had absolutely no effect. But… the Stone was working now. It was transporting spirit travelers.

"I think it might work if you wrapped yourself around the Stone right now, while it's guiding four spirit travelers," I told Firenze. "Hermione can escort you and keep you safe."

"Thank you, I will do that."

Hermione agreed and the two of them departed.

"I'm not sure that was entirely the responsible thing to do," Ron complained. "Firenze is a big part of the safeguards. Can't we focus on just the two very important things we are supposed to be doing. Ron was correct. I summoned Cotto to help."

Cotto arrived and advised that Hermione should return, while Bane must look after Firenze. I spoke to Cotto through the Stone, telling him that the travelers were fine and that what Hermione and Firenze were doing should not take longer than another five or ten minutes. At Cotto's insistence, I double-checked with the Stone. All of our travelers were fine. The Stone also told me that Firenze's experiment was a success.

With the leaders of almost all the magical peoples present, I realized how momentous and dangerous a series of journeys I was chaperoning. I sent Ron to fetch Dad. He needed to have input if anything seemed to be going wrong.

Meanwhile, I again queried the Stone. Could it safely handle this many travelers? Yes, it could. Would it be extra careful to monitor their journeys? It could give as much attention as I requested. Did I want my guests to experience long or short journeys and times within the Stone? I told the Stone that I was quite sure that short would be adequate and do less damage to my nerves. The Stone said that I must trust it and the phoenixes, but that Hermione and I must be prepared to dive right in, if the Stone decided our help was needed.

"**Hermione and Firenze are returning to you now,**" the Stone told me.

I was sorry that my brother had caused me to mistrust my own judgment. The Stone actually ordered me to relax.

With Firenze and Hermione about to return, I guiltily unfolded and read Harry's list of questions. 'To my mother: "What did you expect me to do with my life after you sacrificed yourself to save it? Did you plan to continue fighting Voldemort after I was born? Did both of us trust Dumbledore too much? What did you really think of Snape? What must I do to safely visit you? I love you very much and miss you every day.'

To My father: "What kind of world did you want to make after Voldemort was gone? What had you planned to do with the rest of your life? Tell me about your parents. Who is Jaden Caulfield? Can I trust McGonagall? Why did you give Dumbledore your cloak? Why did you bully Snape?'

This was not what I had expected. It was like Harry needed to have a dialogue with his parents, but had no idea what to say. What could he say? He and his parents never knew each other. The world wasn't the same as when they were alive. I thought we had already answered some of those questions. It was as if Harry didn't want his note to be too short, lest he receive just a hundred words in reply.

As Firenze and Hermione popped back into the Cavern, I hastily refolded the note and slipped in into a pocket.

Hermione wanted to travel immediately.

"This is not selfishness, I promise you. When I was with the Stone, I had the sense that this is what I must do and that I must not delay."

Firenze was asleep, before Ron returned with Dad.

Dad counted five sleeping bodies on the floor and frowned.

"I know I pushed you to rush things along, but aren't five becoming one with the stone at the same time awfully dangerous and wasn't Firenze supposed to be helping and guiding you."

"Yes and yes, but I think things are okay. I made certain that the first four travelers were having a good trip, before I allowed Firenze to follow them. He insists it is vital that he travels right now. Firenze has never given me bad advice. I have no reason not to trust him in this. We are getting a lot better at this as we gain experience and I asked the Stone to keep the journeys short."

"I trust you, Ginny, but please be very careful."

Dad's concern caused King Gobbledegook to look a little worried. He implored me "yes, please be very careful. My family is very precious to me. I know that they must risk much, but now is not yet the time of risking."

I told him to chill, in the very super polite way in which a young Witch must say such things to a King – especially when her father is listening to every word she says.

Firenze only slept for eight hours. He was actually the first traveler to return. He told us that he had not become one with the Stone, but that he had seen our balloon flying on CentaurWorld. I gave him chocolate, as I assured him that we would try again.

I agreed to try to modify his Stone permissions, so that he could operate the transporter from the control landing. That seemed the necessary next step. Well, perhaps he would have to endure the discomfort of the lower chamber. He also thought that some further work on his ring might help. He had his Centaur ring with him, so I placed it on my wand, as I mused upon ways to increase its power. Really, the first thing that I had to do was to determine what made a Centaur ring a Centaur ring. Did it contain Circle or Yantra sand?

Torva was the next to return. I was surprised that she arrived ahead of Tendra, as they had departed hand in hand. She also had not become one with the Stone. She was worried both by her failure and by Tendra not having returned. She hovered over Tendra, with worried comments to her husband, which I don't think she realized that I could understand. The most poignant comment was: "I am so very sorry to have failed, my love. I sought to spare our Kendra from the perils that lie ahead. Better that I die in her place. Now, she must make the Quest. I cannot help but grieve for her."

King Gobbledegook replied "I also worry for her, but do not forget that this is what she wants. I won't stand in her way. This is doubly hard – we must leave her in this place to begin her Hogwarts education. We will just see our only daughter in little moments, now and then. I will miss her. A king's life is not easy. I would gladly sacrifice myself, but my poor little Tendra. Whether she lives or dies, I fear she will never again be accepted as a true Goblin."

They said more, but I had to move away. It was too painful overhearing their conversation. The decision to send Tendra to her banishment or death would be mine. There just wasn't a good answer.

I inquired of the Stone why Torva and Firenze had not become one with the Stone. It replied that Torva was unable to surrender that level of control. She had feared becoming one and in the end the Stone had been forced to accept her refusal. As to Firenze, the Stone told me that the physical mergin which I and the others had experienced was more difficult for a Centaur. It was also far less necessary. To all intents and purposes, Firenze already was virtually one with the Stone.

I moved back to Torva, sensing that she and her husband were talked out. I made certain that she ate all of her chocolate. I reassured her that Tendra's journey was progressing normally and that the Stone, two Phoenixes, Firenze, and I were keeping a close watch over her. I asked her if she had reached another World.

"Yes, I saw the world of the Goblins. I could see it, smell it, almost touch it, yet none sensed my presence. It was very, very strange to find myself in an open field, under bright sunlight, when I have never been on the open surface of my own world. I realized how badly I want to walk upon the surface of my own world. My husband says I shall do so when construction of the sanctuary is finished. Then some Goblin families will live in the open, or at least under cover of the forest. I may visit then."

"We shall arrange an excursion for you and Tendra. I promise."

We took shifts to get dinner and then breakfast. We were negotiating the division of the day shift, when Draco and Bill awoke, just after Hermione had returned from breakfast. They had been away only about a full day, but their description of their trip was very troubling. They had traveled in tandem, as had Harry and Ron, and had become one with the Stone, but they had visited a faraway world, which contained Wizards and Witches, or at least humans.

"It was mainly a world of water," Draco explained. We drifted in from one side of the world and didn't see the other, but what we saw was just one good-sized island and a handful of very small islands a quarter of a world away. We drifted all the way down to the surface of the big island. It looked to be formed by a humongous volcano, but it seemed very beaten down and collapsed into its core. There was a lake in the center of the volcano and a little stream running down to the ocean. There was a village of humans living in huts and cultivated fields and orchards. We didn't see any animals, apart from some birds. It looked as though the humans had very primitive boats, with oars and little sails."

Bill picked up the tale, saying "there were perhaps a couple hundred smallish huts in the village. I'd say a settlement of fewer than a thousand souls. We saw no other habitation on the island. It's really hard to estimate size, but I'd say the island was perhaps thirty miles by fifteen or twenty. More or less an oval, but with most of it being mountain. Didn't look like even a quarter of the land was fit for houses or crops. We got close enough that the natives yelled at us and went back into their huts to get big knives. They were not speaking anything close to what I'd call English."

"Dad will not be pleased to hear this," I told the group, forgetting that Dad was leaning over my shoulder. "Goblin world was bad enough. He was really hoping that there wouldn't be a WizardWorld. The committee will have to review what you saw. I'm afraid that Tony will want to visit."

I was surprised when Dad spoke. "Yes, this could be a significant problem. At least there aren't many inhabitants and they are primitive. Tony is usually reasonable, but he may be tough to handle."

Turning back to Bill and Draco, I asked, "did you have a chance to test whether or not magic works on WizardWorld?"

"We did," Bill replied. "We had tried a 'Leviosum' on some leaves and got them to float upward a tad. We were going to try a simple transfiguration, when we saw the knives. We tried 'expelliarmus' real quick. A couple of them had their arms jerk upward, but they still had the knives. We tried to apparate, but it didn't work. We joined hands and willed ourselves back onto the spiral. We made it out of there just before the guys with the knives reorganized themselves and were coming after us. It was a close thing. I'm not sure what they would have done with us."

"You are the first travelers to be visible to those on the outside worlds. It seems as though you somehow gained possession of your bodies, yet you were sleeping right in front of us. We will have to think about this. Did you become one with the Stone?"

They both answered 'yes."

I was interrupted by two fluttering phoenixes and an urgent Stone message. We needed to rescue Tendra. Hermione and I each took giant swigs of the herbal potion and lay down on either side of Tendra. One phoenix was on Tendra's shoulder and the other was on Hermione's stomach. I reached an arm across Kendra to grab Hermione's hand, so that we were certain to travel in tandem. No problem, the Stone just sucked us in and onto a rapitdly spiraling ribbon.

**We're being sent to the rescue at warp speed.**

It was BeyondWorld again. I had seen no evidence that BeyondWorld held any significance for Goblins. This was most strange. We dropped into the atmosphere to find Harry's parents and Dumbledore comforting and literally supporting Tendra. It seemed that she also had some bodily weight and would fall through the clouds, without their support.

"The cavalry has arrived," Hermione told Dumbledore. Dumbledore frowned, but passed Tendra to us.

I had the foolishness or presence of mind, depending upon your perspective, to ask Harry's questions and memorize his parents' answers. I could tell that Hermione thought me most foolish. Still, I was in control and as soon as I told the Stone that we were ready to leave, we were whisked away at what Hermione called warp speed. It actually hurt to be jerked from warp speed to a dead stop inside the Stone. Was the Stone punishing me for my foolishness?

I took the time to soak up and assimilate some more knowledge about Goblins. I told the Stone that I wished to leave and that Tendra should come with me. The Stone replied that it needed more time with Tendra, and since Hermione had already departed, I should remain and reach out to Tendra.

I could read some of Kendra's thoughts. She was still frightened, but eager to soak up the knowledge that the Stone was pushing at her. I calmed her as best I could. I helped her work her way through the available knowledge, guiding her toward what I thought would be most helpful on the Quest. She already understood English quite well, but I helped her with that and also on Wizard history. I wanted her to have a flying start as a Hogwarts first year. The Stone sharpened her transfiguration skills. I didn't spend overly much time on the Hogwarts stuff. She was to be our Goblin expert. I wanted her filled to the brim with knowledge of the ancient Goblin Gods and the Goblin Master. I wanted her to learn of the building of the ancient Goblin magical circles.

I don't know how much time we spent in the Stone, before I decided it was enough. I told the Stone to send us back to the Sacred Cavern. Dad and the Goblin Kings seemed very relieved to see us. Dad said that Hermione had awakened eight hours before we did.

I told Tendra that we both needed lots and lots of chocolate.

I saw that Dad had stayed the whole time. It must be very difficult for the Minister, not to mention two kings and the Leader of the Herd to be 'missing' for that long. We had all lost a day.

Dad hugged me, whispering in my ear "you can't imagine how relieved I am to have that over and everyone back safe and sound. I really am slowly getting used to this, but I know how the Gobbledegook's feel about the Quest. They're saying goodbye to Tendra. I think they suspect that they may never see her again. She will start at Hogwarts today."

Harry and I went with the Gobbledegooks to Diagon Alley, to purchase a wand and the necessary books, cauldron, and supplies for Tendra. The parents seemed a lot happier than they had been back in the cavern. I realized that this was Torva's first moment in the sun. She raised her arms, stared at the sky, and gloried in the moment.

I hastily warned her "staring directly at the sun will blind you."

We made quite a stir in Diagon Alley. The secret was truly out and the dragon dung explosion was sure to follow. Somehow, each paper had a photographer to take our picture as we left Ollivanders. Tendra was equipped with a rowan wand with a phoenix core, which Mr. Ollivander hastily modified to include some of my special sand. This gave me pause, but there was no reason to assume that a rowan wand meant the same thing with a Goblin as it did with a Witch. It might just mean outside the normal range of wand wielder, which a female Goblin most certainly was.

The king had plenty of galleons and two Elves to help with the load, so Tendra was supplied with all the books for years one to three, a potion cauldron with a wide array of ingredients and ancillary tools, art supplies, and both a snowy white owl and a ferret as pets. I couldn't recall a pet ferret at Hogwarts, unless you counted Draco.

At dinner that evening, Neville announced our new student as a second-year Ravenclaw. There was faint applause. I think the students were just stunned to have a Goblin female as a student. I know that there were an unusual number of trips to the owl tower after dinner. Neville also announced that since Hogsmeade day had been prematurely terminated, we would have a make-up Hogsmeade day in two days. He said the forecast called for a 'perfectly lovely Saturday afternoon, and I trust you will all enjoy yourselves."

Nobody was happier than George. Luna looked displeased, but quickly recovered and was making enthusiastic sounds by the time George turned her way. I thought little of the prospect for another trip into town, especially since I would likely have to chaperone Cissy and the twins. Strike that, I would have to chaperone Tendra, while also helping to keep an eye on the other new students.

I was in bed and not wearing a stitch, when there was a loud pop and Catta was standing on the mattress between Harry and me. There was too much weight on the sheet to even wrap it partially around ourselves, so I assumed an air of studied nonchalance, waiting for Catta's report.

"Professor Schwein go to Slytherin common room," Catta told us. "He meet with fourth year Witch, then she send owl. It say 'Dad, it would be worth your while to meet me in Hogsmeade on Saturday. It's Hogsmeade day so most of the school will be in town. The Three Broomsticks at 3:00 P.M. I have a message from German friends.' That all, not even sign."

"Thank you Catta," Harry replied "I think this is our first break. You'll have to point out the Slytherin at breakfast tomorrow."

"I understand that you may have some interest in joining the Quest," I stated as an incontrovertible fact.

Catta simply nodded 'yes'.

"Then I need to introduce you to the Stone. I don't know when I'll be able to do that, I've just finished a difficult series of introductions. At least with you, I won't have a king hovering over my shoulders, making certain I am being fully protective of his daughter."

"Catta is female form of Cotto. Cotto is my father. He wants me to join your Quest."

Great, just great. Somehow, I also didn't see that one coming. I was finding myself surprised by too many things which I should have been able to anticipate, if I just had the opportunity to focus on only one or two things at a time. Harry was rolling his eyes.

"I'll be in touch," I promised her.

There was another, softer, pop and we were once again alone.

"I think Schwein sees Hogsmeade day as his best chance to recruit allies. It would be unexpected if he didn't choose to visit Hogsmeade, since he's never seen it and must be feeling penned in at Hogwarts."

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I'm sure this is where the plot begins. An adult, or more than one adult, could easily apparate in and out of Hogsmeade. Even a Wizard as dull as Schwein has got to be interested in doing at least a little bit of exploring Britain. We might even find Umbridge there. I'll see Shacklebolt first thing in the morning."

Harry had slipped out of bed, without disturbing me, and gone off to the Ministry before breakfast. I decided to spend some time in the Gryffindor Common Room before my first religion class. It was a step toward our commitment to continue to help the younger Gryffindors and gave me far steadier nerves than I would have had if I spent the whole morning brooding about the class I would teach at 11:00. I saw Marsha and thanked her profusely for her offer of support, telling her that active participation was just far too dangerous, but that we'd all really appreciate it if she told us of any further advances that Professor Schwein made to her or the other proto-Slytherins – no, I didn't use that term, I said 'Slytherin guests of Gryffindor'.

Cissy had seen me speaking to Marsha and hurried to take Marsha's place as soon as she vacated her chair. This gave me the opportunity for a 'reassuring' talk with Cissy. Cissy was torn about the promise she had made to Lily, which would surely be passed back to her own mother, about finishing Hogwarts. She saw a promise to her dead mother as very serious indeed, but was now trying to parse what was said.

"You were there, Ginny, and you heard the conversation. Would you say that I promised to not see Alex AND to stay at Hogwarts until I graduated, or did I merely promise to not see Alex until I was of normal Hogwarts graduation age?"

I honestly told her, "I think you promised to stay at Hogwarts."

"Yes, I was afraid of that. If I sent that promise back to my mother, then I just have to do it. I just wish that I had been thinking more clearly and given an answer that allowed me to leave Hogwarts after this term."

"I know you do," I stated the obvious. "That's partly why I came to the common room, hoping to meet you. My advice to you is not to be afraid to slow things down a bit and be more conscious of your personal safety. In many ways you try too hard. You should know, and if you don't know, then I am promising for me and Harry, that it most definitely is true, that you will be our friend, whether or not you participate in every adventure, and that Harry fully hopes to step aside and let you become the Keeper, when you graduate. You should focus on learning to carry out the responsibilities that you already have. Be a good Lady Montaigne and Gringotts director. Help make peace among the magical species. We may have given you the wrong impression by teaching you so much magic and self-defense skills.

"We did so, knowing that the time may come when you have no choice but to fight to defend yourself. However, we don't want you to be a fighter. You are a Light Guardian Priestess and, like me and Harry, you need to learn to avoid fighting, whenever possible. I know this is hard, because it is very hard for us, but it is the right course for all of us. We are hoping to create a safe magical world, where fighting isn't necessary. So, yes, if you can't apparate to safety or a child will be harmed unless you come to the rescue, then you may have to fight. Please, don't seek it out. I truly regret how much fighting I've done.

"I know that I may have to fight as part of the Quest, and that is one of the things that is weighing on me. Taking you into a hazardous situation is also a weight. If you volunteer, I will take you, if I think your presence will increase our chance of success. I'll be more confident in doing that, if I feel your natural inclination is to fight only as a last resort and that you will try to avoid danger."

"Believe me, I agree with you," Cissy declared with great energy. "I don't want to die. I have so much to live for. If we all decide that the Quest must be undertaken, then I most certainly will volunteer. It is my duty. I will volunteer wanting to, and fully expecting to, survive your Quest. I haven't been a fighter. I want the skills just for last-ditch self-defense, if I'm caught on my own. I know McGonagall has told you and Harry that I'm a risk junkie so many times, that you've been beaten down into half believing it. If anything, I'm an experience-and-knowledge junkie. But I want to acquire experience as safely as possible. Satisfied?"

"Yes, I certainly couldn't ask for more than that."

I spent fifteen minutes chatting with Constance and another five minutes doing wand practice with her and Meaghan. They seemed much more at home in Gryffindor than they had a day ago. The other kids must be treating them well.

I left Gryffindor in a calm state. I was further calmed when Victoria showed up to lend moral support and to help answer questions. I thought my class went great and I really enjoyed it. I kept my voice steady and didn't shake at all. I stumbled on a fact only once, and Victoria immediately bailed me out. The class was attentive, and the intelligent questions they asked proved to me that they had taken in what I told them. I didn't know if I ever wanted to be a real professor, but viewed this as a positive experience.

Harry was back for dinner with startling news, and from McGonagall's Ministry department, of all places.

"The Ministry has continued to see an unprecedented number of newly identified children with magical talents popping up during the past week. This past week has produced as many Muggle-born children displaying wild magical talent as were normally discovered in a whole year. More significantly, only half of them were beneath Hogwarts admission age. The others range up to age 18."

"That IS unusual," Hermione gasped. "Nobody even asked McGonagall to develop a plan for dealing with magical Muggles who are past Hogwarts age."

"The ages could well increase," Harry suggested pessimistically. "There have also been a large number of squibs displaying magical powers for the first time. Henry was the first, followed by a scattered few in the months since then, but there were six more last week. Three were names we recognized form the New Start Society rolls, but three were older children, one nineteen years old, living in Wizard homes. All of the new cases, except one of the Muggle-borns, live in Scotland or northern England. It has to have something to do with the pyramid. Ron said that the pyramid circle has been stronger the past week or two. Have any of you worked with Mr. Filch lately?"

"Yes," Hermione, Luna, and I replied in unison.

"And what were your impressions of his recent performance."

"He's doing really, really well," Hermione answered, "far better than anyone could have expected."

"I think that gives us our answer," Harry concluded.

We were all so excited about the spurt of new wild magic that Harry almost forgot to tell us that Director Shacklebolt had arranged an elaborate surveillance and capture plan for any baddies who put in an appearance at Hogsmeade day. "I promised the Director that we would stay out of it and limit our activity to escorting the Spencer twins to George's shop. None of us is to leave the shop the whole day. We'll come and go by the basement entrance. The Spencers already know about it, so traveling by that route isn't a problem."

"I'll pass the message to Tendra," I told Harry. She also should come with us. I know it's best for her to hang with the other Ravenclaws, but it's just too dangerous for her to be in the open."

We had gotten into so many scrapes and even decisive battles while trying to be good, that I half expected a rousing day of combat as we escorted Cissy, Tendra, and the twins through the basement of George's shop and up into the display area. Barb and Ellen were with us to ensure that we didn't leave the shop. Bill was assisting Shacklebolt and was responsible for trailing whoever contacted Professor Schwein.

The shop was very crowded, and the kids were doing more buying than looking. George looked extremely pleased, while even Luna appeared to be enjoying the product demonstrations that she was performing. As we appeared in the shop, she was in the middle of an elaborate demonstration of the wand-fail spray. As the twins shopped, I watched Luna demonstrate a collection of relatively small fireworks, which burst in various bright colors, with a series of resounding bangs that left my ears humming. Seeing us, she pulled out the 'Ron Weasley Howler Alarm' and showed the students how it worked. Two of the third years, whom Ron had bullied back when they were first years, were first in line to purchase alarms. I was grateful that my brother no longer had to sleep in Gryffindor.

I had diverted my attention from Luna to check up on the twins, but found them observing her demonstrations with rapt attention. Turning back to Luna, I saw that she was sporting the red Quaffle-nose caused by one of Lee's pastilles. Since Luna already had the clown nose, she switched to juggling five brightly colored 'Charlie's Magic Balls', which could magically be juggled without coming within three inches of touching any of them. When Luna finished the demonstration by clapping her hands, the balls all rose and lined up in a row along the ceiling of the shop. Another clap and they fell one by one into her waiting hands. It was hard to tell with her big nose, but Luna seemed to be enjoying herself more than she did at her initial Hogsmeade day, and definitely was interacting better with the younger students.

Since the twins were known to be targets of the baddies, Barb decided that we had spent just about enough time in Hogsmeade. "Five more minutes and then you should all be returning to Hogwarts," she announced.

I turned by attention to Tendra. She made a small purchase. She chatted with another Ravenclaw. They laughed together. She seemed to be doing fine. I was really, really glad that the older Slytherins were no longer with us.

We apparated back to the Gryffindor landing.

Luna joined us for dinner, reporting that 'George said I looked exhausted and should go back to Hogwarts to eat and relax'. She said George had another couple hours work to get the shop squared away after the big sales day and would grab something to eat at home. I remarked to her that she seemed to be enjoying her interaction with the students.

"It had its pleasant moments. Performing takes more energy, but is more satisfying than actually serving the kids. You avoid the more demeaning comments. Still, it was a very long day and I'm pooped. I just don't enjoy this work like George does. He was still really energized when I left him. He was really looking forward to today, excitedly chattering about it ever since Neville announced the Hogsmeade do-over. To be honest, I'd been dreading it and trying my best not to dampen George's enthusiasm."

This discussion was interrupted by my husband's and Ron's inability to stop commenting every thirty seconds about their concerns that they had yet to hear anything about the surveillance of Professor Schwein. The Schwein was sitting at the staff table and the boys could not stop staring at him. Schwein seemed happy enough. If anything unpleasant had happened to his side earlier in the day, it certainly didn't bother him. I think this was the main thing that was driving Harry crazy.

"I don't think Herr Schwein would be smiling so much if Ron and I were allowed to participate in today's activities. It's infuriating to see him looking so happy. Something must have gone wrong, while we were just standing around watching Luna. I'm not going to break cellphone silence to check with Bill, even though he should have been here by now."

"You can now talk to him through the Stone," I reminded Harry.

Harry sat in silence for a minute and then informed us, "Bill says the day went reasonably well. They had contact. Bill said he'll be here in a few minutes and explain all."

Bill showed up for dessert, and commented to Harry as soon as he sat down, "I know you've been eager to find out what happened, but I had to finish my report and thought this was almost as quick as stopping to give you a mental report. Your professor was met by someone Polyjuiced to look like Slughorn. Sort of a bad choice, picking a professor on sabbatical – quite a few students stopped to speak to him. The two of them spoke for several minutes and then I followed Slughorn after they separated. I didn't hear what they said, but Janna caught some of it. Unfortunately they spoke German. We should have thought of that. I followed Slughorn, and when he dodged into the alley beside The Three Broomsticks, I apparated alongside him and stunned him. I stayed at the Ministry to find out what he looked like when he transformed back. It was a school kid, so I took a picture of him and apparated with it to Durmstrang. Viktor said it's the Knodell kid, but we should pretend not to know who he is and hold onto him for a while. I left Janna at Durmstrang, working with Viktor to try to piece together what Professor Schwein and young Knodell said to each other."

"That sounds like good progress," Harry congratulated him.

Janna did one of those pops onto our bed, just as we were awakening. I'm not sure I will ever become comfortable with this. The news was not encouraging or helpful. Janna hadn't remembered any whole sentences. Viktor thought Knodell had told Schwein that he would be contacted by Umbridge and should assist her. The only other part of the conversation that was decipherable was Schwein's request to come home. For a guy who was so anxious to leave us, he had seemed inordinately happy at dinner. I thought it best for Hermione and me to again drop in on his morning class.

Herr Professor Schwein caught us by surprise. We had missed his last class and today, suddenly it was "today ve vill talk about ze serious curses. Ze ones vat kill or worss. Now zen, some curses zey are woorse then others. Zey be banned by all Wizard states. I teach zem to you so you not be kilt. Ze first, eet ees zee Imperius. IMPERIO! Now, qvack like ze duck! He was pointing at Maude, a sixth year girl in the front row, who proceeded to quack like a duck. He quickly released her from the spell and she settled back in her chair with an embarrassed look on her pinking face.

Herr Professor seemed to be into demonstrations of the sort that Barty used while impersonating Mad Eye, but with a decidedly nastier bent.

"Professor Schwein! Professors are not allowed to experiment with curses on students, especially not the prohibited curses. You could be sent to Azkaban for that," Hermione told him, glaring at him with a very indignant, angry look.

"Ees zat so leetle girl. I am ze Herr Professor, you vill be quiet! Now ze woorsst uff zees bad curses ees ze Avada Kedavra." The curse he pronounced perfectly, with his wand pointed at the owl. There was a green flash and the owl quivered and fell dead. Several girls screamed, but Herr Schwein merely shouted "Zilence! Now ze udder banned curse is ze Cruciatus. Eet was used on ze feelty Mudblood. Like zis, Crucio! He demonstrated the Cruciatis curse on an unsuspecting Hermione.

There was a squeal of pain and Hermione half doubled over. Then simultaneous wordless curses from Hermione and me sent Herr Schwein through the window, dislodging the window frame and shattering all four panes of glass. Hermione rose, giving her head a little shake and strode over to the window and looked down, informing the class, "I think he'll live. He's crumpled up on the lawn, but he is moving."

That seemed to be a calm announcement, but several girls, including Maude began to scream. The screams brought others, led by McGonagall, into the classroom.

"What's going on in here and where is Professor Schwein?"

Hermione pointed out the window onto the lawn. Professor McGonagall looked down and declared, "Oh my! I think that will be quite enough for today. Class dismissed. Now tell me instantly what happened, Mrs. Potter."

We explained as the three of us headed down to the lawn. Neville was there a moment before us. Herr Schwein was conscious but complaining of "pain in ze fooot and leg". Hermione grabbed a leg asking "does this hurt?" as she gave the leg a jerk.

Evidently it hurt quite a lot. "It must be broken," Hermione informed the headmaster. "He'll have to go to Madam Pomphrey. We'll help him up and he can walk." McGonagall gave us a look and we walked away.

Neville said dryly, "Having tested his leg, I think you should levitate him. There must be some sort of Ministry law against torturing the injured."

"I do not vant zat feelty Mudblood in my class," Professor Schwein shouted at our backs.

As Professors Celine and Sprout, and headmaster Longbottom levitated ze Professor toward the infirmary and Professor Flitwick shooed the students back into the castle, McGonagall shouted after us "Not so fast Mrs. Potter!"

As we returned to the spot where the fallen Professor had lain, it was clear from McGonagall's expression that she wasn't planning to offer sympathy to my poor, tortured sister-in-law. "I thought we had agreed to spy on Professor Schwein to find out whom he contacted. Now I find you've nearly killed him. Don't you think that will rouse his suspicions? I really can't believe you."

"He was torturing Hermione with the Cruciatus Curse," I told McGonagall, allowing a little of my own anger to show. "Was I supposed to just let him keep at it until he tired of torturing ze feelty Mudblood?"

"No, I can understand the need to protect Hermione, but did you have to hurl him through the window?"

"Quick reaction lessens the fine control. Two hitting him at once doubled the effect. I'm not sorry for him, though. As to tipping him off, I'm sure he knows Viktor sent him here for a reason and alerted us to him. My theory is that he staged this morning's demonstration to show like-minded students where his sympathies lie and convince them that he is a really tough guy who can lead an opposition. Why else would a professor use a prohibited curse on a student or call her a filthy Mudblood in front of the whole class? He obviously knew who Hermione was. We have a whole class of witnesses that he used not one, but two prohibited curses on two different students. That's good for a trip to Azkaban. Now he knows we're stronger than he thought, which will make him more desperate to acquire allies here. Plus, if we want to apply more pressure, we can have him arrested for using a prohibited curse. That threat might make him talkative."

"Alright, Ginny, you've convinced me that you didn't have a good alternative to the action that you took and that we still may get information out of Herr Schwein."

I was still feeling more than a little revved up and also more than a little angry that McGonagall had challenged our actions. "Thank you, but as you know, I really don't need to convince you or justify my actions to you. You aren't my headmaster. You aren't even the professor teaching any of my classes. Hermione merely verbally defended a student whom the Herr Professor embarrassed after Imperiusing her. I thought you were so super concerned when I embarrassed Irma. I protected Hermione. Harry and Dad approve of what we are doing. We don't need your permission. You want to be my assistant, not the other way around. I am growing tired of having you order me about and disagreeing with every action I take. If you can't accept my judgment and good intentions, then we are not going to be able to work together. You just instantly assume that I have done something wrong, which you have a right to correct. Well – I haven't and you don't."

McGonagall's mouth was agape as I turned and left her standing on the lawn. Hermione hastened to catch up with me.

Mrs. Longbottom informed Herr Schwein that he was under investigation for a crime that could send him off to Azkaban for the rest of his life. Having delivered this dire news and questioned him briefly, she incongruously informed him that he was free to continue teaching at Hogwarts. I realized that he was hardly the first criminal to teach at Hogwarts, but it still struck me as a little odd.

I thought he would just apparate back to Germany, but he kept coming to class. Hermione and I kept ducking into his class, over the next couple weeks, just to taunt him. He had yet to contact anyone at Hogwarts and had not left the school at all, apart from his failed attempt on Hogsmeade day. It had become more than slightly comical. The first day that we showed up after the Schwein returned from the infirmary, we quickly discovered that he couldn't bear to look at Hermione's face. Even as she was the only one to raise a hand to answer a question, he pretended that she did not exist. Naturally the two of us moved to the front center seats after that. The other kids knew what our game was and happily traded seats with us. This left the Schwein spending the whole period looking either to the extreme left row or the extreme right row of students, or choosing the refuge of facing the chalk board. We realized that we were enjoying this more than we should, but rationalized that this was all part of the project to build up enough stress in the Schwein that he was forced to reach out to a local Grindelwald.

Either our presence, or whatever Neville and his mother said to him, caused his classes to be more within bounds. We practiced 'expelliarmus', 'protego', 'petrificus totalis', and a Durmstrang curse that was translated to 'back' and which shoved an opponent back on his heels, possibly knocking him over backwards or pinning him against a wall. We always came to class with our defenses dialed way up and drawing at least a little Stone power. This had saved Hermione from the severe effects of the Cruciatus and now served us again.

Herr Schwein decided to do an instant 'demonstration' using Hermione as his subject. He used an amazingly strong 'back' curse, which should have hurled Hermione into the wall hard enough to practically split her head open. Instead, she remained almost in place, taking a half step back, and then, as a look of surprise started to creep across the Schwein's face, used a wordless, soundless curse to rocket the Schwein halfway across the room and bounce him off the wall like a rag doll. To the class, it appeared as though he had used a truly nasty curse on Hermione, which I suppose he had, and it had rebounded on him, nearly killing him. When Neville came to investigate the commotion, every student so testified.

We made no progress with Herr Schwein over the next week, but did not give up the effort, even though we were both very busy. We were teaching our classes, still tutoring Henry, Mrs. Granger, William, Meaghan, Constance, and Mr. Filch, and carrying out our Ministry duties. I made a point of spending time with Tendra at least every other day. We usually met in the Room of Requirement to practice wand spells, but sometimes I visited her common room and sometimes she came to Gryffindor.

McGonagall actually stopped by to apologize 'for assuming the worst, when I saw Professor Schwein lying on the grass. You are correct that I should trust your instincts more. Old habits die hard. I do want to make this work between us. I do want to be your assistant. I know I should stop yelling 'Mrs. Potter!' in the imperious way that I do. I guess I still think of myself as headmaster and you as my student. I do apologize."

Of course I accepted her apology and acknowledged that changed circumstances were difficult for all of us to adjust to. Bumpy spots were to be expected.

The Ministry duties were an especially heavy burden for Hermione, as she was negotiating with factions inside our own Ministry, as well as with the other magical species and the Muggle Prime Minister, trying to get a new Covenant banged into shape. The issue of a million Elves and a billion Leprechauns on other worlds was always at the back of her mind. She could not imagine these Elves causing any trouble, but was mindful how fearful my Dad, the Muggle Prime Minister, and others were about this. The Leprechauns frightened her. She confided that she wasn't sure she was up to the demands of this assignment. Like Harry, she feared that her age prevented all from taking her truly seriously. Unlike Harry, she couldn't just go out and slay a Thicknesse to prove herself.

As expected, Tony wanted to visit what he named HumanWorld, and King Gobbledegook and former King Goblanze wanted to visit GoblinWorld. Fortunately, we did not have a Leprechaun on the Committee. Meanwhile, Bane was pushing to renew exchanges of Centaurs between the two worlds, and the Unicorns were wondering if the same arrangement might not benefit them. The Muggle Prime Minister alternated between no and HELL NO! whenever these issues were raised, and the resulting rancor always signaled an end to Hermione's meeting. I don't know if Dad had put his foot down, but none of these meetings was at Hogwarts and none included McGonagall. We usually met at Cissy's castle or Shacklebolt's muggle estate.

I received an owl telling me to 'come to the church in the woods, right after you eat your lunch. Bring Hermione, Barb, and Cissy with you.' I passed the note to Harry, who was just finishing his toast and getting ready to head off to the Ministry.

"I think you should go," Harry told me. "Set your defenses on strong and the three of you should be able to protect yourselves. Take Catta in invisible form with you, just in case, and stay linked to me through the Stone. I can apparate a squad of aurors, within a minute, if need be. You need to ask Neville about taking Cissy, but you can tell him that I believe it to be advisable. The writer of the note knows a lot about us. Possibly somebody we know."


	91. Chapter 91

**Chapter 91 – Is This My Church?**

Neville stared hard at the note. "It is unsigned. If it were friendly, I'd expect that it would have been signed. Could be a trap. I'm surprised Harry is happy about you walking into it. Cissy? Can you protect her? Can she draw upon your Stone-reinforced protective charms? I think the covert Elf is an excellent idea."

"Notes sent by owl can be intercepted. I think we are talking about a secret religious group that has learned the dangers of being too public with their identities. They likely fear me more than I fear them. Harry has grown to respect my fighting skills. Barb is no slouch, either. Yes, I am confident I can keep Cissy safe. She will have orders to apparate at the first sign of trouble and not join us in any fight.

"I won't stand and fight either. That is not the purpose of this trip. I need to get permission to use the church. It will be nice to see who is running it. Yes, Cissy knows the Ancient Priestess defenses, and, yes, she has a little ability to use the stone to increase the power of her charms. She improves daily. Harry thought the note was likely written by someone we know."

"Don't expect to learn who these people really are. Expect Polyjuice."

"If I see a body that looks like McGonagall's, I will merely ask it to confirm that it is McGonagall. I am a truth teller, after all."

"Alright. You may take Cissy with you. Please don't tell Professor McGonagall. I'm not looking for fights with her. Our role reversal is a bit awkward, especially knowing that it likely will reverse again next year. I can see a budding battle over Cissy raging for the rest of Cissy's remaining time at Hogwarts, if I don't play this carefully. I know you're cool. I give you fair warning – Cissy brags about some of her adventures. Perhaps not exactly bragging, but she bubbles forth too loudly to Margaret and Alice, when others are close enough to overhear. You should warn her to stop doing that. Personally, I don't mind her telling Margaret, but I think Alice is too young and too much of a cipher to be trusted with that information."

"Thanks for the warning. I've already warned her, but I'll address that problem again with Cissy. Has she done it recently?"

"Does yesterday count as recently?"

How to approach Cissy? I didn't want her to get the sense that I was always lecturing her and telling her what she was doing wrong. Ellen and then Harry were supposed to be the enforcers and I was supposed to be the closer-to-same-age big sister friend.

I needn't have worried. I said what I had to say quite gently, which was certainly far more gentle than what she was used to from the Montaigne formerly known as Lord. Besides, when I delivered both criticism and the chance to participate in another adventure, she chose to concentrate upon the new adventure part. Still, I was convinced that I had gotten through to her and that she would both consider what secrets must be secret, even from Margaret and especially Alice, and that she would talk about the permissible things in a manner which could not be overheard.

So, right after lunch, Hermione, Barb, and I set off for Hogsmeade with a Cissy who was in very good spirits. We walked through Hogsmeade, along the path through the forest, and into the clearing. The front door of the church was propped open. I told my companions to refresh all of their protective charms, to reach for the Stone for extra strength, to keep their hands empty and visible, and to be ready to use wandless spells and to apparate to safety. I told Cissy that she should grab onto one of us and we would apparate her. The retreat point was the floor of the pyramid. Cissy thought she could manage to apparate, but agreed that a ride-along was a safer retreat.

I expected this to be a friendly meeting, which would go quite well, and yet I felt my level of alertness and tension rising as we walked across the clearing. I knew that although we could not see beyond the open door into the dark church interior, any enemy at the door or a second level window had an excellent view of us and could try to strike us down, while we were on the open grass. I tried to look calm and just keep walking forward at a measured pace. I didn't want to look hostile, but I also didn't want to seem scared.

"**I do not sense a threat,"** Barb informed us.

I was about ten feet from the door, when a familiar voice called out, "Hello Ginny. Welcome to our little church." It was definitely the voice of Professor Sprout. A few steps more and I could see her face. I could also recognize Aberforce Dumbledore standing behind her. He waved at me. They both turned and led us into the church and up the stairs to the second floor. A flick of Aberforce's wand, over his shoulder, and the church door closed and locked in back of us. I consciously suppressed an involuntary shiver as the door closed. Hermione did better than I, but Cissy gasped and jumped back off the stairs.

"Don't worry," Aberforce tried to sound reassuring. "I simply don't want anybody else to sneak into the church and disturb us."

We were led into the second floor, where six chairs were arranged in a circle. The room was lit by candles, and scented smoke was given off by smoldering punk. The large room looked eerier than it had, when we visited with Harry and Ron. I suddenly remembered the precaution which I had discussed with Neville.

As both Hermione and I studied her, I asked, "It's hard to believe, are you really Professor Sprout?"

"Yes, I am, dear. But I think you had already decided that. I realize that is a useful precaution. You should question Aberforce, as well. Hermione is welcome to check us out with her Goblin pen."

Aberforce identified himself as himself, as truthfully as Professor Sprout had done. I could tell that Hermione was feeling a little silly as she tested them with her pen. Still, she was quite thorough, checking their skin in four spots, each. Through the Stone, Hermione announced to the rest of us that our hosts had passed the test.

I got right to the purpose of our initial visit to the church, "We'd like permission to use your church for worship by the new Light Guardian church, which we plan to start. We would certainly be happy to have its use only at times when it isn't used by your church's own members."

"The Mother of the Future and her Light Guardian Priests and Priestesses are most welcome to use our building or to join, even to lead, our church. We are largely a combination of Light Guardian and ancient nature religions, with some Church of England thrown in. I am the Light Guardian Priest of this church and Professor Sprout is the ancient nature religion Priestess. We have only a dozen members, in addition to ourselves. We have another dozen members who are strictly C of E, with a slight smattering of the ancient beliefs. There are no Muggles in the congregation."

"That certainly makes things easier. But why the unsigned note? Why didn't you ever mention anything to me about being a Light Guardian Priestess," I asked Professor Sprout.

"Old habits of secrecy die hard, and these habits were born of Witch persecution over the ages. The Ministry has never supported the traditional religions since the passage of the Secrecy Act. Our whole community was supposed to act all C of E ordinary. A coven of Witches would give the game away. Voldemort would have seen us as a threat. So we kept very quiet. We never thought Dumbledore or McGonagall would be supportive. You and Harry were too close to Dumbledore and McGonagall for us to feel comfortable reaching out. It's only very recently that you've seemed to show any interest in our beliefs. We're still not convinced your husband does, although if you're one of us, he'll do his best to keep us safe. As for the note, notes can go astray."

"In many ways, I understood my brother better than he understood himself," Aberforce elaborated. "Our mother was a Priestess, but Dumbledore was never very interested in that sort of thing. He saw the old religions as too feminine. Grindelwald further corrupted him.

"You knew my brother at his most nurturing. Before my mother and sister were killed, he didn't have a nurturing bone in his body. It was all about the power of the wand. He wanted to discover, but from his own mind and his books, not from nature. Healing and caring for the afflicted did not appeal to my brother. He openly scoffed at me for following mother's path. Nurturing students at Hogwarts was his penance for his failings as a son and brother. Once Riddle was on the scene, that is where his main energies were focused. That became a socially positive outlet for his old interests, especially the dueling and the competition against an arch enemy.

"Albus knew about this church, but he kept its secret. He attended several times, but it wasn't something that appealed to him. I think he did take away some of our thinking and meshed it with his own. We softened him a bit and made him almost human. At first I thought he rejected this church, because I led it, but then I realized that my brother was one who had to create his own beliefs, not have them provided by others or by tradition. I'm surprised he took as much from us as he did. Contrary to what you've been told, I didn't hate my brother. I pitied him and I tried to help him. I tried very hard to forgive what he did to our family and I think that I have succeeded."

"If you are so secret, how did my father know to suggest this church as a place in which I might establish a group of Light Guardian worshippers?"

"This church is not unknown as a C of E church, made up entirely, or at some times almost entirely, of Witches and Wizards. Hogwarts students have walked through the village and along the path to the church in years gone by. Not all students are taken by the shops. Arthur is one who made that trek, so this old building has been in his mind since he was a student. It is a most unusual church building, don't you think? To see it is not to forget it. The past several months, your father has been a member of our congregation. Professor Sprout thought we might be a comfort to him, and I believe we have. I think your father was gently steering you in our direction. We could also help you.

"That is totally fitting. This church was initially built by Weasleys, before the Montaignes and Malfoys made off with most everything your family had. This church was an outpost of the Wizards of Eire, when your forebears were kings. That is why it's built like a castle. The church wasn't always welcome in this land. When your family left Eire, this is where they first settled. It was just two families back then. One moved to what you call The Burrow and have been there ever since. The other remains in Hogsmeade to this day, although the line continued only through a daughter and so are no longer Weasleys. Still, the Flumes have lived in Hogsmeade, I'll say forever, and been members of this church, since I revived it. Ambrosius Flume owns Honeydukes, and several of the family work there. Artemisia Flume is his wife, and their children are Acteon and Hibiscus. They all belong to this church. Ambrosius's brother and his family, as well as an uncle and his family, belong to the C of E side of the church. So, you do have distant relations in Hogsmeade and our church."

"So that's why the key to Weasley Castle unlocked the church door?"

"I wasn't aware of that, but it makes sense. I was surprised when your note said that you had a key that unlocked our doors. I wondered if Albus had gotten possession of a key to our church somehow, I certainly did not give my brother one."

"Our key did come from Dumbledore, although he didn't mention the church."

"I wouldn't put it past my brother to solve that little mystery. He must have found an old church key and figured out its significance. How could he possibly have obtained the actual castle key?"

"Perhaps the castle key became the church key. It would be a clever way of hiding it in plain sight. I am just stunned not to have seen even a hint of this side of either of you – particularly Professor Sprout."

"I've spent my Hogwarts career, up to this term, working with plants and nurturing the young. What is more fitting for a nature Priestess, than teaching students about plants and nature? Although I had always wanted to get involved with the making of potions from my plants and seeing that course taught with a basic respect for nature, rather than as a source of martial potions, I made the switch largely for Neville's sake. Neville is a most important young Wizard – as important as Harry. Nothing civilizes a Wizard and brings out his nurturing side quite as much as a life spent with plants and nature. I'm deliberately steering Neville along his proper life's path. I am also undoing the damage that Snape did as potions master.

"The way I'm teaching the course is the way it was always meant to be taught. It was the political influence and bribery of the commercial potions makers who diverted instruction from the original content of the course. Deprive Witches of the knowledge and confidence to brew their own household potions, and you can create a thriving business for yourself, overcharging for what should be practically free. I couldn't abide it. It is disgraceful how much damage can be wrought by the simple measure of bribing a Ministry employee to change the potions upon which the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. are based. They only had to make that one bribe, two hundred years ago, and potions class has been in the rut it's in ever since. Professor McGonagall was helping me to right that ancient wrong."

"You should go now," Aberforce told us. "It wouldn't pay to have the wrong folks see us all together. Our traditional, by which I mean very traditional, worship services are Friday nights at sunset. I hope to see you here. You can exit through the Hog's Head. You missed that turning from the tunnel."

He led us down to the basement and to the tunnel that led to the cave. Instead of going through the door, he simply slid through a magicked opening to the left. Like the entrance to platform 9-3/4, the tunnel permitted passage, if one new that one was able to pass and employed a modicum of force and determination. We surfaced in the basement of the Hog's Head and walked back to Hogwarts. On the way back, I messaged Harry and Ron about all we had learned and sent a reassuring message to Neville that our hosts had been most friendly.

We were back at Hogwarts several hours before dinner. I could have gone to a class, but I didn't want to. I certainly wasn't in the mood for Quest planning or the detailed effort of organizing my next lecture. What I needed was Mom. I found her in her apartment.

I started by telling her what we had learned at the church in the forest. When I reached the point about Dad being a member, I left a big pause for her to fill in. She felt the need to supply us with sherry, but eventually got around to commenting. "Your father had learned of the church from his father. Your grandfather was very into the grand old days of family Weasley. From what you've told me, you think your father sought out the church to cope with the stresses of being Minister. He went there; actually we both went, to try to learn more about the old ways and to get some sense of what you were getting into as Mother of the Future and leader of a Quest. It has helped. We also wanted to see if it would help you to attend. We decided it would, so your father steered you toward it. We both felt encouraged by Professor Sprout's involvement. I like Professor Sprout. She is a very warm, down-to-earth Witch. Not your typical professor, at all. We've only attended the church four times. It has made us more comfortable with what you're doing. We weren't quite sure when or how to mention it to you, but then you gave your father the perfect opening."

As we talked at great length over the sherry, I learned from Mom that she had decided to stand for the Wizengamot. She didn't intend to be a long-term Hogwarts Professor and wanted something to occupy her, while we were all otherwise engaged. She feared that it would look as if the Ministry was becoming too much of a Weasley family affair, but Dad encouraged her in her ambition. She said she just couldn't imagine continuing to work for McGonagall after the way she had been treated. I reminded her that if McGonagall went on my Quest, she would be working for Neville.

"In that case, I'll likely teach another year at Hogwarts. Not transfiguration, however. Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, or even Charms. I know that you are all grown up, but I still don't like to think about my little girl going on a dangerous Quest. It sounds nearly useless in addition to being cruel and deadly."

"I think it is to a good purpose. I trust the Stone and the Light Guardian and Firenze. My only misgivings are that I first learned of my Quest from King Gobbledegook, and I don't trust him. I've seen another side of him since then. He is a very progressive Goblin and one whom I believe I can trust. Still, I'm hoping he got the tale partially wrong. It can't be totally awful if he is determined that his own, very young daughter be a participant. I guess, that might be more his wife's idea. She wanted to go herself. Actually, the Gobbledegooks were mourning as if they might never see their daughter again.

"I like Tendra, but she is young – in some ways younger than Cissy. She learns quickly, though.

"I think I've figured out the purpose of the Quest. I believe that we need to venture into the dead circles controlled by the ancient Gods and Goddesses and bring the circles back to life. I think that if we succeed, all of the Squibs and a lot of the Muggles will become magical. We're already seeing that with just the Pyramid Circle and the Eire Circle restored. I think that is what is meant by the new Golden Age – a time when magic will be so common that we can once again live openly among the Muggles."

"I hope you're right, dear. It still sounds very dangerous."

I didn't doubt that it was, but more and more I was coming to the conclusion that this was something that I was capable of achieving. I planned to succeed and to survive. Other than that, I barely thought of my future Quest, although I did plan in down periods. I had come to peace with the idea of the Quest, and didn't want over-thinking to drive my mind from that good place. I was afraid that too much brooding would lead to fear. I didn't tell Mom that. There was one more thing I wished to discuss with her.

"There is something else that I wanted to ask you. It also might be dangerous."

I told her about meeting Harry's parents and getting the answers to his questions. "Should I pass the answers on to him?"

"I think you must, dear. I admit that the answers might just whet his appetite to continue a conversation with his parents, but you know that Harry will keep pushing until those questions are answered."

"That's what I was afraid of. I'll tell him tonight."

The worst part of the conversation with Harry was the awkwardness of starting it. How to explain the delay in telling him that I had relayed his questions to his parents. I just dove in, telling him that I had been very busy, but worried and thinking about what to say, ever since I woke up in the Sacred Cavern. I thought he would rebuke me for keeping secrets, so I just rushed forward, intending to deluge him with information.

"Please don't interrupt me. I want to get through this is one shot. Your mother says that what she wanted for your life was for you to be happy and to live far longer than she did. She wants to look down and see grandchildren. She is proud that you defeated Voldemort, but didn't expect or really want that. She has chastised Dumbledore for pushing you so hard in that direction. She said that she wanted a normal childhood and life for you and was very sorry you ended up with her sister. She says that she and your father talked a lot about her role in the fight against Voldemort. Your father wanted her to stay at home and be safe and keep you safe. She wanted to continue fighting. She did useful things from their hideout, apparating to do a little spying and strategic theft. Your father didn't complain too loudly, but never approved. She says that you already know that the love potion and her future husband were what ultimately turned Petunia away from her sister and family.

"She says that the fuller answer is that Petunia found her life to be dull and was horribly jealous when your mother was allowed to leave and go to Hogwarts. She says that she thinks Petunia envied her, missed her, felt deserted by her, and at some level hated her for becoming something different and exciting and leaving her behind in the dull. She says she has always been surprised at that, because she remembers her childhood as .being very happy and her father as a most interesting man who went out of his way to amuse his daughters and show affection to them. Petunia thought your grandfather favored your mother and pulled back from him. Your mother said that wasn't at all true, but that one needed a curious personality to appreciate your grandfather. Petunia found life you're your grandparents to be dull, because she was incurious and dull herself. She also disliked Lily, because Snape liked Lily, while Petunia had a crush on Snape. Snape was very openly disdainful of the non-magical Petunia and that crushed her. In a way, Snape caused the biggest schism between the sisters.

"Your mother says that while she was initially very intrigued by Snape and found him to be strangely handsome, she soon recognized his dark side and was uncomfortable with it. In his own way, Snape was duller even than Petunia, although he was a most curious and intelligent young Wizard. He was barely able to speak to her and totally able to voice his emotions. She had feared that he was so reticent, because he felt she was beneath him as a Muggle-born, then realized that he just wasn't at all social. He became more a stalker than a friend.

"Finally, your mother says that there is absolutely no safe way for you to visit her and that you must stop trying or you won't have any life at all. She says that your addiction to the Mirror of Erised should have taught you of the danger and if that didn't, then Dumbledore's withered hand should have. She says she can't believe her son is too stupid to understand that.

"Your father said that he didn't have any grand visions for the future world and lacked the wit to consider uniting the magical creatures and coming out of hiding as you and I are working to achieve. He said he just wanted to be able to live a normal life in peace, without the constant need to fight and the constant interference of a corrupt government. He looked forward to raising his son and spending a life with Lily. He planned to be an honest auror, realizing that the current system allowed no such thing. He said that none of the Order planned to do more than live ordinary and successful, happy lives after Voldemort was gone. Few of them really believed they would beat Voldemort. Most expected to die young and be remembered as heroes. He said that of the entire Order, McGonagall was the only one who seemed at all interested in leading a new government. Most have would have gladly settled for an 'honest Slytherin'.

"He says that his parents were very loving and as tolerant and progressive as pure-blood Wizards of their age could be. They were grandparent age and old enough that their own parents had already died, before your father could meet them. He was amazed that they accepted the Muggle-born Lily, but they welcomed her with open arms. Your grandfather died shortly after they were married and never got to see you. Your grandmother saw you for a month, before your parents went into hiding. She died days before your parents did and your Dad terribly regretted that it was too dangerous to attend her funeral, even with Polyjuice. His father was a Peverell and enjoyed inventing things. The cloak was passed down to him by his father and he gave it to James, when he was having problems at school. Your father gave the cloak to Dumbledore, because he didn't expect to be able to use it in hiding and thought someone in the Order could put it to good use in fighting Voldemort. It seemed wrong to horde something, which could be a useful weapon in their fight. He said that he had never heard of Jaden Caulfield. He says that you can trust McGonagall in the big things, if not the small, although she has partly lived a lie and never been the loyal follower she claimed to be. She will use you for her own purposes, but not deliberately cause you serious harm. On the last point your father was adamant.

"He was indignant, saying 'I didn't bully Snape. He gave as good as he got and he started the battle. He had his gang and I had mine. Our motives were far purer than his. What Dumbledore wrote was true. What he didn't write was the extent to which Snape stalked Harry's mother. He was worse than a loathsome pest. He seemed dangerous. Lily tried to be nice, she tried to encourage him to the light. When he chose to stay in the dark she ignored him, when he persisted, she surrounded herself with an impenetrable shield of girlfriends, when even that didn't keep Snape at bay, I had to step in. He had no chance with her, but couldn't admit it to himself, so he became increasingly desperate. Harry's mother almost had done with both of us – she couldn't stand the quarrels and pranks gone too far. In the end, I won her by backing off and letting Snape demonstrate his own pathetic evilness. It was sad. There were girls who wanted Snape. Lily just wasn't among them.'

"Your father also said that 'Harry has to end this morbid quest to meet us and live his own life. He'll be with us when he dies. His mother and I hope that won't be for a very long time. Tell Harry that neither Lily nor I were as good as he imagined us to be and that I was not as bad as he fears I was. We were just normal Hogwarts students going through the discoveries, loves, fights, and general foolishness that all of you have gone through. We died before we were fully formed. I can't tell Harry what kind of Wizard I would have become, because I don't know. Tell him that I tried to be good.'

"That really is all there is."

"Thank you," Harry told me. "I won't say any more than that and I will try to move my parents to the back of my mind."

I vowed to also improve my comfort by pushing the Quest to the back of my mind. Catta and Jana became one with the Stone. I also succeeded with Firenze. My father and mother were sent traveling together. They saw GoblinWorld. I didn't trust Mom with Fred and instructed the Stone to keep my parents away from BeyondWorld. I also sent Neville. He was a perfectly behaved voyager and dipped into all of the inhabited worlds. He was the only one of all of us to comment primarily about the plants when he woke up. He saw many plants that are foreign to our world and the Stone told him of many others that are now very rare here. Some are gone completely. Only the Catta trip related to the Quest. I really planned for the Quest only in quiet times, when there was nothing else to consider.

Fortunately the down periods were few, as Quest thoughts did not appear to be good for my disposition. The alternative, trying to decide what my role as Light Guardian leader and Mother of the Future should entail, was not much more conducive to peace of mind. I told myself that I would learn more on Friday.

Unfortunately, Mom still was concerned about Irma.

"She was actually one of my favorite students. A very sweet girl and an excellent student. I'm glad you met with her and tried to reassure her, but you really need to do more. You were cruel to her. Part of it was a sense of urgency to help Viktor, but I can't ignore that part of it is simply your prejudice against anything Slytherin. Irma is not at all like what you think of as a Slytherin Witch. At least, she isn't today. Bad behavior from those who dislike everything Slytherin can drive her away from the good side and turn her into what your prejudice says she must become. You have a chance to either help a lot of children who sorted into Slytherin become better adults than they would become without our intervention, or to cause them to go bad. Please be a force for good. You should practice magic with her. Maybe teach her an Ancient Priestess defensive charm, so she can do well in class. If you can't do it for her, or for yourself, please do it for me. I have high hopes for Irma and I invested a lot of effort in her."

"I'm sorry. I promise to help her."

I went from my meeting with Mom in search of Irma, in order to keep that promise. I spent an hour with her, teaching her the 'Shield' charm, and trying to restore the level of confidence that my Mom had built up and I had crushed. We parted on good terms. I told her that we could get together again in a few days, if she wished to practice some more.

The news from Germany continued to be a little unsettling, but never reached the level of outright alarm. Several persons inside and outside of Durmstrang were being watched, Cho was checking Viktor's food and drink before he consumed it, and a few more loyal aurors were added to the staff of the German Ministry. Several mice met their fate in Cho's battle to keep Viktor safe.

With each discovery of a poisoned entrée or beverage, Cho's heart sunk a little farther. Since we were linked through the Stone, she shared her ups and downs with me on a daily basis. I kept Dad and Harry informed of the goings on in Germany, rather than the other way around. Far from being a rival for Harry's affections, this constant mental linking with Cho had made me think of her as nearly as close a friend and ally as Hermione or Luna.

It also chilled me enough that I insisted that we all check our food and drink. I dredged up the ancient memories from the days when the potion master was the most prized fighter. I taught all of our gang how to charm their wands to detect unwanted potions. I was so insistent that I wouldn't even allow them to eat packaged chocolate bars, without first testing them. Dad had frowned when I told him after his spirit trip 'you forgot to test your candy, what if it was poisoned'. I urged him to be more careful, lest he go the route of Shacklebolt.

"But you gave me the chocolate yourself. Am I to distrust even you?"

"It's a habit, Dad. You have to keep doing it until it becomes second nature – until you can do it without the people around you even realizing that you are doing it. Umbridge could be anywhere."

McGonagall was unfailingly pleasant to me. We had reached an understanding that I was in charge with regard to the Stone, and she would soon again be in charge again within Hogwarts proper. In front of the students and faculty, I tried to show her great respect and deference, while she treated me as her pet student. It was good, but it certainly felt strange.


	92. Chapter 92

**Chapter 92 – The Newest Witch**

At Friday morning breakfast, Hermione and I decided that we wanted to invite Luna and Neville to join us at the traditional Witch worship services that evening. Hermione went to the head table to talk to Neville, while I made my pitch to Luna. Luna was starting to say how interesting it sounded and that of course she would come with us, when she got a far-away look and stopped listening to me. Realizing that she likely was receiving a mental message through the Stone, I just sat and waited for her to finish. She was abrupt.

"Gotta go. I'll join you if I can. The newest Malfoy is on the way and I'm off to the castle for the delivery. I'm using my Light Guardian knowledge to be a midwife as well as a Priestess. It's steadier work. Bye."

Hermione told me that Neville would join us and that we might do well to review our Ancient Priestess knowledge about what a combined nature and Light Guardian religious service, as filtered through the Church of England, might look like. I followed Hermione back to her, and Ron's, apartment. We drank a glass of sherry before a small fire and then, wanting comfort, each grabbed a pillow and lay down upon their bed to think.

It wasn't more than a couple of minutes until I realized "Today's Ostara. That has to make a difference in the ceremony. Possibly also why Professor Sprout timed our invitation so that tonight is the first service we would attend at her church."

"Yes, Hermione replied. Ostara was a significant ancient holiday, although not as much as Eostre in these parts. Still, as the celebration of rebirth and the spring equinox, it marks a most propitious date for the birth of Erin's child. A child born between Ostara and Eostre was said to be especially blessed and a special blessing to its parents. It is an especially auspicious time for the birth of a girl, which, of course, is what the Malfoy child is to be."

"So, what can we expect? A bonfire? An orgy? The symbolic planting of a field with the new year's crop seed? The birthing of a lamb or rabbit?"

"As you're unpacking the same knowledge that I am, you know that all of that is possible, Ginny, although I see Professor Sprout as less free-spirited than Victoria or Professor Trelawney. I don't expect to be asked to leap a bonfire in the altogether."

"That's good. No way I could do that with Dad at the church. I've also learned better than to drag Harry into that sort of thing again. I doubt we'll even have a bonfire. Wouldn't that attract too much attention from Hogsmeade? I doubt the C of E portion of the church would approve."

"Yes, it must be nearly impossible to hide an ancient religion church within a C of E church. I wouldn't have dared to attempt such a thing. We should research whether it is possible to magic the clearing so well that a bonfire could be hidden from the inhabitants of the village. I mean, even if you hid the light of the fire, the smoke has to go somewhere and the villagers are bound to smell it and investigate. They're Witches and Wizards, they know about magical protections and won't be as easily fooled as Muggles would be. Even in Hogsmeade, I'm surprised that Professor Sprout and Aberforce could keep a secret this long. If they let us use their building and we recruit adherents, their secret will be out. Surely they knew that when they sent you the invitation."

"Surely they knew that when they invited my Dad. This may just be one of those changes that have slowly come about after the death of Voldemort, as most of his Death Eaters have been captured or killed. The church will still hide its true identity from the Muggles, but may not fear disclosure to other Wizards. Much of Hogsmeade may already be aware of what we view as a secret. As close as we live to Hogsmeade, we know little more about it than the little kids on their first Hogsmeade day visit to Honeydukes. To kids, it's a collection of magical shops, but who thinks about the reality of what a whole magical village actually is?"

"You're right. I'm embarrassed that in seven years I haven't wandered beyond the shops of the main street. I didn't think your Dad was an especially adventurous student like the Marauders, but he explored the path through the forest and found the old church building. How did we miss it? It's like we're trying to save and remake the whole Wizarding world, and we don't even understand our local village. Hogwarts shouldn't be that much of a world unto itself. Harry, Ron, and I fought Voldemort for Dumbledore, and we didn't even know that Lord Montaigne owned the land on which Hogwarts sits or that Hogwarts was in Scotland. How lame were we? Or how blinded by tunnel vision?"

"That reminds me of the questions that Harry had for his parents. There is that name that keeps coming up: Jaden Caulfield. Harry knows she's important. We should do some library research and try to find her. We may have to use the Muggle libraries."

We were considering everything we had heard about Jaden and her connection to the Tom Riddle pre-Voldemort, when I was Stone-messaged by Luna. The newest Malfoy had entered the world. Luna would meet us at the church. Draco would come with her. Cissy had spoken to Professor Sprout and she had agreed to expand the guest list. I had also requested a most unusual addition.

I had been teaching Tendra how to cast a Patronus, actually a non-corporeal Patronus, when Hermione has found us in the Room of Requirements. In her excitement to tell me the great insight she had just come to regarding the celebration of Ostara three millennia ago, she had let slip that we were attending the church service. Tendra wanted to come with us, telling me that it would be an important addition to her education.

I had only promised "I'll see what I can arrange," and hastily set off to find Professor Sprout to get permission to bring Tendra. Professor Sprout had given a remarkably fast approval.

At dusk, we slipped away to a blind corner in the third floor corridor and I apparated us to the clearing in front of the little fortress church. We hadn't wanted to be observed leaving Hogwarts by the gate pocket or the Gryffindor landing. Having Tendra with us made stealth even more important – everyone still focused their attention upon the sight of a Goblin at Hogwarts. It would undoubtedly be the same in Hogsmeade. The safest approach was straight to the clearing. I wondered how Professor Sprout managed to slip away. Of course, she had the full set of school keys and likely knowledge of more secret passages than were revealed by the Marauder's Map.

There wasn't a bonfire in the clearing, but the setting sun cast an entirely different appearance to the church. The cold grey-white stone building loomed an inviting pink in front of us. It was clear that we were not appropriately dressed for the occasion. The two figures in front of the church were clad in white robes, which had taken on a rosy glow in the evening light. As we approached closer, I could identify those figures as belonging to Aberforce and Mr. Ollivander. It made a perfect kind of sense that a wandmaker would belong to a traditional Wizard church. These two gentlemen greeted us and ushered us inside, instructing me, "Your party is to sit in the front row of pews." Professor Sprout must have forewarned him, because Aberforce welcomed Tendra by name.

As we moved forward into the church, we were greeted by Mom and Dad and…Prudence? Farther along I recognized Madam Rosmerta, and was surprised to see Xenophilius Lovegood. I guess I was so surprised that I stopped and gaped, then had to approach him to say hello.

"I'm not the one who arrived with a Goblin," Xenophilius winked at me. "You are surprised that Luna never mentioned this church to you. She doesn't know of it. I never felt it the right thing to foist my spiritual beliefs upon her. Better that she be drawn here on her own accord. I'm so pleased that she is to be joining us. A Light Guardian Priestess in the family is better than I dared to hope. We've a marvelous ceremony in store for you. A newborn at Ostara. That happened just two decades ago. Quite a coincidence for this little church. And also a girl! You'd have to go back two centuries to see that again."

I saw a young Wizard, whom I barely recognized as a student I had seen around Hogwarts. Harry and Ron clearly knew him as they stepped forward saying, "It's great to see you again Roger. I'm sorry we've lost touch since you graduated. What are you up to?"

"Family farm. These are my parents Isabel and Laurent." We all shook hands, although I hadn't a clue who they were, until Harry whispered {That was Roger Davies. He was the Ravenclaw Chaser when I started Quidditch. He's two years older than me."

The other members of the congregation were strangers to me. It turned out that they were a family of farmers from farther north, beyond the Montaigne estate, Mr. and Mrs. Kettering and their twenty-year old daughter, Ostara, who had not attended Hogwarts. Ostara was explaining to us that she was to be a key participant in today's ceremony, because this was her birthday. The symbolism of an Ostara-born Witch welcoming another Ostara-born Witch into the community was too great to ignore. Normally her birth would be celebrated today and she would plant the onions in the field in honor of that, but today she would preside over the entire ceremony. That would explain the elaborate white headdress, with feathers hanging down her back, and a lace veil, which was now thrown back over her head.

Ostara was just saying, "It was great to meet you, but I must break away to begin my duties," when we heard a commotion behind us and turned to see Cissy leading Draco, baby Erin, and, surprisingly, big Erin into the church. Luna was carrying little Erin, because Draco was heavily supporting the somewhat wobbly big Erin. They joined us in the front pew, after Luna halted to exchange kisses with her father. Neville's Gran was a late arrival, who took a seat next to her grandson.

Noticing that the church had suddenly become very silent, I looked up to see Ostara standing before us, veil in place, and white-gloved hands clasped at her waist. She spoke a little softly and haltingly, as if she was new to standing before the congregation and feeling more than slightly nervous. Possibly it was simply the presence of strangers which unnerved her. In any case, she was lovely, and she was most earnest.

"I am Ostara. I was birthed on this day of rebirth. It is my honor to welcome into this world another Witch birthed on Ostara. Young Erin and her parents join us for the first time. Our little circle is truly blessed by their presence.

"I call the mother to stand before us with her child. Erin Devine Malfoy, do you swear as the holy Witch that you are that you will protect this precious gift of Ostara, guiding her into and through this world of magic, acquainting her with the ways and wishes of the ancient Gods and Goddesses, and keeping her safe, no matter what the cost? Will you teach her to be as wise a Witch as yourself and to know the significance of this day of her birth? Will you teach her that she is good, and pure, and intelligent, and able to love and master the ways of magic, and this wonderful world into which she is birthed?"

"I certainly do," big Erin intoned, as loudly as she was able. Luna helped her back to her seat, but not before Ostara had served up an ample splash of the 'water blessed by the Goddess' to both mother and child.

"I call up the father of great fertility. The husband with the manly parts of surpassing strength. Draco, bring young Erin, hold her before the sacred basin, that she may be blessed, along with yourself."

Draco strutted forward and repeated the same vows that big Erin had completed. He too was splashed with the water of the Goddess. This time, Ostara kept the infant.

"Baby Erin, I present you to the Gods and Goddesses of the North, the East, the South, and the West." With each mention of a compass point, the baby was passed alarmingly close to one of the lit candles, which were burning upon the altar. Another splash of the water of the Goddess, and little Erin's gown was quite wet. At least this was likely an excellent protection against inadvertently setting the poor child on fire.

Ostara continued, baby Erin still in her gloved hands, "We thank Ostara for the rebirth of nature, which we see jutting forth all around us. We thank her Godliness for the warming breezes and gentle rain, which drive away the cold, dark, death that is winter. We thank her for the return of the hares and the birds, for the fresh shoots on the trees, the green onions that will feed us, and all of the flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la."

"**She just made up that last part!" **my brother messaged me indignantly, as if he could do a better job than Ostara was doing.

"**I don't know Ron, I've only unpacked a little of that part of my Priestess knowledge, but she was grinning when she said that."**

"Just as I have always known that the circumstances of my birth mark out a special spot for me in our magical world, so I know than little Erin will grow to accomplish mighty deeds. Those of us born upon the day of Ostara have a special duty to nurture and preserve the magical future of our natural world. And so, it is fitting that I call upon the Godmother who delivered this child, to come and stand with me and little Erin, as we receive a special blessing from the Mother of the Future."

I thought and barely avoided voicing "Oh, shit!" Then it felt like a bolt of lightning had flashed from my left ear to my right, making my whole mind asizzle. I got to my feet, walked to the altar and turned to face the congregation. I called Draco and big Erin to join me and then the words just flowed from my body as the ancient knowledge surged to the fore of my mind.

"We are thankful for the coming of Spring and for the special blessing of this new life on the day of Ostara. Ostara is an important Goddess, because she is the Goddess most at peace with the Light Guardian. Her strength continues undiminished as she supports all who reverence the Light Guardian and do his work to nourish the earth and the intelligent creatures which dwell upon it, be they magical or not. Ostara represents life, just as the Unicorn represents goodness. It is fitting that this young child, birthed on Ostara's day, be touched and imbued with the clear goodness of the Unicorn. I call upon Unstad to appear before us and share his purity with baby Erin and her mother and her father and her Godmother and all of us assembled here."

Unstad was standing beside us. He spoke "I have read the signs written in last night's sky and attest that the birth of this child is of momentous import. She shall do her part to keep the magic strong. All of you, you too Ostara, touch my horn and repeat after me. 'I promise to do my part to keep peace among all the creatures who think, to preserve and strengthen the magic, sharing it with those who are now its stranger, doing my utmost to avoid killing a thinking being, and being kind to all I may encounter'. Now, if the Mother of the Future will take the sacred knife from the altar and make a small cut in my flank. Collect the blood upon the silver blade and roll a drop upon each of those assembled here, then I will announce that the Covenant has been renewed and that this child shall be a seal of its renewal. Please summon the other guests."

I spoke loudly and clearly as I resumed my duties. "As the Mother of the Future, I call upon the Keeper of the Universe to join us in blessing this new life and the renewal of our sacred Covenant. I call upon the Messenger Elf to give us his approval." Cotto and Firenze were standing beside us.

I did as Unstad told me to do, also placing a drop upon each person seated in the pews. I added a splash of the holy water and told the congregation that they were now all linked to baby Erin and to this important event.

I reached into the inner pocket of my robe and withdrew my ever-present vial of Yantra sand. I announced, "this is sand from the first Sacred Circle and the great circle of Stonehenge. It was used in the Yantra which rebalanced the universe. It has been touched by the horn of the Unicorn and the blood of the Keeper of the Universe. I share this sand as symbol of the rebirth of life and the reaffirmation of our shared Covenant. All present are charged to remember this day and to do their best to preserve the magic and promote peace among all creatures who think."

I called Dad and Tendra to the front of the congregation, telling them "accept this sand along with your responsibility to lead your people in honoring the Covenant."

I placed a few grains of sand on the heads of all who were present, starting with baby Erin, then the leaders of each community, then big Erin, Draco, Ostara, Hermione, and then the rest of the congregation.

I announced, "Baby Erin thanks you for welcoming her into our world. She will not disappoint you. Today, you have witnessed the beginning of something very important. We are now all baby Erin's friends and protectors. All of us assembled today are bound by this shared experience. Now it is time to eat the bread, drink the wine, and plant the onions and the peas. Ostara smiles upon all that we do here. In the name of the Light Guardian, I bless you all. This service is concluded."

We ate the bread with jam from the first strawberries of the prior Spring. We drank fine Witch sherry from the last grapes harvested the prior fall. We then all trooped out to the clearing to admire the almost-full moon. We were only two days from Oestre. Aberforce and Xenophilius each planted a row of peas. Ostara, Big Erin and Draco planted the first onions, followed by me, Hermione, Firenze, Cotto, Unstad, Dad, and Tendra, and Luna. Professor Sprout finished the row, then marked the end of the planting by shouting "Light the fire. The father must leap the flames."

Madam Rosmerta brought an armful of kindling from the church and assembled it in a clear spot on the ground. She flicked her wand and we had flames. She flicked her wand again and Draco did not have clothes. He really was very well muscled. He was a good sport, twice leaping across the little fire, before performing a wandless spell that left him re-clothed in his formal robes. I gave little Erin to Luna. She linked hands with Erin, who touched Draco, who touched Cissy, and then they all were gone.

Madam Rosmerta approached the fire and, with a quick little flick of her wand, extinguished the flame.

"How did you think of something to say so fast?" Harry asked me.

"I really don't know, it just popped into my head and I said it. This became a far more solemn and momentous occasion than I had intended at first, but the thought and the words just sprung to my mind. Hermione's committee still needs to revise the Covenant and present a new version for approval by each community, but I truly believe that we actually reaffirmed the old Covenant tonight."

"That is correct," Firenze told Hermione. You and the Mother must go forth tomorrow to the Leprechauns, the Giants, the spiders, the whales, and the merpeople and ask that they also renew their commitment to the Covenant. This has been a most momentous day."

"This certainly has been a very strange service," Hermione whispered to Harry and me. "I wonder if it matters that Draco isn't really the father or that he likely lacks male parts of surpassing strength."

"Whatever!" Ron concluded.

As we walked back to Hogwarts, the only words which left Neville's mouth were, "Ostara really is a very beautiful Witch, don't you think? She is very adept in the ancient ways. We really must find a way to include her in our religion course. I will most definitely return to this church. Good job, by the way, Ginny."

Some way, some how, McGonagall learned about our little church service, or at least what she viewed as the most significant issue. She accosted me at lunch on a day that Harry was off at the Ministry. She imperiously crooked her finger at me and Hermione and stridently walked from the Great Hall in a manner that totally assumed that we would be right behind her. We weren't quite finished with are lunch. We chose to linger several minutes, before walking to McGonagall's teaching office, where I was quite sure we would find her. This might be perceived as a tad immature rebellion, but I hadn't yet slaked my hunger and both Hermione and I, along with Neville for that matter, had grown tired of McGonagall continuing to act as if she was our headmaster. She was also not the house advisor to the house where I no longer lived, nor was she currently even my professor. In addition both Harry and Dad had urged me to stop playing the obsequious student and act the part of the Mother of the Future, who had been excused from class attendance and begged to remain at Hogwarts. It was hard to honor that request without sometimes behaving in a manner which McGonagall might view as ovetrly defiant.

We knocked upon the door of her office and were greeted by a "enter… finally."

We hadn't even taken seats, when McGonagall began speaking at us.

"I'm not at all pleased. It has come to my attention that there was a religious service – somewhat more than a baptism, for Draco's child. I can't believe you didn't invite Narcissa to attend to be a witness to this huge landmark in her granddaughter's life. That poor woman continues to suffer in her solitary Gringotts cell. Would it really have pained you so much to furlough her for half a day?"

"Not our decision, we didn't arrange the service or issue the invitations."

"You did take the effort to make certain that a certain Goblin was in attendance. You spirited her from the school without permission. She is a first year and the king's daughter, and Hogwarts is responsible for her safety and would be held to account if anything happened to her. You should have spoken to me. I would have told you how foolish an idea it was to include Tendra in a Witch ceremony."

"We had Neville's permission to invite her. I also asked her father. If you are aware of the ceremony, then you are also aware that Neville was present. I don't see the problem. If Draco wanted his mother there, he had only to ask and the request would have been forwarded to the Ministry for consideration. He did not ask. As you are aware, Narcissa is not a big fan of Draco's new family. Erin's parents weren't present for much the same reason, although there will be a C of E Christening next week. Your concern is really one to raise with my father, or Harry, or Draco, not me."

"It was an important moment for a grandparent. Draco and Erin should have just buried their displeasure for a few hours. The question is not did Draco and Erin want their parents present, but would their parents have wanted to be present. As Mother of the Future, I would have expected you to show Narcissa some mercy and plead her case to your father."

"Erin's parents see the ancient religions as evil mumbo-jumbo and want nothing to do with them. They'll have their Cof E service. I suspect Draco knows that his father would have wanted to attend the service, but was prevented by Narcissa's actions. Anyway, not my problem."

"I have spoken to your husband and your father and they were no more sympathetic than you have been. Narcissa has suffered a lot. I visited her last week. I feel she is on the verge of another breakdown. She did what she did for her son and now she wasn't even allowed to witness the Witch baptism of Draco's daughter. She has destroyed her life trying to protect Draco and now is cut out of his life. You might be interested to know that it has been many weeks since Draco last visited his mother. She has sent him several letters, but has not received a reply beyond 'I do not feel like communicating with you at this time, mother. You really have gone too far.' What kind of an attitude is that for a son to take toward his loving mother? She is not a bad person. After all these years, she remains one of my favorite students. The two of you may leave. You have disappointed me, yet again."


	93. Chapter 93

**Chapter 93 – Professors Trying To Protect Students**

As March turned to April and snow was replaced by a wintry mix of rain, sleet, and, hopefully, the last of the year's snow, I was truly grateful that McGonagall and Neville had given me leave to avoid most of my classes. I was nearly fully occupied by a combination of, teaching the religion class, studying up on ancient Gods and Goddesses, campaigning for Hermione, beginning to practice the two Quidditch teams, and tutoring a growing list of students, young and old, who now numbered close to a dozen. I found that tutoring often clarified my own knowledge of a particular subject. The need to explain clearly, to answer, questions, and to suss out just what the student found so hard to grasp just crystallized my mastery of the topic. Sometimes I did have to do a little research, before I was confident in my explanation to the student and in the student's command of what I had said.

Yes, Neville had decided to reschedule the Quidditch Tournament, minus the cheaters at the Eire Academy. I wasn't convinced that I would play this time. It was starting to seem a little childish, when set beside my other responsibilities, but I would do my share of the work to bring the teams together. Frankly, none of my attempts as a player this season had ended particularly well and I was lukewarm at best for a third try.

I couldn't miss Mom's class, and Hermione and I still showed up for Defense Against the Dark Arts to taunt Herr Schwein with our silent presence in the center of the front row.

I met Hermione outside the door to the Schwein room and we took our customary seats. Of course we did not insult, we did not disrupt, but we did keep a constant pronounced watch on the man, what might be termed a glare from ones less benign than ourselves. We also made sure that Herr Professor always noted our right hands upon our wands. Seated as we were in the center of the front row, he could hardly miss any gesture we chose to make. While the rest of the class took copious notes, I limited myself to a few lines per class, ostentatiously shifting my wand from my right to my left hand, before extracting a quill from my robes to scribe a few sentences. The Herr Professor largely ignored us, although this forced him to alternately stare at the far left and right corners of the room.

On this first of April, he was clearly feeling his oats and telling the class, "The pure-blooded Teutonic Wizard is the ablest magical fighter in the World. Far superior to decadent Britons. You are fortunate to take instruction from a Durmstrang master of the art of wand fighting."

To say I was normally a most perfunctory note taker in this class would be an understatement. I usually made notes of obvious misstatements, missteps that might be used as evidence against him, or clues to the identity of co-conspirators, as well as the very occasional accurate example of a valid Durmstrang fighting technique which was unknown to me. He saw me draw my quill and scribble rapidly in my notebook and for some reason decided to seize my notebook and read aloud what I had just written.

"The filthy swine actually thinks himself a great fighter. Perhaps he'll change his view, if I throw him through the wall, rather than the window. How can one so ugly and imbecilic be so proud of his bloodline?"

The whole class was convulsing in laughter and a burgundy-faced Herr Professor was glaring at me, then shouting "ignorant, impudent girl. You hateful British Witches never learned your proper place. You're worse than your Mudblood friend and your odious former headmistress. I grant you're a decent fighter, but you have none of the softness that would normally attract a Wizard to marry you. I can only pity your husband. At first I thought – why would the British Deputy Minister choose to marry one such as you? Then, I observe his weakness and inability to strike the lethal blow, and I have my answer. Both your Minister and his Deputy hide behind the wands of their wives. I would never marry to be protected.

"My wife is a proper Witch, unlike you and your perverted McGonagall. I'd rather serve under my usurper than teach beside your McGonagall and Celine. When I come to Britain, I wish to learn about this great Voldemort we hear about at Durmstrang. If he be killed by the weak Potter, he not be anything special - less than the average Durmstrang senior. If Voldemort be what your aristocrats see as great fighter, you Britons are all pathetic. Your Witches and the perverted McGonagall are most pathetic of all. The only Witches I see here of any value are the Slytherin Witches. They know their place. They be the only British Witches worth looking at. You should be prepared to defend yourself; you have insult me for last time.

"I'll teach you proper respect for your superiors. Let's see how much you enjoy being a fat, ugly boar."

He kicked the side of my chair, sending it spilling to the floor and leaving me hovering in place. I looked up to see him leveling his wand at me and automatically reached for The Stone and amped up my defenses. He looked bewildered that his curse had failed and flicked his wand again, uttering a curse in German and I suspect nothing at all happened, because the class laughed all the harder, and clearly at him, rather than at me. As I rose to my feet, Herr Professor thrust his wand at me, almost striking the tip of my nose and uttered more German, which my mind quickly translated as 'fat pig become'.

I didn't have the nuances of the Germanic tongue mastered, but got enough of the meaning to use a silent curse to push him against his desk. Even I realized that my laugh was a little chilling as I slid both Schwein and his desk, and then his chair ten feet, until they all collided with the wall.

One of the fourth year Slytherin girls shouted at Schwein, "I'd sooner kill myself than marry anyone as pathetic as you. Voldemort would have killed you, without even using his wand. You have no idea what you are talking about. I think you're both stupid and ugly, and you think way too much of yourself. I'm not as useless and subservient as you think. I'm very surprised you even have a wife. Why didn't you bring her to Hogwarts with you?"

"She is here, you foolish girl. We choose not to have her mix with you degenerate Britons. She stays in our apartment and I bring food and things to her."

"That sounds like a really rewarding life for her," I piped up.

"She cooks and sews and brews potions. She reads a little – simple books only. But why should I answer, she is so much better than any of you. She is proper German Witch, not like the impudent Cho that our usurper chooses."

"Then why did she marry a loser like you, who makes her hide away in your apartment? There are many adult Witches at Hogwarts, whom she could talk to."

"Very bad influences, and you be quiet and show respect. I can turn you into porcupine, with quills sharper than your harpy tongue." He pointed his wand at the Slytherin, but before he could speak the curse, I reached out indignantly, grabbing his wand from his hand. He loosed his grip as if the handle of his wand was hot enough to singe his flesh. As I looked at it, the end was smoking, where the shaft entered its silver handle. I slammed the wand against my overturned desk, shattering it into three pieces. I held the thinnest four-inch section in my hand. As Professor Schwein had been reaching out with his unburnt left hand to regain his wand, I simply deposited the piece I had into his hand.

"I guess a little British Witch is too much for the fiercest Teutonic Wizard," I told him as I turned to lead Hermione out of the room. I had our backs well covered, in case the Schwein knew wandless curses. I took one glance back over my shoulder to see that the Slytherin girl had transfigured the professor into a porcupine. My classmates were scurrying around to avoid his quills.

Thinking the swine would likely complain to Neville about me, I remembered to tap my notebook with my wand, just as soon as we were out of sight. I proved prescient, although for some reason it was McGonagall, rather than Neville, who interrupted my tutoring session with Henry barely an hour later.

"I've been asked by one of your professor to inspect that notebook, Ginny. I promised you'd keep your hand away from your wand."

I pointed to the pile of my books and notebook in the corner of the room and returned to my instruction of Henry. As Henry practiced 'leviosum', I saw McGonagall leafing through my notebook. I left Henry at his practice and strolled over to her.

"Ah, as I expected, not quite what Professor Schwein claims you wrote. 'The professor considers his fighting skills far superior to those of us decadent Brits. Strange thought for a man I threw out the window with a silent, wandless curse, and stranger still for a Wizard with a prissy little silver handle on his wand.' Not as bad as your professor claimed, but not, I think, showing suitable respect for professorial authority, either. Did he really say all of these other things that you've written in your notebook? Did you expect that your NEWT exam would require a recitation of the silliest utterings of your professor?"

"Yes, he said them all, and I wrote them down verbatim as evidence. I did not say anything disrespectful to the man – ever. Did he tell you that he tried to transfigure me into an ugly boar and a Slytherin girl into a porcupine, or that he expressed his hatred of all British Witches? How did he return to his own, ugly visage, by the way? When I left, the Slytherin girls had turned him into a porcupine. Poetic justice, don't you think. He had no business seizing my notebook."

"Certainly a Professor can review a student's notebooks, Mrs. Potter. As for evidence, you have many witnesses that he used the Cruciatus curse on a student. What more evidence could you possibly need? The man knows you're watching him. He has desperately tried to reach out to potential co-conspirators, but the best he can do is to approach young students. He knows no traitors in Britain. He didn't come here to spy. He was exiled here, to make him as totally at sea and helpless as he is. You should just have him arrested and be done with it.

"All this tormenting of the man, like a small boy worrying a cornered rat with a stick… well, I just think it is unseemly and beneath you, and the amount of enjoyment you take from it reveals a bit of a dark side, which I would have thought your Light Guardian experience had washed away. Cornered rats do bite, Mrs. Potter, and they transmit a multitude of diseases, some of them mental. Your Professor feels insulted by you and demands that I give you detention 'for the rest of her miserable life.' I have no desire to save the man. My desire is to save you from yourself. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Perhaps now is the time to say that he told the whole class that my former headmistress was odious. I'm surprised that he would come crying to you for help, since he told the class that you were a weakling and a pervert. Perhaps he was simply unable to find Neville."

"Then perhaps I shan't reward him by giving you detention. Still, it is time that you stopped behaving like a small boy and start using your new skills for something more significant than low self-amusement."

"There's something you both need to look at," Hermione's voice jolted me from my focus upon McGonagall. "As we were leaving Schwein's class, I 'leviosumed' the silver handle of his wand into the palm of my left hand. It was still warm. Anyhow, I don't think he saw me take it, but he'll certainly have missed it by now. I took it to my Dad's shop to examine it. It just looked like the end of the handle should come off and, with the use of a few of Dad's tools, it did. See!"

She held the uncapped silver handle in the palm of her left hand and shone a pencil flash into the opening. "At first I thought it was filled with fine white sand, like from an alabaster stone in a magical circle, but you can see that some of the powder at the sides is scorched and brown. Sand wouldn't do that, would it?"

"It most certainly would not," McGonagall declared. "This looks like a powder potion. Most likely it's a poison of some sort. We must run some tests and find out what it is. If it's purely herbal, Neville and Professor Sprout should be able to identify it quickly enough. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. First to Neville, then I want to talk to some other members of that class and get them to write down and sign their memory of that class, then I think I must have another chat with Professor Schwein."

"Good job!" I told Hermione, as McGonagall walked away from us. "I didn't even think to examine the pieces of his wand."

"It was such an elaborate silver handle for anybody not named Malfoy, who considers himself a serious wand fighter. I thought there must be a reason for one of the Wizarding world's biggest homophobes to be carrying such a poufy thing. I was right. I wonder whom he was planning to poison."

"Probably one of us. He certainly dislikes us enough."

"I was thinking Harry, rather than us. Harry's been away enough, that Schwein wouldn't have had a lot of opportunity. He could have poisoned either of us by now, if that was his plan. Our first step should be to identify the potion. We've made very few dry potions and none of them were clear white, like this one."

I wasn't sure what to do. Usually, I identified potions by color, clarity, smell, thickness, and in a pinch, taste. As every one of my potions professors, from Snape down to Madam Sprout, had cautioned me, taste is a very dangerous test to apply to an unknown potion. If the potion is intended to kill, it may require only the most minute quantity to inflict irreversible damage. Hermione was spouting a list of dry potions that this one most definitely was not, for a variety of reasons, which she also insisted upon reciting. While it was clear that she was familiar with far more dry potions than I was, it was equally clear that she had no idea what this one was or what it did. Hermione continued to verbally dredge up potions knowledge, but finally concluded that we should visit Professor Sprout. We found Neville first.

I asked him how it had happened that McGonagall had been examining my notebook and deciding whether or not she should give me detention. I had thought all were agreed that she couldn't do that.

"Sorry about that. Schwein came complaining to me about you. I said his claims seemed rather far-fetched, and that I had already heard from several students that he had behaved horribly and tried to assault you and another student. He huffed off saying perhaps McGonagall would give him some satisfaction. I understand you told her what he said about her. Don't worry about McGonagall. At times, she thinks she is still in charge, just like the last time that I was headmaster. At the very least, she will always work on perfecting her favorite project students, and you're one of them.

"By the way, I have a favor to ask you. Could at least you and Harry, preferably the whole group, accompany me to church this Friday?"

"You want to see Ostara again, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. I think it will look more natural and I'll be less threatening to her parents if I don't go alone. I want to ask her to meet me at Honeydukes, sometime next week."

"I'm always happy to facilitate the love life of my headmaster."

That night presented a new experience. My husband decided that he wanted to read to me in bed. I wasn't sure what to expect. My brother kept passing along books about how to keep your Witch happy, and occasionally Harry thought he had discovered a bright new idea in one of them. As I was musing, I saw that Harry had pulled out one of Dumbledore's diaries.

"I've gone back to reading a bit of these each day. McGonagall was right. I do need to be more diligent in reading them. Most of the stuff he writes is just personal thoughts about his own behavior and regrets, most of the stuff about other people has gone too moldy to be of any use, but there are nuggets. Let me read you what I discovered this afternoon. This is from the time that Tom Riddle is a 4th year. It concerns our old friend Jaden.

"Anyway, Dumbledore writes, 'I continue to hope that Jaden will be a good influence on our Tom. If Tom is able to love her, he may yet be saved. It is most of the way through his fourth year and she is his first true friend. He has not had a girlfriend yet. Perhaps? I wish too much? I can't even fairly say that he is friend to her as she is friend to him. It seems more exploitative on his part. She is bright to his dark, but every bit as brilliant – challenging him thought for thought and spell for spell. I think she has the slight advantage. I hope that her passion for life and for Tom will awaken something human inside the lad. They were certainly all over each other on the lawn today. They had laid aside their customary books, locked lips, and he seemed to have her grasped in a death lock. The boy is neither subtle nor overly gentle, but Jaden did not seem to mind. Seeing this as a positive development, I just smiled and kept walking. Will the light overcome the dark, or will it be snuffed out? I take great risk with that girl, allowing her to so openly follow her heart. Is this in her best interest, or have I made her a pawn in my little game.' Then it's yadda, yadda, yadda, about a Professor's responsibility to his young charges, fears he thinks too highly of his unfailing logic, and self-congratulation that he's passed another month, keeping his hands off the little lads. Apparently his record of self-control was still perfect.

"Then, two days later, 'Jaden and Tom have definitely changed from intellectual sparring partners testing their own knowledge and skill to a romantic pair. At least she is romantic. I fear he is experimenting with sex to increase his magical powers. I fear I may have deluded myself that the episode on the lawn was a spontaneous surprise to them. The Tom I have always known is all calculating. It's now all dark corners for them. They've discovered the utility cavern and quite shocked a young Goblin. I want her to save Tom, but dare I allow this to continue?'

"More yadda, yadda, then ten days later, "I fear my little project in danger of going off the rails. Has dark conquered light? I saw our lovely Jaden joining with Tom to torment a shy, dumpy, little first year Hufflepuff. Why are the poor Hufflepuffs so picked upon? They bother nobody and just want to be helpful and get along. At least the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors have the strength and power to stand up to such nonsense.'

"Then, a week later, 'Jaden and Tom seem to have formed a gang. They and their mostly Slytherin pals roam the school, seeking the weak for torment. I've had to stop them six times in the past four days. What have I allowed to happen to Jaden?"

"A lot of soul-searching, which I'll spare you, then four days after that, 'I don't know whether to consider it a good sign or not, but the Tom-Jaden gang is now fighting with the strong and ignoring the weak. A duel of brawl proportions, involving the gang with a dozen Gryffindors, has filled the infirmary. Jaden was injured and Tom has vowed revenge.'

"Three days later, 'Tom sent a half dozen Gryffindors to the infirmary. Jaden was only abed for two of those days and is returned to his side. I detect a little repugnance on her part. Tom has become very cruel. If I could rescue Jaden, I would. I regret not acting sooner.'

"Four days later starts exams. Dumbledore is hopeful. 'Jaden is lost in her books, preparing for exams. Tom comes round and sometimes studies with her, but they seem a little less joined at the hip, or at least at parts in that vicinity. Four days until they return home. I doubt Tom's home will allow him the freedom to travel to her. May she return in September to see him as he really is?'

"We have a summer of Dumbledore's ruminations and a little bit of scholarship. He travels to London to spy on Tom at his orphans' home, but fears he has been caught out and does not return. He comforts himself that at least Tom is in London and not with Jaden. I'll read you what Dumbledore writes two days after the start of term banquet. 'It seems my hopes are to be repeatedly dashed. Not only did Tom and Jaden stroll into the Great Hall hand-in-hand for the start-of-term feast, but Tom has done something unknown that has headmaster Dippet highly concerned about his brilliant Tom-who-can-do-no-wrong. Really, concerned, after all this time? Were I headmaster, I would have acted forcefully long before now. I know that Armando is very worried about his protégée, but I can't pry from him what has caused this sudden rash of, dare I say, sightedness. He just says he's the headmaster and it's his problem to solve.'

"Dumbledore really tried to learn the truth and a little over a week later reports, 'A fine bottle of my Wizard port led Armando to confide that Tom has stolen several books of the most evil dark magic from Armando's personal collection, which had been locked in his headmaster's desk. Why Armando possessed such things, I dare not speculate. He claims reasons of scholarship, but Armando is no more scholar than the poorest of the Hufflepuffs. I have observed, and had occasion to interrupt, a series of rather nasty pranks by the T-J gang. Poor J has ruined her reputation with many of her professors. They dote on Tom, but won't accept his female mirror image. I can't count the number of non-Slytherins transformed into rodents, or worse. The gang tried to physically eliminate Gryffindor House from the school. They left two nasty cracks around the portal, which allow full view into the common room. The power to do that… I doubt I would be capable.'

"Two weeks later, Dumbledore is more upset. 'J-T have been banned from the utility cavern. They now sneak to the Forbidden Forest for trysts. More nasty deeds by the gang, but fortunately J no longer participates. A rather large, awkward, and isolated student, Rubeus Hagrid, interrupted Tom turning a Gryffindor first level into a ferret. J would not look. This made Tom angry and he threw her to the ground with a silent, wandless curse. I didn't realize he had advanced that far. She cried. Hagrid took the ferret and J to me. The ferret is fine, but I fear J is not. It took half an hour to stop her tears. I must protect Hagrid. He is in great danger from Tom.'

"Another week passes. 'J-T had a most terrible row in the Great Hall. Food and detentions flew. They are not speaking. J is locked in her dorm or the library. T has turned all charming smiles, with only the rarest bit of cruel mayhem. I have subjected Professor Slughorn to my own tests, and find he is truly not Imperiused. How else to explain T's strange hold upon him?'

"It's fair to say that Dumbledore has become obsessed with J-T. He writes of little else. Two days later 'I came upon T using the 'Cruciatus' on Rubeus. Rubeus complained "that hurt, Tom" and marched off, before I could intervene. He's only a third year, but Rubeus bravely stood up to T. T couldn't stand it. T shouted truly hateful, bigoted remarks after him. Quite a few epithets leak through the smarmy charm these days. J will not see him. T is beyond upset.'

"Four days later and some considerable anguish, which I won't subject you to at bedtime: 'J has stopped coming to class. She will only see her former best friend Dillys Chapman. She is a Muggle-born, whom J unfortunately dropped at the end of last term. The girls spend most of the day in the dorm, with a break for library. Dillys brings food to J in the dorm. Neither has been in class the past four days. T forced his way into the Ravenclaw common room to find J and fair demolished the stairs, trying to batter his way up to the girls' dorm. Two first-years were injured.'

"Two days later, "T attacked Rubeus again, although that is not the version of the tale that headmaster Dippet chose to believe. I know Hagrid must be telling the truth, because he is the world's worst liar. T attacked him and used the unforgivable A-K curse upon him. Rubeus blocked the curse, grabbed him by the waist, and threw him into the lake. T's wand was broken and he demands restitution. Obviously, R can't afford a wand. I slipped him some galleons. Dippet's fawning over T is unbearable. Can't he see that T has taken a serious turn toward the dark side? I sense Slughorn's influence over Dippet. T has become the favorite pet of both of them."

"Three days later, Dumbledore is distraught. "J has left Hogwarts. Did not return to her parents' home. Dillys told me she thinks to Eire, but knows nothing more. I fear that I have failed that child.'

"Two days later: 'A student found petrified. Am I wrong to blame T? He was with the headmaster, so has the perfect excuse. T exercises a brittle self-control to keep the mask in place when a professor is present. He even smiles at me.'

"A week later: 'Two more students in infirmary. It is no known spell that has done this. They respond not and move not, regardless of our attempts to help them. I suspect a new poison. Tom exudes, "what can I do to help?" The little hypocrite smiles and smiles. It is an awkward smile if you take the effort to study it, but few make that effort.'

"Four days later: 'Rubeus found a deadly snake in his bed. How did T do it? He must have an ally within Gryffindor. Despite my advice, Rubeus has made a pet of the creature. I watch T every instant that I can. I must have evidence!'

"Three days later: 'Disaster! A child has been murdered! It was inevitable and I blame my own failure to get to the bottom of this. Myrtle was a dull child, but kindly. I will miss her. T blames Rubeus. For his own safety, I cannot support Rubeus. Let him go away for rest of term, I know where he can hide. Headmaster Dippet promises me he will accept Rubeus back as a trainee groundskeeper after the students have left for the summer.'

"A week later: 'The students have been revived. T just happened to come up with the proper potion. Dippet didn't even demand to know what it was. The students are to be sent home tonight. Disaster averted. T will stay the summer, so I think it best Rubeus stay in hiding until the new term is underway. T does not forget injuries, even after he has avenged them. With no classes, I shall watch T – constantly. I spoke to Dillys as she boarded the Express. Still no word of Jaden. I have another young soul upon my conscience."

"So, what do you think?"

"That was very moving, Harry, and we've got to find Jaden, but you've put me in the mood to do nothing but roll over and go to sleep."


	94. Chapter 94

**Chapter 94 – Dillys**

Hermione's reaction to my recounting of what Dumbledore had written was, "If we can't find Jaden, perhaps we can find Dillys. Dillys Chapman, you say. Of course, she could be married. First place to start is in the Ministry records. I'll do that today. It sounds like if anybody knows what happened to Jaden, she's the one. I'd be astounded if she didn't know a lot more than she was willing to tell Dumbledore at the time. Another Erin, perhaps?"

Now, there was a disquieting thought - a child of the most powerful dark Wizard in history, with an even more intelligent and skilled mother. At least I knew the father was out of the picture.

I couldn't accompany Hermione to the Ministry, having agreed to escort Neville into Hogsmeade. I was disappointed. It seemed that she would have a most interesting search. As if reading my mind, Cissy importuned Hermione to 'come with'. Hermione said she could, if Neville permitted. Hermione and Cissy departed right after breakfast, Cissy having very briefly stopped by the head table, for what couldn't have been more than a sentence in each direction with Neville. I saw McGonagall frown at Neville across the staff table. She was seated too far from him to raise a verbal objection.

Neville and I left an hour later. Neville was in as bright a mood as I had seen since he told us of his parents' miraculous recovery. This was the first time I had seen Neville in headmaster's robes. They fit him perfectly and were immaculate. I even smelled the essence of one of the greenhouse orchids upon Neville's person.

It was a fine day for April and we walked briskly into Hogsmeade. Barb accompanied us, along with Jana and Catta, whom Harry had insisted accompany me, ever since my last encounter with Schwein. If I was to chaperone Neville, I myself was triply chaperoned.

We reached Honeydukes ahead of Ostara. In fact, we were there an hour ahead of her. Neville commandeered a prime table by the window, which afforded an excellent view of the main street. We drank hot sweet tea and shared a plate of biscuits. I was feeling self-conscious, after a few passer-byes gave knowing glances which said 'she's stepping out on poor Harry, already…and with one of his best friends, too. Brazen hussy, doesn't even bother to slink in the shadows.'

I was grateful when Ostara arrived, and a little surprised that she arrived alone. She seemed a little surprised that Neville had not arrived alone. I told her, "Don't mind Barb and me. I'm just the duenna to make sure you don't take advantage of my headmaster. Barb goes wherever I go. It's a Ministry requirement. Seriously, Neville thought you'd feel safer if he didn't come alone."

"I appreciate Neville's courtesy, but it's awkward to talk in front of you. Do you think you and Barb could possibly move to another table, preferably on the other side of the room?"

"No problem. You're welcome to my seat."

As I got up, Neville gave me a 'sorry about that' look and I gave him a 'go get her, tiger' look in return. Barb and I drifted to another table and settled down for a long wait. I couldn't help myself and kept glancing at Neville and Ostara. Neville started quite shyly, but after perhaps ten minutes they seemed to be chatting up a storm and leaning in closer to each other. I even saw hands touching atop the table. Of course, it wasn't as though this was Dean and me, as kids, feeling our way along. Neville was nineteen and Ostara a year older. They both seemed like very bright adults who should be able to move this along smoothly, if such was their desire. Half an hour in, I decided that there most definitely was desire, on both sides of the table.

My voyeuristic activities were interrupted when the proprietress came over with a cup of tea and asked if she could join us. I motioned her to a chair. "Hi, I'm Artemisia. You and my husband are distant relatives, so I thought I should be polite and keep you company while you wait for your friend. He is the proper shy one, isn't he? We go to the Weasley church, but don't really think of ourselves as Weasleys. Still, it is kind of neat to have a however-many-times-great uncle as Minister. What do you think of our little church?"

"Actually saw it for the first time a little over two weeks ago, never knew it existed, didn't know it had any connection with Weasleys when I saw it, thought it looked more like a fortified castle than a church, was shocked to find my Dad was a member, rather enjoyed the congregation, and have been to two services. I'll likely go again.

"What can you tell me about your branch of the Weasley family? It's really strange to have gone to school less than a mile away and to never have known that you existed."

"Mainly that our branch is a lot smaller than yours. My husband has a sister and two cousins. They each have two kids, but they all live in the south of England. We're it for this part of Scotland. There has been at least one Weasley-related family here forever. It is interesting to have another Weasley owning a shop and to have you building your home nearby. My husband knew of our relationship to the church. He has generations of ancestors buried in the crypt.

"Before you ask, we know of the primitive services on Friday nights. They don't interest us. My family was strictly C. of E. Perhaps if he hadn't married me, my husband would participate with that group. He's never expressed a strong desire to do so."

I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Neville. "I think I can handle things from here, guys. Thanks for sparing the time. I'll see you back at Hogwarts."

I chatted for a few more minutes, before I said goodbye to Artemisia and we headed back to Hogwarts.

Hermione joined me for lunch with the news that she had located Dillys. "She lives in Wales, just outside Cardiff. It's strange: this year is the first time she paid her taxes under the name Dillys Chapman. Perhaps her husband just died, but perhaps she just showed up after Voldemort was dead. There was no record of her ever marrying. No record of her at all, until she paid her taxes six months ago. Somehow, that does not seem a good omen, nor does Cardiff, given how much Thicknesse seemed to like the place. I was eager to go visit, but thought it safer to wait for you and our husbands."

"That's a long time for a Witch to go missing. What Harry read to me were Dumbledore's thoughts from 1943. Harry didn't get far enough to say whether or not Dillys returned to Hogwarts for the next term. So, we know nothing about how she spent the past fifty-six years. We need to check Dumbledore's student files. Dillys' may still be among them. We know Dumbledore was interested in her. Did you learn anything about the rest of Jaden's family?"

"All dead. I'd guess by Voldemort's wand. Killed in the summer of 1943 – mother, father, sister, and brother. They were tortured and murdered. The crime was never officially solved, but I think we all know who did it. Dilly's parents vanished that same summer. She was an only child."

"Curiouser and curiouser. I think we're really on to something."

Harry and Ron thought so too. The four of us, plus Barb, Bill, Ellen, and three Elves set out for Wales in mid-afternoon. We took our brooms. Bill had been to Thicknesse's cottage, which was only a couple of miles from where Dillys was living. It was a short flight.

Not wanting to scare the poor Witch, I suggested that the others wait out of sight, while I knocked on the door of the cottage. Harry was skeptical, saying this could be an elaborate trap, and I'd meet the Death Eater who murdered Dillys over fifty years ago. I compromised with Harry and Barb by agreeing to take the three Elves, to amp up my defenses and fully tap into the Stone, and to connect with them through the Stone so that they could hear everything that I heard and see most of what I saw. I knew that Harry was thinking of his encounter with Nagini that Christmas Eve in Godric's Corner. Ron had checked the cottage and reported that it did not have magical defenses. Barb and Bill both said they did not detect a threat, but they also thought they were too far away from the cottage for that to mean much. I was as safe as I could possibly be, given the circumstances.

I kept my empty hands in sight as I walked down the narrow lane as innocently as possible. I unlatched the gate and entered the tiny front yard, stepping on the flat stones in the middle of what would soon be an herb and vegetable garden. I recognized the returning mint and dandelion. With both hands held waist high, I approached the front door and banged the knocker. I waited. I saw part of a face look out at me through a gap in the curtains of the window to my right. I smiled at the eye and nose which I saw. A minute later, the front door partially opened, being stopped by a chain.

"Hi, I'm…"

"I know who you are. How did you find me? Why are you here?"

"I read about you in Albus Dumbledore's diary. You were a friend of Jaden Caulfield. I'm trying to find her. This is the address you listed when you paid your taxes."

"I knew paying them was a mistake as soon as I did it. Wasn't thinking straight. Voldemort was gone but his friends were still alive. A lot of people have tried to find Jaden. My family had to go into hiding to escape them. Jaden's family didn't move fast enough. All dead. As it is, I haven't had much of a life. I thought I could come out of hiding after your husband killed Voldemort. Should have waited. I've seen suspicious characters in the neighborhood."

"We can protect you. My husband and some friends are down the lane. I came alone, so as not to frighten you. May I come into your house? May they join us?"

"Alright, but just you. And keep your hands where I can see them, and keep them far from your wand."

The door closed briefly, to be unchained and then opened wider to admit me to a small sitting room. As soon as I was in, she closed, chained, and bolted the door, without ever taking her eyes off me. She pointed at a chair and I sat.

"Keep your hands where I can see them. Jaden doesn't want to be found," Dillys told me. "Neither did I."

"Jaden was pregnant by Tom Riddle, wasn't she?" I stated a fact more than asking a question.

This brought a gasp, but Dillys nodded yes, adding, "In that case you know why she had to disappear. She didn't think Tom knew, but he must have. She thought she was safe at least until the new term started. I laid a false trail to Eire."

"Please tell me where she really went. We CAN protect Jaden, and her child, and you. I think you know that the baddies have located you. Likely they were watching to see if Jaden would appear or if you would lead them to her. You know they'll lose patience and act more directly to force you to talk."

"I've read about the Goblin pens. I'll bet you've got one with you. Let me have it."

I pulled my robes open, as slowly as I could. This revealed the inner pockets of my robes. I told her that the pen was in the upper left pocket, while my wand was in the lower left pocket. She nodded for me to proceed. Slowly reaching into the pocket, I drew out the pen and handed it to her. I thought she would jab my hand with the pen, but instead she placed it very firmly against first her forehead and then the palm of her other hand. She held the pen out for me to see that she was really Dillys, except of course I had no idea what the real Dillys looked like. At least I knew I wasn't facing a juiced Wizard or Umbridge.

"Hands," she directed. I extended my hands, palms up. The pen was pressed firmly against each palm. She studied the pen and seemed satisfied. "Come, sit beside me on the settee. We'll whisper, in case anyone is snooping on what we say."

I sat beside her and she leaned in to whisper directly into my ear, "Jaden went to Manchester. Much easier to hide in a city. She set a false trail to an abortion doctor. Confunded him. Set another false trail to an orphanage four months later. She was so desperate, she wasn't thinking straight. Stole a baby from a hospital in Leeds. Took it to an orphanage in Liverpool. Jayden was smart and resourceful. She knew she had the trace and couldn't use magic. She knew how to apparate, and would use that if she was truly in a fix. Never had to. In a way, the Muggle war made things easier. A lot of people without homes and moving around the country. She found a dead Muggle about her age in a bombed building, buried her, and took her identity.

"She stayed in a country estate, where displaced women were housed. Spent the war there, working as a farm laborer. Had her daughter with her the whole time. After the war, she was over seventeen, the trace was off, and she could make better papers for herself and her daughter. Had been around the Muggles enough to know what she needed, and she could transfigure with the best.

"She made a love potion, used in on an American officer and escaped to America. The officer thought himself pleased to have an instant family. She confunded him on top of the potion. Got to America, married, got some money, perfect papers and background. She splits with her husband, takes the child, and disappears. Apparates away and can't be traced. She was afraid she might have left a faint trace of a trail from the war-time farm to America. She makes new papers, mixes in with a group of arriving war refugees. Now she's a young Jew with a daughter. Didn't tell me what name she used. That's the last I heard of her. Of course nobody would believe me."

I broke away from her and stared her in the eye. "This is important. Is that all you know and is it the absolute truth?"

"Of course it is, I swear that everything is true and that I know nothing more."

"I believe you," I reassured her. "I can tell. It's a gift that I have – sensing lies. While I believe that there is nothing else that you can tell me to help me find Jaden, I think she must have told you a lot about the time she spent with Voldemort. Any little fact might help us to defeat the last of our shared enemies."

"I want to help, but not here. Get me to safety first."

"Fine. Can I ask my friends to join us? They can protect us, while we pack whatever you wish to take from here. We can even leave a trap for whoever is watching you."

She nodded yes. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. "My friends," I assured her.

Still, she shrunk against the wall, wand at the ready, as I opened the door. I told Harry to come in first. Dillys recognized him and lowered her wand. The others quickly joined us inside the cottage. I introduced them to Dillys.

Hermione whispered to Dillys, "Before you start packing, I'll need a few of your hairs. Unfortunately they have to be yanked out by the roots."

Dillys whispered back, "You're going to impersonate me with Polyjuice potion. That makes me feel safer. They won't come looking for me, if they think I'm still here. You have to take me someplace where nobody outside your group will see me, or know that I'm there and not still living in my cottage."

"That's good," Hermione answered. "I know just the place."

While Dillys packed, the Polyjuice brewed. Barb was to be the decoy. She drank the juice. We left her two of the Elves. While we finished packing, Hermione had given Dillys some Polyjuice to drink. "Barb is you, you are Barb," she whispered.

With wands drawn, our group walked out the front door, down the lane to a dark spot behind a hedge, and vanished. We reappeared inside Grimmauld Place. There, over Indian food, which Bill fetched from a nearby take-out, and large quantities of Witch Sherry, Dillys told us all that she knew about the one-year relationship between her friend Jaden and Tom Riddle.

We learned a little new about Tom. Jaden had been brilliant, but shy, and didn't have a boyfriend. Dillys said she was able to read something once and remember it forever. She could do any potion by heart. She had improved the procedures for a few potions. Her powers of observation were very keen and she noted minute deviations in the progress of a brewing potion. Toward the beginning of spring of her fourth year, the loneliness and craving for a boyfriend were making her miserable.

She thought Tom handsome, and found his confidence and magical talents most enticing. Dillys blamed the Muggle war. "It had everyone on edge, all the time. The bombs, the rockets, you never knew if your parents or even Hogwarts was safe. The Muggles watched the skies, so you couldn't send owls. The war just went on and on. We didn't go home for holidays. There was no contact with home at all. We weren't even sure they'd let us go home over the summer. I was surprised when they did. We were terrified, but Jaden was strong. I was her friend and we bucked each other up, but her need for a boyfriend became extreme.

"That Spring, the constant strain started to break her. She was desperate for a comforter, someone to cling to. Tom sensed her weakness and knew she was an asset he could make good use of. When he started romancing her, as best he could, she fell hard, despite knowing his reputation. She taught him some spells that he hadn't known. The same with esoteric potions. When he stole the books on the dark arts, it was Jayden who helped him understand the books. Reluctantly, she practiced with him. One of the books spoke of tantric magic as a pathway to mastering the deeper dark magic. She was a willing participant as they dove into sexual exploration.

"I was going to say it was like Tom was the bad boy that she had a wild fling with, just to enjoy her youth, at a time when the Muggle war might end her life at any time. But it wasn't even that. Tom was the most respected and honored student at Hogwarts. The headmaster and Professor Slughorn really doted on him, but all of the professors seemed to like and approve of him. Jaden wasn't stupid, she knew that Slytherins always stuck together, so she would have been willing to consider another professor's opinion of Tom. If her house advisor, Madam Wright, or Professor Dumbledore had warned her 'Tom is dangerous, you can't trust him, he's just using you,' I really think she could have pulled away. They didn't warn her. Dumbledore had seemed skeptical of Tom at times, but then he practically shoved Jaden together with him.

"It was like Tom came with the full Hogwarts' seal of approval. The students knew he was bad, but when Jaden first had doubts, the headmaster's and professor's treatment of Tom convinced her that she was being too critical of him and little girlish. When she worried that she and Tom may have crossed the line with their nasty little pranks and fights, the headmaster was right there to assure her that Tom hadn't done anything that was really all that wrong and that she would be a fool to walk away from her catch. When I or a fellow student worried about her, said that Tom was leader her astray, or was bad, she just assumed that we were jealous and wanted Tom for ourselves.

"She was less willing, as he began to focus upon horcruxes. She understood the significance of multiple horcruxes, before he did, but then he tried to ease her into the whole concept of the horcruxes. It started as an intellectual fantasy. What would she do if she had all the time in the world to do it? She would spend the time with him. She would read every book ever written, in every language. She would master every discipline. She would understand – everything! At first, she glossed over his fantasies. He would rule the world. All who ever slighted or doubted him would be his slaves. He would be worshipped and feared. He would be a God. A self-made God. By virtue of her relationship with him, she would be worshipped as a Goddess and would have the powers of one. Their children would not suffer as they had. They would be reared in strength and would outstrip both their parents. It would be a new age.

"Their relationship was strained as we left Hogwarts for the summer. She rode in a car with me and some of my other friends, while Tom and his gang were at the rear of the train. I saw her twice that summer and know that she and Tom hadn't been in contact. When the summer was over and I was boarding the Express, I saw them together and knew that he had visited her. They were just hanging on each other, but not as though they were re-meeting for the first time in months.

She avoided me for the first month of term. I was surprised when she sought me out one evening. She said Tom was pushing the black magic too far. It wasn't just an intellectual game with him anymore - he actually planned to use dark magic to live forever. He wanted to make a horcrux right away. Insisted that she do the same. They would live forever and rule the world, Muggles included. She shrunk away as she realized that he must kill to create a horcrux, and that his soul would be irreparably damaged. He told her that a little killing, especially if it was Muggles whom he killed, would be a small price to pay for the reshaping of the world and their personal destinies. He called her his Queen. He told her that he was doing this for her. The whole world would be her engagement present. She was shocked, thinking he was going mad.

"She tried to break away. They fought. She realized she was pregnant. She hid this from him. He felt an urgent need to create his first horcrux, immediately. He went back to an earlier musing of Jaden's that at least two horcruxes were needed to provide protection and that two linked individuals, both with multiple horcruxes, would support each other's strength. He said it was her idea. It was brilliant. She had to be brave and do it. What was the value of wisdom and learning if you lacked the courage to follow the path of your logic to its inevitable conclusion? Books were fine, but it was the real world that truly mattered. She objected and shrunk farther away from him. To her, the books were more real than his imagined world, or possibly even the actual world. She was essentially good and she was seeing the evil in him.

"He begged her to help him, pleading with her that he was hated, and needed the protection a horcrux gave in order to feel safe. If she didn't help him, surely Dumbledore would murder him within the month. He was being watched. If she loved him, surely she would protect him. Did she want his death? When Dumbledore had done the deed, it would be too late for her to undo her error. He made the mistake of talking to her more and more of immortality. He insisted that she must join him in creating a horcrux of her own. She must steel herself and learn to kill. He couldn't do that for her. If just giving him permission to act on her behalf worked, he would gladly do the killing for her. She would have to kill twice. At least.

"She was shocked. She hid in her room and I brought her food. She cried and considered killing herself, but she didn't want her child to die with her. She told me that she just knew that without the intellectual games they had played together, without her interpretation of the dark texts, without her initially treating his fantasy as something almost normal, Tom would not have been able to make a horcrux on his own. Perhaps he wouldn't even have wanted to. Now he was going to kill. It was all her fault. Somehow he managed to apparate into the dorm. She had to talk to him. She had to promise that they would kill together that night and make a pair of horcruxes.

"He had picked where they would hide them. His would reside in the gargoyle that guards the headmaster's office. Hers would be in the suit of armor near the main entrance. Jaden hid her panic. I arranged to have the school's defenses briefly lowered, and Jaden apparated to freedom and a life on the run.

"When Myrtle died, I knew who was responsible. When Jaden's parents died, my whole family fled. I'm sure Tom created a horcrux on both occasions. He had everything he needed, except the murders, to start making horcruxes, and he was desperate to begin. Jaden told me that two was the minimum to be reasonably safe. You could still be killed if you had just one. He was determined to have two before the term was out. Term ended early, with just the murder of Myrtle. That's why I know for sure that Tom murdered the Caulfield family."

"Where did her family live?"

"Outside Brighton. In a poor area. I can take you there."

"Not right away," Harry told her. "You're safe here. I'll leave you Ellen and an Elf. We have to plan. Is it alright if we leave you for about a week, while we decide what to do next, and where you can safely hide, permanently?"

"Yes. Promise you'll visit me. At least every other day."

"I promise," Harry assured her. "I'll see you soon. Probably tomorrow."

We held hands and returned to Hogwarts. We said not a word until we were in Ron and Hermione's apartment, with the anti-snoop device in place. We had recruited Neville and Mom to join us.

We discussed the possibility of an additional Voldemort horcrux. Harry was quite sure that Tom Riddle's diary had been the horcrux from the Moaning Myrtle murder. Hermione wasn't certain, thinking that a second-hand murder wouldn't have generated enough black magical energy to create a first horcrux. She thought the diary was made later, after Tom had practiced. Either there was another, direct, murder at Hogwarts that preceded the demise of Moaning Myrtle, or Jaden's family was murdered to create horcrux number one and the diary came later. Hermione reminded us that Tom certainly took his diary back to the orphanage with him, so that particular horcrux was not necessarily created at Hogwarts.

"Just to be safe, I'm going to grab my sword and beat the crap out of my gargoyle and that suit of armor. If they are horcruxes, the Sword of Gryffindor will destroy them. I'd appreciate it if Harry came along to make whatever explanation is necessary to convince any passing faculty or students that their headmaster hasn't suddenly become deranged. Harry and I will return shortly. Please keep pondering the mysteries of Tom."

"If Jaden was correct, we could have only one undiscovered horcrux. It could be anywhere, but Hogwarts and the area near Brighton are the likeliest places," Hermione suggested. "The gargoyle was very battered during the Battle of Hogwarts. It is a shame for Neville to murder it again. I don't see how it could be the horcrux. The armor seems a little far from grand, by Tom Riddle's standards, to be where he hides his soul. Perhaps he started with lower standards, but I'm quite sure that Neville will batter it in vain. I think we must explore Brighton. First by library and then in person.

"All of this makes me very thankful that we killed the ghost. I recall reading that Voldemort should not have been able to become a ghost with his soul as splintered as it was. Isn't that what Dumbledore told Harry? That argues for a remaining horcrux."

"I also want to see the student files for Dillys, always assuming it wasn't stolen by Narcissa" I told her, "and whatever else Dumbledore wrote about them. We must ask Harry and Neville, when they return."

Neville told us that he had enjoyed his battering of inanimate objects but had not found a horcrux. He had amused and confused a goodly number of students, who were used to super calm Neville and had now had seen what seemed to be enraged Neville. Neville said we could follow him to his office and check the files. Just another reason to be glad McGonagall was no longer in the seat. If Dumbledore's wishes had not been thwarted by her, Harry would already have read all the files and we would have been on the trail of Dillys months ago, and likely have found Jaden by now.

Harry told us that Narcissa claimed not to have seen the files. She had simply provided access for Umbridge to take what she wished. Since it had been suggested that being helpful might facilitate less austere housing, Harry felt she had been truthful. "As to the diary, I skimmed the rest of it. Dumbledore searched for Jaden and Dillys for two years. Right from the start, he laid a false trail, suggesting Jaden had fled to Central Europe and been killed by the Muggle armies. Dumbledore says that Voldemort searched for them for nearly a year."

"And stopped?" Hermione was incredulous. "Why would he stop? Voldemort was relentless. He never would have stopped… unless he had found Jaden or at least his daughter."

"Or he convinced himself that the daughter was dead," Harry corrected her.

"Yes, but he'd want proof. More evidence than could exist, since the girl did not die."

"I'm not sure I believe the story Dillys told us," Harry commented. Seeing my expression, he quickly added "I'm sure Dillys believes what she told us, but why would Jaden tell her the real story? The part about changing identities again, once she had reached America, made no sense. It just involved more false paperwork, another point where her trail could be picked up, and a desperate husband who would be searching for her and making a lot of noise in doing so. He wouldn't search quietly.

"He doesn't know she's hiding from Voldemort. And why take the risk of contacting Dillys from America? Unless she was there for the sole purpose of contacting Dillys to leave yet another false trail. Dillys was her friend, but she knew she wasn't terribly bright. She also knew that contacting Dillys would put Dillys at great risk. She just wouldn't do that. How would she even know how to find her?"

"Dillys has been clever enough to stay hidden all this time," I reminded Harry.

"Has she?" Hermione asked.

We checked the files in Neville's office. If Dillys' file had ever existed, which I was certain it had, it was gone. Very few files remained. None struck me as remotely interesting, although Harry scooped them up and promised to peruse them. He never should have acceded to McGonagall's defense of the files as totems of her power. Dumbledore gave them to Harry.

Hermione decided that more research was needed. "All evidence of Jaden and Dillys could not simply have vanished. For five years, Jaden was the smartest student at Hogwarts. We need to widen the search. Hogwarts trophy cases, Ministry records, even O.W.L exams, anything in the Prophets. There must be something. I'll start tomorrow. Harry should recruit Wood to help. Percy, if he can steal him from Arthur. I want pictures of both of them. Harry must question Dillys about how she has spent the last fifty-odd years of her life. Why did Dumbledore stop searching for her, after she disappeared? We know he was obsessed with Jaden and Dillys."

"Perhaps he decided they were well hidden, and that Tom wouldn't be as skilled at finding them as he was. To find them was to betray them."

Harry commented as we headed back to our apartment, "Speaking of Narcissa, she wishes to see her new grand-daughter. Draco and the family will visit tomorrow. We still need to figure out what to do with her. McGonagall may be correct that our treatment of Narcissa has been a bit cruel, but she is a dangerous Witch and she brought this upon herself. Also, I think the four of us need to visit your father. He needs to know the whole Jaden story. I hate to do it, because a possible Voldemort child out in the world will just drive him crazy, but as Minister he deserves and needs to know. Contact Hermione. We still have time to catch Arthur at the Ministry."

"This is very serious," Dad told Harry. "I can't believe you even considered not bringing me up to date on this. Voldemort, Jr. is a scary thought. I never heard of Jaden, or Dillys for that matter. Even though they were before my time, I would have thought a member of the Order would have known about Voldemort's vanished girlfriend. I would have thought that Dumbledore had a duty to inform the rest of us about such an important and possibly very dangerous Witch. I know you don't want me to, but I must ask Shacklebolt and McGonagall about this. Perhaps I just wasn't as fully read into the Orders inner secrets as I thought I was.

"I hate to bring Professor McGonagall into this. We would be in a lot better shape if she hadn't claimed and lost the student files left to Harry by Dumbledore. Why did you concede that point to her? There was no headmaster privilege for files of Witches and Wizards, who were no longer students. She had no more right to those files than any anonymous Witch in Diagon Alley. If they were too personal and private to be turned over to Harry, as Dumbledore intended, then they should have been burned. McGonagall sees knowledge as power and those files as more power for her Sisterhood. I'm not at all sure that she doesn't want to move us to the German system, where the head of the magical academy rules the Ministry. She bested you for the files and let her friend Narcissa steal them. She claims by accident, although her explanation seems convenient. McGonagall is not one to just happen to leave access to her files available, when she has left someone like Narcissa alone in her office. It stinks.

"Now Umbridge has the files, which means she has a big head start in finding Jaden, Voldemort's child, and the remaining horcrux. That may be all she needs to restart the Voldemort wars. Finding Jaden, her child, and the horcrux must be the top priority for Harry, Wood, and Percy. I think Shacklebolt as well. I know he has caused you and me some problems by trusting the wrong person. I've left him as your responsibility, but I will speak to him myself about this. I will make it very plain that I expect him to follow your and my lead and to speak to nobody in the auror corps about this, unless he has permission from us. I think we can trust your aurors. They already know too much, anyhow, so there is no going back on that. Bill will be the lead auror on this. He reports directly to you and you will pass on to Kingsley anything that he needs to know. Barb and Ellen will have to be adequate to protect my children. Now, we all have much work to do."

Dad was not pleased to learn that Barb and Ellen now had other duties. I avoided using the words 'fierce fighter' as I assured Dad that I was fully able to defend myself. In addition to the Stone and my ancient priestess curses, I still had my portkey belt, which I always wore.

I turned the tables on Dad. "I've been foolish. If Umbridge is in and out of the Ministry on juice, she could curse you before you were aware an imposter was standing in front of you. I need to practice Stone power with you. I hope you are using the protective charms I taught you and that you are remembering to reinforce them hourly. You're in more danger than I am. You get your own portkey belt today. We also practice drawing strength from the Stone – right now.

That's what we did. Dad was an amazingly good student. My father really is truly brilliant.


	95. Chapter 95

**Chapter 95 – The Political Season Begins Anew **

As we walked to breakfast, I saw McGonagall stop to survey the gargoyle and just keep walking, without comment. Draco and both Erins ate breakfast with us. Draco said he planned to move his new family back to Malfoy manor 'as soon as is appropriate'. Some renovations to remove memories of Voldemort's presence would occur first, and he would discuss security with Harry.

Today, they were off to see Narcissa. Harry was off to see Dillys. I was off to campaign, while Hermione was forsaking her own campaign to research Dillys. Ron wasn't sure what he would do. Hermione said he would campaign cottage-to-cottage on her behalf. Neville made a brief announcement concerning his mayhem of the prior night, justifying its necessity and promising speedy repairs.

Over the course of the next several days, Neville, Professor Sprout, Shacklebolt, and Percy all showed great interest in the white sand potion, but were unable to identify it for us. Percy reasonably suggested that it might be easier to identify if dissolved in water or alcohol. We sacrificed a small quantity of the potion to these liquids, but both the water and the alcohol remained clear. Cotto consulted many house Elves, having arranged for any Elf who recognized the potion to leave him an anonymous note bearing the solution. No solution was presented. I had a nagging suspicion that Snape would have quickly discovered the potion's identity.

We had other matters, namely the up-coming Wizengamot election, to occupy our time, so this puzzle was set to the side. Our last stab at a solution had been for Hermione to trot a few granules off to her Muggle professor 'uncle' to analyze in his university laboratory. His answer came weeks later and I didn't understand it. "A complex mixture of undetermined plant alkaloids, serotonin, epinephrine, potassium chloride and belladonna – not expected to be highly toxic, unless dissolved and injected. I suggest you test a few grains on a mouse."

We did so; the mouse lived.

I was involved in several Wizengamot campaigns. I expected toil but found self-revelation. Not exactly toil, but definitely not something that I was looking forward to. As the candidates of what I increasingly regarded as 'our party' approached me with the assumption that I would actively assist in their campaigns, I was at first honored and then dismayed that they expected to involve me not in behind-the-scenes support, but in personal contact with individual voters – apparating dwelling to dwelling and chatting up the magical inhabitants to secure additional votes. I had been in the news enough that my face was known, and I would not be some anonymous volunteer on the doorstep. Growing up with a half dozen older brothers, I thought of myself as bold, assertive, and independent, but as I prepared to begin my campaigning, I began to wonder if I weren't actually quite shy.

This sent me back to the troubles of my first year at Hogwarts where, in addition to the torment of being taken over by Tom Riddle, I realized that I did not have a single first year Witch who I could call a close friend, or confide in. The first year Gryffindors whom I dormed with chatted more comfortably among themselves than with me. I expected support from my brothers, but actually got more teasing.

I had overcome this problem and was a student revolt leader during my sixth year, but that was dealing with students with whom I was quite familiar by that time. Now I was expected to happily chat up near strangers, and to do so under conditions where I could antagonize the voters that my husband and friends needed to be elected. I had read the taunts in the Daily Prophet. Most were directed at my father or husband, but some at me. The words written in the Prophet by the reporters and letters from readers made it crystal clear that I would be appearing on the doorstep of Witches and Wizards who just didn't like or approve of me. I didn't feel physically threatened - I was more than capable of defending myself - but the whole prospect just seemed very awkward and unpleasant. I had committed to help, so I had no choice but to proceed.

King Goblanze had as much as said that I would be a Minister of Magic at some future time, so surely this was necessary practice. Still, it was very hard to tear myself away from Quidditch practice to engage in this political practice.

I had only three weeks of campaigning to complete, and started close to Hogwarts. Hermione was running to represent the area of Scotland where Hogwarts sat and our new homes were being built. It was all of this area, except Hogsmeade. Aberforce was running to represent Hogsmeade and its surrounding farmlets. Hermione's seat had been held by the Montaigne, formerly known as Lord, who had rarely attended, having to recuse himself from the only matters which truly interested him. Cissy was years too young to run.

This was a tricky district, traditionally leaning far more conservative than the Weasley/Potter campaign platform which Hermione was running on. The saving graces were that Elf slavery had not been practiced in this district, and that the population had been swelled by more progressive young Wizard families, who were settling on the land Harry was leasing long-term. My role here was to be the gracious wife of the kindly Deputy Minister, who had given a fresh start to all these young families.

I visited dozens of families, who were living in partially constructed houses. I was generally very well received, and the questions I was asked corresponded to Hermione's position papers, which I had read and re-read. The oldest Witch I encountered was only thirty, so, by and large, their issues were my issues, and I chatted happily with them. Like Harry, their main concern was economic opportunity. They were grateful for the leaseholds, but wanted additional security for their families. Hermione had a plan to open more markets for their crops, with cool storage in caves to permit sales to Hogwarts throughout the winter. She also had a plan for home-manufacture of clothing for city Wizards.

Most of the young Witches and Wizards to whom I spoke found this a tad impractical and beyond their skills. Still, they were pleasant to me, and I assured them that Hermione was planning classes for adults in our new community. I remembered what Hermione told me, and assured these young families that the spot where they were building their homes would soon be a fair-sized Wizarding town to rival Hogsmeade, and that it was perfectly situated for trade with the Elf and Goblin sanctuaries. If nothing else, I think I succeeded in convincing them that Hermione was brimming full of ideas. Our new village was a great place for me to start campaigning and build my confidence.

There were bumps in the road.

The first bump came as I ventured into the more conservative, established part of the district. The first Witch to answer my knock hastily slammed the door in my face, with a shriek of "YOU!" Others at least listened to me for a short while and took the one-sheet summary of campaign positions which Hermione had asked me to hand out. Usually they got to the second or third item on Hermione's list before politely, or not so politely, saying "no" and tossing the paper back at me as they made haste to close and bolt the door. After a dozen negative responses, I was thrilled when one fortyish Witch seemed to at least be seriously considering what I was telling her. She read the page from top to bottom, asked intelligent questions and told me, "I'll think about it, but I'm not sure Henry and I would want any changes that might cause our little Erasmus to seek his future in London or Edinburgh. Children should stay on the family homestead. What will Hermione do about that?"

I explained Hermione's plans for increasing local jobs and income and told her that, with Gringotts now making loans, they could afford to expand the homestead to support another family. She told me "that sounds nice, but Henry doesn't want to be indebted to anybody, especially not to a Goblin. I'll talk to him, though."

Hermione agreed that I was not likely to make much progress in this part of her district and said it was unfair to take so much of my time, when I should be helping my husband.

Harry was running from the London district, which contained Grimmauld Place. I didn't feel bad about not spending a lot of time campaigning for Harry, because Harry wasn't spending a lot of time campaigning for Harry. Harry actually didn't want to run.

Dad had learned that Hermione and Ron received their Hogwarts graduation certificates right after Christmas break, but that Harry had not. When Harry said he didn't want to be on the Wizengamot, Dad had told him that the administration needed the vote and that as Deputy Minister he had an obligation to run. So Harry was running, but not with a huge amount of enthusiasm. Harry and I had a long talk about this. Harry had changed his mind about the government in general, thinking the current administration was doing a lot of good, but still hung onto the view he learned from Dumbledore: the Wizengamot was a useless, evil, antiquated body, which was best avoided, whenever possible.

"But Dumbledore was a member of the Wizengamot," I objected to Harry.

"Then he should know what it was really like," Harry told me. "Dumbledore was a member, but he spent as little time there as possible."

Harry's district contained business associates of the Malfoys, Montaignes, and Blacks as well as many Ministry employees. It was the home district of Delores Umbridge, who had previously held the seat. Sometimes I visited the voters by myself and sometimes I accompanied Harry as the supportive young wife. Whether alone or with Harry, the response was mixed, although nobody seemed willing to be as rude to the Deputy Minister as they were to me.

An obvious Grindelwald supporter accused me of "murdering good Wizards." I didn't feel in personal danger, but got out of there promptly. My continued presence could serve no good purpose. Many Ministry employees effusively praised the jobs being done by Harry and Dad, but some obviously felt that they had been passed over for promotion or shunted aside from their prior authority. I realized that it tended to be the older, wealthier, more conservative Ministry employees who lived in the district. The young employees couldn't afford to live here.

Although we had all discussed what we felt was every issue that might arise, I found myself taken aback and stammering in response to a question that was no surprise at all.

An eightyish Witch, whose Elf had been freed and who could not afford or did not feel comfortable with a hired house Elf, asked me, "your lot may be well and good for the young, but what about me and my daughter Lucinda? Ruined our lives, you have. I never scrubbed or cooked before in my life and I don't enjoy doing it. Neither does Lucinda. What will you do for us? I really just want my Elf back, but I know you have no intention of doing that."

As I was stammering an answer about "new opportunities, especially for Lucinda," I realized that I wasn't even convincing myself and that it wasn't my fault. Harry, Dad, and Hermione really had no satisfactory answer for her question. It was really an act of mercy when that old Witch slammed the door in my stammering face. I had no hope to offer her. Another voter asserted as a bald statement of evident fact "Potter's corrupt. Got your brother off on murder, didn't he? In my day, there was no question about it. One 'Avada Kedavra' and it was off to Azkaban for life."

She didn't believe my assertion that Ron had not used the A-K, shaking her head and half-whispering, "I know dear, it's hard to believe the worst about family."

I attended a few election events with Harry. We invited constituents to join us at the Leaky Cauldron or at Mrs. Bone's shop. I was just to be the cute, brave, supportive wife, reminding the voters of Harry's accomplishments, which he was too modest to mention. At least that was the role Hermione had assigned to me. The voters at these gatherings were largely supportive and seemed to like me. These events gave me better snacks than were to be had back at Hogwarts. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to sample more of Mrs. Bone's wares. I had urged her to add crème brulee, chocolate mousse, two varieties of crab cakes, and re-baked potatoes with cheddar, chives, bacon, and sour cream to her menu. She sold a lot of them to our gatherings. I developed a taste for the pub fare at the Leaky Cauldron.

My worst moment was when I was cornered, all by myself, in the Entrance Hall of the Ministry. I exited an elevator and was immediately surrounded by the Patil sisters, Ernie, and Frakes. They decided that since I was campaigning every day, I was a fitting victim for an ambush interview, especially since Dad had apparently just failed to satisfy their thirst for printable stories. When Ernie asked a rather tame question about Hermione's plan to create jobs in our new village, I made the mistake of replying, rather than shouting 'no comment', or even 'ask Hermione', and ducking back into the elevator. By the time I finished answering Ernie, Frakes was between me and the elevator and peppering me with questions.

Frakes wanted to know, "isn't it true that you've had to protect your husband on numerous occasions, have saved his life, and are a better wand fighter than he is?"

I answered "Harry killed Voldemort, the most dangerous Wizard in the past millennium. He also killed Thicknesse."

That didn't satisfy him and he bore in, declaring, "it might be fairer to say your husband was standing in front of Voldemort, when he killed himself. Your husband seemed manifestly unqualified to be Deputy Minister, when your father appointed him. Don't you think someone like headmaster McGonagall, or even your brother Percy, was far more qualified?"

I felt a little flustered, but tried not to show it, as I replied, "Harry and I look after each other, and we behave as equals, when we fight. Harry certainly did kill Voldemort on his own. Nobody had been able to stop Voldemort before that. Harry faced him three times and lived. He saved my life in the Chamber of Secrets. A lot of people could have been Deputy Minister, and my husband was elected, not appointed. He has never claimed to be the only Witch or Wizard qualified for the job. He was inexperienced when he was elected, but he has worked hard and learned a lot since then. I am very proud of the job he has done. I'm sure McGonagall also could have done a fine job, but she is busy."

Ernie and the Patils seemed to be allowing Frakes to have his way, as he continued, "I've talked to some of the voters you spoke to. You make a big point of the great opportunities ahead for young Wizards and Witches. You speak of this bright new future for Witches, but your husband's government seems not very friendly toward Witches. Neither the Minister nor the Deputy is a Witch. The highest ranking Witch in the previous government was demoted and reports to your husband. It seems that your father and husband are simply not very trusting of Witches in positions of power."

I felt on shakier ground as I replied, "the new government truly does support opportunity for Witches. More Witches are running for the Wizengamot than ever before and my father has three Witches in his cabinet. The other Witch you were referring to is Madam Bones, I believe. You should know that she was fired and is no longer part of the government. Mrs. Longbottom has replaced her. I'm a big fan of that switch."

"Will you deny the truth of my exclusive stories, detailing a revolt by McGonagall and the Witches within your father's administration? That doesn't sound very Witch friendly to me. Shouldn't headmaster McGonagall be Minister of Magic, as she obviously feels should be the case."

"All governments will have disagreements when they are tackling issues as important as this government is. The Wizards and Witches in the government are getting along just fine. I've seen that myself. I'm surprised you're supporting McGonagall to lead the government after the nasty things you've written about her."

"I wrote the truth. I am relieved for you that you at least see her behavior as being as nasty as I do. I can't help noticing that a young Witch, who is still a Hogwarts student, repeatedly refers to her former headmaster as McGonagall, whereas I, whom you correctly identify as not exactly a strong supporter, extend to her the rightful honorary title of headmaster. Don't you think that shows both a certain lack of respect and maturity on your part? Have your husband's attitudes seeped into your mind that much?"

"Well, she isn't actually headmaster at the moment, is she. Besides, it's just a short-hand that the students commonly use. We all truly loved Dumbledore and respected him more than any other Wizard, but we still all called him Dumbledore. He liked it. Harry and I both have a great deal of respect for Professor McGonagall. She has taught us and helped us a lot."

"Well, at least a small honorific crept in there. I think your ducking the other questions fairly much confirms what I have said and written."

I was about to respond, when Percy showed up, grabbing me by the right arm as he led me around Frakes and back into the elevator, declaring over his shoulder, "My sister is late for a meeting. You'll have to excuse us."

I didn't know whether to thank Percy or smack him, as the elevator door slammed closed. He quickly released my arm and we rode in silence to the top floor. I strode ahead of him to Harry's reception room and had apparated back to Hogwarts, before he crossed the threshold.

Harry didn't arrive at our apartment until bedtime. I told him of the ambush interview, confessing, "I'm afraid I was a little frightened by the ambush and didn't answer as well as I might have. Percy had to rescue me. I know you won't be happy when you read the morning papers."

"Then I promise not to read them," Harry replied, but he gave me a quick kiss and rolled over and fell asleep.

At breakfast, I grabbed the Daily Prophet from the owl, before its feet even hit the table. The headlines were every bit as bad as I had feared.

**POTTER'S WIFE ADMITS HAVING TO DEFEND HIM. SAYS HE WAS INEXPERIENCED AND MANY OTHERS WERE MORE QUALIFIED**

**SHE ADMITS TO WITCH REVOLT, BUT CHARACTERIZES McGONAGALL'S BEHAVIOR AS 'NASTY'**

**MUCH DISRESPECT FROM A STUDENT**

**LITTLE PLACE FOR WITCHES IN NEW ADMINISTRATION, OR NEW ORDER FOR THAT MATTER. "FIRST THEY TOOK AWAY OUR ELVES, THEN THEY OFFER NOTHING FOR US. I THINK THEY'D BE HAPPY IF THE OLD WITCHES WOULD JUST DIE"**

That last quote was apparently taken from the Witch who had asked me the question about Elves. It appeared as though Frakes had shadowed my footsteps through Harry's district. I handed Harry the paper, saying "I really am sorry. I know that you gallantly promised not to read this, but people will question you about it, so you do need to read it – in detail.

As Harry was reading the Daily Prophet, I reached for The Quibbler, hoping for positive, or at least less damaging, reviews. I was not displeased by the headlines.

**GINNY POTTER EXPLAINS HOW HARRY HAS MATURED IN OFFICE**

**THE POTTERS – A TEAM FIGHTING FOR YOUR FUTURE**

**DESPITE THE PROPHET'S ATTEMPTS TO CREATE TROUBLE, YOUR GOVERNMENT IS OPERATING JUST FINE**

I saw that the Patil sisters had captured a verbatim version of the questions and answers, which took up several pages of the paper. I immediately saw how I could have made better replies to Frakes allegations and inquiries, but was not wholly displeased with the interview.

"You have to expect bad press from the Prophet," Harry told me as he lowered the paper. "I'm sure The Quibbler gives a more accurate account." Harry picked up the Quibbler and, after nodding affirmatively at the headlines, began a detailed reading of the interview in question. When he put the paper down, he turned to me "you have nothing to apologize for, Ginny. If you had had time to plan your answers, you could have done better, but there is nothing here which is awful. Hermione and I will have to deal with some follow-up questions today, but there is nothing here that we can't handle. Frakes is correct that we don't have a satisfactory answer on helping the older Witches whose Elves were freed. You shouldn't worry about this at all. Just go out and campaign today with a positive attitude, so that everyone can see that all is fine."

"Thank you Harry," is all I could say, feeling I had been reprieved from some terrible sentence which was merited by my verbal crimes. Finally, I added, "I was planning to campaign for Mom today. It will be good to stop by the Burrow. That will be my base of operations."

I was almost finished reading the paper, when a very late owl landed upon my soiled breakfast plate. It was a very distinctive large cream owl with unusual blue-grey markings on the back of its head, the root of its left wing and above its left leg. Unlike other owls who had landed in my breakfast, it ignored the remnants of eggs and bacon and held out its leg for me to remove the message. As soon as I slipped the tiny scroll from its leg, it flew directly to the open window and headed almost straight up the wall, undoubtedly to curve over the roof. This would take it in the direction of Germany, rather than London. I realized that I had been musing about the bird, rather than reading the message. I began to unroll the scroll by touch, not looking at it, as my attention was diverted toward the head table, where Herr Schwein was staring daggers at me. Even when I looked directly at him, he did not avert his eyes.

Clearly he was still an enemy. I was first to break the stare lock, not defeated by him, but being overcome by interest in my message. Looking down, I read what Harry and Hermione were already staring at from either side of me. I think it was Hermione's sharp intake of breath that drew my attention away from the Schwein. I was confused both to see a very ornate script written with deep purple ink and a message that made little sense.

_Great Danger. Beware die Valkyrie. The secret chamber be open. Stay away from Durmstrang or you Die._

_A Friend, not an enemy._

"I think a warning rather than a threat," Harry told me.

"All I know of the Valkyrie is from the Wagner opera. Don't worry, I'll visit the library," Hermione assured me.

"Barb will stay with you today," Harry asserted, as Barb nodded her agreement.

I didn't know what to think. It wasn't specifically speaking of a danger to me, personally. I felt fully capable of defending myself. With Barb's ability to identify threats and our two wands, I felt quite secure. Not feeling the need to seek out danger, but secure. I'd wait to see what Hermione could find out about the Valkyrie. I had neither intention nor desire to visit Durmstrang, so this really changed nothing. Well, actually I did plan to visit the Durmstrang Circle as part of the Quest. Perhaps that was the meaning of the message. Well, if I died at Durmstrang, I wouldn't have to decide whether or not to finish the Quest.

Mom had obviously read the morning papers, because she caught me as I was rising from the table.

"I keep telling you how important it is to say Headmaster McGonagall, or at the very least Professor McGonagall. I know you and she have had your disputes and you got into the habit of just saying McGonagall, but it is a very bad habit. When even one as low as that reporter Frakes catches you out doing it, you can see how bad it looks. It's not good for you or her or for Neville as the new headmaster. You should apologize to her.

"I'll see you at the Burrow at 10:00. Your father wants you to drop by the Ministry first. He wants to see Hermione and Harry, as well."

Mom was gone before I had a chance to respond. My mind was still on the note and the coupling of honorifics with McGonagall seemed trivial in comparison. I was about to say "I'll think about it," with regard to the apology to McGonagall, or rather to the headmaster, but then realized it would sound like I was considering blowing off Dad's request. By the time I had gathered an intelligent sentence, Mom was gone.

The three of us headed off to the Ministry. Using my Stone powers, I was able to apparate directly from a secluded alcove near the Great Hall to Harry's Reception Room. We said hello to Alice, who was filling in half days for Callista, and walked straight to Prudence's desk. As Prudence was waving us right in to Dad's office, she told me "I've read both papers and I don't think that Frakes boy treated you at all fairly."

"Thanks Prudence. Let's hope Dad feels the same way."

Dad did not feel quite the same way. "Your comments were mangled by Frakes, but you still could have handled that interview better, Ginevra," were the first words that greeted me, before I could even sit down. As I was shaping a reply Dad continued. "You are not Harry's personal auror, nor is it your job to protect him. You should realize that there is far more to being the Deputy Minister's wife than just killing your share of the bad guys - learning to parry mean-spirited press questions, for one thing."

I was again trying to form an appropriately deferential reply when Harry cut in. "Ginny was ambushed. I read what she said. I think it was actually reasonably good. It's clear that we need a better answer to the question of the impact of freeing the Elves upon certain older Witches."

"Yes, that is most clear," Dad replied. "You and Hermione will have the opportunity to try providing an answer. You have a press meeting in an hour, and I'm certain that subject will be front and center. My conference room at 9:00. Frakes will be there. Ginevra will help you answer the questions, and I'm sure she'll do a better job than she did yesterday. I won't keep you - I know you have a lot of thinking to do in the next hour."

Dad's attitude did not encourage me to raise the topic of the mysterious note.

"Do you have any suggestions, Sir?" Hermione added as I was rising from my chair.

"Yes. Include Percy, Prudence, and Callista in your meeting, and remember that most of these Witches won't vote for you regardless of what you say, so don't go shooting another hole in my budget. I'm not running for office this month, so Harry and Hermione really need to deal with this. Dismissed."

"At least he was calm," I assured Harry, as we grabbed Prudence and set off to find the others. One of Dad's aurors took Prudence's spot.

The prep time really didn't help that much. There was no cheap and equitable answer to the question of improving the lives of the older aristocratic Witches, who had built their lives and their self-esteem around their command of their owned house Elves. For them, a salaried Elf would never be quite the same, and going without an Elf would cause a continued loss of status both inside and outside their households. The ideal solution would be to find another source of self-worth for these Witches but, unlike Witches of my generation, they were unlikely to find success or fulfillment in a job outside the home.

I would have felt better if Dad were joining us for the press meeting, as we entered the room it had too great a sense of youth to the slaughter, as Dad stayed back in his office.

"What do you think of your wife saying that there were more qualified candidates for Deputy Minister than yourself, Mister Deputy Minister?" were the first words out of Frakes' mouth.

"That's something I've often said, myself," Harry replied. "This administration represents one member from each of the generations that led the fight against Voldemort. I think any of the leaders of that fight would have done well as Minister and Deputy Minister. I've often thought that Hermione or Neville might well have done a better job as Deputy Minister than I have done. Before you ask, I think it unfortunate that we don't have a Witch filling one of these two positions. The Minister and I are both a bit ashamed that we didn't consider that matter at the appropriate time. I'm quite sure that a Witch will be Minister in the near future."

"Um, alright," Frakes continued. "Speaking of Witches, I'm talking to a lot of Witches who are telling me that their lives were quite simply ruined by your decision to free their house Elves. What do you say to them? Have you any solution for the problems they face?"

"I'm sorry that their lives have been upended, but I cannot support building one's life upon the enslavement of another intelligent, magical race. I've known many Elves and found them to be wonderful, honest, beings with very advanced magical skills and a great and deep history, culture, and sense of tradition. To hunt them down for slaves, tear apart their families, and house them in the deplorable conditions of your family's Elf farm and the St. Mungo's Elf quarters is simply unacceptable conduct in any civilized society.

"Freeing the Elves was the right thing to do. Most of these households have continued to maintain house Elves. The only change is that the Elves now are employees, who have rights. They are given a wage and a stipend in retirement and they can't be mistreated, as I have personally witnessed house Elves being mistreated under the old system."

"That seems cold and little comfort for the distinguished aristocratic Witches, who merely wanted the existing system to continue. You should know that not all of these families can afford to pay a house Elf, and that other families have tried the new system and just don't feel the same comfort around a salaried Elf as they did around an owned Elf. They think you have changed too much, too quickly….Sir."

"The world is changing," Hermione replied. "Very little stays the same forever, and one should not expect that a particularly unjust arrangement will be preserved. Progress requires that we all make some adjustments. I don't see that going from an owned Elf - that is really a truly disgusting term - to an Elf employee is that drastic a change."

"Not to you perhaps, but then you were not accustomed to living with an Elf as a member of the family."

"No I wasn't. Nor was I accustomed to one member of the family kicking another member, or forcing them to subsist on the barest scraps, while wearing nothing but a dirty rag."

"You are being overly dramatic. Witches and Wizards had their proper place in the world and so did Elves. Does your side lack even the barest level of compassion necessary to recompense those whose Elves you decided to free? Or to provide a subsidy for the families who cannot afford to pay the going wage for the house Elf they previously owned?"

"You are suggesting that the taxes of the vast majority of Witches and Wizards, who were unwilling to or were never able to afford Elves and who did not believe in Elf slavery, be used to subsidize the former owners of Elves?" Harry asked. "That hardly seems fair."

"I am. These dignified elderly Witches never knew any other system. They weren't trained to live any other way. You leave them helpless and destitute. Have you no mercy?"

"I have no mercy for the concept that one person has a right to own another person," Hermione responded with some heat. "You are saying these Witches are unable to perform their share of the household chores that most Witches and Wizards take for granted? Surely that isn't true."

"They never learned skills that they didn't expect to need. Surely, you don't imagine that their husbands will share the household work. They have other duties, and this was never part of their bargain. Just as the Witches never bargained to be housemaids. You have destroyed a way of life and left nothing in its place. A way of life which was the Wizard ideal for millennia... Well?"

"You didn't ask a question, although I will tell you that household maintenance is not difficult to learn, if you have the will to do so," Hermione replied. "Perhaps it would be fairest if the other reporters had a turn."

"Indeed!" the Patil sisters replied in unison. I was surprised that they suggested, "perhaps if you instituted a transitional program, you know, perhaps have a need-based program that covered half an Elf's salary for a year and domestic maintenance courses during that year for the Witches who are used to having an Elf to, um, assist them with their household duties… do you think that is a possible compromise solution?"

I was further surprised when Hermione answered, "I think that might well be possible, but I think a six month transition more reasonable and, as your question assumed, the program would only be open to those families who truly couldn't afford to pay an Elf. I'd prefer to see two families share a hired Elf. Do they really need the full-time services of an Elf? That strikes me as more demanding that the taxpayers supply a luxury that most Witches don't have access to. It is not my intent to be unreasonable or totally inflexible, but I don't think that viewing themselves as aristocrats entitles some citizens to extra privileges from the government. We had far too much of that in the past."

There was more: I clarified that I certainly respected my former headmaster and did not view her conduct as in any way nasty. In fact, the only person to use the word nasty had been Mr. Frakes. Harry said none of us wanted any Witches to die, with the exception of Delores Umbridge, and explained how our entire circle considered ourselves to be a team and that we worked together toward common goals and had each others' backs. This led to Harry being required by Frakes to endorse Hermione's views, which he did.

Dad was not pleased that Hermione and Harry had spent a small part of his budget. I was pleased that my husband said "I spoke only for myself and my view doesn't determine what you decide to do. Hermione, even if she wins, is but one vote in the Wizengamot. I won't mind if you tell the press that you don't think our budget permits you to accept Hermione's and my idea. If you had chosen to attend the press briefing, you could have said that at the time. We needed to answer a question and we gave the best answer we could think of."

Dad decided that he didn't need to face that question until the Wizengamot passed such a proposal. He had no intention of proposing it himself.

Naturally, the press was what it was, and in the following days the Prophet printed aggrieved letters from former Elf-owning Witches, largely castigating Hermione for implying that they "failed to cook or scour our homes or mend our family's clothes, because we lack the skill. We do not do these things, because it is not our place and we choose not to. Such work may be fine for filthy mudbloods, like Mrs. Weasley, but some of us have the blood-lines to be above such activities."

One Witch added "if six months of an Elf's salary is all the recompense that the Granger girl feels is appropriate, than I urge her not to bother making the effort. I can ensure her that she has caused me far more than six months' harm."

The letters continued for a week and I suspect Dad was correct that no votes were changed in the back and forth. I was surprised to read a letter to the Prophet from Pansy Parkinson, which was printed three days before the election. In sum, it read:

"I once dreamed of being a lazy, useless Slytherin cow, with Elves at my command to tend my house and care for my children. I have since learned that I must not waste my talents. Our community needs the best efforts of its intelligent Witches. I have trained to be a magical engineer, and shall pursue that career when I return to Britain. While I once disdained Mrs. Weasley and even tried to murder her, although not in my right mind at the time, I now thank her for showing me that my life could be far more than what my mother and her friends had planned for me. Hermione is correct that the world has changed. I think the new world will be better. I have seen how things work in Germany and in France. None of the Wizarding communities is perfect. We all have much to learn from each other."

The evening after Dad had castigated me for fumbling the answers to Frakes' questions, Mom stopped by our table and asked if I had apologized to McGonagall yet. "Busy, and still considering if it makes sense to do so," I responded. "I refer to her no differently than the majority of students do. I see no reason to apologize, but I will continue to consider my position."

As we were finishing our dinner, Hermione spoke to Harry and me. "Please don't run off to the common room or your apartment, I need to tell you what I've learned about the Valkyries. I think the potions lab might be the safest place this time of day."

When we reached the potions room, Hermione set the Snape privacy device upon the table and gave us the report of her library research.

"The Valkyries are like Witches or female Gods to the Norse and German, so that ties right in with Durmstrang. The note says die Valkyrie, which is the way a German or a follower of Wagner's operas would refer to them. I've not met any Witches or Wizards, apart from a couple Muggle-born like me, who know anything about opera, so I think we can conclude that your note was written by a German. The Valkyries pick those who will die in a battle, but they are not thought of as bad. They take the dead back to the Norse BeyondWorld, where they serve and honor them. Some consider it an honor to be selected by them. Still, I don't expect any of us wishes to be honored by them just yet, so the warning does carry a sting.

"The Valkyrie are favorites of the God Odin. We encountered him in our Quest research. The linking of the Valkyrie, Odin, and Durmstrang, which was the decision point of no turning back from our Quest, makes me think this may be a warning of a future threat. That's the quick summary. I'll continue to think about it, but I've learned not to horde partial knowledge to myself for too long."

"Thank you," I told my Muse. "That eases my mind a bit as I prepare for the Quidditch Tournament."

"I have other research to report," Hermione was a little indignant that I had shifted the subject to Quidditch, seemingly expecting Harry or Ron to pick up the Quaffle and fly with it. "I've scoured Hogwarts for mention of Jaden or Dillys. Absolutely nothing. Not in any of the display cases, or any of the photos in the library which identify the subjects. Don't you think that odd?"

"Not really, I replied. "Most of what you see around the school honors athletes and former prefects. What did you see related to scholars? Did you find your own name or picture anywhere?"

"No, I didn't. Isn't that awfully strange for an institution which claims to be about learning? I imagine there will be a picture of me as top student after I graduate. I did see a collection of those in an awards case, but, you're right, since neither Jaden nor Dillys actually graduated, they wouldn't have been eligible for an academic honor. I checked Ministry tax records for Jaden and her family. I didn't expect to find anything for her and I didn't. I did expect to find records for her parents, prior to their disappearance. Not a thing. Not even a record of a Hogwarts tuition payment for Jaden."

"That is strange."

"I'll check back issues of the Prophet. It is as if somebody has erased Jaden and Dillys. My first thought was – Dumbledore or Voldemort? Then I thought, why?"

"To keep anyone from learning their home addresses or their father's occupation?" Ron ventured. "That might be important if something was stashed near the house or the father needed to continue working in the same profession."

"We'll have to talk to people who knew them as students. It's a shame Slughorn is gone. We'll have to find and talk to him," Harry decided. "If he's starting a school, likely McGonagall knows how to reach him. I'll ask."


	96. Chapter 96

**Chapter 96 – Dillys, Again**

I spent the morning campaigning and then returned to Hogwarts for lunch. I was surprised to find Ostara waiting for me, although I think she had really come to see Neville and remain fresh in his mind. Neville was with her at the Gryffindor table and they were chatting as I entered the Great Hall.

"A friend dropped by to chat with you," Neville informed me. "Drop by my office, after," Neville suggested to Ostara.

Well, if Ostara was going to pretend that she had dropped by to see me, then I could quiz her on behalf of McGonagall's committee, for which I hadn't done much to date. Not that I had been asked to do much. "It's so good to see you again, but a rather great surprise," I told Ostara. "Do you want to come up to my apartment? I don't know what you wanted to talk to me about, but I have some questions for you."

I was a good hostess. When we reached the apartment, I started a small fire to take the cool damp out of the room, threw open the draperies to let in a cheery light, kicked my undies back into the bedroom, and poured us each a large glass of Witch sherry. I even held my questions in check, saying "You first, what did you want to ask me?"

The length of the pause confirmed that she didn't want to ask me anything. I was the excuse she had picked to justify visiting with Neville. She rallied to the occasion, saying, "It has been an honor for us to have the Mother of the Future joining our small church. I was wondering if you would be interested in playing a larger role. Rather than recruit new members for a services on a separate day, wouldn't it be easier to simply add to our congregation? If you have direct Light Guardian knowledge that our services are amiss in some manner, I'm sure we'd be willing to make changes."

"I'm just in the early stages of thinking about a Light Guardian church. I find your little congregation perfectly charming, and it is a fine place to start. I'm unsure what the procedure would be for recruiting new members. Do I need to run the names by someone, first? I wasn't thinking of general recruitment, just yet, but have some friends, such as Margaret and Callista Wright and Victoria Malfoy and Mafalda, whom I was thinking of asking."

"I'll check for you, but I don't see a problem. It would be an honor to have Victoria and Mafalda stop by. They each did once or twice before. They are legends. I've heard a lot of very good things about the Wright sisters, as well.

"I think you've guessed that visiting with you was just a subterfuge to see Neville. I didn't know if it was proper for a single Witch to visit the Hogwarts headmaster socially. Nor did I know if Neville would regard such a visit as unseemly forward on my part. I just wanted to stay in the front of his mind and keep things moving along. He can be shy. I know I'll see him on Friday, but my parents will be there and I won't have a lot of free time away from them. You may ask me whatever. Are you asking for yourself or for Neville?"

"Definitely for myself. I'm a member of a Ministry committee which is charged with answering a lot of questions relating to education. One question is why some parents don't send their children to Hogwarts. Two other questions are what those students learn outside Hogwarts and what sort of life that schooling prepares them for."

"Okay, that's a broad topic, I'll just ramble and you can interrupt and ask pointed questions if I wander afield or don't give you what you're looking for.

"I think some families have a tradition of not attending Hogwarts. As you probably know, as many Scottish children don't go as do. In my case, my parents felt Hogwarts was both too unreligious with regard to the Wizarding religions, with confusing C. of E. elements. Perhaps contradictorily, they felt that Hogwarts didn't prepare its students for life, because it taught nothing of the Muggle world. You can't pass in the Muggle world or enter into commerce at all, based upon what Hogwarts teaches you.

"Eire is much like Scotland. A lot of home-schooling, self-study, and an education that does not discourage learning Muggle subjects or even attending Muggle university, as I am now doing. What did I learn outside of Hogwarts?

"I learned standard magic and wand use from my mother. She taught me magical and non-magical cooking and housekeeping. I learned to make household potions and how to plant, tend, and harvest a fairly elaborate herb garden. I read a couple books on the history of the Wizarding world. My parents taught me Wizard laws and the various functions of the Ministry, whom I had to see to get things done, pay my taxes, apply for a job, whatever. Obviously, the church and my parents taught me quite a lot about the ancient religions and the lore of the old priestesses.

"I read many, many Muggle books. I attended a Muggle school. I didn't drop out at eleven like the Hogwarts students do. I went through my A levels. I'm now studying religion and philosophy. I'll have a degree and full documentation and certification to live and work in the Muggle world. My life would be more along the lines of the Continental Witches than the Hogwarts graduate. I know magic. I can defend myself. I know nothing about Quidditch. I didn't study Divination. I probably know less about transfiguration, charms, and potions other than the household variety than you have learned at Hogwarts.

"The Voldemort years increased my type of schooling. It seemed more important to hide from other Wizards and Witches than to hide from Muggles. The goal of some families has been to vanish from Wizarding society. Some feigned their deaths, changed their names, stopped paying taxes, moved far from home, and started over as Muggles, who maintained Wizarding traditions within their own family. I know families like that. Some originated in Wales or the south of England and are now hiding in Scotland. They want nothing to do with other Wizards.

"I must say that I believe in the ancient religion, honor my Wizarding roots, am proud of my family and ancestors, use magic in my daily life, and will teach my children how to do magic. Still, I have no desire to take on the stultifying role of a Witch in your society. I don't want to forsake all modern technology or Muggle knowledge. Our house has electricity, radio, a computer, central heat, Muggle books, and an electric stove. I can fly a broom, but I can also ride a motorcycle. I approve of the way you and your friends are trying to modernize your society and Hogwarts. I guess I really can't call it my society, because it isn't. It's something alien to me. I am at home with the religion of Witches two thousand years ago, but not at all comfortable with how the Witches in your society live today. I realize that there is a lot of resistance to change, but you can't change things fast enough to meet my needs.

"Neville and I have discussed that. I can live between the two worlds. I can possibly even live at Hogwarts or in Hogsmeade, but I can't live even as close to the life of a traditional Witch as you can. Neville told me about both your good and bad encounters with Sean. I know he beat you up, and that was very bad, but he also showed you how much there is for you to learn in the Muggle world. The Muggles have a lot to teach us. They have a culture, which is also our birthright. We spring from the same stock. Magic and the lack of magic have kept us apart."

"Hermione has also taught me some of that," I told her. "I have read some of her Muggle books. In a way, my family was very traditional. I didn't attend Muggle school as long as Harry did, or as long as even the average Wizard-born Hogwarts student. I attended a Muggle school only through age nine. That was long enough to learn to read and to do simple maths. I learned to write from Muggles. Simple writing. My mother taught me more maths and more advanced reading and writing. Like you, I learned to cook and to keep house from my mother, before I came to Hogwarts."

"I'm sorry. You wanted to talk about me, not the other way around. Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?"

"I'd like to talk to you about Professor Sprout. How well do you know her? She's never been a confidant of mine, but she was at Hogwarts when Tom Riddle, Jaden Caulfield, and Dillys Chapman were students. Do you think she would be upset if I questioned her about those days and those students?"

"I think she would be happy to talk to you. She is very brave and very friendly. You have been to our congregation, so you already know her greatest secret. I find that people who have lived through any part of the Riddle-Voldemort era are eager to disgorge their knowledge, experiences, and opinions. The fear is gone now, and so much was bottled up for so long. You already know so much about Voldemort that you'd be a comfortable person to talk to about that time."

I thanked Ostara and escorted her to Neville's office. I looked for Hermione, so we could question Professor Sprout together. Ron told me that she was still away from Hogwarts, doing her library research. He said, "Not everything has to wait for Hermione and Harry. Let's talk to Professor Sprout ourselves."

As we started looking for her, we realized that we were both supposed to be in her class, this very moment. It was a two hour class and less than half an hour from its end, so we just sat on the floor outside of the potions lab. When the class left, we entered. Professor Sprout made a great point of looking at her watch, then smiled and said, "Do you want to talk to me about the church? I know that Ostara was here today."

"No, we wanted to tease out some of your Hogwarts student memories. You were here with Tom Riddle, were you not?"

"Yes, I was a first year, when he was a fifth year. That was a year very much like Ginny's first year. The basilisk killed Moaning Myrtle. What did you want to know?"

"We were interested in Tom Riddle's girlfriend Jaden and her best friend Dillys."

"I don't know them. There was a girl with Riddle at the start of the year. She was a Ravenclaw fifth year, I think. She wasn't still with him when Myrtle was killed. I don't remember her having a girlfriend. Always with Riddle or by herself. She was a tall girl and quite pretty. I only saw her in the Great Hall and when she knocked my books on the ground. After that, if I saw either her or him coming, I went a different way. First years, especially Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, stayed away from that crowd."

"Did you ever hear Dumbledore or any of the other professors mention Jaden Caulfield or Dillys Chapman?"

"No. By the time I joined the faculty, Tom Riddle's school days were long past. It was the adult Tom that we worried about. It's a shame that Slughorn isn't here. He'd know about those girls, if anyone would."

We returned to the common room, disappointed at how little, really absolutely nothing, we had learned. Hermione had returned. She had found more than we had. She showed us a picture of Jaden from the 2 July 1942 edition of the Daily Prophet. It was a fairly large picture, showing a very pretty, if long-faced, young Witch with spectacles and long, dark hair. She had a nice grin and was obviously very pleased with herself. The caption under the picture read 'Fourth Level Hogwarts Student Jaden L. Caulfield scored perfect marks on her Potions, Divination, Transfiguration, and Charms O.W.L.S.' The accompanying story explained that this achievement was without precedent in the history of the O.W.L.S exams. The story also gave a home address as 'Partrych Cottage, Partrich Green, West Grinstead, West Sussex'.

"That's a very grand sounding address, I think we must visit it," I told Hermione. "But it looks like you found even more."

She showed me the front cover of the 17 March 1943 Daily Prophet, which had the large headline:

**Caulfield Family Murdered In Their Beds**

I quickly read through the story. Ebenezer Caulfield, his wife Abigail, and their children Ariadne, Atlas, and Jaden were found murdered in their beds. "The Auror Corps reports that they were killed by the illegal 'Avada Kedavra' curse. At present the aurors have identified no suspect for this foul crime… The bodies were identified by Mrs. Caulfield's mother, Sarah Davies."

My first reaction was 'Wow! Right after the students are sent home, Tom commits his first direct murders'. Then I realized Tom had not left Hogwarts with the other students. He had stayed there all summer.

"I didn't find a follow-up article," Hermione reported. "I looked ahead a whole year, but there was nothing. Perhaps there are still records at the Ministry. You should ask Harry to check."

"I will. This says Jaden was murdered, but Dillys says she never returned home, and Jaden contacted her after the date on which she was supposedly murdered. Dumbledore also thought she was alive, well after this news report was published. Strange Dillys didn't at least mention that many were certain Jaden was murdered along with her family. What is that last paper you found?"

"It's just a very short article saying that the Chapman family of Cambridge has vanished. It speculates that they left because they feared the Germans, although it says surprisingly they took few of their possessions and told nobody that they planned to leave. The father was seen leaving the local tavern at 9:30 P.M. and the next morning, the front door of the cottage was ajar and the entire family was gone. Again, I read ahead a full year and no follow-up. This was from the Daily Prophet of 19 March 1943, by the way."

"That's really great work," Ron congratulated her. "I can't wait to hear what Harry makes of all this."

Harry returned an hour later. He pulled out Dumbledore's diary. "As I thought. Hogwarts closed early on 16 March, owing to the Basilisk attack. That date matches the attack upon the Caulfields. But Dumbledore says that Jaden fled Hogwarts on 20 February. I suppose it's possible she could have returned home and Riddle found her there and killed the whole family. But Dumbledore and Riddle were both looking for her for almost a year after that. I'll see if I can find any records at the Ministry. Actually, I just ducked back to Hogwarts to see if the three of you could join me for some further discussion with Dillys. Bring the Prophet articles. I want to observe how Dillys reacts to them."

"Cissy too?" I asked.

"Why not. I'm interested in how Dillys will react, when she's introduced to a Montaigne. Also, three truth tellers will increase the certainty that Dillys is being truthful.

I apparated us to Grimmauld Place. Dillys looked as though the grimness was already having an impact upon her. We introduced Cissy. I didn't sense much of a reaction. Dillys replied generally, "You don't know how happy I am to see all of you. I feel safe and well hidden here, but is there a more pleasant place, where I could be equally safe?"

"I'm working on that," Harry replied. "It'll take a few more days, unfortunately. We're still looking for Jaden, and had some more questions for you. We are in a rush to find her, because we strongly think one of the remaining Death Eaters is also looking for her, and may be ahead of us. We also think she's looking for you.

"Dumbledore kept records on the students who particularly caught his attention for some reason. He had files on Tom Riddle, Jaden, and, we're almost certain, you. Those files were stolen by Delores Umbridge. We think she is the leader of the remaining Death Eaters. We think she stole those files because she wants to find Tom Riddle's daughter and rebuild the Death Eaters around her. She would willingly kill Jaden or torture her for information. She certainly views Jaden as a traitor to the cause and you as her accomplice."

"I was frightened, but now you've made me even more frightened. I certainly want you to find Jaden before Umbridge does. I've read of the awful things that Witch has done, especially to the Muggle-borns. Ask me anything. I want to help in any way I can."

"It looks like somebody went to a great deal of effort to erase records of Jaden. We didn't even find record of her Hogwarts tuition payments. Hermione had to go to the Daily Prophet to find the article on Jaden's O.W.L. achievement and the murder of her family. The Ministry and Hogwarts libraries didn't have copies of those papers. Do you know who might have destroyed those records?"

"No. Jaden and I wanted to hide, but we didn't have the resources to destroy records or papers. It wasn't safe for us to enter the Ministry. Even then, Tom Riddle had friends. The headmaster often invited Tom to join his Ministry allies for tea in the headmaster's office. Tom was his pet. For a time, Jaden was too. She knew most of those men. I suppose one of them could have been responsible. If Professor Dumbledore took such an interest, perhaps he removed the records."

"You said before that you managed to lower the Hogwarts defenses, so that Jaden could apparate to freedom. How did you manage that? Did you know where the controls for those defenses were located?"

"No. Jaden and I used Polyjuice. She still had a lock of Tom's hair. I simply drank the juice, went to the headmaster and asked that he do me a favor and lower the barriers for ten minutes at a precise time. Then I hid until the Polyjuice wore off. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life. Fortunately, the headmaster did not find out he had been duped until the Polyjuice had worn off. He called out the whole school for inspection, but he was too late. I was me again and Jaden was gone. I think he was satisfied that it was Jaden who had impersonated Tom."

"Was headmaster Dippet in the habit of doing favors for Tom? Tom was supposedly at school the night that Jaden's family was murdered. Could he have left without the headmaster knowing? Would the headmaster have helped him?"

"Not in murders, but Tom could have given him a plausible reason to leave school. Not only was Tom his special pet, but the headmaster credited him with catching Hagrid and developing the potion that reversed the effect of the spider venom. Tom was his hero. He was afraid he was going to be fired and the school closed for at least a year, after Myrtle was murdered. Tom definitely could have left the school. Jaden said he knew all sorts of hidden areas inside Hogwarts. He knew of a tunnel to Hogsmeade. He could have left that way."

"The Daily Prophet says that Jaden was murdered along with the rest of her family. We couldn't find a later article that contradicted this one." Harry showed the paper to Dillys.

"I thought you knew better than to believe that paper. There is actually a simple explanation. Jaden had a Squib sister, whom the parents hid at home. She was only a year younger than Jaden and looked much the same. She idolized Jaden and wore her hair and makeup just like her. Jaden wouldn't have worn school robes at home, so the aurors wouldn't be surprised to find her wearing the clothes they found her dead sister in. Few knew about Andromeda, but Jaden told me about her. I doubt the neighbors would have known enough to tell the aurors. The whole point of hiding her away was so the neighbors wouldn't find out. They moved to that house after it was clear that Andromeda wasn't going to be magical. The parents planned to educate her at home and move her into the Muggle world as an adult. They had a small house for her. There were supplies and identity papers in the house. I'm certain that's where Jaden would have gone, when she fled Hogwarts."

"How did you avoid detection for so long? Why did you suddenly decide to pay your taxes and become a visible Witch again?"

"My whole family fled as soon as The Prophet reported what happened to Jaden's family. It sounds very hurried and undirected thrashing about, like a terrified bunny with a fox after it, but it wasn't. You have to consider the times. The Muggle war changed a lot. There was fear of being bombed, but a much large fear that the Muggles would discover us and take out their frustrations on us. After all, not only were we scarily different, but we could be looked at as bad Brits who had special skills that would aid the war effort, but selfishly kept them hidden.

"A lot of families had escape plans made and rehearsed. My Dad had known since the start of the war where we would go and exactly how we would get there. I knew how to get to that place from Hogwarts, were it necessary. It was easier for my family, than for some. There were no military-age men in the family, Dad was sixty and could easily make himself look over seventy. We just lived as Muggles. My Dad posed as my grandfather and we had a heartbreaking tale of father killed in the war. We spent the war and all the years since in Wales. After the war, because of Jaden and Tom, my parents kept the family hidden. I stopped hiding, because Tom was killed, and because my mother died last year. I wouldn't have hidden this long, if it were just me at risk. I'm not a coward."

"I'm sure you're not. You've hidden all this time to protect Jaden. When last we talked, you had said she contacted you. It would help to know exactly when and how. How did you learn that she went to Eire, then back to Britain, then to America, and back here, again?"

"She told me she'd go to Eire on the night she escaped Hogwarts. She said she had vacationed there with her parents, so knew she could apparate. It was far enough away to seem safe. Also, she didn't think the trace on her would give her away, if she started her journey from inside Hogwarts and ended outside Britain. The Ministry has little influence in Eire. She went to a village called Kilfenora. That was the first time she ever apparated. She learned how from studying several books. She's not athletic, but apparating is all mental, isn't it? She sent me a coded message the day after she reached Eire, so I knew she was safe. We worked that out. She took my owl with her when she apparated and sent it back the next day. One of the hardest things I had to do was kill my owl. He was more pet than messenger, but I couldn't risk Tom making him fly back to Eire, if he had suspected what we had done. It was still strange, getting an owl. Back then the papers came a week late by train. Couldn't have that many owls flying. I doubt Hogwarts got two owls in a day. They went straight to the owl tower, so I just made sure to keep checking for Dusty.

"Just before Jaden left for America, she stopped by the cottage in Wales where my family was hiding. We had discussed how I would escape from Hogwarts, if I had to, so she knew where to find me. She said she was leaving for America in two days and just wanted me to know that she was safe. She thanked me for protecting her."

"So you knew for certain she was Jaden, not a Polyjuiced impersonator."

"She was on the juice herself, so I didn't see her Jaden form. I knew it was her, because only Jaden could know some of the things that she mentioned. They were our darkest secrets. I was the only friend she had, once she started up with Tom. He had a way of making all her friends seem stupid. Most were afraid of him anyway, so once he started in about them, they couldn't disappear fast enough. I was too loyal to give up that easily. Plus, I knew I wasn't stupid.

"I wasn't as smart as Jaden, but I was smarter than Tom…"

One of us must have given her a skeptical look, because she paused and then felt the need to justify her comment.

"No, really, I was the second brightest Ravenclaw of our year, although that was still miles behind Jaden. Tom? He was a little above average as a student, and he achieved that with Jaden's help. He really wasn't all that bright. He was very different and intimidating and certainly persuasive and a leader. But really, how intelligent do you have to be to bully the other students and make them feel stupid? He was very bold and he would do things that others wouldn't dare attempt, but it was Jaden who had to teach him how to do them. He was great at stroking the egos of professors, especially Professor Slughorn and headmaster Dippet. In return, they treated him as the brilliant wunderkind. I was in the Slug Club, until Tom suggested to the Big Slug that is was perhaps inappropriate for one of my abilities to be part of their little society.

That had the effect of reducing my contact with Jaden. Like a good Slugger, she was supposed to break off contact with me. At least that was what Tom explained to her. He was just angry that I had cautioned Jaden that some of the things she and Tom did were wrong and would ruin her reputation. He would steal restricted books, but he couldn't have deciphered them on his own. Most were in languages that he couldn't understand. That's why he needed Jaden so much. She could understand anything. She loved him desperately, so he knew she would never betray him. In the end, she had to flee because she feared him, and couldn't bear to do what he would have made her do, but she never stopped loving him. She knew he would pursue her, because she was privy to way too many of his secrets. He feared she'd tell someone, but she never did. Even I was told almost nothing about Tom."

"Did you receive any messages from America?"

"I heard nothing from her when she was there. It wouldn't have been safe. One day she simply stopped by the Wales cottage. This time she stayed for hours, not the fifteen minutes of her prior trip. She told me her America tale, we relived our Hogwarts days, we arranged to pass future messages in the personals ads of Muggle papers. She had remarried and her new husband had moved her back to Britain. She said it wasn't safe to tell me where. I don't know what name she was using. She had a great confidence in layers of Muggle documents. She said if someone pierced her new identity, all they would find is a Muggle woman who had run out on a husband she couldn't stand. Jaden was juiced this time as well, but again knew things that only Jaden could know. I haven't seen her in person, since that day. That was in 1955."

"What about her child? Did you see her? She must have been eleven in 1955. Was she magical?"

"I never saw the child. Jaden said that she had displayed magical talent, but that she was able to teach her not to use it. She didn't understand how the trace worked. She thought it was applied at St. Mungo's or when the traveling nurse visited the newborn, but she wasn't sure and couldn't take the chance. She was frightened to be back in Britain and was considering another switch, but her husband had promised that they could return home within the year. He had served his time in the overseas branch and could go back home with a promotion. She was afraid that the Ministry could tell if her daughter used magic, even without the trace."

"Weren't you afraid for your own safety, to have Jaden dropping in on you?"

"Why? I wasn't the one that Tom was after. If he found Jaden, he'd kill her, or make her live with him, but either way, that would be the end of it."

"You knew about the horcruxes. Dumbledore only knew of one other person, apart from Jaden, who knew that secret."

"Oh! Perhaps I was in more danger than I thought. I only feared that I would be hunted as a way to find Jaden. I knew that he liked to torture students. He and his gang used the Cruciatus more than once. I wanted to avoid that for myself. Jaden wanted to avoid ever having to witness that again."

"Why didn't you or Jaden simply reveal Tom's secrets to the Ministry?"

"Jaden wouldn't betray Tom. Besides, who would we tell? Tom or the headmaster had so many friends at the Ministry that it seemed we would be running a huge risk to give secrets to someone who would just bury them."

"You could have told Dumbledore."

"It didn't seem as though we could. He didn't stop Tom, did he? He seemed to have made a deal with Tom and the headmaster to spare his precious Hagrid. Dumbledore knew quite a lot, but didn't say anything at the time. He knew Tom killed Myrtle. Why should we have trusted him? Anyhow, telling would have seemed too much like betraying Jaden. He would have known where Dumbledore and I learned that bit of news."

We all messaged Harry that everything Dillys said had been true, or more accurately had been what she believed the truth to be.

We departed Grimmauld Place with further promises that we would work faster to find a more pleasant hideout for Dillys.

"I'm used to sunlight and the sight of greenery," she told Harry. "This mold really hurts my nose. I don't think I can survive a week here. If you make me, I'll be forced to walk to the Ministry and demand treatment at St. Mungo's."

"We wouldn't want that. Your new home is my first priority."

We apparated back to Harry's Ministry office.

"It's ironic," Hermione told Harry. "She passed the truth teller test. She didn't even try to slant or deceive at all, but I can't help but thinking half of what she told us was a lie. I can't even rule out Riddle having found, tortured, and killed Jaden at the start and impersonated Jaden. If that is the case, then he stashed the child somewhere. I still don't believe the America story. It's very possible that Dillys was able to remain hidden, because Tom wanted it that way. The day might come when he wanted a witness that Jaden remained among the living."


	97. Chapter 97

**Chapter 97 - Brighton**

Harry checked with his assistant, yet another new one, to find out if McGonagall was in the building. Harry suddenly seemed to snap out of whatever he had been thinking and remembered his manners. "I'd like you to meet my new full-time assistant, Penelope Clearwater. Callista is spending all of her time with McGonagall these days. Penelope, this is my wife Ginny, and my friends Hermione and Ron."

"**Isn't Penelope Percy's original Hogwarts girlfriend? This could get quite interesting fairly soon. It's good that Percy is working with your Dad,"** Hermione messaged me.

It took just a few minutes for Penelope to contact Callista and learn that McGonagall was in the Ministry library. We walked down to inquire about Professor Slughorn. I think McGonagall just played the super-helpful role because she wanted to learn what was happening.

"Yes, I know where Horace is to be found," she told Harry. "He's squatting in the Parkinson's home, or I guess I should say he is house-sitting, with Pansy's permission. Have you been there? No? Well, let me apparate you there."

So the five of us, plus Barb, found ourselves standing at the Parkinson's door, having rung the bell and pounded on the door for a full half minute. McGonagall finally magically projected her voice into the home's interior, shouting, "Horace, it's Minerva. I know you're in there. Come to the door, unless you want Potter to fetch aurors."

We only had to wait a few seconds, until the door opened. Professor Slughorn was decent, but not dressed for guests. He was wearing what Hermione referred to as 'Muggle scruffies', or in the case of one like Professor Slughorn, 'elderly Muggle scruffies'.

"Why do I fear that you want to talk some more about Tom Riddle and horcruxes?" Slughorn asked Harry.

"That is a topic about which you have unique knowledge," Harry conceded, "but we want to have a slightly different discussion. We wanted to ask you about two other of your former students and Slug Club members."

"That was never my name for my dining society. Who did you want to talk about?"

"Jaden Caulfield and Dillys Chapman."

"I remember Jaden very well. A very intelligent, beautiful, well-spoken Witch. One of the very few potions students I've taught who could match Harry's mother. It was a shame she left Hogwarts prior to the end of her fifth year. She would have been top student in her class. She was spoiled by Tom Riddle and ultimately ran away from Hogwarts to escape him. As you may know, she was Tom's girlfriend, or close to it, and you didn't just decide to break up with Tom. You didn't even decide to stop being Tom's friend. Not if you valued your health. Jaden knew more about Tom than anyone. In many ways, she was his brain and he was her cunning."

"Was Jaden cunning?"

"The pair of them were, when they were together. She was up for any non-violent mischief that Tom wanted to get up to. I thought she initiated some of it. She found it amusing and enjoyed testing how far they could go without being caught. Yes, I guess in a way she was a far better tactician than Tom and every bit as cunning. She just lacked his boldness. If she wasn't with Tom, she reverted to the goody-good student.

"The two of them ruled the school. They were always exploring, always going where they shouldn't. I don't want you to think Jaden was ever cruel. She would engage in petty acts of unkindness to mollify Tom, who was upset that she was basically unwilling to bully the other students. Still, she enjoyed being the school Queen. She got whatever she wanted. Even the worst Slytherin thugs left her alone and basically would do her bidding. Not only did Tom insist that they treat her well, but she had her own sting. She wouldn't bully others, but I saw a Slytherin attack her, before she was Tom's girlfriend. She blasted him through one of the corridor windows. That is how she first came to Tom's attention. He had known of her reputation as a super student, but I think that incident made him see the potential for other things in her. They were both members of my dinner club, as briefly was Dillys.

"Dillys was dull. Not stupid dull, but plodding, goody-goody, boring dull. She made no secret how little she thought of Quidditch. The only Hufflepuffs who ever made a go of my dinner club were Quidditch stars. At least they had something to talk about. A chance at a professional Quidditch career gave them something to dream on and that dream was sometimes enough to light them up and to get their mental juices flowing. Otherwise they showed no imagination and no great desire to talk or think about anything beyond plodding their way through Hogwarts to the future their parents had set for them – invariably on a very tiny farm. Dillys' idea of clever conversation was to raise an exam question from herbology and wonder if Professor Sprout had gotten it quite right. That had a barely acceptable level of interest, but then she would quickly say 'but then, Professor Sprout is the expert and she must be right.' Conversation dead and that the only dull ember from our Dillys for the entire dinner.

"She was a good student, but had to work far harder for her grades than Jaden did. Dillys never returned for her sixth year, even though I recall her doing very well on her O.W.L.s and a couple N.E.W.T.s. There simply was no flash with Dillys. I invited her to my club, because Jaden begged me to. It was very hard to say no to Jaden. Almost as difficult as refusing Tom. I think Jaden was trying to help Dillys manufacture a personality. The other students just weren't attracted to Dillys. She never had a boyfriend, as far as I remember. She was shy, but more than that, I was certain she had a crush on Jaden. I think Tom quickly became aware of this. He suggested I drop Dillys from the club, but he didn't need to ask. She just didn't fit among those who enjoyed bright, lively conversation. She was too earnest. There was very little light about Dillys. I had a certain respect for her as a student and a very honest person, but can't say that I ever warmed to her."

"Do you remember the night that Jaden disappeared?"

"Yes, I do. I remembered seeing her at supper. Later, headmaster Dippet sent the prefects through the school, asking all the students and faculty to assemble in the Great Hall. That was at a little past 11:00 P.M. I remember I was just getting into bed. The headmaster did an inventory of everyone. Said he was looking for the Polyjuicing scoundrel who had scammed him into lowering the school's apparation barriers. Tom was at his side. Tom looked more upset than Dippet did. Everybody was accounted for. I remember Dippet saying, 'Sorry Tom, I think she's simply done a runner on you. Nobody helped her.' I thought he looked toward Dillys as he said that. She must have been whom Tom suspected. I got details at the faculty meeting the next day. I remember the headmaster said that he lowered the apparation barriers at precisely 10:15. 'Tom' had requested that he do this, when he visited his office at 10:00. He never explained why he would perform such a favor for a student.

"Later that day, Tom visited me and asked me 'how long would it take for Polyjuice to wear off, if you took just a small dose?' I told him that the normal duration of the potion was three to four hours. You could only reduce the dose so much and still have a reliable facsimile of the individual you were impersonating. If you took a half dose, your hair or one eye might not be the right color, or you might be not quite tall enough. It just couldn't be relied upon. I told him that you'd have to take at least a three-quarter dose and it would take at least two hours for that to wear off, probably closer to two and a half hours until you were fully yourself again. That answer seemed to satisfy Tom."

"Why did you think Jaden chose that time to flee?"

"I had no idea. Later, I thought she must have known about the horcruxes and the basilisk. She really wasn't a dark Witch type of girl. She sought knowledge and, of course, sex."

"Speaking of sex, did you know that Jaden was pregnant?"

"No. If she was, it certainly didn't show. She may have added a few pounds, but all the students did over the winter months. I talked to Jaden quite a few times at, and once after, our dinners. She never mentioned pregnancy. She did mention misgivings about Tom's continued drift to the dark side. I remember her saying, 'Why can't just learning about it be enough for him? Why risk turning himself into an abomination? That's what he wants me to do. I won't do it. I like my mind the way it is. Why would I want to change the essential me? What is the point of new experiences if they only destroy who you are?' I don't recall her being any more specific than that. If she really was pregnant, I'm surprised she would use Polyjuice and apparate. She had read enough to know how dangerous that could be to a pregnant Witch and her child."

"Do you think Tom knew she was pregnant?"

"Never let on if he did. Your mention of this is my first inkling of the possibility. Frankly, I thought she would be very familiar with the potions to prevent that sort of thing. It's a simple potion and there wasn't a potion Jaden couldn't make. That's one that doesn't even need to age, before it's effective. And it is very effective – nearly foolproof, and Jaden wasn't a fool."

"What could cause the potion to fail her?"

"If someone slipped her some of that potion's bifurcate - it's a fertility potion—that would undo the original potion. It's also an easy potion to make."

"I know," I told Professor Slughorn. "I've made it myself, in Professor Sprout's class."

"Well! Good for Professor Sprout! We always had a certain number of parents who complained about having the students prepare those two potions. I had to eliminate them from my course. Simply too controversial."

Hermione asked, "Have you had any contact at all with either Jaden or Dillys, since they left school?"

"Nothing from Dillys, although I didn't expect to hear from her. She took it badly when I stopped inviting her to my dinners. I found a note from Jaden the day after she left. It was in my top desk drawer. Very brief, simply saying she had to leave before Tom turned too nasty. She said she was frightened of what Tom would do, not so much to her as to others. She asked me to warn her parents. I sent them an owl, but either it arrived too late, or they ignored it. Jaden said she would flee to Skye. She had been there with her astronomy class, so she was able to apparate. I had an owl from her, back in 1955. Not much more than she was fine, missed me, asked that I wish her well and that I do what I could to destroy any written records of her. I was able to do so at Hogwarts. I think my contacts and I did a pretty good job at the Ministry, as well. She made no mention of where she was. Certainly no mention of a child. She pleaded with me to kill the owl. How could I refuse? It was a beautiful bird. I had it for dinner, in a stew."

"Any guess where Jaden or Dillys might be today?"

"No. I guess it makes sense to start on Skye. If Dillys knew where Jaden was staying, I'm sure she would have come to her. I've sniffed around a little over the years. My interest and Dumbledore's request. Never a solid clue. Dumbledore was excited by the 1955 contact, but it went cold immediately. I guess I shouldn't have been so quick to kill the bird."

We thanked Slughorn and used Harry's office to shed McGonagall, before we talked to Wood. Wood had checked the auror and St. Mungo's records on the murder of Jaden's family and the disappearance of Dillys' family. "Someone was into the records. There were no original Ministry records for either case. There were report summaries, which were very brief and clearly phony. An auror can tell these things, they were both just too pat and entirely too well written.

"The conclusion on the Caulfields was that they were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. The fireplace chimney was found to be nearly blocked. The St. Mungo's report is absent, but it is summarized as 'absolutely no evidence of victims having been cursed or subjected to physical injury… clear signs of carbon monoxide poisoning… open and shut case'. No mention of Jaden being pregnant, despite 'full and thorough examination of bodies of all unfortunate victims.' No mention of Jaden running away from Hogwarts. The report even refers to Jaden having returned on the Hogwarts Express."  
>"She wasn't on the Express. She apparated away from Hogwarts before the school was closed. Why lie about that?" Ron protested.<p>

"It keeps the investigation away from Hogwarts and, by association, Riddle and Dippet," Wood replied matter-of-factly. Barb gave an 'of course' look and nod. "It also encourages the public to forget Jaden and Dillys. No telling when the files were fixed. It could have been done by Slughorn at the start, or Voldemort later."

"The report on the Chapmans was even more concise. It says the initial report of a strange disappearance was found to be in error. A neighbor said that 'Mr. Chapman was terrified of all the soldiers and police and said he was moving his family somewhere safer. Refused to leave a forwarding address. No hint of foul play.' That's it. No follow-up at all, or any mention that nothing was heard from or of the Chapmans in the next fifty years.

"These files were definitely fixed. I don't know if Slughorn and his buddies could have done it. Also, as you found, no tax records, no tuition records, no birth records, no nothing on either family. Hermione was lucky to find the papers that she did. They were not in the Prophet's open-to-the-public collection. I won't ask you how you acquired them."

"I talked to Rita. She told me where the staff records and copies were filed. She wants out of jail, by the way. I tend to agree that we should help her."

We stopped by Harry's office to grab one of the magical force visualizers and headed off toward Brighton. Wood apparated us to ten miles from our destination. We all took our brooms, and he flew with us the rest of the way. It didn't take us long to fly to almost Partridge Green. Walking the last mile took as long as the flying had.

"I guess we ask the villagers for the location of Partrych Cottage," Ron suggested.

"There is nothing officially called Partrych Cottage," Wood replied. "That vanished long ago. That name was apparently a flight of fancy or a final piece of security on the part of Jaden's father. I can take you to the cottage where they lived. The crime was investigated by aurors. There was at least that much information in the files. I think also enough coded information on the charms left by the aurors that we will be able to enter the cottage. I've checked Muggle references. We'll take rooms at The Partridge and have a bite to eat. Then I'll escort my fellow sight-seers to the cottage."

It was a pleasant room, with a soft bed. I washed my hands and face, took a stretch-out on the bed, had a quick snuggle with Harry, and then down to the tavern for some traditional English food. They had seafood, but I chose roast lamb. I had a pint of bitter ale. I don't think we attracted undue attention. Hermione had brought the magical force viewer in a camera case, she had given Ron Muggle binoculars, and the rest of us were armed with a map and our smiles.

Before we set out for the cottage, which Wood said was at a place called Jades Farm, I asked, "After fifty years, what do we expect to find here? Especially since the cottage was searched by aurors, and presumably further scrubbed of all evidence by Dumbledore."

"I have no idea," my husband replied. "If we get lucky, we will find that Riddle hid a horcrux inside the cottage, as he did with the Peverell ring, when he killed the Gaunts. The Gaunts were certainly one of his earliest murders, and the ring was one of the earliest horcruxes. If he used an article from the scene of the crime and hid the horcrux on site, perhaps he followed the same pattern on what was likely his first murders and first horcrux. We have the viewer to aid our search. The aurors certainly didn't have that advantage."

The main building at the farm looked too grand to be what we sought. It was a large house, largely brick with a shingle roof and a smaller attached stone structure. The side of the building was brown painted lath and stucco. Wood was leading us toward the building. He went up to the front door, parking us in the lane as he did so. He knocked, but got no answer.

Wood motioned us around to the back. "The cottage is magicked, like Grimmauld Place. It is an extension of the stone part of the building. Just allow me to temporarily undo a few charms."

Wood worked quickly. Soon a two story cottage appeared, nestled between the stone and brick portions of the Jades Farm house. Wood opened the door and in we went.

The aurors had left the furnishings in place. That struck me as wasteful. This was relatively high quality furniture. A poor Wizard family could have put it to excellent use. Harry assigned most of us the pointless task "search the cottage for clues", while Hermione began a careful scan of the whole house and its contents, using the viewer. There were no family pictures, no Hogwarts reports of grades, no examples of little notes or artwork from the children to their mother. Anything that could possibly shed light on the lives of those who had lived here had been carefully removed. Ron had checked any papers he could find. There were few and they were routine, shedding zero knowledge of either the children or where the family might have planned to flee to, had they been given warning of the imminent danger they were in, as soon as Jaden's disappearance from Hogwarts became known.

I couldn't help feeling less kindly toward Jaden, knowing that she had left the task of alerting her family to Slughorn. She also had not given him sufficient time to complete his task. Perhaps she had strong reason to believe her absence would not be noted until breakfast or even later the following day. She was, after all, in the habit of taking her meals in her dorm. Why had Riddle known of her flight within the hour? How had headmaster Dippet learned of Dillys' deception so quickly?

I stopped musing and continued my search. Some clothes had been left, including robes, which would identify this as not a Muggle home. Of course, so would the method of its camouflage. I wondered if the past, or even the current, owner of Jades Farm knew of this Wizard dwelling on their land. There were no papers or anything else of interest in the pockets of any of the clothes.

"I find no evidence of any charmed item in the house or under its floor boards or secreted within its walls," Hermione announced. "If there were a horcrux here, I would have found it. I'll do a quick scan outside."

We didn't want to attract attention, so the rest of us waited inside the cottage, while Hermione used the viewer in the garden and on the exterior walls of the attached Muggle house. Hermione was at it for an hour, when we heard a car pulling up to the house. As per plan, we apparated away from the cottage, back to our room at the tavern. Wood reactivated the charms on the cottage as he departed. We assumed that Hermione would play tourist and talk her way out of the situation, if she was seen by the owner of Jades Farm.

We spent the night in the Partridge. We quietly brainstormed over our breakfast. "I see two likely possibilities," Harry told us. "This might be where Riddle turned his diary into a horcrux. Or… he could have chosen a Muggle object in the general area."

This sent Hermione off in search of tourist information. She returned saying "I think our best choices are the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, if we want to range a bit from Partridge Green, or the Partridge Green Methodist Church, if we want to stick closer to here."

We checked both. The church was a bust. I'm not criticizing, it was a nice, century-old church, but Hermione's search revealed no magical objects. We took the Muggle bus into Brighton. It was the first time in my life that I had ridden on a Muggle bus. What does that say about me?

Ron took the viewer as we started to examine the museum and was immediately accosted by a security guard "I'm sorry, we don't permit photographs, young man."

"Quite all right," Ron replied. "I don't plan on making any pictures." Still, he had to check the camera case, which was a serious obstacle.

Hermione shoved a museum brochure in my hand, pointing excitedly at page three. "If there is a horcrux here, this must be it. It's called the 'Hove Amber Cup' and it was found in a Bronze Age burial. It's the sort of thing that might appeal to Tom Riddle. We should check it out."

We found the cup, but couldn't examine it, without the viewer. Harry and I distracted the staff, while Hermione did an 'accio' on the camera case. We had to keep up our discussion with the guard for a couple minutes, until Hermione signaled that she had returned the camera case to the shelf at the entrance desk. Her other message was brimming with excitement.

"I don't know if it's a horcrux, but the amber cup is strongly magicked. We've drawn enough attention to ourselves that we should just leave, for now."

Harry was disappointed, but we left. Wood and Barb objected strenuously when Harry announced, "We're not going to lose this horcrux to somebody else, after all this time. It will have to be stolen, but we can't do it now. Barb and Wood will have to stay and protect it. The rest of us will apparate back to the Ministry. We can do that safely and we'll pick up another auror at the Ministry."

That is what we did. We had a long meeting ahead of us. We had reached the point where there was no option other than to inform Dad and Shacklebolt about what we had been doing and what we had learned.

Dad was happy with the result, but not pleased with the amount of personal adventuring we had engaged in. He acknowledged that it was good that we took two aurors with us and that Hermione's thinking had proven crucial to the result. I could tell he wasn't really all that upset. His biggest concern was that Harry and I made ourselves memorable to the museum staff. Even if we were nowhere near Brighton when the robbery occurred, which he guaranteed us would be the case, the proximity in time between our visit to the cup and its disappearance would convince the Muggles that we were in on the theft.

Hermione had a partial solution. We would substitute a copy for the original and if there was a glitch in that plan, we would supply ready-made villains. She told Dad, "I still have hairs from the toughs who attacked Harry's grandmother's house. Whoever does the theft can Polyjuice as them and leave a hair or two behind."

Dad liked the idea. He sent us back to Hogwarts to recruit Professor Celine. She would make the substitute. That required that she go to Brighton, but she would use Polyjuice. We had the hair of the Eire hoodlum whom Narcissa had hired and we had captured at Castle Weasley. Dad had a good-sized piece of amber from the Ministry stores. Apparently it was an ingredient in a number of potions. I made a note to self to research these potions.

Ron used his invisibility cloak to apparate Professor Celine to Brighton. He left that cloak and Harry's with the museum robbers. Barb and Wood, using Polyjuice prepared by Hermione, would do the actual heist. The rest of us had to just sit back and wait upon the results of our little raid. That gave me time to ponder whether Dad's preferred mode of transportation for Adrienne meant he was less concerned with Ron taking risks than he did if it was Harry or me who took those same risks. I didn't view that as fair to either Ron or me. Ron was getting the image as our group's heavy.

It was a long wait, but it was worth it. Barb, Wood, and Professor Celine arrived at Harry's office with the Amber Cup. Even without the viewer, I could tell that the cup held a lot of magical force. I picked up the cup to examine it and found it was becoming slightly warm in my hand. Still, I did not get the sense of dread, unhappiness, or claustrophobia which Harry had told me was associated with the locket horcrux, which the trio had worn as they journeyed across Britain. I passed the cup to Hermione.

"I don't get the sense of evil, which I thought the thing would give off to a Witch who is a Light Guardian Priestess. You wore the locket. What do you think of the cup?"

"It's very different. I don't sense the Voldemort dread coming from this thing. I always felt that with the locket. Perhaps our training makes us more immune to this sort of danger, rather than more sensitive."

"Or it could just retain very old magic from the ancient it was buried with and not be a modern horcrux at all."

"That's possible. We'll have to test it with the sword."

Hermione suggested taking the cup back to Hogwarts and threatening it with the Sword of Gryffindor, to see how it reacted. Dad said absolutely not. We could fetch the sword, we could run tests in the shop, we could leave the cup to his experts, but we most certainly could not take it to Hogwarts. I don't think he wanted McGonagall to find out about it.

The four of us, plus Barb and Professor Celine, decided to apparate back to Hogwarts and grab Neville and the sword. As we were preparing to leave, Dad was quizzing Wood about how successful they had been in not leaving any evidence behind. Apparently not very, although the original cup had been replaced by an excellent replica


	98. Chapter 98

**Chapter 98 - Jaden**

Neville was eager for another chance to use the sword. Professor Celine also wanted to return to the Ministry with us. "If you don't mind, I'd like to see this thing through to the end. I want to know as much about that cup as I possibly can. I've done plenty of Witch Sculpting, but duplicating that was like sculpting living flesh. I studied the original very carefully, with all of my senses. I felt its warmth in my hand. That thing is as close to being alive as something that is just a thing can be. I need to find out what it really is. I heard you call it a horcrux. What is that?"

Harry gave as brief an explanation as he could get away with, while Neville retrieved his sword. We were gone before any other faculty members were aware of our presence, although we did cause a stir among the students, especially when Neville brandished his sword as he strode down the moving stairs from his office.

Dad hadn't summoned his experts. He, two of his aurors, Wood, and now Percy were guarding the cup. Neville approached the cup, displaying his sword. I expected that the cup would react to the sword to drive us away. Perhaps young Tom would emerge to battle or plead with us. It did not happen. Neville brought the sword to within a quarter inch of the cup.

Ron, who was watching through the viewer declared, "I think you have his attention. The magical force lines have become more intense. Steel yourself against horcrux-driven delusions. They can be quite intense."

"I sense none of that," Neville reported. "Should I touch the sword to the cup? I think I might well pierce it with a strong thrust."

"No, please wait," Adrienne implored Neville. "I didn't sense the presence of a dark lord when I had the cup in my hands. I don't think that cup holds Voldemort. It may be the final resting place for the soul of a great Wizard or warrior of the distant past. It would be almost criminal to disturb his rest. It is one thing for Muggle archeologists to plunder the graves of the ancient greats. Quite another thing to use our magical skills to shatter the vessel that holds what is left of a great."

"She has a point," Dad told Neville. "This artifact wasn't found at the Caulfield home. We have only relative geographical propinquity to link it to Tom Riddle. I'm not at all sure that Tom would have known of the existence of the cup. He spent his entire childhood in the orphanage or at Hogwarts."

"Jaden would have known of it," Hermione declared. "It is just the sort of thing she would have discussed with him. From what I've learned of her, she is the sort of young Witch who most certainly would have visited the nearest Muggle museum. An ancient artifact must have drawn her attention. With all their discussion of horcruxes and cheating death, this cup ripped from an ancient grave would have an appeal to them. They might well have sensed its magical aura, before turning it into a horcrux. We know that Tom must have visited Jaden at the end of the summer before their fifth year. He would have come to her house. She would have shown him the museum. It would have been one of her favorite places, away from Hogwarts."

"That makes sense," Dad conceded. "Tom probably did know of the cup. He could have brought it with him to the Caulfield home, planning to kill her family and store a part of himself in the ancient object that he associated with the girlfriend who betrayed him. A double way of striking back at Jaden: murder her family and defile an artifact she loved."

I hadn't noticed my brother leaving us, but he now reentered the room, carrying a hammer. "The basilisk venom may kill the horcrux, if the sword does little more than touch the cup. But I know how to get the cup's attention. Remember how we raised Tom from the locket. Couldn't kill him with curses or rocks, but we certainly riled him up."

Ron raised the hammer and looked at Dad. When Dad nodded yes, Ron swung the hammer. The cup didn't break, but it did skid across the room. Harry, who now held the viewer, shouted "That certainly got its attention. It is now way bright. So bright, I wouldn't touch it without gloves."

Ron drew very thick gloves from the pocket of his robe. "I thought that might happen, so I came prepared. You should be prepared to stun me if it seems like the cup is possessing me. Come here, little cup. Back on the desk you go. You don't like me, do you? I assure you, I'm not nearly finished with you. It would be a shame to have to destroy such a nice, ancient relic. Won't you come out and play, Tom? No?"

Ron smacked the cup a second time. It again ricocheted off the top of the table and onto the floor. "I can do this longer than you can," Ron addressed the cup as he put it back on the table. "Perhaps you want a taste of the sword, after all. I think you know what that will do to you. May I borrow the sword, Neville?"

"No. You killed the locket. Now it's my turn."

By his actions, Neville clearly intended to draw out the cup's occupant, rather than simply kill it. He inserted the end of his sword into the cup, lifted it off the desk, and twirled it around his sword point, before lowering it back to the table. "Did you smell the basilisk? Are you sure you wouldn't rather come out and see the world one last time, before I dispatch you for good? You've not been in a position to follow events, but let me bring you up to date – all your other horcruxes are destroyed. We got the diary. Got the ring. Got the locket. Got the diadem. Got Helga Hufflepuff's cup. Got the snake. Got the piece in Harry's head. Harry dueled you to oblivion, and then we killed your ghost. You're all that's left. Do you have anything to say?" Neville was enjoying this. He raised the sword, grasping the hilt with both hands.

The cup shook and a wispy figure appeared. It was Jaden, not Voldemort. "Kill me. I don't deserve to live, and I've been trapped in this cup, forever. I have to explain, before you kill me for good. I never wanted to make a horcrux. I loathed the whole idea. Tom forced this. Tom destroyed me. He wouldn't let me just get on with my life. He wouldn't let me flee from him."

"Where is your body?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. I think Tom may have killed me. I tried to save my family. Tom used the Cruciatus curse on my sister, to force me to murder my mother. I couldn't do it, even though she begged me to do it, to make Tom stop torturing Andromeda. I pretended like I would, then I cursed Tom instead. We were dueling and Andromeda fell between us and died. A bit of mind split off and was trapped in the cup. Tom had planned for the cup to be his horcrux. He was going to make two. The cup and the book. He brought both, thinking killing all of us would provide enough energy to make strong, permanent horcruxes. Make two and he'd be safe forever. Things went dark when the bit of me split off. I don't know what happened after that."

"Can we stabilize her?" Harry asked me.

Hermione and I both answered "We don't know." Hermione added, "I'll do research. It may be possible. Perhaps Jaden knows."

"I don't know. I'm happy to join my family in the Beyond. If I hadn't tried to be Tom's girlfriend, my sister and family would still be alive. It's my fault. Dillys warned me that Tom was no good and that I would pay a severe price for getting caught in his circle. Once you entered, you could never leave. Especially me. I knew far too much about him. I wish I had listened to Dillys. It would have been acceptable if I paid a price for my folly, but it was my family that paid. Poor Andromeda. Another year and she would have been safely hidden in the Muggle world.

"I don't know I ended up inside my favorite cup from a Muggle museum. I cursed Tom. I should have been able to stun him, before my wand locked with his. I still could have beaten him. I panicked when Andromeda stumbled towards us. I dropped my wand so that Andromeda wouldn't get caught in the wash from our curses. I remember that I intended to apparate for help. I didn't think Tom would dare to go through with killing my family if I was away and able to testify against him. What happened to my family and to Dillys? Tom caught me before I apparated away from Hogwarts. He knew Dillys was helping me to escape. When the barriers were lowered, he apparated me to a hiding place in Hogsmeade. It was days before he returned for me. He gave me enough food and water to stay alive, saying he had big plans for me. He said perhaps we could still be together for eternity. He said that was a far better offer than he gave others who would abandon him.

"Tom's father abandoned him. Tom swore that he would never be abandoned again. He would kill anyone who would abandon him. If they chose to share his strength, they would taste his vengeance, if they ever betrayed him. So, what of my family?"

"Killed on the night you fought Tom Riddle," Harry answered. "Dillys lives. She's remained hidden for over fifty years. We found her just days ago. The last of Tom's supporters are after her. Tom did unbelievably terrible things. He was responsible for the death and torture of thousands."

"I'm so sorry. He learned a lot from me. I deeply regret teaching him. I doubt he could have become that awful, without my assistance. Please, I must speak to Dillys."

"Would you please fetch Dillys?" Harry asked Barb.

Barb and Bill left the room.

"Did you know that Tom called himself Lord Voldemort?" Harry asked. "I think he was totally insane. A Muggle-born Wizard who hated Muggle-borns. You should know that we're the ones who finally destroyed all Tom's horcruxes and killed him."

"He started calling himself I Am Lord Voldemort during our fifth year. It was an anagram that he dreamt up over the summer. He might have been insane. He was far more unreasonable and wouldn't tolerate any delays or reluctance in jointly implementing his plan for us. He wanted me to kill. That's why I had to leave him. Dillys is the only friend, whom I could trust to help me. I'm glad she didn't die because of that."

"How did Tom catch you, before you escaped from Hogwarts?"

"I was going to the owl tower. I thought that the best disapparating point, and I wanted my owl to send back to Dillys once I had safely reached Eire. Just before the school barriers were lowered, Tom surprised me in the tower. He said Professor Slughorn had stopped him in the Slytherin Common Room, saying 'I understand you're pining away to speak to your girlfriend. Well, I just saw her heading toward the owl tower. If you hurry, you just might catch her there.' I was trying to bluff my way out of the situation when he stunned me. He knew when the barriers were to be lowered. I saw him check his watch, before he apparated us out of Hogwarts. He just dropped e mand immediately apparated away."

"Were you going to apparate to Eire, when you tried to escape at your parents' house?"

"No. I was afraid that Tom had forced Dillys to talk. He would use the 'Cruciatus' if it served his purpose. Even at Hogwarts. No, I planned to go to the Chapman family's escape house in Wales. I had been there before, so I knew I could apparate there. I was worried about the trace, but I had no choice."

Barb and Bill returned with Dillys. Dillys looked shocked. "They said they were taking me to speak to Jaden. I was expecting the real Jaden. Is Jaden dead?"

"We still don't know the answer to that question," Harry told Dillys. "This is the only version of her that we have been able to find. No body has ever been found, so Jaden may well still be alive, somewhere."

"Dillys, did you betray me? Tom knew the exact time which I was to depart Hogwarts. Nobody but you are I knew that."

"Please do not accuse me so. I love you. I have always loved you. I've hid away my whole life to keep you safe. I received messages from you after you had left. Your bird came to me with a note saying you were safe in Eire."

"I'm sorry. What you see is what little life I have had these fifty years. Of course I trust you. But how could Tom have known? And how could you have received my bird? It did not come with me when Tom took me from Hogwarts. I know I was alive at my parents' house, but my owl was not there. When my memory ends, I was trying to apparate to safety, but not to Eire. My aim was your refuge in Wales."

"I don't know, Jaden. The headmaster knew when the barriers were to be lowered. He could have told Tom. My family fled to your Wales retreat just days after the attack upon your parents. We saw no sign that you had ever been there. I don't understand. I was at Hogwarts for weeks after you vanished. Where were you?"

"A prisoner in Hogsmeade. Tom kept me alive for a purpose. Perhaps his revenge was to make me witness and participate in the death of my family. I know I never killed on purpose, so how did I become a horcrux? And how did Tom know the time?"

"Tom could link with some minds," Harry declared. "I was one of his horcruxes, so he had easy access to my mind, even at a great distance. Perhaps you and Tom established such an intimate linking of the minds."

"We played at such. That is the purpose of tantric magic. The bodies link and urge the minds to follow, in an embrace which cannot be sundered by time or distance. Or so the book said and so Tom fervently believed. He said just a little more practice and we would achieve our goal. My body is of little use to me now, but still it would comfort me to know what has become of it."

"We shall continue to search out the clues to that mystery," Harry promised. "I think another visit to Professor Slughorn is in order. I will search the Dumbledore diaries for more insight on Dippet. He seems to be at the root of the problem.

"Surely so many of my memories cannot reside in such a small cup? They must be drawn from somewhere. This cup may be linked to my body. Perhaps you can follow the lines of force, as Nicholas Flamel suggested."

"I don't remember reading that," Harry admitted. "Hermione?"

"Sorry, Harry. We could certainly examine the force lines from the cup and this apparition and see in what direction they lead us. If you would extinguish the lights."

"There do appear to be some lines of magical force streaming to or from that direction," Hermione observed, pointing to the east. "Back into your cup, Jaden. We don't want to drain your strength. We have to wait until night to track where the magical force trail leads."

Just like that, the Jaden apparition vanished.

"I would have liked to speak to her a little longer," Dillys complained. "May I come with you, when you search for her body?"

"Yes, but we have close to a twelve hour wait. We were going to grab some food and go talk to Professor Slughorn. If you're willing, I'd like to see his reaction to you and have you ask him some pointed questions, based on your knowledge of his relationship with Tom, Jaden, and Dippet. We'll take Professor Celine, as well."

"I don't trust a cornered Slughorn," Dad told Harry. "You'll also take an incognito Cotto."

We found Slughorn at his new school. Miles Bletchley, the former Slytherin Keeper, was meeting with him, and was introduced to us as the first employee of the new school. He was also quickly dismissed.

"No need for young Bletchley to be privy to what I'm sure will be a difficult conversation. Naturally, you're older, but I certainly recognize you as Dillys Chapman. How are you, it's been such a long time."

"I'm afraid that I'm no better than you would expect after a lifetime of hiding out and fearing for my own and Jaden's lives. I understand that, in good measure, I have you to thank for that. How could you betray Jaden? Don't look so phony surprised. Jaden told me that you alerted Tom to her escape. He caught her, he made her his prisoner, and he forced her to help him murder her family. He was a monster and you willingly helped him, just as you pushed them together. Don't you think that makes you something of a monster as well?"

"Jaden lives? My Jaden lives! I had believed her lost."

"Only a horcrux survives. You destroyed her. I loved her, and you took her from me and slaughtered her."

"I admit my efforts turned out in the worst way possible, but I was well intentioned. Don't dismiss your own share of the blame, Dillys. Had you not been dragging my bright Jaden into your own particular perversion, I would not have needed to try to save her. You threatened her with a life of terminal dullness and no children to enrich the Wizarding world and Slytherin. I couldn't let that happen. I thought that Tom and Jaden might well save each other. Jaden could direct Tom along a more productive path. Her love could give him heart. He could give a purpose and an edge to her brilliance. Together they would lead our world. Their children would surpass them. The brightest paired with the bold and bright. Pure intellect with the strongest wild magic I had ever encountered. It was a combination to restore a lost Great Family and make it the greatest of the great. Slytherin House would be reborn. It was a dream worthy of the risk. I think you, Dillys, were the catalyst of the failure. You sowed doubt in Jaden's mind. You would have her flee her perfect mate."

"Hardly perfect," Hermione protested. "He wanted Jaden to kill. He was obsessed with horcruxes and evil. He was doing everything in his power to turn Jaden to evil. Every step of the way, it was you, more than any other, who shaped Voldemort and made him what he was. Without you and Jaden, he would not have known about or understood the horcrux. It was that knowledge which totally tipped him over the edge. Without your serving up Jaden to him, he would have been just another sour-minded Slytherin bully – a menace to the first years, but quickly fading into obscurity. Hogwarts would have tamed his wild magic, as it has done with so many other students."

"And the loss of that ability has been staggering. Making the brightest and most talented into ordinary plodders. What a purpose for a school! Slytherin House was dying. Not enough brains. Not enough children altogether. I could not see us become simply a collection of your Goyles and Pansy Parkinsons. I would combine the best of Slytherin with the best of Ravenclaw, and build a new Slytherin from the best of the parts. They were our last, best hope. It was a gamble, but the prize was worth the risk. I failed. Nobody regrets that more than me."

"Your prejudices gave us Voldemort. That's more than a little regrettable failure," Harry berated him. "You destroyed Jaden and Dillys for certain. Likely Tom as well. You have the deaths of thousands on your hands, and now you're starting a new school to continue your misdeeds. Give it up! You are most unworthy.

"My regret is that you have committed no crimes for which you can be arrested. If any Wizard deserves to be in Azkaban, it is you. You knew about horcruxes and you knew that Tom and Jaden were experimenting with such thoughts, and yet you did and said nothing.

"When Jaden was overcome with the horror of what you had wrought, you sacrificed her to Tom, out of fear that she would reveal your role in the horcrux business. Her whole family was murdered. You were supposed to have warned them. Why didn't you?"

"I was simply in too deep. Dippet knew. He supported Tom – without reservation. They would have destroyed me. I know I'm weak. I did what I felt I must. I was cornered."

"You were pathetic," I told him.

"Make one feeble effort at amends," Dillys begged him. "Tell us what Tom did with Jaden's body. It should be properly buried, with the rest of her family."

"I don't know. I'd tell you if I knew. Tom didn't trust me in the end. Harry knows – I was hiding out from the Death Eaters, myself. Tom blamed me for Jaden's betrayal of him."

"Why did you and Tom Riddle keep me alive? I'd have been better off dead."

"I thought I owed you that much. I didn't think your life in hiding would be so bad for such a dull person. It kept you from practicing your perversion so, in that sense, it was to the good. I convinced Tom that he might need to prove that Jaden was alive and free. The child might learn enough to ask about her."

"Where is the child?" Harry asked. "Horace! This is important. Where is the child!"

"I don't know. I don't even know if the child was actually born. I know nothing that happened after Tom Riddle went took Jaden to her parents' home. Tom never spoke of Jaden again. Never mentioned that night. He knew that I never would. I don't think Dippet knew what happened either, although he suspected Tom was responsible. He was wary of Tom after that night.

"Please don't take such a self-righteous tone with me. I was trying to restore the learned leadership that the Wizarding world lacks. Slytherin was once a place of great academic achievement and constructive leadership, not the decadence and decline you see today. The Wizarding world was at its finest when the Great Families truly led and protected the community. I at least tried to meet that need. I know you and Arthur are doing your best, and I agree you've improved some things, but a proper Great Family Minister would know better than to do some of the silly, destructive things you've done, like freeing the Elves and ignoring the particular problem of Professors McGonagall, Trelawney, and Celine." He actually looked right at Adrienne as he said this.

"Repealing Elf slavery was not a silly thing!" Hermione screamed at him.

"Of course it was. You destroyed a genteel way of life and a system which benefited both Witch and Elf. There hasn't been another Wizard-Elf war, and that system deserves thanks for that happy result."

"No!" Cotto was no longer incognito. "No more war is thanks to the indulgence of long-suffering Elves who want peace."

"I don't mean to argue with you or quarrel," Slughorn told Cotto. "I was merely telling these impetuous youth that there are two sides to this particular issue."

"Are there two sides to my particular issue, as well," Adrienne asked him.

"Sorry. Not for me. There simply isn't a valid alternate side. Blame my age, if you must."

"I have nothing against age," Adrienne told him "and I pity you, more than blame you. Ignorance should always be pitied. I think that it is time that we leave you to… yourself."

We returned to the Ministry and briefed Dad, Mrs. Longbottom, and Shacklebolt.


	99. Chapter 99

**Chapter 99 – A Bigger Piece of Jaden**

Mrs. Longbottom advised, "I think you are correct that Slughorn likely committed no crimes for which he can be prosecuted, but I think we'd be missing an opportunity if we didn't arrest and question him. He clearly was far closer to Voldemort than we ever suspected. If he played a role in setting Jaden up to be kidnapped and murdered, that is a crime, although one for which more proof would be a help. A horcrux does not make the most persuasive witness."

{{I like her a lot better than Madam Bones. Maybe she'll shake up old Slughorn.}}

{Let's hope. Judging from his past, he does not part easily with information about Tom.}

We hung out at the Ministry library, until it was time to go. Dad insisted upon a full-scale raiding party. Harry surprised me – first, by not disagreeing about taking Shacklebolt and a half dozen aurors, and secondly when he added, "You really should come with us, Sir. Depending upon what we find, we'll have to make quick decisions, which only you can make."

Dad agreed. Professor Celine, Dillys, Neville, and Cotto felt they had come too far to back away now, so we were a party of nearly twenty as we launched our brooms from the roof of the Ministry, to follow the magical force lines emanating from the revived apparition of Jaden and her Amber Cup.

I was surprised that the force lines were already bending sharply toward the ground, after we had flown only about five minutes. We were still flying over London. We followed the force lines down to a very heavily magicked shed. Harry was very excited. "I've been here before. This is where Tom Riddle's orphanage once stood. It's long gone, of course, but it was on this land. Now the land has been developed, but it looks like Tom managed to hide a small structure here. If he went to all this trouble, that shed must hold something important."

We landed beside the shed. Harry commanded Jaden to return to her cup and save her strength. She did so.

The area was deserted. Dad instructed us, "Stand back and let the aurors do their jobs. There are probably at least multiple alarm charms, if not outright attack spells. Keep your wands handy. There is no telling who will come to answer an alarm. I think it could be Umbridge. Stun first, question second."

The chatter between Bill and Dad's aurors indicated that they were finding and disabling quite a few charms. "We've already dismantled two remote alarm charms," Bill told Shacklebolt and Harry. "We have two more to go."

"Leave one in a position that you can trigger it when we're finished here," Shacklebolt instructed. "I want to see who responds when we trip it. Don't worry, Minister, we'll give our honored guests ample time to fly back to the Ministry, before we do so. Douglas – I want another squad of aurors out here. Please go back to the Ministry and fetch them. If Cotto approves, a few Elves would also help."

Cotto replied, "I and my Elves are most happy to fight any friend of Slughorn."

I kept scanning the perimeter, my wand at the ready. I didn't really feel I could partially relax, until Douglas had returned with another half dozen aurors. These extra hands set up an outer perimeter, hiding in the shadows and on the roofs of the surrounding Muggle buildings.

Bill finally announced, "All of the outside charms have been disabled, Sir. There are likely other charms inside the shed. How do you want us to proceed?"

That was a good question. The shed had no windows. The door fit tightly and had a sturdy Muggle lock.

"Fly above the roof and use the viewers to look for charms. If you don't find any, cut a small hole in the far corner of the roof and look inside with the viewers. I want to know how well the inside is magicked."

Two alarm charms were found on the roof. Dismantling them was slow going, because the aurors had to hover on their brooms and use their wands with one hand and the viewer with the other. After what seemed like forever, two aurors landed upon the roof, pronouncing it safe to do so. Cutting a hole was very quick.

"Quite a few spells inside the door," one auror called down to Shacklebolt. "The only other magic is in the very center of the room."

"Did anyone think to bring a rope?" Shacklebolt demanded.

They had, and used it to get four aurors inside the shed. More waiting. With four of our aurors isolated inside the shed and others at a distance, I increased my state of alertness, once again drawing upon extra Stone power and encouraging my fellow initiates to do the same. Being on guard did not make the wait go any faster.

Finally one of the aurors inside the shed shouted out to us, "We've cleared the charms. You can destroy the lock and come inside if you wish."

We certainly wished. Hermione pointed her wand and the lock was soon reduced to a pile of metal powder and rust, lying on the ground. You couldn't do that with a good Goblin-metal lock.

Bill insisted upon preceding Harry into the shed. The shed was empty, but one of the aurors pointed to the middle of the floor, telling Harry, "There's a hidden trapdoor. What should we do?"

Shacklebolt answered for Harry. "Everybody but Bill and Douglas – get back outside. I want you two to cut a hole in the floor about nine inches from the trapdoor and take a peak with the viewer."

We had another wait, while this was accomplished. We had been here almost five hours and were in danger of running out of night.

"We cleared two more charms. There is magic on the floor, ten feet down. And a body. We lobbed light from our wands. We've opened the trapdoor. There's a ladder."

"Let me see," Shacklebolt demanded. A minute later he called out "It looks like the girl in the cup. There is a lot of magic around her. I'm not certain she's dead. Douglas – apparate to St. Mungo's and bring back Doctor White or one of his trusted assistants."

Harry joined Shacklebolt inside the shed. I heard "Who invited you?" and "I invited myself."

Harry insisted that Hermione and I needed to view the magic surrounding Jaden and see if we could identify it from our Light Guardian Priestess or Stone knowledge.

It was easiest to be lowered by rope. I went first. I went down slowly, swaying in the dark, with the only light coming from the trapdoor above me. I didn't want to risk using any magic, even a 'lumos', inside this basement. I didn't know if Voldemort had left any charms which would respond to any use of magic. It was possible to anchor such a charm in an enclosed space, such as this.

The viewer showed me three alarm charms, amidst the other magic. Two were on the floor, around Jaden's body. The other was on a side wall and stretched in a band across the width of the basement. This might well react to any use of magic. I'd have to kill this charm instantly in one quick attack. The viewer showed me which anchor point to attack. The Light Guardian knowledge told me that 'oblivio' directed against the anchor point would kill the charm. I was successful.

I was quite sure that the other alarm spells were simply proximity charms, but thought I had best eliminate them, before doing anything else. The same procedure removed these obstacles. I examined the remaining magic. It was very complicated. I thought I recognized a combination of spells that would render a person inert and near death, with little consumption of energy. There were others that were new to me. I asked to be hauled up. I could ponder what I had observed and search through my Priestess and Stone knowledge, while Hermione got a direct look at spells.

By the time Hermione had completed her inspection, I was still assessing what I had seen and Harry was debating with Doctor White about whether he should go into the basement on a rope. Shacklebolt interceded, saying "Doctor White can be apparated down, once we're on the floor. For now, I want to have Bill double check that all of the defensive spells are gone."

While he did that, Hermione and I compared notes. She agreed that there was a series of spells to slow Jaden's life force and keep her unconscious. There was a bit more than that. We both thought one spell was supplying external magical power to Jaden, as Hermione and I had done when we saved Luna's and Barty's lives after they had been cursed at Barty's hideout.

Bill apparated back to the floor of the shed and said he was ready to apparate us to the basement floor. Hermione, Harry, and I, along with Shacklebolt and Doctor White, were apparated into the basement. Since we could use spells, we were shedding enough light from our wands to clearly see the whole basement. It was about twenty feet by thirty feet, which was larger than the shed above it.

Shacklebolt told Doctor White that it was alright for him to touch Jaden, but that he shouldn't try to move her yet. As the Doctor examined his patient, the rest of us examined the basement. There were three big barrels, filled with smelly liquid and holding bundles of perhaps a hundred wands each. There must be some sort of solid platform inside the barrels, because the tips of the wands were above the rims of the barrels. Silver wires joined the three bundles of wands. Another wire ran from this triangle to the handle of a wand, which was pointed at Jaden's head.

We debated whether we should tamper with this setup. Hermione and I weren't sure. Harry and Shacklebolt said it might be a system set up to kill Jaden if anybody other than Voldemolt interfered. We decided not to risk it not being a hazard.

"One, two, three" and the whole works was gone.

Doctor White came over to us. "She's alive, if just barely. She's cool to the touch and breathing very shallowly. Her pulse is very slow, and I had trouble even detecting it. I admit that I don't know how to revive her. I'd like to take her back to St. Mungo's and give it a try. She's aged slower than normal. If I didn't know better, I'd place her age at thirty-five to forty. This is really quite remarkable."

"Ultimately, that's a decision for the Minister. That's why he's here. I want to know if Ginny or Hermione have any thoughts on what we might do to revive her."

I immediately mentioned the horcrux and my experience with the Tom Riddle diary horcrux. "We could possibly fully animate horcrux Jaden, by depleting almost dead-body Jaden," I suggested.

"How would both approaches work?" Dad asked me and Doctor White. "What would we do with the web of spells surrounding Jaden? They may be what's keeping her alive, or they may be there to kill her, if she is tampered with."

"Not totally sure about the spells, Dad. Hermione and I could feed some magical energy into body-Jaden before we did anything. We think we may have disarmed the part which was intended to kill, if tampered with. In truth, we aren't sure. What we would do is bring the Amber Cup down here and encourage horcrux Jaden to emerge. We'd then wait to see what happened."

"That sounds like a very seat-of-the-pants, non-specific, not-really-a-plan plan" Dad observed.

Doctor White's plan started with checking body-Jaden for exposure to potions and got totally vague after that. Dad asked if Doctor White needed to move body-Jaden to check for the presence of potions. When told that moving her wasn't necessary, Dad responded "Run the test, then. I'm not committing to the next step, after that. We can use more information, though. Did any of you find any potions when you searched the cellar?"

"Not unless the smelly liquid in the barrels is a potion," Harry answered.

Dad said he wanted Mrs. Longbottom sent for. Meanwhile Doctor White sampled body-Jaden, while the rest of us sampled the barrels. Barb apparated the barrel samples to Hogwarts, for Professor Sprout to examine. Doctor White apparated his samples back to St. Mungo's.

Mrs. Longbottom was the first to return. Her answer was equivocal, but encouraging. "As I understand what you've all said, the big decision is whether it is best to try to re-animate what Ginny calls body-Jaden or to risk destroying body-Jaden in the course of animating horcrux Jaden. I think it comes down largely to which procedure is likelier to give us a fully-alive and healthy Jaden. I suppose there's also the issue that horcrux Jaden will come back as a fifteen-year old, while body-Jaden will be forty.

"From my standpoint as prosecutor, I can say that body-Jaden makes the better witness. We'd at least want to question her and get a signed statement if we could. From what you've told me, horcrux Jaden doesn't know a lot about what happened. Body-Jaden may or may not know more. In any case, if we find out that Professor Slughorn is very deeply involved, I can always try to bluff him into thinking I have a stronger case than I actually do."

"I like the way your mother thinks," I told Neville."

"Don't get carried away in your enthusiasm, Mom will also rule against you, if that's what she thinks is right."

"I'll happily settle for a fair, unbiased approach," Harry promised both Neville and his Mom.

"It's possible we can save both Jadens, if Hermione and I transfer magical power into body-Jaden. She wouldn't have to be drained of all her energy, as I would have been by the Tom Riddle horcrux."

"Barb returned to tell us that the material in the barrels was likely not a potion. Professor Sprout thinks it's just a spoilt mixture of salts."

Dad said he was determined to wait for Doctor White, even though we had reached dawn. Except for the aurors hiding on the roofs of the Muggle buildings, everyone else had been pulled together on either the shed floor or the floor of the basement.

It was another half hour until Doctor White returned to say that although body-Jaden's hair showed residue of a potion, which was probably Draught of the Living Death, there was no sign of any current potions in her body.

Dad thought activating the horcrux was the approach he preferred. "I want Hermione or Ginny to be feeding magical energy to body-Jaden in a manner that doesn't jeopardize themselves. I want Dr. White to be ready to help anyone who needs helping. And I want Harry, Shacklebolt, Bill, and Ron to be ready to attack this web of spells, if it seems to be endangering anyone or what we are trying to accomplish. Do we want Dillys down here?"

"She might put Jaden in a more relaxed mood."

"Okay, bring her down, but I want an Elf watching her at all times. We still have only her word that she wasn't part of the plot against Jaden."

"And your truth tellers," I told Dad. "I think we can trust bringing her down here to talk to Jaden."

That's what we did.

Neville spoke to the Amber Cup, "Time to come out again, Jaden."

Jaden reappeared and immediately began to swell in size and become less hazy. I took first shift, supplying energy to body-Jaden. I visualized power flowing from the Stone, across most of Britain, into my chest, down my right arm, and into body-Jaden's chest. I was much more effective than I had been in supplying energy to the comatose Luna, because I was actively drawing power from the Stone. I was just a conduit, passing along ten times as much energy as my body alone could supply. This gave me a thought.

"Stop!" I commanded. "One more thing to think about, before we go any farther, and yes I am continuing to feed body-Jaden. If things go badly here, Hermione and I will be prepared to apparate both body-Jaden and horcrux-Jaden to the Stone. That will get more energy to them faster and also help diagnose any problems. This isn't debilitating me at all. There's no need to work in shifts. Hermione and I can power Jaden at the same time."

"I agree," Dad told me. "Continue what you're doing, since I don't want to trip any harmful spells, if we don't have to, but be prepared to apparate if you think it necessary. The rest of you – if my daughter vanishes, apparate to positions well outside the shed. I don't want us in the middle of a loud bang."

Hermione supplied a slower feed of energy to body-Jaden's forehead. I was watching horcrux-Jaded continue to solidify, when I felt motion under my hand. Body-Jaden was awakening and trying to rise to a sitting position.

Something must be happening with Voldemort's net of spells, because a moment after body-Jaden winced and doubled over in pain, Harry, Ron, and Shacklebolt began attacking the web of spells with their own spells and curses. This seemed to help. Body-Jaden again sat fully upright and did not appear to be in pain. She spoke.

"Dillys – I dreamt that you would come and rescue me. You look so old. Have I been prisoner such a long time?"

"Jaden!" Dillys cried out. "It is wonderful to once again see you in the flesh. I've spoken with your horcrux."

"Voldemort's spells seem to be localized around the table Jaden was lying on. Try to move her to the other side of the basement," Harry suggested. "That will give us full rein to destroy the spells."

Hermione and I half levitated, half physically assisted, body-Jaden to rise and take a few steps away from the table she had been lying upon. Hermione materialized a chair and we sat Jaden upon it, returning our energy-supplying hands to her body.

"I think it might help to distract Jaden, while she is fully reviving," Dillys told us.

"Fine, ask her what happened to her."

Barb and Mrs. Longbottom took notes as body-Jaden spoke to us, or rather to Dillys.

"It was unbelievably horrible, Dillys. I went to the owl tower to grab my owl, so that I could message you from Eire. When I turned to leave, Tom was standing there. I told him that I didn't want to talk to him yet, and that I planned to spend time alone in my dorm room with my pet.

"Tom knew everything. He said Slughorn had warned him that I was planning to abandon him, just as his father had done. He said that he would never allow that. I would be with him, always. Tonight was the night that we would make our first horcruxes. He had stolen the Amber Cup from Brighton. I had told him about it and shown it to him over the summer. He said he had prepared it to receive and protect a bit of my soul, so that I would be safe and could live with him forever. He had prepared his diary to serve as a horcrux for a piece of his own soul.

"He had everything planned. To do the deed, I must murder someone close to me. He would murder his friend, the headmaster. This would create the energy needed to fill our horcruxes. I told him that he knew my position and it had not changed. I absolutely refused to commit murder. He said he knew how to change my mind, and then he petrified me. He caught me as I fell and the next thing I knew, we were in the basement of an empty shop in Hogsmeade. He left me lying on the cold stone floor, petrified.

"He returned every day to give me water and a little food. I was allowed to walk around for a few minutes to sooth my muscles. I was given a chance to relieve myself in a bucket in the corner of the room. I was obliged to snog for a minute and then forced to lie back down on my bed of straw and be petrified once again. This went on for weeks.

"Finally, he came one night and said that the students were being sent home tomorrow. This was my last chance. I could agree to kill you, Dillys, or I could watch him murder my family. He said that might also produce a fine horcrux for me. I told him that I could not kill. I couldn't even murder the nastiest member of his Slytherin gang. I was petrified again, when Tom left that night.

"The next thing I knew, we were sitting in my parents' home. Tom had disarmed my family and had them tied to chairs. He told me that the basilisk had killed, but that he had been unable to make a horcrux as a result of that murder. He told me that we must each kill a member of my family. If I obeyed him, one member of my family could survive. He asked me to choose. Of course I couldn't. Who could make such a choice? He chose for me. He said that I must murder my own mother. He said he would use the Cruciatus on Andromeda, until I did as he directed. He did torture her with that prohibited curse. It was unbearable mental agony. My mother pleaded for me to kill her and stop my sister's pain. I just couldn't do it. Tom told me this was my last chance and I should do as my mother said.

"I cursed him instead. It was a good 'petrificus' and should have dropped him. I had surreptitiously tested the wand with a silent 'Leviosum' on a glass on the sink. The wand worked. My curse just wobbled Tom for a second, then he was upright again and cursing back at me. Our wands locked. Tom was stronger than I remembered, or perhaps I was just very weak from his ill-treatment of me. While he had me locked with his wand, he did a wandless 'Leviosum' on Andromeda's chair and was moving my sister in between us. She was just a second from being within the backwash of our curses. I sent an 'Avada Kedavra' at Tom and at the same time I apparated to Dillys's family getaway cottage in Wales. I blacked out just as I apparated, and was likely out of it for a few minutes. When I opened my eyes, Slughorn was waiting for me. I just saw him out of the corner of my eye, before he petrified me and put a sack over my head. He did another curse that knocked me out completely. When I awoke, I was in this underground room.

"Tom was soon here with me. He tried to initiate a series of spells to render me unconscious, but alive. He said he could check back and make sure I was alright every week. He said he didn't want to lose his child. He said he needed me for at least that long – another five months. He showed me the Amber Cup. He said it now held a piece of me. He would return it to the Muggle museum for safekeeping. He said we were now linked and, if he got his spells right, he could access my mind and ask for help, even at a distance, even when I was not conscious. He couldn't get the spells right, although I was unconscious, for I know not how long.

"I awoke to find Slughorn helping Tom with his spells. This time Tom was successful. That was the last time I saw Slughorn, or sensed that Tom had anything to do with him. Tom was still at Hogwarts, but they stayed away from each other.

"For me, it was like I was floating in a half awake state. I could sense the quiet and dark here. I could feel the cold. But, I could also sense Tom, even though he wasn't here. He would ask me for magical knowledge or to solve a problem. I had to help, or he would kill Dillys. He and Slughorn knew where she was hiding. I couldn't let that happen to her. I watched and felt him make more horcruxes. I saw his murders. I felt his anger and the increasing loss of his humanity.

"He sensed when I was ready to give birth. He brought Dr. Sprout. They took my baby girl and they left me here. Tom said that I had been cooperative, so he would let me live. For now. But – I couldn't ever leave this cellar. I would have to see the world through his eyes and live my life through him. He said that since I loved him, this should not be such a bad thing. I watched and felt him turn into a very bad thing. Mostly, I slept. Seeing how old Dillys is, I can tell how much time must have passed. I doubt I was awake one day out of twenty. I was Tom's on-call brain, whenever he needed help, or whenever something traumatic enough happened to jolt him and thrust me back into awareness.

"I saw Tom with his Death Eaters. I'd recognize every one of them. I saw the murders. I don't know why he kept me alive. I thought it was to make me see his success and recognize what I had thrown away by betraying him. I found him more disgusting that I had on the day when he stopped me from fleeing. Then things began to change.

"I felt his near destruction when he attacked the Potter child. I think if he had been able to come for me then, he would have killed me so I couldn't witness his failure. I think I slept for a very long time. I felt him groping his way back to an actual being. I felt the growing strength and confidence. Then I felt the loss of each horcrux. Then his own death. Then the death of the ghost. I felt surely I would be rescued. Then I feared I could not survive long enough for rescue. I felt when you activated my horcrux. I sent it the thought to follow the magical force lines. And, here you are. I seem to have been rescued. I have Dillys back. I thank you for that. I beg your help in finding my daughter.

"There seem to be two of me. I didn't think that was possible. You had best separate us. I doubt this can be a stable situation. I'm very hungry and very thirsty, but first, I just want to take a crap."

"One question," Harry asked her. "Does Voldemort have any remaining horcruxes?"

"There is the smallest piece of him in Hagrid's mind. Far too small a piece to take control. It helped to power the ghost, but I sensed that when the ghost died, that smallest piece within Hagrid also diminished. There is very little left and it gets smaller every day. There is not enough of him left to ever return."

"Arrest Slughorn," Dad told Shacklebolt. "I don't know if he has reformed himself, but he was too much a part of Voldemort's creation and crimes to be left loose in our world. Re-arrest Dr. Sprout, while you're at it."

"Shall I take horcrux Jaden back to Hogwarts?" Neville asked Dad.

"Thanks for being so accepting of her, but I'd rather keep her at the Ministry, until we're sure she is stable and that she isn't in danger or a danger. I also want her here for our confrontations with Slughorn and Dr. Sprout. If all seems well in about a week, I'll happily accept your offer to take her back as a Hogwarts student. If you take her, I hope you will assess the state of her memories. She was an excellent student. I'd expect a quick report on how much of that learning she has retained through her horcrux years."

"Of course. Hogwarts and I will help in any way we can. I realize how important this is to our community."

"You don't know how wonderful it is for me to hear a Hogwarts headmaster say that," Dad told Neville.


	100. Chapter 100

**Chapter 100 – Slughorn**

None of us wanted to miss the questioning of Slughorn. As truth tellers, Hermione and I had automatic invitations. Naturally Harry, Shacklebolt, and Mrs. Longbottom were included. Dad demanded to be included. Bill and two of Dad's aurors were there for security. The rest were sent away, although the rejuvenated Jadens, along with Dillys, were kept close by, so that they could confront Slughorn at the opportune time. Cissy almost got an invitation as truth teller number three, but Mrs. Longbottom asked to include Martha and Eloise, two of her court truth tellers in place of Cissy.

We were waiting in Dad's conference room, when Slughorn was brought in. He was not a happy Wizard. Puffing himself up to his full righteous huffiness, he vented his ire upon Harry. "You actually had me arrested, and in front of my staff and students. After I had just told you all that I know, you had the effrontery to arrest me, like a common criminal. Sending an entire squad of aurors to a school to arrest its headmaster! It's an outrage. I won't excuse you, based upon your youth, for this particular bit of violent overstepping."

"Harry didn't order your arrest, I did." Dad told him. "We've learned that you told Harry and his friends considerably less than you know and considerably shaded what you did tell them."

"We've spoken to Jaden," Harry told Slughorn. "Suffice it to say that her version of events differs from yours. Since she was the kidnapping victim, whose family was murdered, we believe her version over yours. I'm not saying you lied to us yesterday. I know you are in the practice of conveniently altering any of your memories that cast you as less than the great man, which you see yourself to be. We know you played an active role in kidnapping Jaden, holding her prisoner for decades, and stealing her baby. You are going to pay for those crimes. You will never return to your school or to the community at large. You are bound for Azkaban."

"That's not true. Either you're bluffing, or Jaden lied to you. You're telling me that after all these years, Jaden is alive and only you were able to find her. Dumbledore and Voldemort both searched in vain. Dillys put you up to this. That Witch is twisted and undoubtedly sexually frustrated. I know she hates me. I don't deny she has ample reason to do so, but that doesn't turn her lies into truth."

"Voldemort didn't search at all. Jaden was his prisoner the whole time. Where do you hide your true memories? Don't you want to know why you're going to spend the rest of your life in Azkaban? Yes, we found Jaden. We found her horcrux and that led her to us. All that time, she was living in this simple little amber cup, sitting on the shelf of a Muggle museum in Brighton. You look surprised. At one time you were well aware of that fact. Where did you stash that particular memory? We'll escort you to wherever it is that you hide the secrets which are essential to you. You never stay in one place for long. There must be a fixed hiding spot for the things that you want to be able to return to."

"You never were a precise thinker," Potter. "Think, boy! Where did I hide the memory of the horcruxes, which you wheedled out of me? In my head. I travel with what I can carry. My secrets are within me. I have no hint of the dark deeds of which you speak."

"Then look into that dark recess of your mind. The one that your fear prevents you from ever entering," Hermione told him. "Look at it! Finally, admit to yourself what you really are."

"I see nothing of what you speak in my head. I do see a desperate attempt to prolong this bluff of yours: a bluff, which is not working, and cannot work, because I am not guilty of your accusations."

"Bill, would you please fetch Dillys and horcrux-Jaden. I think it is time that they confronted the coward who betrayed them."

"A Witch made from a horcrux. Now I know you bluff. That cannot be done. I know. I've studied horcruxes. Why…. That looks like, but it can't be Jaden. That young Witch can't be a day over sixteen. Jaden would be seventy-two. You've found an old hair of Jaden's and used it to mix up a batch of Polyjuice."

"Now it is you whose desperation forces sloppy thinking. A Polyjuice potion can't be made from a hair which is even a year old, yet alone fifty-six years old. Surely you know that," Hermione pointedly reminded him.

"A horcrux never ages," I told Slughorn. "I know that. I confronted the Tom Riddle in the diary horcrux. He was younger than I am now, not an old Wizard pushing seventy.

"This is Jaden, as she was the night that Riddle murdered her family and trapped part of her soul in the Amber Cup. She was a very special horcrux. She had not killed to split her soul. She had witnessed and been so horrified by what Tom did that a piece of her soul was hived off. He viciously assaulted her mind. That makes the content of this horcrux good. I've searched my memories and determined that what was in this cup was actually a harcrux - a piece of immortal goodness.

"Yes, I am young, as are all of my associates, but we are far more skilled and far braver Witches and Wizards than you ever were, Horace. We don't serve evil or the few old families as you did. We serve our whole community. We were quite capable of reviving and stabilizing the Jaden in the horcrux. Here she stands. You should hear her story. She only knows the part before she entered the cup. We were also able to revive and stabilize body-Jaden - the part that you and Tom Riddle held prisoner for so many years. The bright, young, good-intentioned Witch, whose precious child you stole."

Harcrux Jaden told her tale.

Horace listened intently and then concluded, "I sincerely apologize for the harm I have caused. I never wished that you would come to harm. You were a special favorite of mine. I honestly thought that you and Tom would be good for each other. It's understandable that you view what I said to Tom about your planned departure as far more villainous than I do. You know the result. You cannot know my intentions. I never guessed that Tom would harm you. I just planned to give him a last chance to win back your affection.

"It was vital to Slytherin House, the Great Families, and our whole community that you and Tom should marry and produce many superior children. It was essential that you should help educate and tame Tom. He and your future children were the leaders our community needed. You were a most superior Witch, but I knew, if I did nothing to push you and Tom together, that you would be wasted in Dillys' sea of depravity and give no even above average offspring to our community. I gave you a chance to birth and mold our future leaders. I had to act. Our supposed leaders were simply allowing us to drift to extinction. I acted to save our world.

"I have done nothing wrong. I am the hero here. Potter feels differently, but he never developed the Slytherin steel to recognize and do that which must be done. Some must lead and the many must follow. Still, as far as Potter and the Ministry are concerned, your tale is not vastly different than the one that I myself willingly revealed to these students, just a day ago."

"That's true," Harry agreed, "but even you have agreed that the tales do differ and that yours casts you in an inappropriately innocent light. But, as I freely admitted, Harcrux-Jaden's memories are frozen at a point in time. Body-Jaden knows more. Shall we listen to what body-Jaden has to say?"

Horace listened to body-Jaden, becoming defiantly apoplectic as the tale unfolded. "I know none of this!" he insisted. "Surely, if I had done what you say, I would remember such villainy. I assure you that I do not. I know that a person can be fed false memories. I truly believe that is what has happened to you. Tom must have put a big share of the blame onto me, to shield himself."

"Why?" Jaden asked. "Did you ever know Tom to have even a niggling of doubt that what he did was wrong, or that anybody would ever learn of anything that he wanted to remain secret? No! That was not Tom, and you know that. Even a less hardened person than Tom – why would he want to carve off such a little bit of responsibility for his villainy to assign to someone else? There was more than enough left to be damned to spend the rest of his existence in Azkaban."

"As I told these students, earlier, Tom had turned against me. Perhaps he just liked the thought of my suffering in Azkaban. I have a great mind. Tom would chuckle at how he arranged for it to be systematically destroyed. That was Tom. You know that."

"If that was how you saw Tom, then why did you ever think that he would be good for me?"

"He changed. I saw that later. Perhaps he hid his true nature from me. By the time that I saw that, I was trapped. He could have destroyed me. Who could I tell? You were so gone on Tom that you would have just gone running to him, complaining about the slanders I was spreading about his character. Dippet? Be serious. Same for the Ministry. I had to do the best that I could on my own."

"You could have simply allowed me to escape Tom and Hogwarts. I had a plan. He would not have found me. I was caught only because of your betrayal."

"You don't understand! I had no choice. He could tell that I knew something. If I hadn't told him, he and Dippet would have publicly shamed me, and then I would have been killed or shipped off to Azkaban."

"Which, fortunately, is where you find yourself today."

"You now know what to look for. Search your mind!" Hermione commanded Horace.

"I can't. I don't think there's anything there, anyway. You can't make me look," Horace sniveled.

"I'm an experience Light Guardian Priestess. I believe that I might just be able to make you look. I might be able to look myself and wrench the memory to a spot in your mind, where you have no choice but to stare at it," Hermione threatened him. I was surprised how fierce Hermione could be. She was angry and she clearly loathed Horace. "Hold him," she instructed the aurors. "This is probably going to hurt."

"I'm sorry. As satisfying as your proposed action seems, it simply isn't legal," Mrs. Longbottom told Hermione. "I think you know that. If I allowed you to do that, I would be a horrible prosecutor and I also would destroy any chance of convicting Horace. We can't forcibly remove thoughts from his head. I'm afraid we've learned all that we can learn from him. I have what he has already said and what Jaden and Dillys remember. I can prosecute him with that."

I was surprised that Hermione didn't seem at all chastened by what Mrs. Longbottom had just aid to her.

"Take him to Gringotts," Dad told Bill.

Hermione left Horace with the happy thought, "Perhaps Dr. Sprout will be more obliging about sharing what he knows. Yes, we know that he delivered Jaden's baby."

As soon as Slughorn was gone, Hermione explained her actions. "I expected to be stopped. We didn't find what we sought, but I know that Horace will not be able to stop himself from continuing his own search of his mind, if only to hide his secrets deeper."

"I apologize," Mrs. Longbottom told us. "I shouldn't have let you go that far. Perhaps my attention was distracted. Threatening to inflict painful illegal actions upon prisoners can never be condoned.

"Jaden's case is very appalling and emotional and one just feels an irresistible urge to do something more to help. For a sixteen year old child to be kidnapped and have her baby stolen - it's heart-wrenching. Then one is confronted by a pompous, cowardly, ass-saving, old fool of a professor – well, I admit it was too great a temptation for me. I was just intrigued by the Wizard who created Voldemort and wanted more insight into his thoughts. I fear that his associates' treatment of me biased my thinking. That was undoubtedly wrong, not that it wasn't also satisfying. We shall all promise to be more legal in our dealings with Doctor Sprout."

Thus warned, we were on our best behavior in our dealings with Doctor Sprout. Still, he crumbled rather easily. We declared his misdeeds. We confronted him first with Dillys and then with the two Jadens. His confession, while largely self-serving, was totally true and probably complete. We did not detect lies or evasions.

"I had absolutely nothing to do with kidnapping the poor child. I was her doctor as a child. I liked her and recognized both her intelligence and her basic goodness. I never would have harmed her.

"I was in an awful situation. The baby needed to be delivered. Tom said that Jaden had been very sedentary and was not in the peak of physical condition. He was going to attempt the delivery himself, if I didn't help. He told me that I was the only doctor whom he could trust. Dippet had told him about my unfortunate early mistakes with the Squib program, and he felt confident that he could expose and dishonor me, if I didn't cooperate with him and keep my mouth shut. It was not just the dishonor or threat of Azkaban, which was real enough. Somehow, Dippet knew of the families involved, including the Montaignes. They would have killed me. It would be easy for Tom to set me up as the original source of the leak.

"Anyhow, I didn't believe my involvement could cause any harm. Tom refused to even consider another doctor or a midwife. He would have botched the job, and both mother and child would have died. At worst, my involvement could only duplicate that bad result, but I felt it likely that with my assistance, both mother and child would survive. Tom did not tell me the manner in which he held Jaden prisoner. I knew that he must have kidnapped her. How else would she have gone missing that long? Two years is a very long time for a young Witch to be missing, even an orphan.

"I was shocked by the condition I found Jaden in. I gave my best medical effort and saved mother and child. It took all the skill I could muster. This was an extremely difficult case. Jaden was very weak and there was something odd about the baby. It took over a minute to make the child breathe after I delivered her. I did everything right, the child was simply lethargic. I suspected that the mother had been drugged and some of the potion had affected the child. I chastened Tom about that. It was a natural thing for a doctor to do, but a serious mistake.

"Tom became angry. He threatened me, and asked me whom I thought I was to challenge him so. In retrospect, I think he was testing me. By the way I cowered under his abuse, he knew he could prevent me from betraying his secrets. I was truly trapped. He put me under a compulsion, his own equivalent of the Unbreakable Vow. I was to care for mother and child and tell no one. I knew if I did not submit to that Vow, that my life would end then and there. He said that now that he had the child, the mother meant little to him. If I didn't cooperate, it would be an easy thing for her to die and me to be blamed for the death. I might face death, but death and posthumous humiliation was too much. Plus, taking the Vow saved a life.

"I cared for that life, and the young child, for several weeks. Jaden grew strong, as did her child. Despite the difficult circumstance of her birth, the child seemed normal and developed very well. When the child was three months old, Tom told me that my services would no longer be required. He modified the Vow to make me forget. I truly believe he confunded me as well. I know I had not a single thought of Jaden or her child until the day after Voldemort died. Then the memories slowly came back to me. A month after Voldemort's death, I remembered enough to go tend to Jaden. I visited her twice a month, doing enough to keep her alive, while I decided what to do. I didn't know if I could be certain that she wouldn't remember me, if I set her free. I researched spells that would cause forgetfulness and not be detectable. The safest thing would have been never to visit her. To just leave her there to die. I couldn't bring myself to do that. I'm a doctor. I had to find a way to safely release her. I could have simply wiped her mind, but then she wouldn't be Jaden. It would be kinder simply to kill her, than to do such a thing.

"I was very close to a plan to release her. It involved enough of a delay in her recovering enough memory to identify me that I could thoroughly disappear, without a trail to be followed. I would have released her within another month. I know that doesn't make me a good person. I believe it makes me not a terrible person. A very frightened person, who has tried to escape the trap that Tom Riddle placed him in, while doing as little damage as possible.

"When I first assisted in the Squib program, it was described as something legal and totally ordinary. Unfortunately, I unwittingly placed myself on a path to becoming what you see today. I was not badly intentioned. Joining the Squib program gave me a minor pay raise and a bit more status, but was largely presented and accepted by me as a further chance to serve."

He turned to both Jadens and begged them, "Please forgive me. I tried my best not to harm you and to keep you alive. I don't even understand how two of you can exist at the same time. I would have thought that to be impossible. I'd like to help you. I became a doctor to help people."

"What happened to the child?" Dad asked Doctor Sprout.

"I don't know. I was never told and didn't dare to ask."

'When was the child born?" I asked.

"The first of July, 1945," was the surprising answer.

"So, Jaden's pregnancy had lasted well over two years," Harry observed.

"That simply isn't possible. Whatever potions Tom employed, that simply is not possible," Doctor Sprout was emphatic.

"What was Professor Slughorn's involvement in this?" Harry asked.

"I'm unaware of any involvement by Slughorn," was the answer.

"What shall we do with Doctor Sprout?" Mrs. Longbottom mused. "His behavior is bad, but possibly not criminal. The crime was in not reporting the location of Jaden, as soon as he regained his memory of her and found her still in that cellar. I don't understand how a decent person could have just left her there for nearly a year."

"I may no longer be a decent person," the doctor answered her. "It wasn't a year, it was nine months, not that that excuses my actions."

"You've been given many second chances and we keep learning of additional, even new, misdeeds," Dad admonished him. "I think you can spend some time in Gringotts, while we figure out what best to do with you."

"Yes, by all means, imprison me. I want a cell of my own. If Umbridge or her people learn of this, I'm dead. You can't keep secrets form her. She learns everything. She'll find out what I did. Not telling her will be seen as a great betrayal. She will have me killed. Lock me up, until you catch her. I'll sign whatever I need to sign. Let me have my medical texts with me. That's all that I ask."

"I don't want you looking up the information on how to kill yourself without a wand," Dad rejected this plea.

"I already know how to do that. I promise you, I have not yet reached the point of killing myself. When you find Umbridge, I hope to still be alive and well. Please tell my sister that I am sorry to have yet again dishonored our family. To think that I once found her theft of a few plants to be utterly unpardonable. What a joke I have become."

After Doctor Sprout was led away, Dad remarked to all of us, "Well, I think you've solved the mystery of Jaden and Dillys. I doubt there is anything further of great value to be learned from Slughorn. It is still vital that we find the child. I want all of you to make that your top priority.

"Doctor Sprout is likely correct. Word of this will leak. If she is not already searching for the child, you can be certain that Umbridge will make that search her top priority. I want to delay the start of her search as long as we can. Not a word of this to anyone. That means we must keep Dillys and the Jadens under wraps for the time being.

"In case I haven't made myself perfectly clear, none of this is a matter that you are to share with McGonagall, Draco, Cissy, or any of your friends."

I earned a sharp look as I commented to Dad, "I can't believe my ears. Am I actually being encouraged to participate in solving a mystery?"

"I don't want my Deputy Minister or my children taking unnecessary risks which are the rightful responsibility of the aurors," Dad told me. "This is an exception. You are already very involved in an investigation of the utmost confidentiality. I will involve no more aurors than I must, and that I can absolutely trust. I think Dr. Sprout was correct and I must take precautions.

"So, all of us who have been involved in this must remain involved. That includes you. I expect you to remain safe. I also expect you to give up your upcoming Quidditch match. The life of whomever this child turned into, and perhaps of our entire community, is at stake. It would be bad citizenship for any of us to shirk our part in this."

So, I would not be flying as Hogwarts' Seeker. Strangely, this did not upset me at all. I was totally absorbed in the mystery of Jaden and her child.


	101. Chapter 101

**Chapter 101 – What If We Were Fighting a War and a Quidditch Match Broke Out Without Me?**

Before we returned to Hogwarts, Hermione, Ron, and I did a little library research, while Harry got Wood, Percy, and Penelope started on a more formal research program to determine the identity of Jaden's daughter. If Voldemort extended Jaden's pregnancy by over a year, it clearly was his intention to push his daughter's birth date later, putting as much time as possible between when Jaden left Hogwarts and what was believed to be the girl's date of birth.

Hermione already had some very definite ideas to guide our search "The 1945 date was a starting point. It may or may not be a safe way to treat a young child, but Voldemort clearly knew how to slow the aging process by invoking a prolonged sleep, bordering on death. Body-Jaden had aged no more than twenty-five years over a span of fifty-seven years, under the Voldemort treatment. Once she got some sun, proper diet, and exercise, she might well look younger than her present forty.

"At some point, Voldemort would have had to find a family to raise his daughter. Knowing his philosophy, he is highly unlikely to have Squibbed her out to Muggles to raise. He was equally unlikely to place her with a family of known mixed-blood. She would either be schooled at home or she would be sorted into Slytherin. Her father certainly could not bear to see her in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. I suppose Ravenclaw was a small possibility, if Voldemort valued security over indoctrination in his personal values.

"Likely the child would have been placed with her witting or unwitting foster parents prior to her start at Hogwarts. I thought Hogwarts provided the most anonymity and ease of slipping into mainstream Wizarding culture as an adult. So… assume she was placed no later than age nine or ten. Assume that the deep sleeps stunted her growth and sexual maturity, so that at an older age, perhaps as much as twenty, she could pass for a normal-aged Hogwarts first year. I think it unlikely she could develop in a semblance of normal if Voldemort slowed her natural development by more than that. We'll have to do some research to confirm that outer limit. The whole point of the enterprise was to produce a worthy air, so Voldemort wouldn't want to wish diminishing her intelligence or magical ability. It's quite…'

"I disagree with that last point," Ron told Hermione. "Voldemort may not have been that big on a Witch as his successor and he likely didn't expect to need a successor for about a century, if ever. He may have focused totally upon later generations, when he would still be around and have dozens of descendants to choose among for his faithful aides."

"Alright, that's not unreasonable," Hermione conceded. "What I was about to say is that it's very possible that the sleep periods would give rise to an unusual form of wild magic, if they took place after the girl was more than five or six. Unusual wild magic is something we should search for in the records. Further assume that Voldemort could slow her aging by as much as half, using whatever technique he had used on body-Jaden.

That meant we were looking for a Witch whose documented life history said she was born between the middle of 1945 and 1955. Let's say 1960 at the extreme."

This was a start, but it wouldn't narrow the possibilities all that much.

Harry collected us from the library and had a final thought, which sent us to visit his Directors. "I wonder," Harry told them, "if Voldemort ever had the child's birth registered in order to start the paper documentation. He could have had Doctor Sprout perform the task at some point in time, or he could have slipped into St. Mungo's and the Ministry to do it himself. You might question Doctor Sprout on that point. He would have been confunded, but he is beginning to get his old memories back, so it might not require that big a nudge."

We apparated to the pocket inside the Hogwarts gate.

Back at Hogwarts, I greeted McGonagall's inquiry with a simple, "I'm not allowed to talk."

"That's what Neville said. I can tell something very significant is happening, and I'm being excluded. I can and am very willing to help. This problem must relate to Hogwarts, if Neville, Adrienne, and you are under the same orders from the Minister."

"I'm also not allowed to play Quidditch. I didn't sleep last night. I need to take a nap."

"Very well, but the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang delegations will be here for dinner. Along with Neville, you are the host."

"I'll wake her in time," Harry promised. We were off to bed.

I squinted to keep the Snitch in sight as I flew higher and higher in the direction of the morning sun. My broom was feeling under-powered, every bit as balky as it had been the day the magic had died. I couldn't tell if magic was fading or if too little exercise combined with too much sherry and crab cakes had left me bloated and sluggish upon my broom. As I saw Conrad Knodell drawing even with me, as if my broom were motionless, I realized it was me and not the magic which was faulty. Conrad sneered at me declaring "did you really think you could get away with jailing me on no evidence at all. Please tell your husband that I am unhappy."

With a curt Germanic nod, he flew his broom into mine, giving me a great shove that rotated me upside down. As he did so, an irregularly shaped black shadow passed over me and my vision of him faded. I held onto my broom with just one hand. That hand was slipping. I was falling, plummeting at least a thousand feet to the ground of the Quidditch field. I saw Ron and Hermione staring in horror, as I fell lower and lower.

Just before I struck ground, I woke up beside Harry, realized that it was close to evening, and further realized the logical equality that I couldn't crash, if I wasn't allowed to play. I also decided that if I woke Harry, I'd have somebody to help with my hosting duties and to run interference with McGonagall.

I also wanted to ask Harry why the Ministry didn't just go ahead and arrest Herr Schwein. Everybody would be safer during the Quidditch Tournament, if he were in jail. We had ample evidence to ship him off to Azkaban. A month in that place and he would surely be eager to tell us everything he knew.

Harry was groggy and, after apologizing for not waking me, complained "since you were up, you might have just let me sleep." I reminded him that the foreign Quidditch teams would be arriving just before dinner and he would want to speak to Viktor and Cho. I told Harry that I couldn't tell whether I had just experienced a particularly vivid bad dream or if I had been watching the unfolding of a prophetic vision. I felt my wand in my hand and suddenly remembered that I had placed my Mother of the Future and Keeper rings on the wand and deliberately slept with it in my hand, in hopes of gleaning more hints about my Quest. This might well be a prophecy, except Dad had insisted that I not play.

I was now truly frightened for little Wood, whom I had designated as my replacement. Did this mean he would be attacked by Knodell? Strangely, my next thought was disappointment that what I viewed as our first match was to be against Durmstrang. This made me feel like a traitor to my sex and totally unfit to participate in a Witch's Quest, let alone to lead the Quest. Still, I could not imagine the little Witches of Beauxbatons possibly defeating either of the other teams. It was not just that they were Witches, it was that they were so French.

This wasn't a case of being caught unprepared. I had been working Wood with both the junior and senior Quidditch teams for the past three weeks. He was actually very good. The problem was, an injury to Wood would now make Margaret the starting Seeker for both teams. It didn't help to worry about that. I had prepared both teams primarily to face Durmstrang, and both were as ready for competition as we were ever going to be.

It suddenly dawned on me that I had awakened from a bad dream of being caught by surprise without having done any advance prep. I had been awakened by a sense of plummeting to ground as a vicious hit from Conrad Knodell had dislodged a very sluggish me from my broom. It was not an unreasonable dream. Conrad had been released from custody after two days and had exchanged nasty threats with Harry upon his release. Harry agreed with Mrs. Longbottom that there was no choice but to send him home to Durmstrang. The only thing we could prove was that he had spoken to Herr Schwein in German. He did in fact have choice words about Harry, Dad, and Shacklebolt as he departed.

Dad had briefly considered not allowing him back for the Quidditch tournament, but Shacklebolt said he'd be watched very closely. It was reasonable to expect him to take out his frustrations on me during the match. If so, he was going to be sorely disappointed not to face me. He'd like think me a coward. 'My Dad won't allow me to play' seemed an awfully feeble excuse for a seventh year, who was also a married Witch. It was enough to have me thinking about feigning an injury. Perhaps that was the reason for me to dream of unpreparedness. I vowed that I would not be unprepared to defend Wood from the ground against any overt hooliganism. Not being able to assault me, I thought Conrad Knodell was quite likely to see Wood as an alternate target for revenge, especially if he found out that big brother was Harry's top assistant.

Before we left our apartment for the Great Hall, Cho reached me through the Stone, informing all of us that Viktor would pretend to leave for Hogwarts, but remain behind in Germany to trap any Grindelwalds who might take advantage of the tournament to stage an uprising. Cho said that she and the German prosecutor, Herr Obricht, would represent Germany at the tournament. Harry said he would have an auror on Polyjuice ready to impersonate Viktor. This would extend Viktor's plan and give someone from Hogwarts the opportunity to send an owl back to Germany, with the news that Viktor had arrived. Harry asked Cho to have the Durmstrang delegation apparate into the apparation pocket at the fence. She was to signal when they arrived, and Harry and phony Viktor would arrive as soon as the Durmstrangs cleared the spot.

Harry told Neville to close the apparation pocket as soon as he arrived. He didn't want anyone else using it. Too many already knew of its existence and that was a big negative for the security of Hogwarts and ourselves. With the Gryffindor landing and my ability to apparate at will to anyplace within Hogwarts, we no longer needed the pocket.

The Great Hall was overcrowded for dinner, as extra tables had been set up for each of the three visiting schools. Each school had brought ten junior and ten senior athletes, along with several professors and dignitaries. Neville had added the visiting Ministers and headmasters at the staff table. There were three extra aurors in the Great Hall, along with several incognito Elves. Two more incognito Elves were in both the owl tower and the astronomy tower, watching for an owl being released from anywhere inside Hogwarts. The Delacours, including Fleur, and the new chief officer of law enforcement, whom I recognized as Monsieur Delacour's friend Auguste Monet, headed the Beauxbatons delegation. Cho, Pavel, Professor Henkel, and Herr Obricht led the German delegation, although phony Viktor had the seat of honor. The Irish had been banned. I spread the word that I had injured my neck in combat and would not be able to fly during at least the first day of the tournament. This caused a major buzz at the Durmstrang table.

Conrad Knodell yelled across the Great Hall to me "Such a shame you are too scared to fly against me. I would make Sean's treatment of you appear gentle. You are such a little girlie. That's why one like you would not be allowed to fly for Durmstrang. You are…"

"That will be quite enough, Conrad!" phony Viktor yelled at him. "Do you wish for me to send you home tonight?"

A hush settled over the Hall.

McGonagall didn't seem too disappointed not to be presiding over the banquet. She was seated next to Cho, and I think Cho was probably her favorite former student of recent vintage. This got me to thinking who the favored student of the new post-Dumbledore era would be. McGonagall had promised to name the student who would assist her at the Ministry right after the Quidditch tournament. Dad had pushed her to act quicker, but she had declared it "unfair to a seventh year to rip her away from Hogwarts too soon, even if she will get a head start on her Ministry career and receive seminar credit for the work she does at the Ministry: after all there are the NEWT exams to consider."

Knowing that her choice would be a Witch, rather than a Wizard, I suspected that her intended choice had not been recruited into the Sisterhood yet, and that McGonagall was stalling until that commitment had been achieved.

"Even if I didn't have that dream or vision or whatever it was," I told the gang "I'd still be worrying about an attack during the tournament. There will be so much excitement and commotion and so many questionable characters in the air and in the stands, that an attack would be reasonably easy to pull off and a not unexpected strategy."

"I agree," Ron supported me "but that's not where your mind should be. You should focus upon coaching your teams. Harry, Bill, Neville, and I will focus upon security. We will have eyes and wands in every part of the stands, some of them invisible. All of the suspect baddies will have their own personal spy. Wood will have to watch out for Knodell himself, but we'll do what we can from the ground. If anyone falls off a broom, there will be dozens of wands to catch them."

As we were eating our dessert, and we had a very broad selection to choose from, Neville placed the junior and senior tournament trophies on two stools and announced that it was time to determine the pairings for tomorrow's matches. Madame Delacour was called upon to do the drawing. Neville explained, "When a team is drawn, that team will choose the team that it will face in the first round. Now, if Madame Delacour will draw a school for the senior match."

She reached her hand into the senior trophy and withdrew a small wood block, upon which 'Beauxbatons' was inscribed. "I see I picked my own side," she exclaimed. "Well, I choose Hogwarts for the first match."

"That match will be at 9:00 A.M.," Neville announced "which means the senior team of Durmstrang will play the winner of the first match on the following day at 11:00 A.M. The winner of that match will be the champion. Now, if Madame Delacour will draw a junior team from the other trophy, we'll determine the other two matches."

"Durmstrang!" she announced, holding up the piece of wood.

"We choose to play Beauxbatons," 'Viktor announced. That match would begin at 1:00 P.M. with Hogwarts playing the winner the following day at 3:00.

Apparently everyone saw the German teams as the strongest. Having finished my raspberry chocolate torte, as well as a crème brulee, I told my teammates that we should all be off to an early bed and that I felt our prospects for the first matches were excellent. If not for my vision, I would have regarded Durmstrang as a beatable opponent. I was sure that Viktor had his team very well drilled, but Durmstrang would be at a disadvantage, since they had to have two Witches playing at all times, and his oldest Witch was a really skinny girl who was repeating the third year. I knew she couldn't be a plant, because discussion of the tournament hadn't started until after the term had begun.

Harry walked me down to breakfast, assuring me "we have the situation as well covered as we possibly can. Don't look for me during the match - I'll be under my cloak, with Bill. There will be other aurors in the air at the boundaries for the Quidditch match, so nobody can intrude from outside the school. Hogwarts' magical defenses will also prevent most attacks. Ron has recruited forty friendly wands to patrol the stands and protect the teams from the ground. As coach, you'll still be visible from the stands on the side of the pitch. We'll be watching you, as well. Set your permanent shields at full and focus on the match.

I chatted with young Wood, keeping his confidence up and trying to not let him get too overly emotional. He seemed good – determined but not cocky. We had decided that he would use my broom, since it was faster and had better acceleration than his own. I led our senior team onto the pitch at five to nine. There were a lot of cheers from Hogwarts students, and a lot of catcalls from Conrad Knodell, who had managed to snare a seat in the row closest to the field and kept up an incessant stream of invective about how cowardly and inferior I was and how he had been mistreated during his prior visit to Britain. He lumped me with Cho as "stupid, cowardly, ugly, arrogant Witches who are bad at magic and whom no Wizard could possibly be interested in."

I shouldn't have, but I replied, "Except we're both married, you genius."

"You are correct. I should say no proper Wizard would have you. Just a Muggle-born and an Eastern bastard."

I returned my attention to the match, which was now underway. I watched Wood narrowly miss in his initial pursuit of the Snitch. It was a good match and my team fought hard. It was tied sixty-sixty, when the absence of taunts caused me to glance back to learn what had become of Conrad. He was upside down, apparently barely off the ground, with his robes collapsed around his head and shoulders. A smiling Cho was seated a row in back of him. I turned back to the match.

Wood was diving for the Snitch. He was coming right at me. I saw the Snitch hovering toward my right, just in bounds. It turned away from me and Wood turned with it, snagging it just five feet above the grass. My 'sore neck' had not prevented Hogwarts from winning the first match. I was very happy for Wood. As he landed, I rushed over to hug him, telling him he had won the match for Hogwarts, even though every other player on the pitch was three or more years older than him. Wood was all smiles as we left the field. He would get to play twice more tomorrow. He had a nice confidence boost to ease him into those contests.

I spent the rest of the time before lunch with Hermione. She had brought the Ministry files on birth records from 1945 to 1960 back to Hogwarts to examine and compare against the Hogwarts admission list. We spent two hours sifting through the records up to 1951, with only one possible hit, a Parkinson girl, born in 1951, who appeared on neither the Hogwarts admission list, nor the New Start Society list of Squibs. The birth record listed her name as Elizabeth. How very Muggle of them, I thought. The parents were listed, but were not Pansy's parents. These two were Gerald and Agatha. We made ourselves a note to question Pansy.

At lunch, Harry told us that Herr Schwein had launched an owl after breakfast. It had been tracked as far as the Firth of Forth. Bill and an Elf had been dispatched to Durmstrang to warn Viktor.

We spent the rest of the day reviewing the birth records. There were no other names that didn't match one list or the other and met all of our screening criteria. We did it the other way round, checking to see if there were any Hogwarts students for whom there were no birth records, but who sorted into Slytherin. No luck there, either. I was beginning to suspect that this approach wasn't going to work. What were we missing?

"There is another strong possibility, but I don't know how to search for it," Hermione told me. "Jaden's daughter could have been substituted for a child whose birth had been registered and attended Hogwarts under that name. Perhaps a Great Family daughter died before reaching Hogwarts age, or didn't develop magical skill. Jaden's child is substituted for that girl. If the girl had not been magical, she could have been dumped in the Muggle world, confunded, without going through The New Start Society. She would be just another homeless child in a big city. I'll think on it, but I don't know how that could be traced."

"If Doctor Sprout confunded the child, he might remember, although that is certainly a memory that Voldemort would have tried to alter," I suggested. "If Doctor Sprout compared The New Start Society roster against his memory of children he confunded during the appropriate time period, we might identify the Squibbed child, whose identity was borrowed for Jaden's daughter. Beyond that, we're looking for a girl whose appearance changed shortly before she set off for Hogwarts. Surely the girl would have had play friends, people who attended the same church, people who saw her walking with her family."

"You're right Ginny, but it was sixty years ago. That would be a very difficult search, even if anyone remembered seeing something strange about a young girl, it would almost certainly be someone who is now an elderly, Great Family Slytherin grad. Just the sort of person who is least likely to help us in our search. Besides, the girl would not undergo a drastic change in appearance overnight. There would be judicious use of Polyjuice and disguise. The transformation would be gradual, over a period of time in which the girl wasn't much seen. Perhaps a child said to have an illness. That would also explain physical changes and limit contact at Hogwarts with those who knew her. We may be looking for a girl who logged a lot of infirmary time or went home sick during her first year at Hogwarts."

"That's another place to start. If Jaden's daughter replaced a Great Family child who died as an adolescent, then we could also check the St. Mungo's records, if we can get access to them. I guess they probably wouldn't let us do that, though. That was probably a bad idea, but I have another idea for you. What about the House Elves? They'd know. Persuade the Elves to help us. I'll talk to Harry tonight."

"And I'll do some more research on these ideas.

"There is another thing to consider. If Voldemort couldn't place his child in one of the more powerful Great Family households, he'd want to arrange for her to marry into such a family. We should also check the marriage records, looking for brides born in the relevant years."

Harry thought Hermione and I had made progress on our puzzle. He told me that our ideas gave him hope that what he had regarded as an impossible search might actually yield success. He liked the Elf idea, but said that Dad would have to approve it. He'd chat with his Directors and then with Dad. He promised an answer within a couple of days.


	102. Chapter 102

**Chapter 102 – I Get To Fly**

I had a big surprise at breakfast. Dad intercepted Harry and me as we were entering the Great Hall. He said that events were coming to a head and that, if I were willing, I could play Seeker and serve as bait, during our match against Durmstrang. I think Shacklebolt had pushed for this, because I sensed that Dad was hoping that I would refuse. Instead, I jumped at the chance. I hadn't much cared about participating in this tournament, but the dream had unnerved me a bit. I wanted both to get past that fear, but also to test the validity of my dream. True or false, that would tell me something about my ability or lack thereof as a seer. I couldn't see asking little Wood to take a risk, which was properly my risk to take. I also was angry at Conrad Knodell and wanted to beat him to the Snitch and to cause him to expose himself and land in prison. I also wanted to help Cho and Victor.

Harry didn't see things the same way.

"You know you can say no to this request. I said no when Shacklebolt first raised the issue with me. He ran behind my back to pitch his idea to your Dad. It is too dangerous. It is a big risk that just isn't worth taking."

"I know you can do a lot better job keeping me safe than keeping little Wood safe. I won't have him taking this risk for me. If you think it is too risky to fly against Conrad Knodell, then just cancel the tournament and arrest Schwein. If not, I'm going to fly. I'm sorry that this worries you. I promise that I will do everything that I can to stay safe. I have the Stone. Nobody could be safer flying Seeker than I will be."

"You had the Stone last time and came within an inch of dying. You get too wrapped up in the match and forget the safety precautions."

"I promise to be good."

Harry reluctantly agreed.

As always before a big match, I ate sparingly at breakfast – some fruit, five strips of bacon, a small croissant with butter and strawberry jam and a small glass of apple juice. I'd try to catch the Snitch at the start of the match and even an extra half pound of weight might make the difference. I was feeling very confident, both about the Quidditch match and about the ability of Harry and my friends to keep me safe. Then the morning mail arrived. I received my normal copy of The Quibbler and the bird with the shared Gryffindor copy of the Daily Prophet landed in front of Hermione. I was beginning to read the Quibbler, and was grabbed by the headlines

**ELECTION BEGINS TODAY – SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR WEASLEY AND POTTER**

**THEY'VE SUPPORTED US, NOW WE MUST SUPPORT THEM**

I whole-heartedly shared this sentiment and was reading what Xenophilius had to say about Hermione and Mom. He predicted that they both would win election. I was suddenly driven back from the paper by the flutter of wings battering both the pages and my nose as an owl tried to land between me and the page I was reading. In my shock, I threw the paper across the table and knocked the bird on its back. It scrambled to right itself, as I made what I hoped would be interpreted by a bird as apologetic, comforting sounds. The bird was the same cream owl with blue-grey markings which had delivered the shocking warning a few days earlier. The bird proffered the foot with the attached message and I felt a tummy-rattling dread as I removed and opened my message.

_Great danger today for you and my Mistress. Take care. Hide in your room_

_A secret friend who fears your Death._

My good feeling had evaporated. I passed the message to Harry and tried to steady my nerves, telling myself that this might simply be an attempt by Durmstrang to gain an edge in our match. It was the same elaborate handwriting as the prior note, but coming from the same bird, it had to be. I knew that I was in danger today, but couldn't guess the second intended victim. 'My Mistress' sounded like something a German house Elf would say, except the Germans did not have house Elves – at least not owned Elves. I'd noodle this in the back of my mind, along with the other things that occasionally bothered me in my sleep.

Harry did not hide his worry as he read the note, and his feeling poured freely into my mind. I messaged Harry that I was well able to protect myself against Knodell and that I would remain safe.

I thought of Mom and searched for her at the head table. She was looking away and chatting with McGonagall, but I felt pierced by the fixed glare of Herr Schwein. He was a Wizard who clearly held a grudge against me. His look was a blend of fear, hatred, and revulsion. I realized that his look had caused my hands to clutch involuntarily as the owl squeaked in pain or panic. I hastily released it and it immediately sped for the open window and banked quickly to climb above the roof of Hogwarts.

Rather than practicing before the match, my team and I chose to relax and strategize in our Common Room. My confidence was not fully restored from the shock the message had delivered, and I didn't intend to spend more time in the open than necessary. I was afraid that I might be attacked while practicing, or that Dad would learn of the note and I wouldn't be allowed to compete in the match. I feared that Harry would make certain that Dad learned of the note.

I also needed to plan my tactics against Knodell. The symptoms in my dream suggested that he had used a curse against me. I would be drawing on Stone power and able to deflect the better part of a course, but I had to appear more lucky than invulnerable. That meant sensing the moment of the attack and swerving, so that I could credibly claim that the spell had missed. I focused upon the exact moment of the attack, the position of Knodell, and the exact defensive maneuver, which would carry me out of the path of the curse. I planned how I could sort of fly after being struck, even if I actually were more than pretend-injured. I knew exactly what I would do. I knew that if all else failed, I could apparate. I had arranged with Hermione that I would apparate to the Stone and that she would join me there. She and the Stone could fix most injuries I might sustain. I was ready.

As I and my team left our Common Room, I told Harry and Ron, "Make sure you watch out for Cho. I'm prepared, but she may not be expecting an attack." I reached for the Stone to strengthen my defenses and to contact Cho. For some reason, I couldn't reach Cho, even though she was somewhere at Hogwarts. That worried me a little and I vowed to try contacting her again, before our match.

When Jimmy Peakes volunteered that he had my back and would bash anyone who came after me, I decided that I needed to once again review the rule changes for the Tournament. The opposing Beaters could not come after me, and Jimmy could not come after Hans Knodell, appealing as that thought might be. I was diagramming a plan to swarm the opposing left goal with all of our Chasers and Beaters, with one Beater lagging a little behind to be able to either scoot over to the center goal and score or pass off to our Keeper, who would be sneaking down the right sideline, when there was a knock at the portal.

A very excited Erin rushed into the common room proclaiming, "I have news. I surprised the Durmstrang Seeker meeting with Professor Schwein under the seats. They looked embarrassed and both walked away as soon as they spotted me, but I distinctly heard Professor Schwein say 'kill her'. I know a little German, because my father insisted that language study would make me stand out after I graduated. I think you are the 'her' he was referring to. He's never forgiven you for hurling him through the window or even for challenging him in class. Be very careful."

I thanked Erin and assured her that I intended to watch Conrad most carefully. Jimmy also promised to keep an eye out for any mischief Conrad might get up to.

I saw Ron as our team headed to the pitch. I sprinted over to the stands to ask him, "Did you warn Cho? I couldn't reach her."

"Message delivered," Ron told me. "She promises to take extra precautions. She says Herr Obricht will look after her."

As I led our team out for the match with Durmstrang, my mind abruptly shifted to the Divination NEWT exam, which I had done so well on over the summer. My conflicting plans for the match made a rethinking of my views on prophesy difficult to avoid. I had been torn out of intense match-mode by the seeming ridiculousness of mentally running through my plan to catch the Snitch just seconds after its release, while the rest of my brain was rehearsing spells to protect myself from the attack from Hans Knodell. I 'knew' exactly the moment and place that this attack would occur and that it would at least succeed in separating me from my broom and plunging me into free fall. I had been rehearsing my actions in detail for both of these scenarios, when I was struck by the obvious fact that they couldn't both be true. Why even bother trying an early catch of the Snitch, if I was fated to battle with Conrad Knodell at much higher altitude?

Then I thought of the dark shadow in my dream, and the thought flitted across my mind that just perhaps I might be confronted by a Valkyrie, as Harry had been surprised by a swarm of Dementors during a long ago Quidditch match. I shook my head and told my mind to put such thoughts aside. I had a Quidditch match to win.

As I stared at Madam Hooch's hand, as she prepared to release the Snitch, every muscle in my body tensed and ready for action, I observed her casting a quick glance at me. Knodell didn't notice her look, but it caused me to relax and slip into defensive mode. In that instant I realized that I trusted the prophetic nature of my dream. I reached for and touched The Stone, alerting it that I might have need of its powers. Just as I confirmed that my enhanced protective charms were all in place, the Snitch was released. Instead of bolting after it as fast as I could, I backed off a few yards and then drove myself into Knodell as hard as I could, before climbing for altitude and a more relaxed chase after the Snitch. Knodell had apparently heard of my success at the early capture – he had totally ignored the Snitch and launched himself onto a course intended to bash me at the point where he thought I would be most vulnerable, the point where I had to reach for the Snitch. He flew up rapidly and then cut viciously toward my side.

I wasn't where he expected me to be and after crossing my assumed path with great fury, he lost a bit of velocity and lazily drifted past me, several feet above my head. I was climbing rapidly, and it took only a minor change of course to clip the tail end of his broom with my left shoulder as I rose above him. I didn't even feel a very hard bump, but felt the tail of his broom rising atop my shoulder. A quick look as I sped past Knodell revealed that he was clinging to the tip of his broom and losing a little altitude.

Unimpeded by the opposing Seeker, I continued to climb in the general direction which the Snitch had taken. A quick glint of sun off gold confirmed that I was on the right course, but the Snitch was about thirty feet above me and another thirty down field. It seemed to be meandering along and I didn't doubt that I could keep up with it.

Rather than move across the field as fast as the Snitch was traveling, I kept climbing to get above it, while generally moving in its direction. I took a quick glance down and saw that the rest of our team was running the play in which everyone charged the opposing goal. Roger, the Ravenclaw Keeper, was just sneaking away from his goals and sneaking down field after the rest of our team. I saw that Demelza had the Quaffle and was flying straight for the left goal ring. Jimmy was flying beside her and beating away a nasty Bludger, while our other Beater, Simon, lagged a little behind. This allowed him to snare an errant Bludger aimed at Demelza and rip it really hard into the pack of retreating Durmstrang players. This diverted their attention from Demelza and she approached the goal, unimpeded. Durmstrang's Keeper shifted over to block her, but then saw Simon drifting toward the center goal.

As I tore my eyes away from the excitement unfolding beneath me, I quickly spotted the glint of the Snitch about ten feet below me and fifteen feet ahead. Being above it allowed me to accelerate as I swooped down upon it. I was about at the point where Knodell would expect me to stretch my arm out in anticipation of the catch. I had entered the moment of my prophetic dream. I teased Knodell, lifting my hand from my broom and starting to stretch my arm out, but instead turned sharply to my left and pulled up on the head of my broom. I sent out silent 'deflect' charms as I sensed Knodell zooming up behind me. I glanced back and saw his wand outstretched in his hand and swiveling as he tried to follow my maneuver. The wand was briefly pointed at my head, but I quickly dropped the nose of my broom and channeled Stone power into my defenses and sent another silent, wandless 'deflect' and 'protego' behind my back. Not even attempting concealment, Knodell screamed 'Avada Kedavra' at me. I saw Simon and two of the Durmstrang players look up at us in astonishment and then felt a little momentary weakness. I channeled even more Stone power and feigned slipping off my broom. As I separated from my broom, I turned to see that Knodell had turned to the north and was attempting a flying escape.

I cast levitation spells upon my person to slow my descent. I felt Stone power washing through me. Either the spells were working or I was getting a lot of help from allies on the ground, because I was lazily drifting lower, rather than actually falling. I worked harder at levitating myself. Looking down, I saw many wands pointed at me. I hoped that they were all friendly. I was still losing altitude, but didn't feel the wind whoosh that comes when you are falling rapidly. An almost level flying Jimmy drew up beside me and placed a supporting hand in my right armpit. I now seemed to be more moving forward than falling. Demelza flew up on my left side and also supported me. Together, the three of us flew in a lazy spiral toward the ground. We were now low enough that I heard the shrill blasts of Madam Hooch's whistle. Not only was the match over, but the staccato shrills from the whistle drove off a Durmstrang Beater, who seemed to be contemplating a collision.

Gathering my thoughts, I performed a silent 'accio broom', then said it loudly "accio broom," so that my bearers weren't surprised by my broom clattering in amongst us.

"I don't think we'll need your broom, but here it comes," Jimmy alerted me. He ducked his head and I snared my broom. I 'flew' with both arms above my head, clutching my own broom, while Jimmy and Demelza continued to support me. I felt that I might have been able to simply drift down on my own Stone-amplified spells or even fly down on my broom, although I suspected I lacked the strength to remount it. Regardless, I was thrilled, a little surprised, and immensely grateful that my teammates had so quickly come to my rescue. As we spiraled away from our own goals, I could see that we had descended to the level of the shortest ring. My head was fully clear. {{I'm okay, but Knodell used the 'Avada Kedavra' on me from behind. I managed to dodge and to mostly block it, but it did make my mind momentarily cloudy. I pretended to fall from my broom.}}

{[Relieved] that's what I thought happened, but it's good to have it confirmed. You didn't seem to be as prepared for the attack as I was expecting. Herr Schwein also cursed you from the ground, but he was quickly subdued. I'm very happy that you're safe.}

I was now just a few feet above the ground and my escorts released me. Three seconds later, I hit the ground at a dead run, my outstretched hands clutching my broom, above my head. I was doing well, running a little slower; then I lost my balance and splatted onto the turf. The fall knocked the wind out of my body and I struggled to breathe. Perhaps I wasn't quite as self-sufficient as I had supposed.

I felt hands rolling me onto my back and saw Hermione staring down at me. "You bust up your nose more than anybody I've ever known. Let me sit you up, before you drown on your own blood, and I'll fix you up."

I saw that Harry and Ron were both supporting me, as I raised myself to a sitting position. The taste of salty metal in my mouth confirmed that my nose was indeed bleeding again. Hermione moved her wand in front of my face and then Harry was wiping my mouth and face with his robes.

{You're going to be all right. Just focus on breathing. My aurors caught Knodell, by the way. He and Herr Schwein are on their way to the Ministry. Knodell hit the ground rather much harder than you and busted up his knees.}

I found myself panting through my mouth as I was once again able to breathe. I was very glad that Harry, rather than Dad, had chosen to run onto the field. {{I know it is an inappropriate thought for a Light Guardian Priestess, but I'm very happy to hear about Knodell's knees.}}

I walked to the infirmary under my own power, but with Ron and Harry lending a little support and with Hermione and Luna leading the way and Barb and Bill protecting our back side. I was seated on a cot and Madam Pomphrey immediately came over to attend to me, although I was sure Hermione could do an equally good job. Madam Pomphrey seemed to agree, simply washing my face and telling me how lucky I was that Hermione responded so quickly.

Professor McGonagall arrived within minutes to inform me that Durmstrang had been disqualified and the match awarded to Hogwarts. "I am well aware that you were about to catch the Snitch, had that Knodell villain not interfered. Cho agrees," she told us. Ellen and another auror are taking statements from the players who heard Knodell yell a prohibited curse at you. We also have witnesses to Herr Schwein trying to curse you from the ground."

I wanted to watch the junior match, but by the time I was ready to leave the infirmary, Dad had arrived and insisted that I remain in infirmary until dinner, with several of his aurors to protect me.

"I can see that you are alright, but this was clearly an assassination plot. I'm not going to give them a second chance to get you. Until we get to the bottom of the plot, all of you are to remain here, under protection. I'm going to meet with your headmaster."

Dad bent over to place a little kiss upon my cheek. As he did so, he whispered "Sorry to turn you into bait. You did very well. I'm pleased to see how well you can handle yourself and how quickly your team came to your defense. We got the baddies." Dad, a bunch of his aurors, and McGonagall departed to find Neville. They were quickly replaced by my teammates.

As soon as I saw Jimmy and Demelza I told them, "That was really quick thinking and action. You probably saved my life. You have my profound thanks." Demelza nodded approval and Jimmy looked shy, but they both gave me a hug. We chatted about the match, my rescue, and whether I would be ready to face Beauxbatons on the morrow. I said, "I'll certainly be ready, really I'm fine."

Harry responded that Dad was likely to keep me grounded. I must have pulled a face, because my husband quickly continued, "you can't expect him to let you fly after what happened today. I'm very surprised he asked you to fly at all. You know I disagreed with him. I think we have the situation under control, but I also think Arthur's fears are well founded. We know that more baddies are out there. Until today, I didn't think you were an obvious target of attack. We all need to take your safety more seriously."

{{I disagree and you certainly could have whispered that. This whole affair went exactly according to plan.}}

{[Amused] I expected you to disagree, but that doesn't make me wrong. I had to say that in the open to prevent Arthur from looking like an overly nervous Dad. We knew we were taking a calculated risk today. There is no need to repeat it tomorrow. This wasn't about the importance of your winning the Quidditch matches. It was a tactic in a war and that tactic no longer presents any further advantage to us, while presenting almost the same risk to you. There is no reason for you to fly tomorrow.}

{{Only if you regard winning the Tournament as totally unimportant.}}

{You know that's not what I mean, but its value is certainly far below that of your life. The Tournament may be cancelled, anyhow. I suspect that's what your father is talking to Neville about. I'm surprised that the first junior match is under way. I would have stopped it, had it been my decision to do so. You can just declare yourself and your team the Tournament winner. You've now defeated both Eire, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.}

We had lunch in the infirmary. Cho stopped by to visit, declaring "I think that the arrests of Schwein and Knodell may break the back of our opposition. I'm encouraged that the worst is behind us and that our situation will be improving. I realize that you served as bait today and I thank you for your help, as I thank all at Hogwarts for putting up with our Herr Professor Schwein, whom I find to be most aptly named. And don't worry, I'm taking your warning seriously and shall continue to protect myself."

The crowd grew some more as Draco and Erin joined us. "Your junior team won," Draco congratulated me. "Wood's little brother was amazing. He caught the snitch just a dozen minutes into the match and Hogwarts was up 20 – 10 at the time. Margaret is a very good Keeper. She stopped six of seven shots on goal. I can see that Gryffindor will have a really strong Quidditch team next year.

"Don't worry. McGonagall saw Erin. She gave us a scowl, but turned away. She isn't going to make a scene by disputing Neville on this. We won't overstay our welcome, but we had to see you before we left. We're going to Malfoy Manor to start getting things back in shape. Cissy's castle is great and convenient to Hogwarts, but we can apparate from the Manor, and it's time my family was in our own home. Luna has agreed to use her Light Guardian knowledge to look after the baby and properly launch her on her spiritual path. I'll see you next week. Don't worry, we'll be safe. Shacklebolt has provided two aurors to live with us, and I've also got the two Elves."

"Please pass along my thanks to everyone else who has helped me with my lessons," Erin told me. "You see I was right about Professor Schwein and that German boy. I got off a few choice spells at the Schwein, when he tried to curse you. It's a really cowardly professor who would fire curses from the ground at a Quidditch flyer. He was hiding under the seats and firing through a gap. He was so intent that he didn't notice us as we snuck up. Draco had the school camera and got a good picture of him. Cissy's minder Ellen has the camera.

"You also should know that Pansy Parkinson returned to Hogwarts just after the match started. She really is on your side. She helped me curse the Schwein. Pansy is desperate to see you, but asked me to pave the way. She says she has important information about a plot. She says she'll find you, but for now, she must stand watch."

"Who's the plot against?" I asked, thinking that Pansy might be referring to something other than the attack upon me.

"Don't know," Erin replied "probably against you, since Pansy was firing curses to protect you. I asked her, but she just pulled an invisibility cloak over her head and vanished into the crowd. I'm sure we broke up the plot and that Pansy will say so, when she finds you."

Madam Pomphrey must have been convinced that I was out of danger, because she was doing nothing to limit my visitors, which were well over a dozen. Madam Pomphrey looked very relaxed and smiled at me as she informed me that it was time for dinner and that I and my many guests were free to move along to the Great Hall. That convinced me that I was fully mended.


	103. Chapter 103

**Chapter 103 – Cho**

Harry's surmise about the Quidditch matches proved correct. When I was released from the infirmary and our whole mob trooped down to the Great Hall for the Quidditch Tournament banquet, we noticed that those already at the tables were unhappily muttering among themselves. Alice told us "you should know that Neville just announced that we should all enjoy the banquet and our foreign guests, but that tomorrow's matches have been cancelled. The foreign teams are leaving right after the banquet. All of the adult team leaders say they're worried about more violence. I'm really glad to see that you're alright, by the way. I was so scared when you fell off your broom, but then you seemed to just float down, before Jimmy and Demelza snared you. That was the most fantastical thing I've ever seen. Even your nose looks like you never crash landed.

"Since we won both matches, I think Hogwarts is the winner, but the headmaster said no trophies will be awarded this year, and the schools will try for a better result next term. Of course, that will be too late for you. I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't keep chattering, I see that you want to eat."

Yes, I wanted to eat, but I also wanted to play Quidditch tomorrow. I had already filled my plate with roasted quail, roasted potatoes, caramelized carrots, and a spoon of peas. I took a swallow of milk, grabbed a roll and headed for Neville at the staff table. He saw me coming and gave me a look that said I was on a futile quest that could only end in my embarrassment. I felt too strongly about this to be deterred by a warning stare.

"I'm not happy that the other matches have been cancelled," I told him, as I stopped in front of him. "We've caught the baddies and we have plenty of security for tomorrow."

"It was more your father's decision than mine. Besides, he said you were in no shape to fly tomorrow."

"As you can see, I am perfectly sound. I'm anxious to get back on my broom for my last Quidditch match before I graduate. I know the other kids also want to continue."

"It's out of my hands, talk to your father."

Dad was seated two seats to McGonagall's right, with Mom between them. I shifted my attention to Dad, who must have overheard what I said to Neville, because he said, quite firmly "No. My mind is made up. A Quidditch match is not worth even the amount of danger that still remains. Madame Delacour is in complete agreement with me. It's over, go back to your table and eat your dinner. You need to rebuild your strength. We'll talk later. This is my decision as Minister, not as your father."

I looked at Mom, but she studiously kept her eyes on her plate and forked some more baked ham into her mouth. I was defeated.

{{You could have helped!}}

{[confused] No, I warned you of this back at the infirmary. I also told you that I thought your father had made the correct decision. Flying tomorrow would have been a pointless risk for you to take.}

{{Not pointless. I hate to have Quidditch victories snatched away from me. I, really we, showed today that I can be protected.}}

{Remember, I've played some Quidditch, too, and know how hard it is to have victory snatched away from you. Yes, we kept you safe today, but questions will be asked. We've spread about the word that Knodell's aim was bad and his curse just glanced against you. We know that even a glancing strike with an 'Avada Kedavra' is deadly when you're flying, and that your Stone powers saved you. If you were to similarly escape tomorrow, there would just be way too many questions about the strange powers that you have. Arthur is right, this is state secret territory.}

{{Well, okay, when you put it that way. What do you want me to do?}}

{Enjoy your food and savor your victory. Trust me, your performance today WILL be remembered for a very long time. Think happy thoughts about how quickly your teammates came to your aid, even though you were having curses fired at you from the ground. You have very good friends, beyond our little group.}

I felt guilty for my self-centeredness about Quidditch. It was great to be at a whole table of friends. I determined to be cheery and participate in what the rest of the table was calling 'our victory'. I thanked and joked with my rescuers. I had four different desserts, of which the crème brulee and chocolate mousse with sweet vanilla cream were the best.

Mom and Dad came down to our table after dinner and said they wanted to speak to us in Harry's office. It was clear that Ron and Hermione were included. It was not quite so clear that Luna and George were invited, but they also followed us.

"I heard what you said to Neville, Ginevra," Dad addressed me, "and I don't think it possible for you to be more wrong. While I have more than a passing interest in Quidditch, I would never value it above students' lives. You were at great risk today, but so were the rest of your team, and especially the two brave friends who rescued you. Harry and Kingsley had laid on a lot of extra surveillance and security, but it is impossible to keep track of all the baddies or to even know of them all.

"I can assure you that the leaders of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang also had no interest in exposing their teams to possible attack tomorrow. You think I'm overly protective of you, because you're my youngest and my only daughter, and to an extent that's true. But, and this is a very big but, you have to realize that if being the Mother of the Future requires you to perform certain risky tasks, it also requires that you avoid unnecessary risks, and allow my Ministry to protect you as it protects Harry and me. I realize that I encouraged you to fly today and that you served as bait. Your mother is not pleased with my decision. I assure you that I would have kept you grounded had you or Harry told me of the warning notes you received. Yes, I now know about them. It was very foolish of you to keep them from me. The Ministry has people to deal with such matters.

"With Viktor's problems, this Tournament was cursed before it began. It was a good idea in concept, but not one fit for troubled times."

"I admit that I badly wanted to play Quidditch today", I confessed to Dad, "but I also wanted to help Viktor solve his problems. I also needed to know whether or not what appeared to be my first prophetic dream was real. I thought answering that question was worth some risk. I was tapped into the power of the Stone and using my Light Guardian protective charms, so I don't think that I was actually in much real danger. I accept that I should have shown you the note."

"You've been observed to survive two 'Avada Kedavra' attacks. Nobody else has ever achieved that. People WILL ask questions, and some secrets that you very rightfully believe must stay secret if you are to remain safe and free to function as Mother of the Future will unavoidably become public. Every inexplicable cheating of death makes you stand out more and become more of a target."

"Harry explained that to me, as well. I realize now that you are both correct. It's not easy for someone on a broom to accurately curse someone else flying erratically on a broom. Hopefully, that explanation will be believed. There is nothing I can do to change what happened."

"I realize that Ginevra. I'm talking to all of you, because I wanted to convince you to be more cautious in the future, and because I want Harry to know that he cannot legitimately use the excuse of my being an overly protective father to keep any information from me that the Minister needs and deserves to know. An assassination attempt at an international Quidditch Tournament sponsored by Hogwarts is something about which I must be informed. I will be telling Kingsley the same thing."

{[concerned] don't disagree!}

I took my husband's counsel and did not dispute my father. Mom, Dad, and most of Dad's aurors departed. Dad said he was leaving Winston, who was his junior auror, to help us, in case there was any new trouble.

I kissed Dad goodbye, and then we settled down to explain the details that George had missed. I was almost finished recounting my Quidditch adventure, when there was a knock on the door. Bill opened the door and after a whispered exchange, ushered in Erin. "We came back, because Draco was worried about what Pansy said about a plot. We ran into her, before McGonagall told us where to find you. She said the plot is against Cho. Are you willing to talk to her?"

"Please send her in," I replied, without hesitation. I suddenly realized that as Viktor's wife, Cho might be counted as Mistress of Durmstrang.

Harry whispered to Winston, "Go get Arthur and tell him Cho needs protection. Bill is with us, we're okay here, please go protect Cho."

"Thank you for seeing me," Pansy said to Harry and me. "I know I'm not supposed to be here, but the news that I learned was too important to trust to a bird and I feared that the bird would arrive too late."

That certainly grabbed our attention. "Erin said there's a threat to Cho." Harry prompted Pansy.

"Yes, I heard the Knodell boy talking to another of the Quidditch players, the Keeper actually, just before the team left Durmstrang. Knodell told Siegfried, that's the Keeper's name, that the groundskeeper had given him what they referred to as the 'Snape device', and that he should use it to carry out their mission while the team was away from Durmstrang. Knodell said that all of the attention would be focused upon him, so Siegfried would be free to act. I think they all know that you have Elves spying on them. Knodell began the conversation with, 'I have to be quick, I lost the Elf, but just for a moment.' He reached into his pocket as they were talking and palmed something that he passed to Siegfried, as if they were just shaking hands. I saw just the corner of it – it looked like a really tiny wooden box."

"We heard of such a device being tested on Cissy Montaigne's pet cat. She thought you were responsible for killing her pet," I informed Pansy, in what I hoped was a friendly, neutral tone towards a former enemy, who now seemed to truly be trying to help us. I shouldn't have spoken, because my words froze Pansy and totally derailed her report. After a few long seconds, during which I was picking up annoyed thoughts, but no words, from Harry, Pansy finally spoke again.

"No, that wasn't me, although I admit that I made Cissy's life as miserable as I possibly could. I just didn't like her at all. She was so rich, so bad at magic, and such a traitor to the Voldemort cause. At the time, our side winning was the most important thing to me, even more important than Draco, and I thought if Cissy's family had supported us, that we would already have won. There probably wouldn't have even needed to be a battle. I knew the cat died and thought it most suspicious. I wasn't sad to see Cissy moping around the dorm in constant tears for most of the next week. From all the smirking that was going on, I'm fairly certain which girl was responsible. It must have been … no, I really came here to protect Cho. I found out at dinner that the plot must be aimed at Cho. The groundskeeper had been allowed a bit too much stout with dinner and I heard him muttering to another student, "at least the British Witch won't be bothering us again.

"I didn't have my invisibility cloak with me, so the student, who was quite sober, must have realized that I had been standing close enough to overhear them. The Germans don't know about invisibility cloaks, by the way. Anyway, he kept an eye on me the rest of the night, and I had to go up to the Witches' dorm without saying anything to Viktor. At breakfast, I swore at Heinrich under my breath and told him he was a coward to attack Cho. As I expected, he pushed into me. I did a very convincing backward fall, clutching my eye with my hand. I cursed myself silently, so that when I struggled to my feet, accusing Heinrich of sucker punching me, my eye was already dark and swollen. Half the school gathered round, and Heinrich was hauled away to detention. I whispered to a friendly professor, 'Cho is in danger, I'm going to save her,' and then slipped out of the castle and apparated to the Hogwarts gate. Professor Stout was nice enough to let me in. I alerted McGonagall and she told the aurors about the plot. Now, if you aren't going to arrest me for being in Britain, I think I'll get back to Durmstrang."

"Thank you for helping all of us," my husband replied and I seconded the thought. Harry convinced her to stay and return to Durmstrang with Cho. Harry gave Pansy a hug. Then Pansy decided to give me a hug.

I tried again to reach Cho through the Stone. She didn't respond. I relayed that to Harry and he dispatched our auror and an Elf to join the hunt for Cho. Harry said that we should listen to Dad and wait here, until we at least had some idea where Cho was or what was happening. Since Pansy was here, I thought I might as well learn what I could from her. The topic of Pansy staying here was sure to be raised again by McGonagall.

"I recognize that you're now on our side," I told her, "but I'm very surprised that you just had what must have been a friendly conversation with Erin and Draco, in the corridor."

"We literally bumped into each other as we were all headed here. Our initial conversation was not calm, but I convinced Erin that I was finished chasing after Draco. I need time alone to rediscover who I want to be. Seeing the German Wizards' attitude toward Witches has given me many second thoughts about living a useless life. I was five years older than the next oldest Witch in the dorm, and the discussions we had before lights out were scary. Half the girls were content to live the life that I would have had to live with the Elves freed. They thought they deserved no better than to be chained to their houses and babies. The other half were seething, but saw nothing that they could do about it. They want to have significant jobs outside the home when they leave Durmstrang, but know their parents won't allow it. There will be one or two girls who get to be exchange students to Hogwarts or Beauxbatons next year. That is their only chance to progress beyond third year. It was sad, and it showed me the opportunities that I was willing to just walk away from. That's why I wrote that letter to the Daily Prophet. I get both papers at Durmstrang, just to keep up with your adventures."

Dad returned with two of his aurors. "I sent the other two aurors to help Winston," Dad informed us. "I think we'll all just wait here in Harry's office while the aurors straighten out this mess. Kingsley is here, by the way, and has taken charge. Siegfried won't escape."

We waited almost half an hour. The initial time was spent with Dad lecturing Harry and Ron on the importance of leaving auror work to the aurors, and Harry responding that he had left the initial response to the aurors, even though Cho was an old friend, and telling Dad that he was responsible for the aurors, and that a threat to assassinate Viktor's wife was a huge international incident, requiring his direct involvement. Dad said this might be the case, although he disagreed.

The rest of the time was spent with Dad belaboring Ron concerning his intended personal involvement, telling Ron that Ron certainly could not claim responsibility for the aurors and that he was certain that Hermione was far too smart to want to have her husband risking his life unnecessarily. I was pleased that I wasn't the child who had triggered this particular burst of fatherly protectiveness.

The next knock on the door was Shacklebolt. He addressed his remarks directly to Harry, to Dad's obvious amusement, telling him, "the incident is over, but we were too late to save Cho. Cho is at least unconscious and gives all evidence of being dead, although Siegfried swore she was still alive. Siegfried is our prisoner, but is claiming that he alone has the power to save Cho. He says it is his life for hers, and we must protect him from Viktor and give him refuge. It was strange. It took us a while to find Cho- she was seated at a workbench in the potions classroom, calmly stirring a potion. Siegfried had already entered the classroom and had this little box in his outstretched arm. Before we could do anything, he gave her a glancing blow to the head with the hand holding the box. Then Cho had him pinned against the wall, without any seeming effort at all. She just sat there, smiling at him and slowly stirring her potion. Then I heard 'petrificus totalis' and saw Viktor throwing down an invisibility cloak in the corner of the room. Cho said 'don't worry, it's only Viktor.' We could have killed each other, but it seemed to end well.

"Then, as Viktor and I were congratulating each other on foiling the plot, Cho just slowly slipped to the floor and appeared to die before our eyes. I can't believe what happened. We carried Cho to the infirmary. Viktor and Madam Pomphrey are with her. A few seconds earlier and I could have prevented this. Siegfried moved so fast. Viktor was in the room and couldn't act fast enough. Viktor revived Siegfried and I've already told you what he said. Viktor is very upset and Madam Pomphrey is tending to him."

"I'm guessing," I told Shacklebolt, "that Madam Pomphrey examined Cho and told you that she looked just like Umbridge did, before your rogue auror carried her body from the infirmary."

"As a matter of fact, she did say that. If that's the case, I can understand how she was fooled by Umbridge."

"I doubt Siegfried was really trusted with the spells or potions to revive Cho," Harry lamented. "I doubt Siegfried is anywhere near that important."

"But apparently Herr Schwein is," I reassured Harry. "At any rate, I think we already have the necessary potion. Let's hope the Schwein knows the necessary spells. At the very least, we know that Barty knows them."

"I need to go to the infirmary to examine Cho, but I want to stop along the way to identify the potion she was making," I told Harry, but I was really giving the message to Dad. "It seems strange that she was mixing a potion. She might have been expecting some sort of attack upon her or Viktor and been brewing an antidote. It is just strange timing. She must have expected the attack to happen here, or she would have made her potion back at Durmstrang. I may be able to wake her with some of my Light Guardian spells or, um, other skills."

"I should come too," Luna seconded my motion. "I've gotten a lot of practice in healing."

As Dad didn't object, we started to leave, but Harry had another thought.

"May I see the box?" Harry asked Shacklebolt. "It might give us clues to curing Cho, if you'll let me take it with us."

Shacklebolt handed the box to Harry, as he motioned to two of the aurors, whom he had brought with him. "I'm going to send two extra aurors with you, in case there is any further trouble – and to stop any unnecessary adventuring that might put you at risk." He was looking at Dad as he said that last bit.

Harry paused to study what I assumed was the Snape box, turning it every which way, but being unable to open it. The box was of simple white pine, with a scroll pattern painted in reddish brown on each of its sides. Harry handed me the box and I almost dropped it. It was unexpectedly heavy. Although only about three inches, by two inches, by an inch and looking to be just thin slabs of wood, it was heavy enough to be stone. I did no better than Harry in opening the thing, although I quickly ran through a list of several dozen spells, over half of which were used by the ancient priestesses. I used my Stone powers to 'look' inside the box.

"It contains a large crystal wrapped in silver wires and packed in sand of various colors," I told Harry "although I can't figure out how it might work."

"I'm sure Siegfried will tell us all we need to know about operating that particular box," Shacklebolt told Harry. "When I left them, Viktor was reviewing the ancient penalties for those who would assassinate the German leader or his family. They date back to the days of Gunter Gran Montine, and they are chillingly severe. Siegfried begged me to arrest him, but I told him that I thought we would be leaving him to Viktor, as Siegfried was in Britain for a three day Quidditch Tournament and that his crime was aimed at a fellow member of the Durmstrang community."

Dad smiled, but just said "that's not your decision to make, Kingsley." Harry accepted the added protection and we were on our way. George came with Luna.

The potions lab was being guarded by one of Shacklebolt's new personal aurors, when we arrived. I ladled up some of the cooling potion and poured it back into Cho's cauldron. It was still fuming and ran very thin as I poured it. It looked less thick than water, which is not common at all, and crystal clear. Despite the vapors coming off the cauldron, I smelled nothing at all. "It behaves the same as Schwein's solid potion did, after I dissolved it in water," Hermione assured me. I haven't tasted either of them, but since it didn't kill the mice, I'm tempted to try it."

"No!" was all my brother said.

Hermione obligingly backed away from the cauldron and led us to the infirmary. She stopped and told Ron "I'm going to fill a bottle, in case we want to give some more of this potion to Cho."

Ron said that would be fine. Hermione filled and labeled a bottle. We were off to the infirmary.

{I assume you're going to try to use your Stone powers to revive Cho.}

{{Yes. I was also thinking that if Cho was expecting trouble, she might have drawn upon the Stone for added strength. I'm asking the Stone now.}}

{Good, that's what I expected.}

{{Cho told the Stone that she was about to be attacked. She drew added power to strengthen her shield charm and also to speed the ripening of her potion. She planned to drink some of it, but I don't know whether she did or not. The Stone says it is still listening to an open conversation link with Cho, but that she has left her body to voyage in the Beyond World. She is very weak.}}

We found Viktor, along with Madam Pomphrey and three aurors grouped around Cho in the infirmary. Cho was quite grey in color, looking even worse than Umbridge did before we set off for Beauxbatons.

"I'm not sure how many visitors she should have," Madam Pomphrey warned, looking as though she was preparing to shoo us away, but didn't want to shoo the Deputy Minister. Harry remained silent, but Luna babbled.

"Not to worry, we're not here as visitors, she really doesn't look to be very good company. We're here as professional healers to fix her. Hermione, Ginny, and I are going to use our Light Guardian powers – very advanced stuff. Just give us room to work. What do we need, guys?"

I thought Luna might have had a tad too much sherry to be at her professional best, and noticed Harry trying to soothe Madam Pomphrey's wounded feelings. Madam Pomphrey looked like she was about to make an unpleasant retort to Luna, when Hermione answered the question.

"I think what we really need is a phoenix. I'll summon Fawkes, while Ginny gets started. I think we may have to move Cho to the circle in the Sacred Cavern or even the little cavern at the base of the Stone. Oh, hi, Viktor, I didn't mean to be abrupt or to ignore you. You look like you need a hug."

Hermione set about hugging and comforting Viktor, as Madam Pomphrey shook her head and left the infirmary, presumably in search of a higher authority. I commenced my examination of Cho, trying to sense a heartbeat or establish mental contact through the Stone. I visualized her heart. It was still, and then it beat. It beat not quite twice a minute. A quick examination would have missed it. I was able to eavesdrop on the Stone's broken connection with Cho. The Stone's description seemed apt - I sensed that Cho was immersed in a magical, prophetic dream. I found that I could see what Cho was seeing, which was Harry's mother. I had helped save two lives by adding energy to the injured and by urging their hearts to beat. I wasn't at all sure that it was safe to give encouragement to Cho's heart, until we got her away from BeyondWorld. I did feed her some additional energy, so that she would have enough energy to do whatever it was that she intended to do.

"Should we give her some of the potion?" I asked Hermione. The stone says that she took a little but planned to take more, before she collapsed.

"Just one swallow of it. We'll have to be careful that we don't choke her or get it into her lungs. Sit her up. There, that's good. I'll just pour a little into her mouth. Now if I can get her to swallow. Yes! I think that worked fine."

{{Cho is in or is dreaming about Beyond World and in her, whatever state she is, she is talking to your mother. I think I can connect through the Stone, so that we can both see what Cho is seeing. Then we need to lead her back here.}}

{[very excited] Yes, please, do what you have to do. I promise that I won't try to linger in BeyondWorld and will help you to drag Cho back here.}

I reached for the Stone, telling Harry and Hermione to do the same. Fawkes had arrived and was perched upon Hermione's right shoulder.

"I'm not sure if this will work. I think we really ought to be within the Circle," I said. Hermione's return look told me that she felt we should apparate there immediately, even before she whispered the same thought to me. We linked hands, including Luna, Barb, Bill, and Viktor. Luna and I each had a hand around one of Cho's lower arms. I thought it and we were there, in the only available open space at the rear of the Sacred Cavern. Luna and I levitated Cho into the inner circle of columns and the rest of the gang gathered around us.

"Don't touch Cho while we travel to Beyond World," I warned my companions. "We brought her here so that we can return her to her body, when we find her. I think it dangerous and likely impossible to try to carry her body to her." I saw four hands release their hold on Cho's inert body.

This was my first attempt to commune with the circle and Stone, without first drinking some of Firenze's tea. I was having a difficult time starting the process, I think more because I didn't want to be asleep than because I needed the tea. I was ready to declare that I needed some tea and to lie down and at least semi-trance, when suddenly Fawkes flitted across the surface of my mind's eye and I saw him diving into the swirling ribbon. I willed myself to follow him, sensing a comrade's arm on each of my shoulders.

Fawkes always seemed to know the way – we only seemed to make a half dozen turns around the coiled ribbon, when I saw the thick fog of Beyond World and felt myself plunging into air impossibly thick with water. We sank through the clouds for a minute, before I sensed that we were slowing. A few seconds later we drifted to a stop beside three figures, who were locked in animated conversation.

"Mom, Dad!" Harry's exclamation alerted the figures to our presence and they directed their attention toward us.

"Harry, you shouldn't be here. It's not safe. Leave at once or your father, and I must leave Cho," Lily warned my husband.

"I'm much stronger now," Harry promised his mother. "I'm here to rescue Cho and will leave as soon as that is done. It's very good to see you both, but that really isn't why I came here. Why are you here, Cho?"

Cho looked past Harry, spotting Viktor. "You shouldn't be here. You were never introduced to the stone. It isn't safe, my darling."

Explanations had to wait, as Cho tried to hug Viktor and Harry tried to hug his parents.

"Sorry guys, hugs don't work here. Nothing is physical," I reminded them.

Harry looked sad, while Cho looked embarrassed to have forgotten that fact.

"I had to find out everything about the plot against Viktor," Cho explained. "I was bait to force whoever would strike against me to reveal himself. I had a warning owl this morning. It told me of a potion to protect myself and said that I must learn about die Valkyrie. When Siegfried struck me down, his device and the potion sent me into a trance. It is a most unusual potion. I saw the swirl and knew that I must conquer the moment and ride it to wherever it would lead me. When I found myself here, I understood. Who would know more about the intentions of the Valkyrie than the residents of Beyond World?"

"We told Cho that the Valkyrie did not wish you harm, but would claim you as their own and send you here before your time," Lily spoke to me. "There is a coming imbalance in Beyond World that die Valkyrie believe only the Mother of the Future and her Muse can resolve. They believe they must have you – not as victims, but as their leaders."

"Sigrun, she's the leader of die Valkyrie, says that they can travel from Beyond World to Earth when they are needed, but that the tunnel has narrowed, and Odin refuses to hold it open for them. That is why she claims that you are needed here."

"Not yet, though," James cautioned me. "You have much more to accomplish back on Earth. You must leave while you still can. Quickly, follow Fawkes."

Even in the dark mists of Beyond, I perceived dark shadows flying above us. I tugged on Harry's robes and pointed.

"Yes, I understand," he replied. "We must leave before they hold us here."

A voice appeared in my head "**please don't leave. We are not a threat. I must speak to you. I will send my sisters away. I approach in peace and promise not to hold you here against your will. All of us in BeyondWorld need your help**."

Most of the dark shapes vanished, as Sigrun drifted up to us.

"**Greetings Mother of the Future. We wish to help you to help all of us. You must face Odin. He was our protector but has turned against us an no longer speaks to us. We don't even know what offense we gave him. You must convince him to clear our path to your world. We are needed there. Odin is nothing without our help. He dies as we speak**."

I thought the return message that I would do what I could to help. Sigrun nodded and was gone.

I saw Fawkes leave Hermione to fly toward the end of a gay pink curl, high above us. "Grab hold of me," I commanded my companions, as I urged the Stone to push me higher. I drifted up rapidly, until I was able to grab Fawkes' tail. Fawkes was perched upon the trailing edge of the ribbon and that ribbon carried us home.

As I sat up and looked around with my true vision, I saw that Cho had opened her eyes and was trying to rise. "Back to the infirmary for you," I said and, before I spoke the last word, Cho and I were there. Unfortunately, Mom, Dad, McGonagall, Neville, and Madam Pomphrey were also there. I helped Cho to lie down on a cot and looked up at four unsmiling adults.

"We had to save Cho," I told them. "Madam Pomphrey really couldn't have helped, it required Light Guardian knowledge."

At least Mom smiled at me. I wished that Harry, Hermione, and the others had grabbed hold of me for this last apparate. I could have used their support. It was Cho who rescued me.

"Ginny really did the right thing," Cho spoke to Dad. "It was likely the only possible way to save me. I thought I was safe with the potion and could find my way back, but I'm not so sure. Even Ginny and Hermione needed the help of Fawkes. I convinced Viktor to allow me to take more upon myself than I was able to carry. The warning note just made me crazy with worry for Viktor."

"I also received notes," I told Cho. "I've not been able to discover who sent them."

"I recognized the writing at once, which is why the note troubled me so much. Of course it was from Frau Schwein. She is almost as good a potions maker as Snape was. Despite the evil Herr Schwein, for some reason I trust that Witch."

There was a pop and Harry and the others had joined us. Harry told Dad "we only did what was necessary. I decided as Deputy Minister that we must act at once to save Cho. Her life was ebbing away. Madam Pomphrey does very well as a normal healer, but she could no more revive Cho than she could revive Umbridge. We were dealing with very dark magic, invented or discovered by Snape. This is the Snape device. Ellie can attach it to one of her monoliths and study it for you."

Harry handed the wooden box to Dad. Dad rather awkwardly placed in in an inner pocket of his robes. He did smile for the first time. "I'm glad we won't need to bargain with Schwein, Barty, or those two awful Durmstrang students. Cho is safe and I thank you all for that."


	104. Chapter 104

**CHAPTER 104 - VICTORIES AND A THREAT**

Cho and Viktor caught us in the corridor, just as we were about to enter the Great Hall and grab some breakfast, before doing a little campaigning on the final day of the election. Harry and I also had to go into Hogsmeade to cast our own votes.

"It is all good," Viktor said. "I think we know all the plotters in a day. My aurors are here. We take Conrad, Siegfried, and Herr Schwein back to Durmstrang for justice. I discovered several other plotters, besides our groundskeeper, before I come to Britain.

"Siegfried told us all that he knew. He couldn't open the box, but told us that he was to speak the curse 'Dormite!' while visualizing Cho falling into a deep sleep which was indistinguishable from death, and which would become death within hours if not treated with the proper counter spell and potions. It was fortunate that he had been stopped before he could make a full attack on Cho, because he also did not know either the appropriate counter spell or the rejuvenative potions. He was just a tool. Had Cho not taken some of the potion before she was attacked, well, the results would not have been so good. Siegfried planned to make off with Cho's body after she collapsed. Knodell told him of a hiding spot within the Hogwarts castle. They planned to trade Cho's life for my banishment.

"I am not totally surprised that Frau Schwein helped us. I often think she like me. She is far smarter than her husband – not just because she like me. I think she be fine potions master.

"Many thanks for all your help. Cho and I must be in Durmstrang. Absence causes too many questions and fears. Goodbye friends." We all hugged and then Professor Sprout joined us and led Viktor and Cho to the main gate, where Viktor's aurors must be holding the prisoners.

We all put in a solid day of campaigning. I returned to Hogwarts, feeling tired but virtuous. Hermione looked totally wasted. We all forced ourselves to eat some dinner, and then went off to Hermione's and Ron's apartment to relax over some sherry and some very effective Ancient Priestess relaxation chants. Then, it was off to bed for some well-earned recreation with Harry.

I already knew that Harry, Hermione and Mom, along with most of the candidates whom Dad supported for the Wizengamot, had won their elections. I knew because Dad had phoned Harry, while we were in bed, and otherwise engaged. Still, I was eager to get to breakfast and read about our victories in black and white. It was hard to imagine how the Daily Prophet could slant the news to cast a pall over our achievements, but I was certain that Frakes would try. I enjoyed reading his convoluted logic almost as much as I enjoyed reading what Xenophilius and the Patils had to say.

I didn't have to wait any longer than halfway through my scone with butter and blueberry jam. I had recently discovered that I could both heat the scones and slightly singe the edge with a brief spell and flick of my wand. This greatly enhanced my pleasure as I bit into the scone. The Quibbler arrived first and the owl departed with a strip of bacon, in addition to my knuts. The headlines cheered me:

**FOES OF MINISTRY TROUNCED IN ELECTION**

**VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FOR WEASLEY AND POTTER**

**WELCOME TO OUR NEW GAMOTS**

**MORE DETAILS ON THE CAPTURE OF THE GERMAN COUP PARTICIPANTS**

Good news always seemed more real, after I read about it in the Quibbler. I had finished the Quibbler, as well as a cup of tea and a second scone, when the Daily Prophet owl landed in front of Hermione. It was late today, as if Frakes was unable to produce a twist to events that suited his purpose. Rather, I should say, that suited the purpose of Delores Umbridge. As Hermione unfolded the paper, I gave a quick glance and decided that the headlines weren't too bad.

**POTTER FOOLS THE VOTERS AGAIN**

**COMMENTS FROM THE REMAINING LOYAL (TO US) OPPOSITION – THE LONELY FIGHT CONTINUES**

**HOW POTTER AND VIKTOR USED THEIR WIVES AS BAIT – WHY SOME QUIDDITCH HEROES AREN'T SO BRAVE WHEN FACED WITH REAL DANGER**

"Looks like a feeble effort on Frakes part," I commented to Hermione as she had turned the page and begun to read the first article."

"Indeed," she replies. "He insinuates that I must have used a charm spell on the voters I visited, because "this arrogant Muggle-born certainly lacks the charm or appeal to come by votes honestly. What right-thinking Witch or Wizard would support her crackpot platform of treating lesser magical creatures as our supposed equals?' There's more of the same about your Mom and Harry.

I nibbled on bacon strips as Harry read the Quibbler and Hermione continued to plough through the Prophet. I was really enjoying the bacon and letting my mind drift onto thoughts of our nearly completed house and my graduation. I was about to cross other barriers into the realm of adult Witch-hood. I was startled as Hermione loudly exclaimed "what the …"

"What is it?" Harry was first to respond. "You should be used to the Prophet's taunts by now."

"The real news is a letter on the inside back page." She pointed, and I read the headline"

**A LETTER FROM DELORES UMBRIDGE TO US AND TO HER ENEMIES**

Since only one person at a time could read the small type, Hermione read aloud. As she read the title, the whole table fell silent and bottoms slid closer to us as Hermione continued with the body of the letter. "I congratulate my opponents on their many victories (?). Mrs. Weasley and that young Mudblood who married into her clan now hold seats in the Wizengamot – at least for as long as they live. Viktor's enemies have been vanquished and his throne is safe – for now. While you glory in your supposed success, please know that my little German venture was merely a distraction to occupy your attention, while I regrouped. I remain alive and fully committed to destroying the families of those who killed or betrayed my master, the Dark Lord. Know that I will mete out his revenge upon the Potters, Weasleys, and Malfoys. The Malfoy family tree will come to as abrupt an end as did the trees of Slytherin and Gaunt. I am patient and willing to labor in the shadows until my vengeance is complete. The Weasley/Potter party prevailed at this election, but you will soon know how bittersweet victory can be."

"Consider ourselves duly threatened," I told my husband. "The Prophet moved very quickly to include that letter in the short time after the election results were known."

"Yes, I think I'll have a word with Barnabas Cuffe," Harry responded. "Shacklebolt has assigned two aurors to guard Draco and his family, since they moved back to Malfoy Manor. I think I'll pop in at the Ministry and suggest that he add a third auror. Umbridge is crazy enough that the homesteaders on the Malfoy estate could also be in mortal peril.

"Reading that letter makes what I'm about to say sound silly and cavalier, but I had decided with the capture of Viktor's enemies that things might now be sufficiently safe for us to visit my godson Teddy. He's living with his grandmother Andromeda. I haven't felt that I could stop by, without bringing danger in my wake. Please think about it. I won't go if you think our visit will make Teddy a target for Umbridge. I do badly want to see him. I know it would have helped me to have Teddy's father be able to do his godfather duties when I was young. Not that I mean to suggest that life with Andromeda is like life with the Dursleys. Still, it couldn't hurt for Teddy to spend some time with people of more appropriate age to be his parents."

Before I could respond, Harry had risen, kissed my forehead, and headed back to Gryffindor and the Ministry.

I decided that I had earned a day off and would relax. Actually, I had a lot that was troubling me and needed to talk to Mom. I knew that she didn't have a class until after lunch, so I snagged her as she stopped talking to McGonagall at the head table. We headed for Mom's apartment. Mom knew that the end of my time at Hogwarts was rapidly approaching its conclusion and was as eager to take advantage of a chat opportunity as I was. Before taking a seat before the fully opened draperies of her sitting room, Mom seemed to hesitate, but then grabbed two wine glasses and the sherry decanter and took a seat beside me. "It's early, but I can use some relaxed mellowing," she confessed. "I sense something is bothering you, and I think it is the same thing that your Professor McGonagall and I were discussing. Has Umbridge's letter frightened you?"

I was startled that Mom had so thoroughly misjudged my feelings. "No, I'm confident that I can protect myself, and Harry. Her letter angered me more than anything. I was so happy about rescuing Cho, getting rid of the Schwein, and all of you winning election. Plus Harry and I had a very nice chat in bed about how pleased we both were that he was able to see his parents in Beyond World and return here without hesitation. Harry had feared that I would never trust him to visit that world, and was so relieved and happy when I took him with us. He says he was afraid that he would get frozen in place and embarrass both of us, when I had to stupefy him and haul him home, but that it was surprisingly easy for him to leave when it was time to go.

"We were in such a good place, then Umbridge rained on our joy. I had almost pushed her from my mind, but now I'm determined to kill her, personally. She is a vile being, and she'll always be an evil presence in the shadows, until we eliminate her. I thought badly of Ron for what he did in Diagon Alley, but I'd gladly do the same to Umbridge. I almost killed her once, and I have more reason to do so now. I know that's not proper thinking for a Light Guardian Priestess, but that's where my mind is. I am upset that just when I felt, after all the struggles we have been through and all the deaths, that we had finally reached normal and could just be happy, that Umbridge intruded herself into my thoughts. It's like I can't just have one truly happy and carefree day.

"I am a little frightened for my family and friends, especially the Malfoys. Harry feels the same way. He returned early to the Ministry to order up added security for Malfoy Manor. Shacklebolt already had two aurors in place. I know Dad is protected and you're safe at Hogwarts, at least as long as I am here. I know I'm rambling. You need to be at least as careful as I do. I worry about you. We both know that Umbridge can come and go here, almost as she pleases. McGonagall is no longer at the controls, although Neville may not have locked her out, and Narcissa is gone, but I fear that Umbridge can still enter Hogwarts if she wants to badly enough."

"It's understandable. I was shocked to see the letter in the paper. Minerva choked on her porridge. She's now sorry she didn't let Erin stay at Hogwarts. She fears the worst. I'll tell you what your father tells all of us – let the aurors protect the Malfoys and capture Delores Umbridge. That is their job and they are good at it. Harry and Kingsley have done a good job of vetting the aurors and improving their training. You should respect their abilities."

"I do, Mom, but the threat is directed at those I care about and I feel that I must do my part to protect them. Awful as it is to say, I really hate that woman, even more that I hated Voldemort. Umbridge was always much more personal to me than Voldemort was. At least Voldemort didn't have a sweet little smile and a pink bow, when he was being truly nasty."

"I don't mind your hatred. If anyone deserves to be hated and killed, it is Umbridge. Voldemort did very bad things in a rage. Umbridge can do equally bad things with perfect calm and a polite smile. That is more chilling. Just promise me that you'll do your part in preventing your brother from doing something stupid."

"I will, Mom.

I was still in a chatty mood. I went from Mom's apartment in search of Hermione. A quick link through the Stone directed my steps to her apartment, where she was continuing to compare the files and various lists of children. She put her papers aside to greet me at the bottom of her stairs and escort me into her sitting room.

"I overheard what Harry said to you. I'm guessing that you want to talk about visiting Teddy Lupin. I don't know what you want me to say, but I feel compelled to tell you that it is an awful idea. Teddy has not drawn attention from the baddies up to now. Andromeda is unlikely to be able to defend him if Umbridge and her associates come calling. I doubt it Umbridge even knows that Harry is the child's godfather. To visit now is to put the child at risk. You must convince Harry of that. Harry gets emotional cravings for family and they take him over. He now sees Teddy as family and wants a reunion and a chance to play Daddy. I think seeing his parents triggered this. In his mind, Harry knows that he still can't see Teddy. His heart is harder to control. This is going to be as big a battle as you had with him over BeyondWorld, but for Teddy's sake, you must win that battle. Tell Harry he can see Teddy after we capture or kill Umbridge."

"Yeah, that was the main thing I wanted to discuss. I think you're right. Harry will be a hard sell. I also realize I went a little crazy over wanting to play Quidditch."

"I think that's normal, given how much you like Quidditch and the on-off-on-off-on-off fiasco that the Tournament became. You were reconciled to not playing and then your Dad wanted you to play, so naturally you got all wrapped up in winning. You did well against Conrad Knodell."

"I did. I was surprised that Pansy turned out to be so helpful, and that she is no longer competing with Erin. She wasn't even the Slytherin who murdered Prometheus.

"I wanted to talk to you about Pansy and Cissy. I think we owe it to Cissy to give her an up-close look at the Snape device and to explain how impossible it would have been to revive her cat. I mean, we could hardly have followed it to Beyond World and talked it back home, even if we knew about the Stone, back then. I'd like to find out who did murder Prometheus and arrange a little payback for Cissy. That was a very mean trick to play on a young student, especially of your own House. It violates the whole principle of having Houses."

"Which I'm beginning to see as awfully useless. I agree with you about Cissy and the attack on her cat. What about Pansy?"

"I was thinking perhaps we should do what we can to help her get a Ministry job and fit back into our community. That's always assuming she doesn't prefer to stay in Germany."

"No disagreement on that, either. Do you want to double-check what I've done with these lists? I haven't found anything. I did have a quick chat with Pansy about the Parkinson whom we identified as a possible. She died. She was the older sister of Pansy's Dad. That leaves us with no names on our list. I'm liking your suggestions more and more."

I had a long chat with Harry that night. He was determined to visit Teddy. He said we could slip in, with Polyjuice disguise and apparating almost right up against Andromeda's house. The Elves could check for several days in advance to make certain the house was not being watched.

I told Harry I thought the plan to be very unwise, but would give it further thought. I asked him if he had made any progress with Dad in getting permission to question the Elves.

"I talked to both your father and Cotto. They thought it a very risky and questionably legal scheme that was certain to stir up trouble with the Great Families who still employed Elves. They thought it would lead to many out of work Elves and a needless political battle, which would cast us as imperious winners who were willing to scrap legal protections, now that we had won the Wizengamot election. Neither was convinced that we had enough evidence or even idea of what we were looking for to jeopardize the Elves.

"I spoke to Mrs. Longbottom about the legal side of things, and she thought the approach might run afoul of our own bill which freed the Elves. They all said that if we had significant evidence pointing to a particular Witch as Jaden's daughter, it would be possible to talk to that one Elf to provide final confirmation. That Elf's testimony would not be worth all that much before the Wizengamot. It would be viewed as inflammatory disclosure of private family matters by an Elf presumed incapable of disclosing family secrets. The opposition in the Wizengamot would vote against any prosecution on general principles if a family Elf testified. So, in any case, we need a lot of evidence. Do we have any?

"Hermione and I scoured the lists again this afternoon. We don't even have a name to pursue. We are at a complete dead end. This is an area where Dumbledore's files might have helped. Maybe his diaries could help. You know what parameters we're searching for. If you could re-skim the diaries with that in mind, perhaps you'll turn up a lead. I'd do it myself, if you gave me access to the diaries."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep them as my personal trove of secrets. Of course you and Hermione can read them. You can also look at the stored Dumbledore memories which we never got around to viewing. Things have just been so busy. I'm not always thinking straight. I think I stopped watching the memories, because McGonagall wanted so badly for me to quickly finish them. All that pushing just built up a resistance in me, even though it made no sense to resist. Before she started pushing, I really wanted to learn what Dumbledore had left to me."

"I understand, Harry. She can make any of us a little crazy."

"By the way, your Dad is happy that we won the election, but more than a little upset that McGonagall's education committee did not meet his deadline to submit recommendations and a report. She promises he'll have it very soon. Your father said 'the election is over. I don't really see the point.' McGonagall said the point was to improve the education of young Witches and Wizards, not to gain a political advantage."

"I'm not going to worry about her problems with Dad. I am past her being able to bother me. She's been friendlier this past month, in any case."

The next morning I saw two empty seats near Cissy and sat down on her left. "I have some news for you from our battle with the Durmstrang traitors. They were using the Snape device. I held it in my hand. It is a wooden box of the size you describe, with a crystal, silver wire and sand inside. It's at the Ministry now, but I'm sure Harry could arrange for you to take a look at it."

"Thank you. I was sorry to miss this adventure, but very anxious to learn what you learned from it. I'll go to the Ministry with you, whenever Harry can arrange it."

"There's more. We spoke to Pansy Parkinson. She seems to be a fairly normal person now. I think she's put her animosities behind her. She says she didn't murder Prometheus, but she saw smirking girls, whom she thinks are responsible. She didn't name them."

"I will send an owl to her right after breakfast. I must know their names. If one plans on taking on a prominent role in Wizarding society, it is vital to know your enemies."

"They aren't necessarily enemies. They may have viewed their actions as a school prank and have long since forgotten why they even did it."

"No. Murdering a pet goes beyond school pranks. You don't do that unless you really hate the pet's owner. I knew that a lot of Slytherins despised me. That is something that you can just feel. There were nights that I was afraid to fall asleep, from fear of what my enemies would do to me in my sleep. Prometheus was very smart for a cat. He protected me in my sleep. Other than my Anne, my governess, who father let go when I went to Hogwarts, Prometheus was the only friend I had in this world. I've been trying to find Anne, with little success. She was a Muggle, probably from The New Start Society, although I couldn't find her in the records. There are a lot of Anne Richards in Britain, and I haven't been able to spend enough time searching. Thank you for telling me about Pansy. I know how to deal with this."

That evening, Harry announced that we would be visiting Andromeda "I'll give the aurors a week to determine the house is safe. If there is no alarm, May 3rd will be the day. I've gotten a message to Andromeda and she has agreed to let us see baby Teddy."


	105. Chapter 105

**CHAPTER 105 – BEALTAINE**

The first of May is a special day for Witches, a day on which we honor our mothers for teaching us Witch lore and for generally supporting us as we grow into our maturity. British Muggles, if they honor the day at all, call it May Day, but we call it Bealtaine. It is a very special day for Weasley daughters, as the principal tradition brought with our family, when it crossed the sea from Eire. I didn't know as a youth, and tend to doubt that my parents realized, that this was the only piece of tradition retained by the Weasley Kings of Eire. My Light Guardian memories assured me that this was the case. They revealed other family traditions, as viewed from the outside by ancient Priestesses of Eire, which I would need to decide whether or not I wished to incorporate into my own new family. I knew enough to know that both as the daughter of a most exceptional Weasley mother and as the new leader of the Light Guardian faith, that I must not let this Bealtaine pass without suitable observance.

Typically, the daughters gather flowers and create garlands for their mothers. The whole family picnics around a flowering hawthorn tree, and as I knew from my ancient knowledge, would fashion a crude wand from the firmest, most succulent branch of this proud hawthorn. That was before the day of wands purchased in shops and these homemade wands, requiring at least a month of concerted effort to fashion, would be used in everyday life by the next-born of the family. A thousand years ago, this was the wand that would be the first gift from the family to the new born Witch or Wizard and the wand that, with a little personal adjustment upon approaching maturity, would be used for life. McGonagall hadn't told us this in her lecture, but this was the source of our deep attachment to our wands. They previously embodied the most intimate inheritance from our family, with the spirits of our mother, father, and older siblings incorporated within. If the family was fortunate enough to have the extended family living near at hand during Bealtaine, the lucky infant Witch's or Wizard's birth wand would be imprinted with a bit of the essence of aunts, uncles, and older cousins. These wands contained special sand fragments from the ancient circles of Eire, secure within their handles. I was determined that I would make such a hawthorn family wand for my first born. I would begin it today, with friends and family around me. The knowledge of how to do so had bubbled up in a dream I just remembered from last night. To finish the wand, we would have to complete our long-delayed return expedition to Castle Weasley, so that I could obtain the proper sand, but I would harvest the living wood of the wand this very day. I thought that I would combine the Eire sand with some of my best sand from Firenze's Yantra. McGonagall knew a lot about wands, but I must tell her that all wands were once hawthorn and that they were very much a family affair linked to this special day.

Since Hermione and I were with our mothers on Bealtaine, for the first time since we were very young, we each determined to honor as many of the ancient and current Weasley family customs as we possibly could. I had enjoyed Bealtaine prior to coming to Hogwarts, but this would be a first time for Hermione. For me, it was a further reconnection with Mom, while for Hermione it was her first participation in Weasley family ritual, since her wedding to my brother. Hermione also saw this as a more intimate personal welcoming of her mother into the magical world. Normally it would be mother inducting daughter, but for the Grangers, the process would be reversed.

Happily, McGonagall had persuaded Neville to assign Hermione, Luna, and me to plan and oversee the Hogwarts Bealtaine celebration. Although we were all extremely busy, none of us failed to see the significance of this honor, and none of us would think of shirking our responsibility. This would be the first Bealtaine celebration at Hogwarts in a century, and the first in many centuries to be presided over by Light Guardian Priestesses. Both Victoria and Mafalda would arrive at noon, to provide a sense of continuity. Both had celebrated several Bealtaines as Hogwarts students. We would have a May pole in the afternoon and a bonfire at night. McGonagall had initially argued against the bonfire idea, but eventually relenting, admitted "the last bonfire ended reasonably well, and I only had complaints from a handful of parents. Even those should be used to the bonfire idea by now."

We would honor an official Hogwarts hawthorn. Luna had spotted a suitable hawthorn days earlier. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be in glorious bloom today, but it was showing some buds. Luna, Hermione, and I had identified our own hawthorns, remote from the portions of the Hogwarts grounds frequented by our classmates, at which we would conduct our separate ceremonies prior to lunch. It was not that I wished to deny the full flavor of Bealtaine to my classmates, but the flower garlands and family wand creation would be limited to our circle. The other students were separated from their families, and sharing this intimate a family event would simply remind them of that separation. A month from the end of school, many students were thinking about summer and consequently experiencing a renewed sense of homesickness, particularly those with siblings below Hogwarts age.

Hermione and I had to search deep into our ancient knowledge and apply a lot of logic in determining how to adapt the Weasley Eire Bealtaine to Hogwarts. Eire is a lot warmer than highland Scotland. The ancient Weasley traditions were not planned around the Gregorian calendar. The hawthorn doesn't bloom on Bealtaine at Hogwarts. In fact, it likely wouldn't bloom until June. Some legends said that cutting a hawthorn when not in bloom was a disastrous bringer of bad luck. Other legend said flowering or not, Bealtaine was the day to cut your wand. Old calendar or new? Discussions with Mafalda confirmed what our more recent priestess knowledge and Neville's girlfriend had told us: modern religious Witches used the modern calendar to schedule the ancient holiday observances. This was certainly convenient, but did it show proper reverence to the hawthorn to cut a wand when it was not in flower. Even in Eire and on the old calendar, a particularly cold Spring would leave Witches with only non-flowering hawthorns at Bealtaine. They compromised by cutting wands but not using cut branches for decoration. Wands were a necessity, decorations were not. They decided that the hawthorn would understand. Hermione and I accepted this approach.

We set off after breakfast in search of flowers. It was still a cool Spring, with few flowers in this part of Scotland. We could travel to the warmer coastal Edinburgh area, but preferred to use what was at Hogwarts. That seemed most appropriate, since our new homes were right next door to Hogwarts. In a pinch, one could use pine cones and tree greens to make a wreath, but this lacked the life-affirming quality of a garland of fresh flowers. I hadn't seen Luna at breakfast and asked my brother if his wife would like to accompany us on our quest for flowers.

"I'm sure she'd love to," George responded. "She really digs that sort of thing and is not above giving a garland to her father. But I thought you knew - she left last night. Draco came to fetch her back to Malfoy Manor to tend to a colicky baby. Even if Luna returns soon, I'm sure that she'll be far too tired to go flower hunting."

We said goodbye to George and headed out of the castle. As we roamed the grounds and even trudged through the Forbidden Forest, I realized that flowers do not appear as early in the season in highland Scotland as they do in central England. We found little beyond a single primrose, some snowdrops, and winter aconite. As we were returning to the castle with our meager haul, I caught sight of the greenhouses and pulled Hermione in their direction. "Neville won't mind," I told her. "He wants his plants to be used."

I could tell from a distance that there was no first period class in either greenhouse. As we drew closer, I could see Neville at work in the nearest greenhouse and thought perhaps he would prefer our asking his permission before plundering his treasures.

Neville looked up as he heard the greenhouse door snick open, smiling and waving to us to join him. I saw that he was working amidst the pots of flowering plants and had picked a collection of daylilies, long-stemmed yellow roses, and intricately patterned pansies. "I'm making a garland arrangement for my Mum and Gran for May Day," Neville informed us. "I always used to take a garland to my Mum at St. Mungo's. Dumbledore would apparate me from Hogwarts for the purpose. It was a little secret ceremony that he and I shared. He lamented that he hadn't been able to do this for his own mother and saw his service to me as make up. This year, I'll be able to deliver her flowers to her office at the Ministry. I never dared to dream that I would see that day. Or that I would have a special Witch of my own to deliver flowers to. I've been to her parents' house, so I can apparate there. But flowers to Mum is a long tradition with me. Some years she actually smiled at the sight."

"How strange," Hermione replied, "we've been scouring the forest and grounds to find ingredients for garlands for our mothers. This is the first May Day we've been in the same spot that they've been in. It seemed appropriate to honor them and the tradition, this being our first season as priestesses. This is all we've been able to find. They'll make very small garlands, I'm afraid."

"Yes, flowers are scarce on the ground at the start of a Scottish May," Neville replied. "I'm guessing you've come to ask permission to plunder my little treasures."

"Actually," I confessed, we just came to plunder them, but then I saw you and thought it best to ask permission. Could we use some of your daylilies?"

"Yes. These over here are my own creations and I'd be proud if you chose to use them. In the greenhouse, they bloom way out of season. This cream one here, with the bold purple eye and edge is called Newfoundland Pirate. I think it goes very well with this crisp looking bright yellow with the sculpted form, which I call Earlybird Butter Sculpture. Grans' friend in the New World is going to sell these for me. Gran is getting older and needs my help with the rent, so this beauty is going to be a big help. Take what you need - I've gathered all that I can use. These should go very well with your aconites and snowdrops. Just please watch that you don't remove any of the unbloomed buds or seedpods. That is Grans' retirement that you're looking at."

We thanked Neville and carefully picked a half dozen blooms each, carrying our booty back to the Gryffindor common room. The younger students were very interested as we spread the flowers on the long table before the sofa and set about stitching them together. Even with the need to explain Bealtaine to the assembled inquiring minds, we finished in time to seek out our mothers.

I finally found Mom in the library. She was surprised, and trying very hard to not let me see how choked up she had gotten at the sight of me and the garland. I placed the garland around her neck and carefully hugged her in a way that wouldn't crush the flowers. She told me that the garland was beautiful and that she really appreciated the gesture, but what had gotten her was a flashback to the last Bealtaine before her little girl had gone off to Hogwarts.

"I'm very glad that the two of us are together for this one," she told me. "Please stop by the apartment after lunch and we can drink some sherry and reminisce. I've even added some proper glasses, since the last time that you visited the apartment. I think you'll agree that it is much homier now. Where did you get these lovely flowers?"

"Neville let me steal them. They are his own creations. We've picked out a hawthorn for a family celebration and to cut the living wood for the wand of our first born." Mom gave me such a look that I hastened to add, "No, not yet, I have no idea when, but we all thought it would be a nice idea to cut the wand during our first and last Bealtaine at Hogwarts. We're doing it right before lunch. Harry and I would appreciate it if you would join us. The Hawthorn is near where our home is being built, next to the Elf sanctuary, perhaps even slightly inside the Elf sanctuary. Ron and Hermione will be there, also."

"Of course I'll be there. I'll try to contact your father.

"Neville is a very accomplished young Wizard," Mom added, giving me a kiss on my forehead as she told me that she had to be off for her first class. I walked with her to the door of her classroom and felt inordinately pleased that she was still wearing my garland as she walked toward the front of the room.

Before I re-found Hermione, I ran into Draco, Erin and Luna. Draco was carrying a baby wrapped in a blanket. They all looked a little weary. "Baby Erin is feeling much better," Draco told me. "She is the continuation of the Malfoy line, which puts her in some little danger from Umbridge and any remaining Death Eaters. That's why I'm here. When Luna received your Stone message about the Bealtaine celebration, Erin and I decided that this was something that we definitely wanted to do for little Erin. At about a month of age, this should be a very special day for her. I like the idea of making a garland for her."

As Draco showed the larger version of baby Erin to Hermione, Hermione suggested that we should gather up Ron and Harry and head off for the hawthorn celebration. This required my explanation that Dad might want to participate and that Mom was still in class. Luna said she was tired, but still planning to participate and that her father would be along shortly. She still wanted to hastily throw together a garland for him and knew she'd have to root George out of his shop in Hogsmeade. All of this back and forth produced a confused look from Draco and the necessity of a full explanation of the hawthorn and wand celebration. Draco said he had never before encountered this form of Bealtaine celebration and that his parents had not observed the holiday, but that as a new father, he was determined to participate. "This sounds like a great way to celebrate our new family."

By the time we set off for the Elf Sanctuary, Victoria had arrived at Hogwarts and announced her intention to join us. This was fine. I enjoyed Victoria's presence and acknowledged her desire to witness a ceremony marking the continuation of the Malfoy line. "It will be the first truly authentic magical celebration in our family, since my early childhood," she enthused. McGonagall also invited herself along. I was less thrilled with that addition. Neville also joined us, having returned to the school with Ostara. I was mildly amused that Neville and Ostara wanted to make a wand to their future first-born. Neville was moving fast. I shared Hermione's concern that big Erin didn't seem strong enough to join us, but even as she half supported herself by leaning against Draco, she announced her determination to join us. Mafalda arrived just as we were walking away from McGonagall's gargoyle, and was anxious to participate in our expedition.

We all walked to the Gryffindor landing and then Hermione apparated us to the Sanctuary. Although Harry and I were rapidly gaining skill, Hermione was still the best apparator in our circle. She even outstripped McGonagall. We made a perfect landing, barely two inches above the ground. It was fitting that Cobbo, Baal, and former King Goblanze were there to meet us.

Since Erin was looking increasingly tired, I announced that finding a hawthorn for the Malfoy family should be the first order of business. Victoria corrected me. "You all seem to be friends, so you should use the same hawthorn. That way, there will be an extra linkage between all the wands you cut today, and your first borns and little Erin will be linked and likely continue your friendships into the next generation."

I looked around and saw that most of the others seemed to accept the wisdom of Victoria's suggestion. I wasn't quite so sure that I wanted my first born to be linked to a Malfoy child, let alone a child whose actual father I knew to be Silas. I made a mental apology for holding onto a grudge and extending it to an innocent child. We would all use the same hawthorn.

Mafalda and Victoria joined hands with us and led the whole group in a dance around the hawthorn. First Victoria, then Mafalda, Luna, Hermione, and I said a spell to bless and honor the hawthorn. Since the hawthorn was on Elf land, Cotto also insisted upon blessing it. Everyone laid their hands upon the hawthorn as I gave it a final Light Guardian Priestess blessing and asked its permission to remove a number of its limbs for the production of wands to link our offspring. After a moment of silence, Harry, followed by Ron, George, Draco, and, to my surprise, Neville, cut limbs from the tree, using silent spells, but pointing their wands. We placed the limbs in a row then, joining hands, we all danced around them, each of us bending to touch our fingers to each of the limbs. Cotto said a blessing. I was able to translate the words, but didn't recognize the particular blessing, although it seemed to express very positive thoughts for all of us, calling on Elvish magic to protect all of us and our first offspring.

I told the group that we needed to carve the wands from the live wood within the day and then carefully dry them for a month. I assured everyone that I expected to have the special sand for the handles by the time the wands had dried. "It will be special sand from Eire," I declared. "I know that it is to be found within the ruins of Castle Weasley. I believe that we must fashion the handles from special stones. I will think on that."

As big Erin commented, "that was beautiful. Now our families are joined into the next generation and little Erin will not lack for protectors." I smiled, feeling even more warmly toward Erin.

Victoria led us through one final step in the ceremony. She directed Erin to lay baby Erin's right hand upon the limb from which her wand had be cut. She said a brief incantation, and then directed us to lay the fat ends of the limbs together, so that Erin could lay her baby cross-wise, such that a part of her little body touched a part of each limb. Victoria said another incantation, which I recognized as the ceremony for friendly and familial bonding to an infant. She then proceeded to bless the mother and bless the child, using a very old incantation, which I recognized from my Light Guardian knowledge. In fact, I recognized it sufficiently well to realize that it normally ended with a blessing of the father. So, Victoria knew little Erin's secret, but still welcomed her as part of the Malfoy family.

Mafalda declared that with the conclusion of our ceremony, it was well past time to return both Erins to their beds.

The rest of the day's festivities did not include the Malfoys. Mom and Dad seemed pleased that their children had picked up this ancient family tradition. I sensed that Dad had known about it, but Mom had not. Dad had brought a hand-made garland for Mom. It was really very romantic, or as romantic as parents of seven grown children can be.

I believe it was a most successful Bealtaine. I was feeling more comfortable in the role of Light Guardian Priestess, although the appellation Mother of the Future would never pass my lips in public. We all danced around the May Pole and leapt the bonfire. Mafalda and Victoria taught the students the proper steps, with Hermione and me providing instruction in an even older dance, which was not known to the ancient Witches. In deference to McGonagall and her handful of complaining parents, all of the dancers were fully clothed, although Mafalda offered a half-hearted complaint that the dances had been neutered.

Xenophilius snapped a few pictures for The Quibbler. All the students appeared both happy and tired as they were excused to their beds as the last flames of the bonfire died to embers. We had built this fire beside the lake, but the Centaurs and Unicorns decided to participate, anyway. The evening had ended with a beautiful chorus of Mer-song.

The next morning's Daily Prophet brought a headline which I had been expecting. It was a goad to me to work harder on my joint project with Hermione:

**Miles Bletchley Asks: What Have They Done With Headmaster Slughorn?**

The story told of, I kid you not, 'the forces of Weasley-Potter storming onto the campus of the new Wizarding Academy bearing Professor Slughorn's own name, and arresting him. A week has passed. No charges have been filed, but nothing has been heard of the learned headmaster. If this is how the Weasley-Potters treat their friends, what can the rest of us expect?"

That would certainly light a fire under Dad. I expected all of the objections to viewing St. Mungo's records to vanish as if they never existed. That didn't happen. Instead, I received a lecture from Dad on the importance of standing by our principles. Strangely, although I updated Dad on the progress of our investigation, telling him that we had nothing but dead ends at the moment and no particular path forward, the four of us also got a lecture from Dad on the importance of moving faster in our investigation of Jaden's daughter.

Dad was not amused by Hermione's plea: "We've run out of things to check. Would you like us to rifle through the Hogwarts infirmary files?"

"I doubt they keep files that old at Hogwarts," Dad replied. "I doubt further that you could find them. Do you think you could look at them, without getting caught?"

In the most principled way possible, Dad.

At dinner, we had Professor McGonagall to contend with, giving us an accusatory look and lamenting, "Poor Horace, he won't fare well in jail. I'm sure you realize how harmless the old fool is."

Harry replied, "Can't respond in detail, but he's not nearly as harmless as any of us supposed. I doubt you knew all his little secrets, either. I'm sure he'll be charged soon."

Treason and kidnapping charges, without a lot of specifics, were filed the next day. Mrs. Longbottom did have to specify that is was Jaden Caulfield who had been kidnapped. The game was truly afoot and I realized that we would have to move much faster. The problem was that I had no idea in which direction to run.

McGonagall was piercing me with her 'why won't you tell me what I want to know' look all through lunch that day. I finally gave the four word answer "State secret, see Dad."


	106. Chapter 106

l

**Chapter 106 - Teddy**

Just after breakfast on the third, Bill apparated to Hogwarts to inform Harry that Andromeda's house remained safe and un-surveilled. The four of us and Ellen were apparated to Andromeda's sitting room. This seemed a safer approach than drinking the Juice and walking as a pair of upper-middle-aged Muggles to Andromeda's door. The windows were covered and we arrived to a fairly dim sitting room, with quite old furniture.

"The baby's sleeping," Andromeda informed us. "I don't get a lot of visitors. Why don't we just sit and chat until little Teddy wakes up. That should be within the hour. Would you like some tea or sherry, while we talk?"

"Tea would be very nice," Harry answered.

As Andromeda fetched tea and plates of cakes and biscuits, I settled in for a long stay. I could recognize the signs of a lonely older Witch, eager for a visit.

"It's been good to have your aurors watching the house," Andromeda told them. "I've been fearful ever since Tonks and Lupin died, and I was left to care for Teddy. The Death Eaters are awful. They believe in taking their vengeance upon the next generation, up and down, in addition to the particular person who offended them. Tonks and Lupin strongly offended them. I'm very proud of my daughter's courage and am trying to be just as brave.

"I've read about all the Death Eaters whom you've caught or killed. Each one down makes me feel just a little bit safer for my Teddy. But I won't rest easy until Umbridge is caught. That one scares me. She has the same fanaticism as my sister Bellatrix."

"It must be awful to grow up in a household where you are disowned for being so normal, while the insane Bellatrix is the favorite child," Hermione sympathized. "I imagine Bellatrix was rough on you and that your mother egged her on."

"Yes, Bella was crazy, even way back then. She was not the favorite, however. She was too much like Mother, and my mother did not enjoy seeing all her flaws reflected back at her, magnified. No, I was the black sheep, but the favorite was Narcissa. She was the favored child.

"Things didn't turn truly nasty for me at home, until Narcissa became ill – spattergroit. She nearly died. She was at St. Mungo's for a week. Of course, my mother blamed me. I had played with neighbor kids who were mixed blood. Mother was sure that's where the disease came from. She thought that the Muggle-born and mixed-bloods were huge pools of disease and degeneracy. She forbade us to associate with such children, but this time, I was tempted by an interesting game which the girls were playing and I disobeyed mother. In truth, she didn't want us playing with other children, even Pure Bloods. She was terrified of illnesses and thought most of them were spread by small children. Her mother had died of the coughing illness. Of course, I never got it, spattergroit, but that didn't convince mother. The only good thing to come out of it was that Narcissa was far nicer to me when she returned home. She was very weak, but she was my friend, rather than the enemy she had been.

"She paid a price for treating me well. She had looked up to Bella, as the oldest sister, and they had been very friendly before Bella went off to Hogwarts. When she returned home that summer and saw Narcissa treating me well, she would have nothing to do with her. Said she didn't want to associate with the plague-infested. Narcissa did still have some red blotches, but it was being friendly with me that drove Bella away from her. Bella was also three years older and seeing herself as a very important Hogwarts person."

"How old was Narcissa at the time?" Harry probed.

"She had just turned nine. I was six at the time. We were best of friends after that. She showed me the magic that she could do."

"Nine is a little early for magic, other than the super-wild kind," Harry observed. "Could she really perform controlled magic, without a wand? How long had she been doing that?"

"Yes, she could. Not difficult magic, surely, but simple tricks – moving cards and coins around at a distance or making bangs to scare the cat. How long had she been doing it? I think the stress of her illness and having to spend so much time alone triggered it. Prior to that, I would hear Mother and Father worrying that Narcissa wasn't magical. My sister Bella apparently did wild magic from the age of seven, so that was the family standard. My magic didn't appear until I was eight, and it was very crude."

"That's most interesting," Hermione told her. "Your sister was lucky. She is one of the few who ever fully recover from spattergroit."

"Yes, our family was lucky, in that regard. Over the next year, Narcissa got stronger and stronger. She was able to start Hogwarts on time. Mom sent her off to school with a potion, which kept the red blotches from appearing. She had a good year at Hogwarts. She was ever so bright. She never forgave her sister for shunning her. She avoided Bella completely at Hogwarts. She proudly told me that she even sat at the far end of the table from her. If she thought she was spiting Bella, I don't think she was successful. To Bella, she was an embarrassing first-year relation, who might have a relapse and turn all pink spots unexpectedly. Bella was quite content to avoid Narcissa.

"I was at Hogwarts as a first-year, when Bella was a seventh year. She made me swear, on pain of being turned into a toad, to tell nobody that I was her younger sister. She described me as some distant cousin, from the bad, poor side of the family. It was awful, but I only had to live through that for one year. Narcissa had four."

"I know that Narcissa's time at Hogwarts did not end well, but have never understood how the result of that was being forced to marry Lucius," Harry seemed to me to be rudely treading into difficult territory, but the chatty Andromeda seemed not to mind.

"Yes. Mother found a note from Professor McGonagall. There was a huge scene. Mother screamed, 'I have tried to protect you, but you have thrown your life away. Your father will not stand for such a thing. If he finds out, you might consider yourself lucky if he merely kills you. You must keep this absolutely secret.' I had thought violence more likely to come from mother than from Dad. Dad was not the fearsome presence in that household.

"Anyhow, after all that talk of secrecy, she told Dad that night. He took the news better than mother did, which is exactly what I would have expected. As to her marriage to Lucius Malfoy, that was also a surprise. Mother just announced one day that Lucius was willing to marry her and that she had best say yes, lest old secrets come pouring out.

"I think she was afraid that Professor McGonagall would come chasing after my sister, if she weren't safely married off. Both my parents leaned hard on Narcissa. She finally agreed. I could tell she wasn't happy. She considered it punishment for her brief time with McGonagall. Really, she agreed to the marriage only after mother swore that she would 'utterly destroy McGonagall – first her reputation and then body and soul' if Narcissa didn't promptly agree to marry Lucius that Narcissa finally gave in to her fate. She had met Lucius. She certainly didn't like him. He was attractive enough, if older than Narcissa, but even back then, he couldn't contain the nastiness for more than fifteen minutes. He didn't hide his contempt for our family. He told my father that he couldn't understand how father had allowed our family to fall so far, so fast."

"I'd have expected Narcissa to rebel and leave home…," Hermione began, but then we heard the baby crying from an upstairs room and Andromeda flew up the stairs to comfort him. She appeared a few minutes later, bouncing the now silent baby in her arms.

"Here's your godfather," she whispered to little Teddy, as she handed him to Harry.

"Hello, Teddy," Harry cooed at the child. "I'm going to keep you safe and I'm going to be a big part of your life. I know how important a godfather can be, when your own father has been killed. Your father Lupin was my friend. So was your mother Tonks. I confess that I think I'm better with somewhat older children. I promise that I do just fine with Hogwarts first years."

"He's a lovely child," Andromeda cooed. "He reminds me so much of Nymphadora at this age. The same beautiful smile and peaceful disposition. He's all I have left, now. Life has been lonely without Ted and Nymphadora. Still, I made by far the best marriage of my family. I enjoyed every second I spent with Ted. Leaving my family behind was no sacrifice at all. I was glad to be rid of that nasty lot. I liked Narcissa for part of our time growing up together, but then she made that awful marriage and fell in with Bella's Death Eater crowd. I never saw her after my marriage. Nobody in my family attended. I thought Dad would, but I guess he couldn't face mother's fury. He wasn't the bravest of Wizards and she was a right harpy."

After not a very long time, in which he introduced Teddy to all of us, Harry handed the child back to his grandmother. She placed him on the floor and he began to crawl around and examine our legs. He was a cute little guy. As we ate biscuits and watched Teddy play, Harry broached THE TOPIC to Andromeda.

"This is very awkward, but what you've told us about Narcissa suggests a very significant issue. There is really no easy way to say this, and what I'm thinking may turn out to be wrong. I believe… I think we all believe… that your sister Narcissa did die of spattergroit. We think another child was substituted for the Narcissa you had known. Since you were only six at the time, and the illness caused a long period when you barely saw Narcissa, I think your parents were able to fool you."

"It will probably seem strange to hear me say this, but I am not totally surprised by what you just said. I had noticed a change in Narcissa, but it was a change that I favored, so I wrote it off to the effects of the illness. Why would my parents substitute another child? They had two other daughters, and they, well Mother in particular, didn't greatly enjoy parenting."

"We think they were strongly encouraged by Voldemort to accept the replacement for your Narcissa. Voldemort had been waiting for such an opportunity. He had a secret child by his Hogwarts girlfriend. He kept the girlfriend prisoner for the rest of her life, but he wanted to sneak his daughter back into Wizarding society."

"So Draco is Voldemort's grandson. That would explain Narcissa's marriage. Voldemort must have insisted upon it to insert her into the Malfoy family. That would put a small fortune at his disposal. The Blacks still had money put aside, but it was nothing compared to the Malfoy riches. The Malfoys also had influence with the Minister of Magic. I can see a fair amount of Voldemort in Draco. Even in Narcissa, although she is not nearly as dark in her magic or disposition."

"No, apparently her mother was a very good person, who got trapped in the wrong schoolgirl crush. Once in, Voldemort would not let her escape. I think what I've just told you is true, but I'm not certain. We need to investigate confidential health records, which we cannot do without some evidence to justify it. Your memories can be that evidence. It would really help if you wrote down an account of what you just told us and signed it. That would allow us to continue looking for evidence. You won't put the Narcissa, whom you know, in any greater danger. Umbridge is already searching for Voldemort's child and, with the certainty about Narcissa's true identity, we will be able to justify auror protection for her, once she gets out of jail, at least. You won't be putting her in any more legal trouble. She's already in jail for a crime she committed. It isn't a crime to be Voldemort's daughter. I don't even think she is aware of her true paternity."

"I understand," Andromeda told Harry. "You think Narcissa murdered Lucius, don't you? I can actually believe that. I never liked Lucius. He didn't allow Narcissa to visit me. I would like to see this Witch, whom I thought was my sister. We were closer than I was with my real sister. Yes, I'll write what you want me to write. My family's dark secrets should not remain secret. It is strange that I should be the one to reveal them. I've not really been a part of the family since I left Hogwarts."

Andromeda wrote out and signed the account. She handed it to Harry and looked straight into his eyes as she asked him "Did you really come to see Teddy, or has this whole visit been about my sister?"

"I came to see Teddy. I've wanted to see him, since I killed Voldemort. It's just never seemed safe and I didn't want to put Teddy or you in any danger. It is true that we have been searching for Voldemort's daughter, but we had no inkling that Narcissa was that daughter. Your story made it obvious that she is. If Teddy had not been asleep when we arrived and we hadn't chatted with you, I would have happily left your home, without ever suspecting your family's secret. I am very glad to have seen Teddy and, when Umbridge is caught, I promise that I will be a big part of his life. I grew up without parents. I know how hard that is for a child. I only got to spend a couple years with my godfather, but that was a very important and happy relationship for me. I know I would have grown up a lot happier, had Sirius been in my life, at least for all my Hogwarts years."

"I believe you," Andromeda told him. "You are welcome to visit your godson, whenever you believe it is safe. I'm glad to have that particular family secret explained to me. Now, please go back to the Ministry and arrange for me to visit Narcissa. Draco must be told the truth. I think you and Narcissa should tell him together."

"I'll make the arrangements, Harry promised. "There's another thing. If word of your statement gets out, you and Teddy will be in greater danger. I'd like you to move, at least until we can catch Umbridge. Our house outside Hogwarts isn't finished yet and I doubt you'd like Grimmauld Place, but I have a secret hideaway in the Muggle world, which I'd like you and Teddy to move into. I can check up on you there. Nobody, outside the few of us, know where that house is."

"We'll go, but only until you find Umbridge," Andromeda agreed. "I won't be driven from my old home."

"I'd like to have a Polyjuiced auror stay here, while you're at my house," Harry told her. "I know it's an intrusion into your property and things, but I think it will help us to catch some of the remaining baddies."

"Of course you should do that. That will make me feel safer for Teddy."

This whole exchange caught me by surprise. It certainly made sense to stash Andromeda and Teddy at our Muggle hide-away. I didn't object. How could any Witch with even half a heart possibly object? I just hadn't expected Harry to make the proposal. I thought he might at least have whispered me first.

We went straight to Dad's office. Harry asked Penelope to send his Directors after us. Prudence could tell by the determined looks on our faces that the proper course of action was to send us right in. Dad looked up and commented "I can tell that you came here to tell me something important."

"We believe we've found Voldemort's daughter," Harry told him, passing Andromeda's statement across the table.

Dad read intently, getting increasingly excited. "Narcissa Malfoy! That makes sense. The Malfoys and the Blacks didn't get along all that well, but the Malfoys are certainly the sort of family Voldemort would want to marry his daughter into. It also explains why Voldemort took such a personal interest in Draco. The grandson of Voldemort. I suppose you will have to tell him. This may surprise you, but I think you should speak to Professor McGonagall first. This certainly puts an odd wrap on her Malfoy project. This is excellent work, by the way. I know I pushed you hard, but I didn't expect results this quickly. I think Barb can hang closer to Narcissa at Gringotts. If word leaks out, I don't know if the opposition will murder her or declare her their leader. Not that she wasn't necessarily partly their leader, anyway. I'm very pleased. We've beaten Umbridge to the target."

Dad inexplicably got up and hugged everyone and patted them on the back. He then dispatched Barb to Gringotts and the rest of us back to Hogwarts. Harry's Directors arrived just as we had been dismissed. We settled back as Harry went through the explanation a second time. Shacklebolt said he would keep the two aurors who had been watching Andromeda's house in place, for the time being. Mrs. Longbottom said that we could certainly have a warrant to examine the pertinent files at St. Mungo's.

Harry took the good moment to ask Dad's permission to show the Snape device to Cissy. Dad initially said "Whatever for?" but then relented and agreed that there was no harm in doing so. Harry said he'd bring her to the Ministry on the morrow.

Back at Hogwarts, we rounded up both Neville and McGonagall. We met in Neville's office. It was clear that McGonagall felt a little uncomfortable with meetings in this office, when the office belonged to someone other than herself. Still, she was so interested in what we might say that she semi-relaxed in her chair and prodded Harry, "Are you finally going to tell me what you've been up to and why you've arrested Professor Slughorn?"

Harry told the tale, ending with the issue of what was the best way of revealing this information to Draco.

"I think we should tell him together and then take him to visit his mother," McGonagall concluded, when Harry finished. "But we must see Narcissa first. I doubt she knows anything about this. She should also be introduced to her mother. I guess to both versions of her mother.

"The Voldemort thing will be a shock. The two mothers, both younger than her, will be a bigger shock. We should take Andromeda with us when we visit Narcissa. I'd also like to see Professor Slughorn. I think he bumbled into this, rather than being evil. He is not a kidnapper. He wouldn't harm a child."

"Except we know that he did," Harry told her.

"It is important to move quickly," McGonagall urged. "First we should see Professor Slughorn. I think just Potter and me."

"All of us," Harry corrected. "And Cissy. I want all of my truth tellers, when we meet Slughorn."

"I'll warn you that Cissy is a mistake, but this is your party, and I realize that I have little influence over what you do."

We collected Cissy and prepared to depart. Bill went on ahead to alert the aurors at Gringotts that we were coming to visit. We had to wait for Bill to return. In the interim, we got to listen to Cissy's "Great news! I've learned the identity of the students who murdered Prometheus. It was Daphne Greengrass and Angela Harper. I received a note from Pansy, identifying them as the culprits. Now I know they are my sworn enemies and their asses are mine. They will be sorry for murdering Prometheus."

"I take it Prometheus was your pet," McGonagall interjected. "Seeking vengeance against older Witches is seldom wise and, in the case of Angela, I would say extremely foolhardy. It is sometimes best to let these slights slide, Miss Montaigne. You don't want to develop a reputation as a vengeance seeker. Blood thirstiness is unbecoming in a young Witch."

"It was not a slight. It was the senseless killing of my only friend in Slytherin House. The friend who protected me while I slept. It was a direct attack against me. I was to be intimidated, because my family would not support their Lord Voldemort. Don't worry about me. I've learned far more magic than you realize. Harry and Ginny are excellent teachers."

McGonagall shot me a look which said 'now look at what you've created' far more eloquently than mere words could convey. Fortunately Cissy missed the look. I had to admit, she hopped and skipped ahead of us to our Common Room, with what I thought of as her happy dance. Whether it was joy at being allowed in on the full mystery of Voldemort's progeny or the anticipation of getting her revenge, I couldn't say. She was a complicated child.

Bill and Ellen rode the carts with us, down to Slughorn's jail cell. He looked like a sad, broken, old man, whose boredom made our visit a pleasant occasion. "Aha, Professor McGonagall. I was wondering if you would come to visit me in my time of sorrow. I only barely remember what I am said to have done. I realize that my actions prevented that poor girl from escaping Riddle, but I did not intend to kidnap her. I tried to spare Tom the pain of losing his only love and got dragged into events by him."

"I'm glad you've been exploring your memories," I told him. I wanted to disrupt the pity party he seemed determined to hold with McGonagall. "Do you remember capturing Jaden, after she escaped to the Chapman's getaway cottage? You stunned her and turned her over to Riddle. That was after Riddle had tortured and murdered her family. She fought her way free of him, but you caught her."

"It wasn't as bad as that. I certainly didn't know Tom would murder her family. He told me that Jaden was desperate, on the run, and making awful decisions. He said she might turn up at this particular cottage in Wales and that if she did, I should meet her and persuade her to stay, until Tom joined us. He said that we needed to help her, before she harmed herself or his child. I went to the cottage. Jaden arrived, but she was already stunned. I watched her for over a day, trying to revive her. I had no success. I went to Tom for help. If I had done nothing, she would have died.

"Tom quickly reversed the spell which had petrified her. He apparated the two of us to a stone cellar. I had no choice but to help him weave the spells to immobilize Jaden. He couldn't do it himself and he told me that he'd kill the two of us, if I didn't help. I helped keep Jaden alive, by doing what he wanted me to do."

"He's lying!" Cissy declared. Hermione and I agreed.

"We can enter your mind and see the truth for ourselves," Hermione reminded him. "Why don't you just tell us the truth?"

"I've hidden what I've done all these years, most of all from myself. Yes, I wanted Tom to have Jaden's baby. It was the future of Slytherin House. But, I also wanted to save Jaden. I was afraid of Tom. I couldn't stop him. He would have ruined me, if I didn't do as he asked. I willingly helped to constrain Jaden, but Tom promised me that he would allow her to live after he had the child. The child had to live. It was the end product of all my planning. The blending of the best traits of Slytherin House with the best that Ravenclaw had produced in at least a decade. A rebirth for a Great Family. I didn't do this for myself. What could I do when Tom didn't release Jaden? I had no idea where the cellar was. I tried to apparate there to check on Jaden, but it was too strongly magicked. I couldn't afford to go to the Ministry. If I said what I knew, surely Tom would slaughter my Jaden."

We made Slughorn slowly explain the whole sordid tale, including how he had helped and groomed Tom Riddle from the start of his second year. He added some bits that we hadn't heard before. Jaden became pregnant because Slughorn adulterated her anti-birth potion, while leaning over the table to praise her work.

"I had to do it. Strains were showing in their relationship, and I might have been approaching the end of the road in producing my savior of Slytherin."

He had sung praises of Tom to Jaden, made sure they sat next to each other at his dinner club, told Tom of her likes and dislikes, encouraged her to take a chance on Tom, saying he just needed the influence of a Witch exactly like herself to rise to great things and be spared a useless life. Since Jaden liked Slughorn and confided in him, the advice he gave to Tom made Tom seem far more of a kindred spirit than he was. Tom knew what to praise about her to alleviate her self-doubts. He knew to liberally sprinkle his egomaniacal thoughts with an expression of a deep desire to selflessly serve his community. He knew that he must feign a certain vulnerability, and allow her to lead him enough to convince her that she was changing him for the better. Thus did evil win over good.

"Have you heard enough?" I asked McGonagall. "Do you really think we should release Slughorn or that he would be of any help to us?"

"No, no I don't. I'm sorry to have doubted you. I had no idea Professor Slughorn was capable of such despicable conduct. I think that he is actually more evil than Tom Riddle. If not for Slughorn's grand conspiracy to save Slytherin and the aristocracy, Dumbledore might well have saved Riddle. This explains how both Dippet and Dumbledore could have made such a total hash of young Riddle."


	107. Chapter 107

**Chapter 107 – Narcissa**

"I know it's two more cart rides," Harry apologized, "but I really want to include Andromeda when we speak to Narcissa. She knew the young Narcissa as well as anybody, and she expressed a very strong desire to visit her. I don't want us to be seen going or coming with her. I suggest Bill fetch her and give her some time alone with her sister, while we grab a snack at Mrs. Bones's shop. Anyone who finds the cart rides too burdensome can wait here."

"I enjoy the cart rides," Cissy piped up.

"I'd rather stay here and spend some extra time with Narcissa," McGonagall told Harry. "Those metal carts are very bumpy for these old bones. Is it really appropriate to include Cissy in the visit?"

"On the first point, you are welcome to stay here and try to get some more information out of Slughorn, but I'm quite sure that I'm not supposed to allow you to see Narcissa on your own. On your second point, yes, Cissy needs to be included. Three truth tellers are better than two, and Narcissa has fooled us before."

"I just thought the subject matter was inappropriate for a third year," McGonagall commented. "Certainly the Slughorn meeting was, and I expect the next meeting to be more of the same. This is a nasty business."

"You mean because I've seen a little more of what actually happens at Hogwarts, rather than the fairy tale you would prefer that the students accept? I can assure you that my whole family life, as well as my whole time in Slytherin House, has been an unending stream of nasty business. I doubt Narcissa will say anything that will further soil my mind."

I was thankful that she didn't add what a wonderful adventure this was. McGonagall harrumphed and opted for Mrs. Bones over Professor Slughorn, ancient bones notwithstanding.

I ordered the super-rich, dark-chocolate cocoa and two chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. Cissy copied my order, causing McGonagall to comment, "You can't actually be Ginny, you know, no matter how much you imitate her."

Cissy looked stunned. She stared down McGonagall for a moment, and then commented, "I happen to enjoy dark chocolate. Quite a lot, actually. I am also a great admirer of Ginny, but I am building my own life and my own accomplishments. I have my own responsibilities and I try to discharge them well. I learn a lot more from Ginny and Harry than I ever have from Hogwarts, and I have made more and better friends than I ever had in my two years in Slytherin. I think you are upset because you can't control me or hold me back. You are not at all sympathetic to my needs. You slough off the murder of my pet as a school prank that I should shrug off. It would be safe to say that nobody in your school helped me, when I was being bullied for two solid years. I don't see that what Slughorn did as all that different from what is normal for Slytherin and its house advisor. It's all about Slytherin, the Great Families, house Elves, and feeling superior to everyone not Slytherin. Slytherin might as well not be a part of Hogwarts. It is not as if Hogwarts actually instills good citizenship, or that it should take seven years to teach the amount of magic that students learn.

"I willingly agree that you improved the curriculum, but it is tiny improvements around the edges of a big, rotten core. Is there actually a point to spending seven years at a boarding school and then returning to your home village to spend the rest of your life in the same place and doing the same thing as your parents and their parents have done?"

"I apologize. You are your own person. I know Hogwarts has weaknesses. I'm learning more about that as I do interviews for my Ministry Committee. I've fallen behind in that, partly because what I am learning is so depressing. I was going to try to recruit some of you to do interviewing for my committee. I was looking for the right time to ask and this seems like it. Younger interviewers would be a help. I think people would be more honest with you than with me. If I can have a week of your time, I think I can wrap up my report."

We agreed.

"Bill has returned with Andromeda and Teddy," Barb told us. "They'll meet us at Narcissa's cell. Do you know what you want to say to her?"

I thought that Harry would just answer yes, to what seemed a slightly impertinent question. Then perhaps the question hadn't been meant for Harry, even though it was he who gave a quite detailed answer.

"I need to tell her why Voldemort took such a strong interest in her family, and why he felt they had failed him. I need to find out what she remembers from her childhood and whether she sees any benefit in removing whatever confunding Voldemort did to her. I need to assess how much of a threat she is.

"As the daughter of Voldemort, she could be a rallying point for the remaining Death Eater supporters, or she could be viewed as a monstrous traitor who must be slain. I need to get her advice about telling Draco that he is Voldemort's grandson, with everyone knowing that Voldemort planned to kill Draco. I think that about sums things up."

"You should be finding out what is necessary to get her released from prison and whether she wants to live at Hogwarts, Malfoy Manor, or with her sister," McGonagall complained. "It should be obvious that the poor Witch has been manipulated her entire life and likely has done nothing wrong purely of her own volition. It should also be obvious that learning of her parentage will be very traumatic to a very fragile and very defeated Witch, and that having to deal with that trauma while in solitary confinement would be unspeakably cruel."

"It would be very cruel," Harry agreed, "but if she is a danger, that has to take precedence. She has done a lot of very bad things. I can't allow my sympathy for her suffering to persuade me to release her to a position in which she continues to harm others. I agree she is a sad case, but it's also clear to me that Voldemort and Slughorn created her as a weapon to batter the rest of us down so Slytherin could return to its former glory. I'm very willing to help Narcissa, if it can be done safely. I think Arthur's views are similar to mine."

"Then we must think of a way to make her happy, productive, and not a threat to others," McGonagall concluded. "I think your approach is too much that of grand inquisitor for this meeting. She needs a gentler approach. I would consider it a favor and a kindness if you permitted me to take the lead in talking to Narcissa. I know you want your truth tellers to assess the veracity of Narcissa's statements. I would have hoped that you could have saved that for a later meeting. I know you think she has a history of deceit and that your chances of learning the truth are greater after the emotional shock, which our revelation will be.

"I won't make a futile argument against truth tellers. I'll only ask that they not blatantly stare at the poor Witch. Let them do their job in a subtle manner. I also assume that your truth tellers will honor the confidentiality of what they will be hearing."

"This cannot be confidential," Harry objected. "If you didn't understand the situation, let me make it plain. A full report will be made to the Minister and my Deputies. Narcissa is charged with very serious crimes. This is also a matter of state security. It cannot remain our little secret."

"You misunderstood me. I know you will report to the Ministry. I meant that I do not expect to hear that your truth tellers have been gossiping about this meeting."

I sat bolt upright, Hermione stared down McGonagall, but Cissy spoke. "Relax, she's referring to me. She thinks that I am too immature to be trusted. I haven't ever blabbed anything I heard in any of the interviews in which I served as truth teller. I take that responsibility very seriously. I know that my former headmaster thinks quite poorly of me, but I can assure her that I am a better person than that."

That brought a long silence, which was finally pierced by Barb's reminder, "We really do need to get back to Gringotts. It isn't fair to keep Andromeda and Teddy waiting too long. Andromeda has to keep silent about the big secret, until we get there."

As we left the carts outside Narcissa's cell, Harry told McGonagall, "You may take the lead in the meeting. I'll stop you if I think you are going out of bounds. I'll also have some questions for Narcissa, when you're finished. They may be of a more formal nature."

"Hello, Narcissa. It pains me to see you like this," McGonagall greeted her old friend. "This is more than just a social call, although I have been very worried about how you were making out, locked up here all alone…Yes, I know you think you're fine. You're not. You've been through a lot of shocks in the past year, and I'm afraid that I have another shock to deliver to you…No, no Draco, Erin, and the baby are fine. They've returned to Malfoy Manor and they have auror protection from the Ministry.

"There is no easy way to put this. Potter has found your real mother. She is alive. In fact, strange as this may seem, due to a not at all understood combination of spells and potions, your mother is younger in appearance than you are. Yes, you understand. This means you are not really a Black. The people who raised you, as well as your sisters, are not actually blood relatives, although I know that Andromeda loves you very much and wishes for you to be happy and out of this cell."

There was a pause as McGonagall, Andromeda, and even Harry gave Narcissa comforting hugs and hands on the shoulders. "I don't understand. Who are my parents?" Narcissa asked.

"Your mother was a very brilliant Hogwarts student named Jaden Caulfield. Your father was her Hogwarts boyfriend Tom Riddle… Yes, Tom Riddle, as in Voldemort. That is why Voldemort took such a strong interest in your family, and why he expected such great loyalty from you. That is why Lucius Malfoy was directed to marry you, and why your parents so strongly pushed you into that marriage. That is also probably why, when you think back upon your early childhood, your memories are far fewer and less specific than you think they ought to be."

"The real Narcissa Black died of spattergroit at age nine. Voldemort and your parents substituted you for her. You were undoubtedly confunded to give you false memories of your early childhood with the Blacks. We are not at all sure that it is wise to try to remove that confundus. Your early childhood was awful. Both you and your mother were prisoners of Voldemort, who used spells and potions to cause both of you to age abnormally slowly and be largely immobilized.

"That's the worst.

"Your mother had nothing to do with your mistreatment. Since she was revived, she has been desperate to be reunited with you. She is a good person, who was tricked and taken advantage of by Tom Riddle and Professor Slughorn. Slughorn pushed your mother and father together, and allowed your mother to be taken prisoner by Tom Riddle, to further his dream of creating the perfect future Slytherin. I'll stop and let you think about all of that. If you have any questions, we'll do our best to answer them."

Narcissa was silent for several minutes. She frowned. She sobbed. She hid her head in her clasped hands. She asked McGonagall, "Has Draco been told? I hope that he hasn't, and that I will be allowed to tell him, myself. I need a little time to understand this before I talk to him. I do want to talk to my mother. Does Draco know?"

"No, he does not. We certainly want you to help us tell him and help him to accept this. It is difficult to know that your own grandfather was so willing to murder you, just to make his wand stronger."

"I hadn't even considered that aspect, but Draco will think of that, at once. That is horrible. Yes, I must tell him myself. On his last visit, he was still a little angry with me. We'll just have to get past that and pull together as a family. You ask about my childhood memories. Yes, they are sparse and vague. I realized that as soon as Andromeda and I started chatting. I don't remember ever being friendly with Bella or ever having my parents worried that I would never become magical. I do remember that what few friends I had, outside the immediate family, were very new. Mother explained it because of my long illness. I'm very relieved to find out that she isn't actually my mother. She was an awful person. Bella was an awful person. I cried when the family turned its back on Andromeda. She and Dad were my only supporters within our family. I was so isolated, until Minerva took me under her wing. Bella turned many of the Slytherins against me. I was an embarrassment to her. Do you think Bella knew my secret?"

"I wouldn't be at all surprised that your mother instructed her not to let her friends get too close a look at you. Some of them may have known the original Narcissa, although apparently Bella was not permitted to bring school chums home with her. Mrs. Black was terrified of children carrying illnesses."

"Yes, I do remember that much. I think that I shan't call myself Narcissa anymore. I'll ask my real mother to give me a name. I'm also through with Malfoy. I'll be whatever, Caulfield. What do you think of that?"

"A clean break may be best," McGonagall agreed.

"But not quite yet," Harry disagreed. "Your secret is still a secret for a little longer, and we should buy as much time as we can to catch Umbridge, before revealing your parentage. There is another little matter to mention. You actually have two versions of your biological mother. Voldemort sealed a piece of Jaden's soul into a Muggle artifact. He kept her body prisoner and subjected it to spells and potions, such that it appears to be only forty years old. That version of your mother has only very sporadic memories after the time when you were born. We were also able to revive the trapped-soul version of your mother. She is fifteen. She has no memories between the time when Voldemort murdered her family and when we just recently revived her. She never saw you as a baby. Both would like to see you. The trapped-soul version of your mother will likely be going to Hogwarts to finish her fifth year, within the week. Are you willing to meet with your mothers? I know it will be very strange to have a mother who is younger than your son."

"Everything around me has been strange for the past year. Yes! I must see them – as soon as possible. Then they, and I, must meet with Draco. This is difficult, but I am now convinced that I must simply plow ahead. I want to meet them all today."

Harry agreed that we should march forward. "The older Jaden knows more and will likely be less jarring in appearance. If Bill would please bring her back from the Ministry, I'll introduce her to you."

"I've had a lot of time here to reflect upon the events of the past year. I've tried to separate my own decisions from the influence of others, including the Voldemort ghost. I had come to the conclusion that the ghost guided me far more than I had originally thought. Knowing of my biological connection to Voldemort explains how the ghost could have such an impact upon me, with so little contact.

"That starts to explain the strangest thing I did. When I was trying to turn Thicknesse against Lucius, the meeting turned bad, because Barty had raised doubts about my loyalty. Thicknesse challenged me. I remember being terrified and certain that he was going to kill me, and then come after Draco. I couldn't possibly answer the two questions he challenged me with – only he and Voldemort knew the answers. Then, suddenly, the answers just appeared in my mind, along with a directive from Voldemort to his remaining supporters. I had no idea where the answers came from and didn't believe they could possibly be correct. I was desperate and out of time, so I voiced the answers. I was more surprised than Barty, when Thicknesse said the answers were correct and that I genuinely spoke for Voldemort. He accepted the order that I passed on to him. He looked at me differently after that. I wonder now if he didn't know that Voldemort had a secret child and decide then and there that I must be that child."

"Neville has taught me a bit about genetics, and I know how babies are made, but I wonder if Voldemort might not have contributed a little more to you than a father normally does. I had a small piece of splintered soul from Voldemort in my head for seventeen years. It gave him an opportunity to enter my mind, and I sometimes had both sleeping and waking dreams, when I could see what he was seeing and know what he was thinking. I wonder if something like that happened to you. We know that Voldemort somehow maintained a mental link with your semi-conscious mother over quite large distances. It might have been a spell he learned of or invented, or it might have been a more physical, horcrux-like link. That might be enough to provide a link at a distance to his ghost."

"That feels… possible. I can't say I had much hint of that until my encounter with the ghost. There was the time that I knew that Voldemort was furious with Lucius, before I had any concrete evidence from my husband. I was home alone and suddenly felt a crushing sense of dread. I stopped what I was doing and my mind's eye saw Voldemort raging at Lucius. The only other time I had such a premonition was when I suddenly realized that Voldemort would never forgive my family and that saying you were dead was my best chance to save Draco. I knew then that for Draco to live, Voldemort must die. I know he fully believed me, when I said you were dead. I don't know why, but I knew that I must use Occlumency and fill my mind with false thoughts of devotion to Voldemort and joy at his victory.

"What I don't understand is, if he expected me to behave as his daughter and have my family show the absolute loyalty as his own family, why didn't he simply tell me the truth?"

"Possibly he took absolute devotion and loyalty as a given, as he did with all of his Death Eaters. Possibly he never fully trusted Lucius or his father. Possibly he was waiting for Draco to prove himself worthy of his heritage. He may well have planned to tell you years ago, but then his world was shattered when he tried to murder my baby self. By the time he had returned, whole, he felt that Lucius had betrayed him and forgotten him. He certainly would have known that you were McGonagall's agent. That would be enough to make him keep his distance. She had been your first lover. Tom Riddle had been an awful father, more of a jailer, actually.

"Had he told you, he couldn't have known where your loyalties would lie. He may have been afraid that you would choose McGonagall and that, having told you the truth, he would be forced to kill you. Your years at Hogwarts must have been a time of great doubt for him. No Wizard had ever successfully extended a pregnancy or slowed an infant's natural development as he did with your mother and you. Percy and I researched those issues. All we could find were speculative accounts, failed experiments, and a couple of cases where the child grew up to be exceedingly stupid.

"Your father would have had spies at Hogwarts watching you closely. He would want to be sure that you remained physically healthy. He would want your spattergroit excuse to remain plausible. That alone would keep other students at a distance. He would also need students or faculty to run interference so that none of the students realized that you weren't really Narcissa. They would have maintained and widened the gulf between you and Bella and any of Bella's friends who had known the true Narcissa.

"He would also have used his spies and agents to follow your progress. He would want to know that you were growing up to be an intelligent and highly magical leader."

"That makes a certain sense. There was one other time when I may have seen into Voldemort's mind. I just remembered. I don't know how I could have forgotten – it was so significant. Just as you started dueling Voldemort in the Great Hall, I got the impression that he was very angry at me. He had figured out that I had betrayed him and been able to block him out of my mind. I had that terrible weight of dread as I had before and then the sense that he had decided to murder the three of us. I told Lucius and Draco that Voldemolt must die. That he had decided to murder us. That is why we huddled in the corner of the room. That likely is also why he spoke of killing Draco to strengthen his wand. He was angry. He wanted us to cower in fear, before he acted. We, his family, would witness his greatest triumph, and then we would die for our betrayal."

{[Excited] we can confirm that with Draco. Could you message Ron through the Stone and send him to find Draco and confirm the truth of that? He could bring Draco back here, after he speaks to him.}

Ron agreed and set off on that errand.

I observed that McGonagall was very uncomfortable as Harry spoke about her role in Narcissa's life. I had the strong conviction that Narcissa had told the truth. Both Cissy and Hermione agreed with me. I whispered our conclusion to Harry.

Bill entered the vault with body-Jaden. As Harry made the introductions, I realized that one big reason that Harry had wanted body-Jaden to be summoned first was that she might know something about Narcissa containing a horcrux. I was sure that Harry would initiate that line of questioning as soon as mother and daughter had said what they needed to say to each other.

It was a long and tearful reunion, with neither being quite sure which of them needed to be doing the comforting. They basically clung to each other and wept. I tried to determine if they were whispering anything more dangerous than endearments and comforting words to each other. I didn't think they were. I noticed that McGonagall had turned her back, being unable to watch this scene, while Cissy's eyes were riveted upon Jaden and Narcissa. I didn't know quite what to make of this, until I received a Stone-message from Cissy "**I thought they might use this opportunity to conspire against us and decide what things to keep secret. As best I can tell, they haven't done that. I have very good hearing and can sort of read lips. I've been able to watch Narcissa's lips much of the time and I think she has behaved."**

Question answered. I sent a thank you back to Cissy.

Harry interrupted the reunion. "Ron has gone to fetch Draco. There were a few things I need to confirm before he returns. Jaden – is it possible that Voldemort made a horcrux and stored it inside Narcissa's mind?"

"I don't know. I could sense some of the horcruxes. I wouldn't have sensed Narcissa as a young child, because she wasn't awake most of the time. Neither was I. Voldemort checked on his horcruxes every year or two. There was one time when I thought he was communing with a horcrux which was unfamiliar to me. I wasn't sure. I was in what I called my 'trance state', not awake, but thinking and in contact with Tom. As I said, the horcrux was unknown to me, and strange, by which I mean not really Tom. It was the same sort of off-flavor I got from your horcrux, so it may well have been associated with another person."

"How long ago was this?"

"My sense of time is very poor. It was certainly before all the horcruxes started dying. I think before the snake was created. I could sometimes see the world through the snake's eyes. That was some time after I sensed the strange horcrux."

"Thank you. Could you detect it, if that strange horcrux was inside Narcissa, right now?"

"I don't know. I can try to feel it. Usually I only sensed the horcruxes when they interacted with Tom."

Teen-age Jaden arrived, under the escort of Mrs. Longbottom, before Ron returned with Draco. This mother-daughter reunion followed more obvious rules. Narcissa reassured the much younger Jaden. Older Jaden decided to depart. Two Jadens in the same vault was one too many for their sanity.

Bill took older Jaden back to the Ministry. She seemed happy to leave. She had said what she wanted to say to her daughter, and answered all of her daughter's and Harry's questions, as best she could. I sensed she was on the verge of overwhelmed. There were a lot of us in the vault cell.

When teen-age Jaden and Narcissa had completed their reunion, Mrs. Longbottom had an announcement. "Jaden has been declared fit and stable. She can return to Hogwarts this evening to finish her fifth year and take her exams. She was an excellent student and seems to remember quite a lot of what she learned. Her mental link to the other Jaden seems to have dwindled to virtually nothing. She is as normal as can be. If my son is willing to accept Jaden back at Hogwarts, I will leave her with him. I assume I haven't missed anything that could lead to prosecutions."

Harry and Neville each gave the desired answer, and Mrs. Longbottom left us. McGonagall gave Neville a sour look when he agreed to take Jaden back into Hogwarts. She remained silent, until Mrs. Longbottom had departed and then commented, "Did you even think what you were agreeing to, before you said yes, umm headmaster."

"I believe I considered everything," Neville replied, "but I may well have missed something. Please tell me what you think I missed. It is not too late to change my answer."

"Why… poor Draco will be attending Hogwarts with his own grandmother. That will be very, umm upsetting for him."

"I don't see why. I considered that, but Draco is married and living off-campus. He's two levels ahead of Jaden. So even if Jaden takes some advanced classes, as I'm sure she will, I doubt they'll actually be in any classes together. Besides, I'm sure that Draco will want to do his part to help his grandmother get a good re-start at Hogwarts. He can fill her in on the past almost fifty years. Who better to discuss changes in the family than family?"

McGonagall seemed unsatisfied with this answer, but chose not to respond. If she had been trying to formulate the perfect response, she lost her chance when Draco arrived. They were so wrapped up in their little contretemps that neither of them realized Draco was present, until Harry spoke.

"Hi, Draco. There have been some rather startling developments in your family. Your mother will explain them to you. Let's me just start off and set the bizarre mood by saying – I'd like to introduce you to your real grandmother, Jaden. She will be attending Hogwarts, beginning tomorrow."

When Draco was stunned into silence, he looked really, really stunned. That was my last sight. Harry followed up that comment by announcing that he and Bill would have to stay for the meeting of the three generations, but that the rest of us should be off for Hogwarts. I was sorry to miss what promised to be a most unusual meeting.

To Neville, Harry said, "I'll bring Jaden back with me. I'll stop by Gryffindor Common Room as soon as we arrive. It will probably be about an hour."


	108. Chapter 108

**Chapter 108 – Draco**

We all returned to our Common Room, although McGonagall soon felt uncomfortable and left. I thought she was dying to argue with Neville to reverse his decision on Jaden, but didn't want to do so in a group. Neville seemed to think the same and had pretended to miss one oblique entreaty from McGonagall that perhaps the two of them should wait in Neville's office.

"Before you say anything, I know that she wanted me to invite her back to my office. That is very awkward in the best of times, since she still considers it to be her office. I avoid one-on-one meetings with her in that room. I'm not at all sure how things will go when she is headmaster again.

"I don't want to talk to her about Jaden. I believe I made the right decision. I know it's only a few weeks of school and exams, but after all that she has suffered, I think Jaden is owed the chance to brush up on her studies and take whatever exams she wants to take. I told her that I would accept her at Hogwarts – and I think she is too fragile for me to just say 'whoops! Made a mistake there. You can't come after all'. It wouldn't be fair.

"I just hope McGonagall lets her return for her two final years. I know McGonagall is also not happy that I allowed Erin to attend some classes, and even just be here occasionally."

"I'll try to take her on my Quest. That will give you some more time as headmaster. I feel strongly that the Quest will start sometime this summer. I agree that your decision was correct. Draco will be better off because of it. He'd rather have both Erin and Jaden at Hogwarts, than have both of them banned. I think he'll want to spend a lot of time talking to Jaden to try to figure out how his grandmother could have been attracted to Tom Riddle, and if he ever had a good side. He'll also want to figure out how much Slughorn is to blame for all of this. It is going to be a very tough time for Draco, but your decisions will make it less bad."

"Hardly a ringing endorsement, but I take your point that this is a bad situation, and nothing I do will make the rest of the year easy for Draco, Erin, or Jaden. The problem with that logic is that McGonagall will blame every Draco sadness on my refusal to do what she wanted."

"I'll be more than happy to remind her how many awful decisions she has made, if you think that will help."

"No, no, I just need to grow a tougher skin."

Neville and Ron decided to play a game of Wizard chess instead of hashing over what we had learned. Cissy wanted to talk. She, Hermione, and I made ourselves tea and pulled chairs in front of the fireplace. Although we were well into May, it was not a terribly warm day, and the stone building retained its winter chill. The fire felt very good.

"The biggest problem we face," Cissy both pontificated and included herself among the problem-solvers, "is that Harry is going to want to release Narcissa, and Professor McGonagall will push him to do so far too quickly. Anytime in the next ten years is far too quickly. Narcissa is bold, like my brother, and a devious liar, like my father. Like my family, she feels like she has a natural right to be in charge of things and to do as she wishes."

I reflected that this Montaigne tendency was not limited to the males of the family.

What I said was less challenging of Cissy. "If we want to keep Narcissa under control, and it is vital that we do so, then we have to remove Professor McGonagall's only real argument. We have to encourage Harry and the Ministry to come up with more pleasant and humane housing for her. Someplace where she can see plants, get a little sun, and have some of her own books and furnishings, but where she cannot act against the government or communicate to our opponents. It must be secure, tranquil, and relatively isolated. We won't be able to convince Harry to send her to Azkaban or to keep her at Gringotts.

"Do you know how to make a totally inescapable magical prison? I was also thinking who might spend time with her there. Although it puts two conspirators together, I thought perhaps Mrs. Parkinson. Maybe even include Mr. Parkinson. Now that Draco has two grandmothers, does he really need to spend time with his mother? I think Ron might be able to push Harry in the proper direction. Some think Ron blood-thirsty, but I think he just looks more realistically at what is necessary to stay safe from the baddies and is willing to act on that need."

"I can't say that I disagree with you," Hermione admitted. "It will take more investigation to prove to Harry's and likely Arthur's satisfaction that Narcissa is too dangerous to be released. If she is a horcrux, she certainly should never again set foot in Hogwarts. We did leave a few tiny remnants of the ghost. They may still be clinging to life, somewhere in the piping. I want to view Narcissa in the dark, with our magical force viewers. That may reveal the horcrux, although I have no idea how human horcruxes look to the viewer."

"Let's look at Hagrid," I ventured. "We were never sure whether or not he was a partial horcrux."

The three of us grabbed a viewer and trotted off to Hagrid's hut to test out, I was going to say our theory, but there was no way this could confirm or deny the theory, because we did not know whether Hagrid was a partial horcrux or not. The best that this exercise could provide was one more data point and an opportunity to pass the time, by visiting Hagrid.

As we walked to the hut, I asked Hermione, "We know that teen-age Jaden is coming back to Hogwarts with Harry. What is going to happen to the older Jaden? She's old for Hogwarts, and there is the issue of two Jadens here at the same time. If McGonagall thinks one grandmother will be tough on Draco, she'll go ballistic at the thought of two grandmothers for him to explain. I'm quite sure that we don't want to give a public explanation for that phenomenon.

"I'm sure Harry is hoping that Slughorn is willing to simply plead guilty to something, so that we don't have to have a trial and give Frakes the opportunity of writing about the miracle of the twin grannies who refuse to age. When you think of it, that's really serious dark magic that was at least not in the public domain. I guess at least part of it will become known."

"Unfortunately. I wonder if young Jaden can be passed off as simply another student, while old Jaden settles into adult life. Older Jaden could be a big help in our Witch Sculpture business. She was very good at transfiguration. For that to work, we need to have Dillys keep quiet. And both Jadens, and Slughorn and the Malfoys and Doctor White, and all the aurors and other Ministry people. That's probably not possible. The government will just look extremely underhanded when the information leaks out. You can say 'state secret', but that doesn't mean the community won't believe it deserved to be told."

Hagrid was home. In fact, he had just had a visitor. We had to quickly hide to avoid being seen by McGonagall. We stayed in hiding, until she was well past us, and then continued our stroll to Hagrid's hut.

Hermione told Hagrid that we had a strange and probably impertinent request to make. She explained the procedure for examining him, to determine if he had a discernible horcrux. She assured him that we weren't worried about any harm that the presence of a possible horcrux might cause, since we had been able to observe him for a year and knew that he was fully in control of his own mind. Also, the ghost had not returned since we had cut it up and dumped its bigger pieces at sea. She told him that we had discovered another possible horcrux-in-a-person and wanted to learn whether our viewers were capable of detecting such a horcrux.

"Do what you must. I know it's Narcissa. The headmaster, er Professor McGonagall was here just afore you. Musta seen her as you were walkin' here. She be most worried and upset. Mainly at 'arry. Thinks he means to near as kill Narcissa."

"That's rubbish!" I objected. "Narcissa is in jail. There are no plans to send her to Azkaban or to execute her. She may be a very great danger to all of us. She is in jail to keep the rest of us safe and prevent her from engaging in more treachery."

Hermione had blocked out the light from the windows and was preparing to view Hagrid, while I chatted with him.

"Am I ter be locked up next, if Hermione sees sumpin with that thing?"

"No! Not at all," I told him. "You've never done the bad things that we know Narcissa has done. Not just once, but many times. She has lied to us, stolen things from us, plotted with the remaining Death Eaters, and even arranged her own husband's murder. You, on the other hand, have been kind, helpful, and honest."

"That's true enuff. Still, the headmaster says I should watch out you don't make me the next good guy with Voldemort in my head that gets sent to Azkaban. I been there. Didn't like it. Not one bit."

"What McGonagall said isn't true. She knows you are our friend and wants you to help convince us to free her friend Narcissa."

"Girlfriend, you mean. She did tell me to talk to all of you tonight. Said I should come to the Great Hall. I been missed. You not been so right, since I been gone."

"We missed you too," Hermione told Hagrid, "but I don't think we're wrong about this. Narcissa is probably dangerous, and we have to be sure it is safe before we release her. She has committed a lot of crimes. She worked with Voldemort's ghost, Umbridge, and Thicknesse."

"Professor McGonagall walked all the way down here, just to ask you to tell Harry that he should release Narcissa?" I asked, not thinking this sounded like something she would do.

"Well… she wanted to ride a hippogriff. Three days from now. Buckbeak will be right here."

"Thanks, Hagrid," Hermione seemed to think it was time to leave. "You show no sign of being a horcrux, although I don't even know if this thing can detect a living horcrux."

"Ride a hippogriff? I can't believe Professor McGonagall would ever ride a hippogriff." Cissy declared, as we walked back.

It did seem unlikely, but I was also surprised when she had volunteered for my Quest. Perhaps riding a hippogriff was something which she had always wanted to do, before she died.

We could have dawdled longer with Hagrid. Harry had not returned by the time we reached Gryffindor. We waited another hour before Harry, Draco, and young Jaden entered from the Gryffindor landing. We all converged upon them, but Harry put his finger to his lips, demanding silence, as he led us through the Fat Lady portrait to our apartment. Once the door closed, Harry said he would explain what we missed, but that Draco wanted to say something first.

"I'm okay. Really, I am. I've had eighteen years to learn who I really am, and have come to grips with that in the past year. If I've been able to stand apart from my parents' fight over me, I can survive learning about my grandparents. I like Jaden. I'll be happy to spend a month with her at Hogwarts and introduce her to our slightly more modern world. I choose to ignore my Voldemort heritage. He was so much a part of my family's life throughout my Hogwarts days that learning he is my grandfather doesn't really change my past – just how Neville would describe my biology. That isn't me. He wanted to murder me and I disown him.

"If Harry could be a good person with a piece of Voldemort's soul inside him, then I can be a good person, who just happened to have an awful grandfather. When you go to Slytherin, you are surrounded by children who had awful grandparents. The majority really do turn out to be reasonably good people. My family is now Erin and little Erin. I'll have to see about my mother. I'll keep visiting her, and we'll see what develops. I was shocked by what I learned today, but I'm really the same person that I was yesterday."

"We will help each other," Jaden assured us.

"There isn't a lot more to tell you," Harry admitted. "The meeting obviously was more emotion than content. I know that sounds awful as I hear myself say it. I'm really not looking at this in that cold a way. I just meant that I don't have many facts to tell you. Draco has told you the important stuff. You may have gotten a hint from what he said that Narcissa is pushing to spend more time with her family and that Draco, as well as the Ministry, is resisting.

"With Voldemort and his ghost both killed, Narcissa doesn't think it that significant if she carries a horcrux, and isn't convinced that she does anyway. She agrees that the ghost influenced her, but says that cannot possibly continue. She is suggesting that we write off her misdeeds and mistakes as Voldemort's doing and allow her to start afresh. She says that it should be plain to all that she would never do anything to harm her family.

"She says she fully understands that if she behaves in a notably bad and devious way that Draco and little Erin will have to bear the taint of Voldemort. She hopes that with good behavior by all, Voldemort will slip from memory. She really hopes, but doesn't believe it possible, that knowledge of her Voldemort heritage will not become common knowledge. She begged Draco to promise that he would never tell little Erin who her great-grandfather really was."

"She's right about that much," I agreed. "Dad did the right thing in never telling us about the ancient Weasley kings. It is much better to grow up thinking of yourself as an average, normal Witch, who will have to make her own self and way in life. We were also thinking that you needed to develop a secure, but happier and more integrated with nature place to house Narcissa. We are afraid that, without such a change, you and Dad will get too sympathetic to her plight and simply release her. We've had that problem before with Draco's parents. You know that McGonagall and her circle will push relentlessly for Narcissa to be released into their care. Now that you know what you know about Narcissa, it is your duty to keep her locked up, until you are certain that she is safe."

"That pressure already exists. What you say makes tactical sense, but things aren't that simple. We can't jail her much longer, unless we can convict her of a crime. She has a strong defense that she was simply a puppet of Voldemort's ghost and Umbridge. It would be a bad thing for that particular defense to be fully hashed out in front of the Wizengamot – there are far too many secrets that really should remain secret. A compromise is needed. If she is willing to accept a reasonable resolution, then we'll also have to accept it. I've been as close to these events as anyone and I can't even begin to tell how much of what Narcissa did was under the ghost's compulsion and how much was under her own volition. I also don't know whether her intentions for what she did on her own were good, merely self-serving, or evil and illegal. I'm not even sure that she knows. She's as confused and locked up in her own head as Slughorn is."

"But we know that Slughorn was evil," I protested.

"Honestly, we don't even know that," Harry replied. "He certainly got close to Tom Riddle to further his own delusions of Slytherin reborn, but we'll never know how much Riddle molded him, rather than the other way around."

"This is getting too gloomy for me," Draco complained. "You're all invited to dinner at Malfoy Manor tonight. I really have to re-name the place. It has a lot of bad associations.

"So – I know you want to go and examine my mother with your viewers. Why don't you go and do that, while I take Jaden to the Manor. Once you're finished, please join us there. Erin wanted to prepare a big dinner, and has been working on it most of the day. I know this is a last-minute invitation, but things have been a little out of control, and how often are you going to get an invitation to Malfoy Manor? This is our move-in celebration. I considered inviting family, but my mother is in jail and Erin's parents haven't behaved well enough to earn the first invitation. It is our friends who have supported us from the start. None of the parents are happy to have us married. Jaden will represent my family. Erin's parents are invited for next week."

We arrived at Malfoy Manor at 7:15.

Draco answered the door "Welcome to our home. Erin is in the kitchen. I know this dinner deliberately excludes parents, but I must ask: what did you learn about my mother?"

"Definitely a horcrux," Harry replied, "and quite a strong one. I don't know if the horcrux Voldemort can guide your mother's thinking, or if a live Voldemort can be coaxed from her, but she is definitely carrying a piece of her father's soul. Jaden told us that it took two horcruxes to prevent the owner of the horcruxes from being killed, so it is possible that Voldemort had one horcrux left when I killed him and that your mother is it."

"Then she may not have been fully responsible for the bad things that she did."

"Yes, that is the good news. The bad news is that she may never be able to fully control her actions. Horcruxes are very poorly understood. I don't know anyone who can tell you what power a horcrux has, after its creator has been killed."

"Yes, well enough of this. Come to the kitchen and say hello to my Erins."

Baby Erin's crib had been moved into the kitchen, where she was sleeping peacefully. Erin and an Elf were busily cooking and baking. There was plenty of room. Malfoy Manor had almost as large a kitchen as Hogwarts.

Erin looked both semi-harried and very happy. She clearly viewed this dinner as a very significant occasion. I felt honored to have been chosen to be a part of it.

After Draco relayed the news about Narcissa, Erin commented that she and Draco had just been discussing what should be done with her. "We agree that she should not be freed. At least, not yet. We don't want her living with us. We don't even want her back at Hogwarts, while we are there. I'm guessing you don't want her there, because of possible remnants of the ghost. She is possibly dangerous, and she is very annoyingly controlling. We think that she is determined to split our little family apart. We are very happy and are not going to allow her to do that. For now, we want to limit her contact with little Erin. Perhaps in future…"

"I agree with everything Erin said," Draco assured us. "Possibly in the future, after her attitude has improved, she can be a bigger part in all of our lives. For now, we have to do what is best for us, just as you have to do what is best for the whole Wizarding community. My mother's need cannot come first. I pity her, but I know she participated in father's death, and I know she has manipulated me my entire life. I can't be fully adult now if I allow myself to spend too much time around her. That may seem selfish, but I have a new family to care for, and they must come first."

The Elf suggested that she could easily finish up on the dinner preps and that we should all head to the sitting room. Erin agreed and she levitated little Erin's crib ahead of her, while Draco snared glasses and a wine, which did not appear to be Witch sherry.

As we took our seats, Draco commented "Malfoy Manor used to have a great wine cellar, before Voldemort and his thugs drank most of it and turned the cellar into a dungeon. There is a little of father's stock left and I intend to enjoy it, before it turns to vinegar. I can't think of any group whom I would rather share it with. It's all Muggle wine and everything that I've tasted thus far is excellent. This particular bottle is a Bordeaux. It was one of father's favorites. There used to be cases of the stuff, but this is the last bottle. We had its partner yesterday."

We moved on to a French Chablis and then dinner. Dinner was roasted leg of lamb, roasted potatoes and carrots, and grilled Brussels sprouts. It was all very good. As Draco got up from the table to grab the dessert from the kitchen, Erin gave us a state of her life. "I'm so happy. Draco is so different than Silas. I can now see what a fool I was to want to be Silas's girlfriend. He made me feel unworthy and always on edge. Draco never talks down to me. I know how much he loves and appreciates me. He sees me as intelligent. I'm much more relaxed and that makes me able to do so much more. Little Erin is a delight. She is the center of our lives. I'd do anything for her. So would Draco. That means so much to me. Draco is…"

"Probably a better person than Harry and his friends used to think," Draco finished the sentence as he placed a chocolate cheese cake with raspberry topping in front of us. "I'm a better person than I ever expected I could be. Even when you don't think you're trying to follow your father's expectations, it usually turns out you are. I miss my father, but I'm a better person without him in my life. I've had to grow up a lot during the past year. I want to apologize to all of you for being such an awful person in the past. My only excuse is that I was being the person my father expected me to be, although I also confess that I usually enjoyed taunting and fighting you. I look back on those days with shame. It's very hard to become a good person, while basically growing up in Slytherin."

"You've changed a lot and for the better," I conceded.

The cheesecake was the smooth, rich, creamy variety I like, and the chocolate flavor was bittersweet perfection, set off perfectly by the sweet raspberry topping from fresh crushed raspberries. I was in heaven.

So was Erin, as I and everyone else complimented her on the wonderful dinner and her fantastic cooking skills. "Mom taught me," she replied. "We didn't have an Elf, so producing this dinner with the aid of an Elf was not difficult at all. Margot and I, Margot's the Elf, are working out ground rules for sharing the cooking. As a student and new mother, I can use any help I can get, but I don't want to stop cooking or have my skills go stale. We've worked things out so that I cook two meals a week. That keeps everybody happy."

That got me thinking. I was less than a month from graduation. Our house would be finished and Harry and I would be living together as a real family, instead of as two students in a school apartment. I'd be a real adult, cooking meals like this and inviting friends over to share them with us. Unlike Draco and Erin, I would have family to fully share in my joy. I had come a long way. The Battle of Hogwarts was just a little over a year ago. I had been with Harry since the day after that battle, but we had been as much students as adults. I really wished that my Quest would be far enough in the future for me to enjoy a period of normal domesticity in my own home. Until I got past the Quest, I was still in great danger, and normalcy would be something that I could only dream about.

Baby Erin started to cry and Erin picked her up to comfort her. We all went into the sitting room and sat before a low fire, chatting softly, so that we didn't keep baby Erin awake. It was a very happy evening.

As we were leaving, Draco whispered to Harry, outside of Erin's hearing, "One thing likely will change, now that I know who my grandparents were. I doubt I will be having any children. I've not raised the issue with Erin yet, because I'm still thinking about it, but I doubt I will be fathering any children. I don't want to pass on that heritage."

"Talk to Neville," I encouraged Draco. "He explained to me that I shouldn't take his daylily lecture too seriously. People aren't daylilies. Biology and who our parents are don't determine our destiny. It is more important how you are raised and whom you choose to be your closest friends than whose genes you are carrying around inside your body. There isn't a gene for goodness or badness. You shouldn't decide too quickly not to be a father. You and Erin can raise a good child."


	109. Chapter 109

**CHAPTER 109 – TO FLY AWAY ON GIANT WINGS**

Two days later, Harry joined me for lunch to deliver a message in person. "Professor McGonagall made an issue of Narcissa after this morning's cabinet meeting. She said it was inhuman to keep her locked deep under-ground in a sterile bank vault. She begged that Narcissa be able to spend a day with her at Hogwarts. I agreed. She'll be watched closely. I was surprised that Shacklebolt didn't object. So was McGonagall."

"So that she can escape on Buckbeat?"

"That's probably what Director Shacklebolt wishes to discover. That's why, when he warned your father of McGonagall's request for Buckbeat, he also suggested that the request he expected McGonagall to make be granted. So, Narcissa will be arriving after breakfast tomorrow, and is permitted to visit with Professor McGonagall until immediately after dinner. Buckbeat will be watched by Elves and two aurors under an invisibility cloak. If Narcissa tries to fly the hippogriff out of here, she won't succeed."

"Isn't that very risky? What if she actually does escape? We know from our flight to London and Sirius's escape that a hippogriff or a thestral and its rider can fly right through Hogwarts' magical defenses."

"Director Shacklebolt assures me that she will not. We can all be on our guard. It might be difficult to convict her based on the present evidence in hand. An escape attempt would make a conviction far easier. I believe that is Director Shacklebolt's plan."

"If you, rather than Shacklebolt, feel that's the best approach, I'll do whatever I can to help. I'm sure that Ron and Hermione will also help."

Harry gave me thanks and a kiss and returned to the Ministry.

I had another surprise at dinner. Professor Trelawney had returned from Asia. "I think I'll return to my foreign studies over the summer, but I wanted to be here for exams and graduation," she explained to us. "Also, I've been away from Minerva for far too long. It's been a strain upon her. It would have been very selfish for me not to have returned."

Draco stopped by the Gryffindor table at the end of dinner. He had heard that his mother would be at Hogwarts tomorrow, and was not pleased. "I'll make an appearance. I can hardly do otherwise. But my Erins will not come to Hogwarts tomorrow. We're not ready for this. All of you are far too accepting of Professor McGonagall's requests. Sometimes I think she runs the Ministry."

"I think the Ministry considers this the first test of your mother's fitness for a gradual return to society," Hermione told him.

"For such a brilliant Witch, you can be stunningly naïve. Bye, gotta get back to Erin," Draco concluded as he walked away.

Our next visitor was Professor McGonagall. "I want to thank Harry for supporting my efforts to secure a release day for poor Narcissa. I assure you that I shall work diligently for the rehabilitation of both her mental health and her morals. Just getting to breathe the fresh air of a Hogwarts spring and observe the burgeoning new life will do wonders for a Witch who's been buried alive for weeks. I also wanted to thank Ginny and Hermione for your survey reports. I was pleased to see that you had surveyed current Hogwarts students as well as those children who did not attend our school. That takes a load off my mind. I know I've fallen inexcusably behind on my Ministry duties, but with your reports, I expect to finish my report to the Minister tonight. I'm trying to wrap up my responsibilities before the end of term. It helps that Neville is the headmaster. He's done a truly excellent job, don't you think? It is so good that he's been available to fill in for me. He is perhaps unique in so readily accepting so many changes at the school. I'm grateful for the help and cooperation which all of you have given me over this difficult past year. I have more to say about that, but I'll do that later, in a different venue. Well, I'll let you eat; I just wanted to personally deliver my thanks."

"That was a little strange," I reacted to the group.

"Yes, she must be really pleased to have Narcissa coming back to Hogwarts for a visit," Ron agreed.

I noticed that Jaden was seated at the Ravenclaw table. She waved at us and I waved back. She was seated next to Tendra and seemed to find dining with a female Goblin to be the most normal thing in the world. We hadn't been able to spend quite as much time with Tendra as I had hoped. Part of this was our busy schedules and part was her father's restrictions.

I had planned on a return trip to our little church, but King Gobbledegook thought "once is at least enough." I had really wanted to include her in our families' Bealtaine celebration, but she had checked with her father, who had messaged back "I'm sorry my pet, but that sounds like it would take you dangerously close to the Goblin sanctuary. Those Goblins know that you are at Hogwarts, but it would be dangerous for them to see you." Attending the Quidditch Tournament had likewise been deemed "regrettably inadvisable." It had been so inadvisable, that Tendra was forced to skip the banquets when the visitors from the other schools were present and eat all her meals in her dorm room on those days. Happily that restriction seemed to garner her more sympathy than shunning. What she seemed to most enjoy at Hogwarts was Professor Celine's art class and art club. I always saw her there and from what I could determine, she was very skilled. You wouldn't know that she had missed almost the entire term. All of this made me feel happy and less guilty that Jaden was acting like a good friend. I truly was glad that Tendra would be joining me on the Quest, but I often worried that her father's unwillingness for her to truly become a Hogwarts student reflected an equal aversion to her joining my Quest.

As I was grabbing a poached pear for dessert, Neville rose to speak and used a very strong voice amplification charm. "Excuse me. You may continue with your meal, but if you'd hush your conversations for just a few minutes, I'd like to introduce a new student, come to us from the world of home-schooling. J. D. Lee has joined Ravenclaw House as a fifth year student. She hopes to brush up on what you've been learning this year and excel in her exams. I'm hopeful that she will join us for a full year next term. Jaden stood and gave a little wave to the whole student body.

"Smart of Neville to change the name," Ron concluded. "Still, it's a little much to expect that we can keep her a secret for long."

I felt tired enough that I asked Harry to head straight for our apartment, rather than the Common Room. I thought I'd read a little of Dumbledore's diaries, since Harry had given me permission. I asked Harry if there was any particular spot where he thought I should start reading to get a flavor of Dumbledore.

"You'll get there eventually, so perhaps you should just start at the sections dealing with the five of us. The fourth diary, where I have the green ribbon as a book mark. We can discuss it after you've finished it. I want Ron, Hermione, and Neville to read it, also. I'm not at all sure that I'm happy about what he's written. It does give a lot of insight into a headmaster's thinking to read about a time and people of which I have direct knowledge. I have to tell you that it's really weird to read someone else's detailed thoughts of myself as a child. Part of what he wrote is cringe-worthy, part made me smile in happy remembrance, but another part just made me angry. Well, here it is, I don't want to say any more. You should read it with a fresh mind, not to check my reactions."

I read in front of the fire. The warmth made me drowsy, but I was interested enough in what Dumbledore had written to force myself to keep reading. Dumbledore had surreptitiously checked in on Harry each year he spent with the Dursleys prior to entering Hogwarts. It was clear that he was not pleased with the way that Harry was being treated, but he worried that Uncle Vernon would not allow Harry to stay with his family if Dumbledore had pushed for better treatment. As I read the annual accounts, for the first time I realized how awful Harry's childhood had been and how little of the Muggle world he had actually seen. His childhood could not have been more different from Hermione's.

The descriptions of Harry in the early Hogwarts years were even more disquieting. I'm sure Harry didn't like being referred to as 'my perfect little soldier' any more than I enjoyed reading the phrase. Although Dumbledore was not a flowery writer and didn't even use full sentences, I did get the impression that he truly cared for Harry. I also could not escape the reality that Dumbledore had foreseen and accepted Harry's final encounter with Voldemort from the very beginning. He hadn't wavered from his determination to precipitate that final encounter. Much of his treatment of Harry and the slow parsing out of the relevant nature of Harry's true link to Voldemort was geared to drawing Harry into the web of the battle against Voldemort and keeping enough scary knowledge from Harry that he didn't turn away in fright.

I was surprised that Dumbledore could suspect for even a second that Harry might be scared by the magnitude of the task before him and the low odds of success. Dumbledore vacillated between certainty that Harry would recover from the 'death' caused by the blasting away of the horcrux and periods of great doubt, in which he couldn't envision Harry succeeding. It was clear to me that without Narcissa's intervention, Harry would not have survived. So, the success of the plan was down more to McGonagall's interference than Dumbledore's planning.

It was very clear that Dumbledore knew more about the horcruxes than he let on to Harry. Pushing Harry to extract the horcrux knowledge from Slughorn was primarily a test for Harry and a way of getting Harry to view the knowledge as real, rather than actually supplying information that Dumbledore had lacked. It was confirmation that Dumbledore felt he needed to move forward with maximum certainty, but Dumbledore knew as much about horcruxes as Slughorn did. That wasn't surprising. The books from which Slughorn, Tom, and Jaden had learned about horcruxes and their other dark magic were in Dumbledore's locked magical cabinets. Surely he had read and studied them thoroughly. I made a note to self that, distasteful as they might be, our group needed to read these darkest of books. The secret to the spells and potions that Voldemort and Slughorn had used on Jaden and Narcissa was likely to be found in these books. Umbridge might even have some surprises for us, which would be foretold in the books. It was lazy and cowardly not to have already read them. Just because we would never be able to bring ourselves to employ such dark magic did not mean that we shouldn't know about it and be prepared to protect ourselves from it. I stopped my musing and was just finishing this section of the diary, when I fell asleep.

As before, Harry woke me in the morning and my neck was so stiff that I couldn't hold it fully upright. I asked Harry, "Why didn't you just bring me to bed after I fell asleep in the chair?"

Harry claimed to have fallen asleep while I was still reading, and to have slept the night through. I was not in a good mood as we went down to breakfast. I had just buttered my toast, when two aurors led Narcissa into the Great Hall. They stopped by our table to tell Bill and Barb, "We're off to the Ministry. You're responsible. Good luck!"

I noticed that Narcissa headed toward Draco, who was seated at the Hufflepuff table. McGonagall joined them. They all seemed to be getting along well, although Draco left as soon as he finished eating. McGonagall and Narcissa stayed another half hour. We were watching them, but we couldn't keep it up without looking suspicious. Harry got up and we followed him out of the Great Hall. As we turned the corner just outside the door, Ron and Harry pulled out their invisibility cloaks. Hermione and I hustled under the cloaks. We moved off a distance to keep the entrance to the Great Hall under surveillance.

"**You watch from here. Ron and I will go back into the Hall and watch Narcissa and McGonagall from the back corner."**

Harry and I crouched down to wait. After another half hour, I got another message.

"**They're leaving by the staff door. We'll follow. You and Harry hide on the grounds, where you can watch the front entrance and the path to Hagrid's hut."**

As commanded, Harry and I moved out to the lawn and camped out under a tree. It would have been much more comfortable had we brought a blanket. We spent an uncomfortable hour under the cloak. Then I saw McGonagall and Narcissa walking out the main entrance, carrying chairs. They carried them to the nearest tree and parked themselves there, chattering away to each other and staring at the grounds and up at the sky. After a half hour of this, they got up and walked towards Hagrid's hut, leaving the chairs behind. They walked past us and we followed. I messaged Hermione that we had them in sight and would follow them to Hagrid.

They bypassed Hagrid's hut and headed straight for Buckbeak. McGonagall bowed to Buckbeak, as did Narcissa. McGonagall approached and patted the animal's head. She unfastened Buckbeak from his tether, shouting "fly away girl." As Buckbeak flapped his wings and disappeared over the trees, an auror stepped out from under an invisibility cloak.

We heard an "Avada..." as an auror threw off his invisibility cloak and began to curse Narcissa.

I quickly shouted 'Off!' as Harry shouted 'Protego'. We stepped from beneath our invisibility cloak to confront the three of them.

"I think this visitation is at an end," Harry informed McGonagall. "I'm going to take Narcissa and the auror back to the Ministry to sort this out." I had picked up the auror's wand. I noticed that he was one of the two aurors who had escorted Narcissa to Hogwarts.

"Come out! I know you're here," I ordered his partner. "You came to Hogwarts with this auror, and I'm quite sure that you're still working as a pair."

"Yes, show yourself. That's a direct order," Harry commanded.

The second auror threw off his invisibility cloak and joined us. "I don't know why Ned did that," he assured us. "We were only supposed to curse her if she flew away. Then she would have been an escaped prisoner."

"We'll sort this out at the Ministry," Harry told the auror. "Come along Narcissa."

"That's perfectly fine," McGonagall assured him. "She'll come willingly, but you should know that this isn't really Narcissa Malfoy and I'm not really Professor McGonagall."

"Then, who the hell are you two?" the frustrated second auror exclaimed.

"Well, I think you'll find that I'm Professor Trelawney and she is Professor Sprout," the Narcissa figure declared. "Shall we go to the Ministry, now? I think you'll find that Narcissa and Professor McGonagall apparated away from Hogwarts over an hour ago."

Bill and Barb had joined us. Bill sent Barb back to the Ministry to alert Dad and Shacklebolt.

"**Hermione! We have two Witches, who look like Narcissa and McGonagall, who have released Buckbeak. They claim to be Trelawney and Sprout."**

"**Trelawney and Sprout did meet with them, but they headed toward Professor Sprout's office after McGonagall and Narcissa left. I thought it odd that they were each carrying an owl, but they arrived at the office with the owls, so we didn't follow them. We tracked Narcissa to the front door and then searched for Professor Sprout. I don't know where she is."**

Oops!

Nobody was really to blame for the escape. It was the risk of allowing Narcissa at Hogwarts. It took only the lowering of the school's defenses to permit her to apparate anywhere. McGonagall must have lowered the apparation barrier. They could have escaped from the Great Hall, during breakfast. The ruse gave them an hour head start, but they didn't really need it. It seemed a stunt performed simply to taunt us, or I suppose to tweak Shacklebolt. It had never been fully clear what Shacklebolt had expected to gain from Narcissa's trip to Hogwarts. I could only guess how Dad would react.

There was a lot of bickering. The attempted 'Avada Kedavra' was most certainly illegal, and Harry wasn't sure that Shacklebolt hadn't ordered it. Harry and Shacklebolt were talking to the aurors and Dad was talking at them. It was time for lunch and I had done nothing wrong, so I decided to eat. Hermione joined me. Ron stayed with Harry.

I was halfway through a giant salad when an owl landed in front of me. An owl at lunch was virtually unheard of. I think I had one other lunchtime owl in seven years at Hogwarts. I took the message from its leg and it just sat there. I unrolled the message and read it to Hermione:

"_Ginny,_

_Please apologize to Harry and Kingsley for me. I mean no harm. I believe that Narcissa is not a danger, and I will stay with her and guarantee that she does not become a danger. Mainly, I will stay with her because I love her and cannot bear to see her confined to a Gringotts vault, where she will surely go mad within the month. Voldemort crippled her from birth, and Lucius did not help her as a husband should. I cannot allow her to be victimized by them yet again. She has been locked away for actions which she can neither fully understand nor control. I will nurture her back to mental health. She is my first and truest love, but I never began to understand what she was. She will miss Draco and her family, but knows that he will be stronger without her. She asks that you care for her mother and the rest of her family._

_Trew and Professor Sprout helped us, because they knew that Narcissa must be rescued, but mainly because they trusted me. I am convinced that Shacklebolt would have killed Narcissa after he had extracted any information she possessed. It was not possible to prosecute her – too many secrets would have been revealed, and you could never prove she acted of free will. Kingsley would never trust that she was safe to release. I believe you will find that the auror stationed beside Buckbeak was meant to curse Narcissa from the sky as she tried to escape. I knew that Hagrid spoke to you, so I changed our plan._

_I don't expect that anyone can find us. I will return when the time is right. Tell Trew that I am very sorry to leave her. _

_I left a longer note to you, along with my Committee report to the Minister in the middle drawer of my desk. The door and desk are not locked._

_I know that it is a lot to ask after I've just staged this elaborate escape, but I really could use a little of your special sand. I need to make a better wand to heal Narcissa. I promise not to misuse your gift. Please put some sand in the small pouch at the owl's leg and launch him to me._

_Thank you. I was always your friend. If you send the sand, you had best destroy this note."_

"What do you think? I don't know why, but I'm tempted to do it," I told Hermione.

"If Shacklebolt can run his little experiment, then we can do the same," Hermione replied. "I don't think that we should tell anyone, though."

I extracted a vial of Yantra sand from my robes and added a quarter thimble-full to the little pouch on the owl's leg. The bird immediately took off and flew through the window.

I had second thoughts as soon as the bird cleared the window. Had I done the right thing? McGonagall had never given us any reason to trust her, where Narcissa was concerned. Really, where any member of the Sisterhood was concerned. She had deceived Harry, me, and our whole group multiple times and had treated my totally good-guy father like crap. Still, I wasn't convinced that my action had been wrong. I would, of course, have to tell Harry. Dad might not see the note, but my husband certainly would. I'd think about showing it to Dad. I would do it in a flash if I could be certain he'd keep it from Shacklebolt.

That was the crux of my decision. I didn't trust McGonagall, I trusted Narcissa even less, but I trusted Shacklebolt least of all. I trusted Dad's wisdom, intelligence, and basic goodness, but there was no denying he had a huge blind spot where Shacklebolt was concerned. I had the Stone. I could instantly message any of my initiates. I really couldn't say why I had consulted only my Muse, before reaching such an important decision.

I did send one Stone message: **I've sent your sand. I won't destroy your note. Don't worry about the note falling into Mrs. Longbottom's hands – if you have betrayed me, you will learn how easy it is for the Mother of the Future to hunt down and kill both of you. Bloodthirsty? Perhaps, but don't mess with me or my family. You've left my husband and father to take the rap for your crime. I shall not forget that. You had best prove your good intentions very, very soon. If Professors Sprout and Trelawney end up in Gringotts over this, that is on your head. By the way, it was nearly on your head that the auror killed Trelawney. It was a very close thing. Harry and I stopped him at the last instant. Was it your plan to have Trew killed to get her out of the way? It's an awful thing to ask, but circumstances demand it.**

I didn't have to wait more than two minutes for a message to be returned to me.

**I thank you for the sand and having at least that much trust in me. I know I asked you to act against the possible wishes of your husband and father and your own considerable doubts. I promise that I will not betray your trust. No, I did not mean to harm Trew and am shocked that she came so close to death. I know that she would never have mounted Buckbeak. My error was in assuming that Shacklebolt and his men were not so evil as to slay a Witch who obviously was not escaping. You really must insist that Harry do something about Shacklebolt. He is not to be trusted and you may be the next to be in danger from him.**

"I know you are dying to message Harry and tell him all, but please wait. We don't want the bad deeds of today to become about you. Shacklebolt and his aurors behaved horribly and McGonagall betrayed a lot of people, yet again. Let Harry settle what he needs to settle at the Ministry and talk to him tonight. That keeps the focus where it belongs. Your decision, right or wrong, and I would have done the same thing, is just a minor side show. It's another test for McGonagall. Make sure you have her locked out of the Stone, except for messaging. Remember that she knows your secret about faking the transporter failure. Please don't be too quick to blab about the sand."

"I understand, Hermione, or at least I do now. Thank you for the warning."


	110. Chapter 110

**Chapter 110 – Last Will and Testament?**

Harry was back at Hogwarts for dinner. He seemed exhausted and still a little rattled, but ready to talk.

"It was quite the afternoon at the Ministry and, before that, on the lawn here before we left for the Ministry. You were wise to go to lunch. Ron was looking increasingly uncomfortable with the arguing and actually seemed relieved when your Dad said, 'Don't you have someplace you can be, Ron?' It's quite clear to your father that Shacklebolt ordered his personal aurors - yes those two are among his four new personal aurors - to kill Narcissa. He asked me if I was aware of this plot when I agreed to allow Narcissa to visit Hogwarts. I told him that I most certainly was not. I said I had alerted him to the hippogriff and had no knowledge beyond that. He told me that I needed to get my department in order. Of course Shacklebolt is very apologetic, but I'm sure he is just sorry that Narcissa is still alive. He suggested that I interfered with his aurors and should not have been involved in the whole affair.

"I told him that not being able to trust that he wouldn't do something like this, as he was also prepared to do with the Spencer twins, was one reason I felt I had to be personally involved more often than he might like. I asked if he thought I should just sit under my cloak and watch his personal auror commit murder. Of the wrong person, moreover.

"I asked what the appropriate response was to an auror who illegally used the 'Avada Kedavra' on a Witch who wasn't threatening anyone, and who didn't even have a wand. He didn't answer, but Mrs. Longbottom did. 'Azkaban', she said. 'That's where I'd be sending your man right now, if the Potters hadn't stopped him in mid-curse. That's where I should send you, for ordering such a thing."

"Shacklebolt got all indignant and said he did not order anything beyond surveillance, unless Narcissa was making good her escape and was in the air on Buckbeak or a thestral. Shacklebolt finally told me that he was protecting me: that there were some decisions that your father and I shouldn't have to make. The sort of decisions that could send us to Azkaban if things went wrong. I said that I didn't want such protection. Anyhow, at the end of the day both the auror and Director Shacklebolt were quietly suspended, with the instruction that the quiet suspension could turn into an arrest if they spoke of this. So, that's how my day went after we separated."

"In that case you are probably going to be really upset, when I show you the note I received."

I handed Harry the note.

"I'm guessing that you sent along some of your special sand to Professor McGonagall. That may be foolish, but it is not obviously illegal, since we haven't declared her a fugitive or charged her with helping Narcissa to escape. So, you've decided that you trust her."

"I decided that before I introduced her to the Stone. Not that I can trust her to tell me the truth or to not do things that I disapprove of, but that she will try to be generally helpful. That's probably all I can reasonably expect of an ally.

"I waited until your return, so that the four of us could check out McGonagall's office together. Catta has been guarding it."

We went to Ron's and Hermione's apartment. Ron also read the note and was shocked when Hermione told him that we had decided to send the sand. Harry took the note, saying he didn't think he'd turn it in quite yet, until the turmoil with Shacklebolt had settled out. He then corrected himself, saying, "I guess I had better show it to Arthur and Mrs. Longbottom."

McGonagall's teaching office was unlocked, as she had promised. Her Ministry report was on top of a little pile in her middle desk drawer. In addition to the note to the four of us, there was a separate sealed envelope addressed to Neville. We headed to the headmaster's office to show all of our booty to Neville.

Neville read the owl note first, commenting, "I saw you send the owl on its way. You are playing a dangerous game. Shacklebolt will say that you cost him the opportunity to chase that owl back to McGonagall and Narcissa. He wanted Narcissa very badly."

"Dead you mean," I commented. "But I agree. Harry will take the note to Dad. I don't know exactly how he will react, but I'm not looking forward to my next meeting with Dad. I took a gamble, based upon instinct and seven years of knowing the Witch. As aggravating as McGonagall can be, she isn't engaged in a sinister plot."

Neville opened his envelope, while the rest of us started reading our joint letter. Hermione read aloud, which caused Neville to set his note to the side and listen, along with the rest of us.

"_Since I have been introduced to the Stone, you will always be able to contact me, if the need arises. If you have questions about my motives, I certainly will answer them, although I don't expect you to conduct an interrogation on Kingsley's behalf. If I need to talk to you, it will also be through the Stone. As you surely know, I have two birds, but they are for possible communication with others. Narcissa has already sent a bird to Draco._

"_I'm sure that my appearance at your table last night seemed strange and forced. It is difficult to say goodbye covertly, but I wanted to say a farewell in the flesh. I can't promise how my little experiment will end, but I expect a result which will please you. This is the final step in my 'Malfoy experiment', as well as a chance for Narcissa and me to explore our joint and separate pasts. That experiment was never driven primarily by my past history with Narcissa, but by my vision for the future of our community. _

"_For years, I've thought about what is needed to give us a bright future. I think I've thought as clearly as anyone. I'm sure you will agree with me that Narcissa knows more than she has told you. I don't think she has lied or tried to be deceptive. Her mind is such a jumble of memories, false memories, blocked memories, and dreams. Voldemort and his ghost had a very long time to shape and manipulate her. If anyone can gently unwrap her hidden real memories, I believe that I am that person. Whether good or bad, I promise to share what I learn._

"_I said at the start of last summer that the Malfoys were the keys to our future. I believe that more strongly than ever: so strongly, that I must implore all of you to accept the burden of keeping Draco safe. I know he is determined not to have children, but I think that a mistake. The problem is as much in the nurture as in the nature, when it comes to Tom Riddle and the Malfoys. We must all make certain that the nurture is appropriate this time around. _

"_I fully expect to be back at Hogwarts and doing my part when any of Draco's children arrive. To that extent, let me assure you that I am not a fool. I know that Draco did not father little Erin. I think Narcissa suspects the same. We shall certainly keep Draco's secret, although I believe the secrecy to be foolish. The risk of Silas's parents fighting to claim little Erin pales against the prospect of Umbridge hunting the child. Please encourage Draco to simply adopt the baby._

"_Please tell Molly that had I stayed I certainly would have invited her to return as a professor next term. I have requested that Neville do the same._

"_Finally, I know that all of you want to leave Hogwarts and not look back. The school will continue to need your support. Please don't ignore it. Ron has been a very good novice professor and I'm convinced that Hermione's place is on the Hogwarts faculty. The rest of you can defend your old school and help Neville defend the younger students. Whatever, Harry is still our landlord, and that should carry some responsibility._

"_Please don't judge me too harshly. Have no doubt that I will keep your little secret. Unlike Draco's secret, I believe that yours must remain secret. If I return in time, I still wish to join your Quest, if you will have me._

"_Minerva McGonagall, who was proud to be your professor, headmaster, and friend._"

When Hermione had finished, Neville picked up his note and read it to us.

"_Headmaster Longbottom,_

"_To me you will always be my friend Neville. I think you know in your heart that I will not be returning soon. It falls to you to be the next headmaster. Please put your modesty aside and be as strong a candidate as you possibly can be for this most important position. I hope to return as a member of your faculty at some point during your first term as headmaster. You will be headmaster and you must chart what you believe to be the best course for Hogwarts. I only ask that you give due consideration to the recommendations which I have made in my report to the Minister. _

"_I know there are some who think me less than diligent in pursuit of my Ministry assignments, but I assure you that I have thought a great deal about what to include in this report. You might say that the report is based upon my fifty-three years at Hogwarts as student and teacher. I have thought a lot on the best and the worst of Hogwarts. Put your stamp on it, but please don't ignore my thoughts._

"_Good luck. I trust you will do an excellent job as headmaster. You've certainly caused far less discord than I did in my short time on the job. I think my emotions were far too high to permit success. You are more steady and less grasping than I am. The students truly like you. The danger is in trying to be too great a friend to the lads. Some firmness and adult separation is also needed._

"_Again, know that I will not be back in time to stand for election, and that you are my choice of successor. Feel free to show this note to any professors whose votes may be swayed by my recommendation. Apart from Trew, I can't tell you who that might be._

_"Please know that Professor Sprout is a good soul, whom you can depend upon. She know a lot of Hogwarts secrets, which may be of use to you. Please try to persuade Trew to remain at Hogwarts. It's the place she loves and where she belongs. Firenze might be a help in persuading her. _

"_Professor McGonagall_"

The report for Dad was much longer than either note. For now, we merely looked at the list of numbered recommendations, which she had placed on the first page.

1. Hogwarts should be free to students, with the costs paid from the general Ministry budget.

2. Slytherin House should remain closed for the next three terms to provide a break from the period in which the Slytherins terrorized their fellow students. For the first three years of a reopened Slytherin, the House advisor should be the headmaster. This has the best opportunity of re-establishing Slytherin on a sound basis. Members of Slytherin must have no special privilege. I know what happened when I violated this rule.

3. Hogwarts should teach enough Muggle studies so that its graduates can fit into the Muggle world and find work there. In addition to an expanded version of this term's course in basic Muggle technology, the rudiments of Muggle culture should be taught.

4. The new emphasis on growing plants and making potions which are useful in the household should continue and be expanded. Improved farming techniques should be taught.

5. Transfiguration should focus upon making useful objects for everyday life and repairing broken objects.

6. The current instruction in art and music should be expanded. Witch sculpture and Witch painting can replace advanced transfiguration.

7. Less Defense Against the Dark Arts instruction is needed.

8. Care of Magical Creatures should concentrate upon the more common and useful magical creatures. This term's inclusion of the other intelligent magical creatures was excellent. Care for common farm animals should be added.

9. Student awards for scholarship in individual subjects should be given equal weight to Quidditch awards.

10. Each House should field a junior-level Quidditch team. Each team should play the reduced schedule of the past term.

11. Muggle-born first-year students should begin with a two-week introductory program prior to the arrival of the other students. Wizard-born students should have a one-week introductory period, prior to the arrival the second-year and up students. They should still ride the Hogwarts Express on first day.

12. Students should not take all of their courses with the same House. All classes should contain students from all Houses. The House system and the Sorting Hat should be retained. The House Cup should be retained.

13. An eighth year should be added for professional instruction and to permit the full modern curriculum. This will free the Ministry staff from much of the burden of instructing its new hires, and provide additional Hogwarts professors to staff the expanded curriculum.

14. O.W.L. exams will be taken uniformly in year six, N.E.W.T. exams in years seven and eight, and professional exams in year eight.

15. Parents will be invited to attend graduation and to a parents' day to be held a month after the start of term. Hogwarts graduates will be permitted to attend the Quidditch games, but will not be permitted to room at school.

16. The headmaster and full-time staff will not be permitted to hold any Ministry position. Students will not be allowed to hold any Ministry position or to serve as a Keeper or Assistant Keeper.

17. The restricted section of the Hogwarts library shall be in a separate locked room. This will permit the normal library to be expanded.

18. Required texts should be provided free to students.

19. Advanced broom-flying classes should be provided for non-Quidditch players.

20. The exchange of students with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang should be continued and expanded.

21. Hogwarts should make a concerted effort to stop the bullying of the younger and weaker students. There should be no hesitation in expelling persistent bullies or in requesting the arrest and prosecution of the worst bullies.

22. Non-magical, Wizard-born children should be allowed to attend Hogwarts for two years at normal age level, but will study only classes not requiring magical skill – Muggle studies, Wizard history, music, first-level art, divination and religion, herbology, potion making, and care of magical creatures. While Slytherin is closed, these students will live in Slytherin House. If after two years they still lack magical ability, they will attend a to-be-established Ministry school. Attendance will be free and for up to six years.

23. Each term, one class will be taught as a discovery course – hunting for facts and clues, solving a mystery or puzzles, exploring Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, conducting self-directed research and experimentation, or creating something.

24. Hogwarts professors will be required to take a sabbatical and work someplace in the real world at least every seven years. A program of exchange professors with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang should be permanent.

25. Magical engineering should be taught as a two-level sequence.

26. Each summer the headmaster and selected Hogwarts faculty should hold an information session for parents of prospective first-year students. These meetings should be at the Ministry and in Hogsmeade.

"That's it," Hermione concluded, "although perhaps we should label the last part of number sixteen as the Cissy Montaigne rule.

"There is a further discussion of each item in the later text and a summary of all the surveys. I'll have to study the whole report in detail - then I can pass it on to Harry with a cover note. Neville should do the same. With Professor McGonagall gone, somebody is going to have to sponsor this. It might as well be Harry. If Arthur is willing to give us a week, we should have a modified version available for him."

"That sounds fine," Harry agreed. "I'm sure Arthur wants something that Neville and I can support. Callista did a lot of work on this. I think she should be the official sponsor and the replacement head of McGonagall's Ministry department. "

"We should see if there is anything left in McGonagall's apartment," I suggested. "Considering how thoroughly she cleaned out her office, I doubt we'll find anything of value, but we should make the effort."

Harry persuaded Neville to give us access to the apartment. It too had been completely cleaned out, except for a few of Professor Trelawney's things. McGonagall had left no clues for anybody to follow. Of course, we could have tried to follow the owl. I had known that at the time I sent it off with the sand.

I don't know if McGonagall had installed a remote alarm in her apartment, but we had only been in the apartment three minutes, when I received a message through the Stone.

"**I wanted to think a little, before I responded further to your Stone message. Thank you for the sand and for not arranging for my owl to be followed. I am grateful for that level of trust. I admit I have not treated you or your circle especially well, but I am not betraying you. I understand that you are angry. I understand that Narcissa and I will be missed and that your husband and father will be left to take the blame and make lame explanations. I am truly sorry for that. I did what I felt must be done and hope you will all come to see the necessity of my actions. Please tell Arthur how sorry I am to dump this mess on his shoulders. I may learn something from Narcissa that helps him find Umbridge. I am determined that she be brought down. I am convinced that Narcissa shares this view. I know Arthur will fear that Narcissa can escape me at any time and return as an Umbridge ally. I will take precautions. I am a liar and a cheat and can barely forgive myself, yet I have done what must be done. Perhaps if I could bring myself to trust Kingsley, I would have acted differently. I beg of you, please don't allow Professor Sprout or Trew to suffer for helping me. The true villain in this is Kingsley. Don't let Arthur and Harry strike at Trew, because they are unwilling to hold Kingsley to account and can't find Narcissa or me. That would be most unfair."**

Harry was going to go to the Ministry to meet with Dad, but since Hermione and I had been the ones who received the owl and decided to send back the sand, and since I had just received the Stone message, we insisted upon coming with him.

Dad's first words were "I don't know how we can explain this. I got the impression from your message that you are bringing me more problems, rather than a solution."

I told Dad what we knew and what we had done. He wasn't pleased with my behavior.

"Sorry Dad. I realize that I disappointed you. I really don't think my actions made the situation any worse for you and Harry, but it does seem disloyal. I won't deny that. The truth is that I just don't trust Shacklebolt – at all. I know you have a blind spot, where he is concerned. If I had arranged for the owl to be followed, there was too great a risk of Shacklebolt doing murder. This is at least the second time we know of, in which he took it on himself to eliminate a danger through murder. He has also done it in the worst possible way, trusting aurors of low character so that the blame falls back on your administration and Harry, when the auror leaks or brags about what he has done. If Shacklebolt was the Wizard he thinks he is, he would have the guts to do his own murdering."

"You give the same excuse for your conduct as McGonagall gave to you for hers. In both cases, it has some validity, but doesn't really justify the actions. I'm angry, but I know this is largely on me. I trusted McGonagall and Kingsley. This is going to be very hard to explain and I can't keep Narcissa's disappearance a secret for long. Really, unless my administration is to have a reputation for hiding the truth, I must disclose this tomorrow. I have asked Prudence to set a press conference for five. That's as long as I can go on this."

"Why wait. It only looks worse. There is no chance of recapturing Narcissa by five tomorrow. Let's meet the reporters at nine in the morning," Harry suggested.

"I want a little time to decide what to do with Trew, Professor Sprout, Kingsley, and his personal aurors. Those are my easy decisions. I have to decide whether this forces my hand to admit that Narcissa is Voldemort's daughter and that she is carrying around a bit of Voldemort as a horcrux. This is very serious. Let's all meet first thing tomorrow morning. I'll come to Hogwarts and bring the necessary people. That is less conspicuous and I want to talk to Neville and a few others. I can't tell you how galling it is to have McGonagall leave a note, presuming that she can choose her successor, after this final stab in the back. It is even more galling that Neville is my choice for headmaster."

I was surprised that Dad brought Shacklebolt to the meeting. I was quite sure that Harry had reported Shacklebolt's suspension to Dad. Shacklebolt was very contrite and said that Dad should blame him for the failure to prevent Narcissa's escape. He volunteered to be reduced from Director to Squad Leader. Harry and Dad accepted that.

Neville agreed to run for headmaster.

Mrs. Longbottom said that Trew and Professor Sprout most certainly were guilty of assisting in the escape of a prisoner. By fleeing, Narcissa had become a strong candidate for Azkaban. The aurors would now be justified in using the Avada Kedavra if she was found and they thought it necessary to prevent another escape. She would issue an arrest warrant for McGonagall.

Our meeting was in a very grim place, even before the question of whether or not to reveal Narcissa's parentage was discussed. Kingsley argued that this was a legitimate state secret. So was the Voldemort horcrux. It was vital that Umbridge not learn of this.

"I agree," Dad admitted, "but if we hide this, we lose all credibility when the truth inevitably comes out. There is still Slughorn to consider. I don't understand what you could possibly have been thinking, Kingsley. We are in an awful situation."

I excused myself, as the discussion continued. I had to talk to the Stone. Could I find her. If I messaged her and she messaged back, could the Stone help me apparate to her location.

Hermione also left the meeting and joined me to find out what I was thinking. When my Stone concentration was broken, she asked me "I tried to message you, but you were talking to the Stone. What's up?"

I explained how we could apparate to McGonagall's location. Hermione agreed that this was the best possible solution.

"Goodbye Kingsley," I said as I rejoined the meeting.

Harry motioned for Kingsley to get out of listening range. I explained my plan to Harry and Dad. The only objection came from Ron.

"You can't do this with Hermione. She's not a good enough fighter and she is too good a person to do what may become necessary. You need someone like me. I'm willing to use whatever curse is needed to prevent Narcissa from fleeing again. I do want a written blessing from Mrs. Longbottom, but I'm the only member of our group that Ginny can count on to do what must be done. Sorry, Harry, but you know I'm right."

Hermione and Harry did both know that Ron was right. For good or bad, he was our groups' hammer. It wasn't good for Ron's future, but we needed that particular skill.

Dad and Mrs. Longbottom approved the plan. The escaped prisoner exception to the Avada Kedavra was in play. If need be, Ron would use the 'Kill' curse, but hoped to get by with 'Off'. I shared that intention. Harry and Mrs. Longbottom swore in Ron and me as reserve aurors. That would have to be sufficient legal cover.

I establishe a Stone link to McGonagall.

**You and Narcissa must return right now! There is an arrest warrant for you and an Avada Kedavra permission on Narcissa. Mrs. Longbottom has authorized the arrest of Professors Sprout and Trelawney. Dad feels he must tell the reporters of Narcissa's parentage and horcrux. If he doesn't, his administration has no credibility left. Slughorn can be expected to spill all. Dad also says too great a chance that Umbridge finds you first. We must act fast.**

This time she was back to me immediately.

**No, I won't do that. I don't really blame Arthur, but Narcissa and I will take our chances.**

I had my wand out and a hold on Ron's wrist. It was a short apparation. McGonagall was right in front of me and I 'Off'ed her. Narcissa dove for McGonagall's wand. I was pleased and proud that my brother also used 'Off' to subdue her. I grabbed McGonagall with one hand and Narcissa with the other and instructed Ron to get a good hold around my waist.

A few seconds later, we were back in Neville's office. Being a ride-along is tough. I was fine, but my brother puked.

I had my wand on Shacklebolt, who had returned to the group in my absence. "I'm just making sure there is no further attempt at murder. Especially not before Ron and I have demonstrated that the prisoners have been delivered in good condition."

Shacklebolt placed his wand on Neville's desk and took a seat. We gooped the prisoners, then Ron and I reversed our curses.

"You betrayed me!" McGonagall shouted at me.

"No, you once again betrayed all of us to save a member of your Sisterhood. You once again risked the best government we've had in my lifetime and put the future of our whole community in your own hands. I couldn't allow that. I don't know what happens now. That's up to Harry, and Dad, and Mrs. Longbottom. The people, along with Professors Sprout and Trelawney, whom you sacrificed to rescue your precious Narcissa. I'm not willing to let you sacrifice my family."

"Nobody need know I ever escaped," Narcissa suggested. "Return me to my cell. Minerva thinks she can fix my mind. She can do that in my cell. The worst you can do to her is arrest her and jail her for a while. She'll voluntarily share my cell with me and work on fixing me. We'll both agree than you can keep us there for at least a month. It will me a safer place for Minerva to work on me and I'll be no danger to you."

"Can that work?" Hermione asked.

"I'm willing to give it a try," Mrs. Longbottom replied. "I'll prepare the necessary paperwork. Trew can return to her retreat. Neville can say that Minerva went with her. With a little Polyjuice, half of Hogwarts can see them leave together."

"That leaves me and my personal aurors," Shacklebolt noted. "I'm happy with that solution and I can keep my men in line. I apologize for what we tried to do. It won't happen again."

"Take them back to Narcissa's cell," Dad commanded. "Your aurors can guard them. They had best not suffer an accident, or I will hold you personally responsible." Dad was looking at Kingsley, when he said that last bit. "You should go back to your office. I'd rather you not be here for the rest of this meeting. You will have to convince me that I can trust you."

A very unhappy Kingsley left us. He wasn't angry, just sad. It wasn't clear to me what his present job title was. I whispered Harry, but he didn't know, either.

Dad asked Ellen to fetch Trew and Professor Sprout. Mrs. Longbottom told them they should consider themselves most fortunate not to be in jail and that they would do exactly as they were told.

"I'm very sorry," Trew told us. "That was my final gift to Minerva. I doubt I will be seeing her again. She made her choice. I must live with that. She did help me through a tough time and I will always be grateful for that. I'm very thankful that you aren't arresting me. I expected jail. I just couldn't refuse Minerva. It's not a Sisterhood thing."

"I understand," Dad assured her.

I wasn't quite sure what Dad would say at his press conference, now that I had recaptured his escaped prisoner. He appeared first with McGonagall and Callista. McGonagall presented her committee's report and read the recommendations. Dad thanked her for her work. She announced that the problems with the disruptions after Christmas break had convinced her that she would be happier as a professor. She presented her resignation from her committee and from Hermione's committee. Dad announced that Callista and Neville would take her place. She announced that she was going on a vacation with Trew and would not be standing for headmaster at the end of term, but would resume her teaching duties.

I was surprised when Dad and Mrs. Longbottom announced a guilty plea by Slughorn to reduced charges.

Professor Slughorn admitted to a minor role in Voldemort's kidnapping of Jaden. He said that Voldemort told him of murdering Jaden's entire family to create his first horcrux. He didn't actually say, but phrased his statement in a way which suggested that Jaden was included among the murdered. He apologized. He said that he now realized that Slytherin must change and must remain closed for a while. He suggested that the older Slytherins who desired a bit more education could attend the school he had started. He had bankrolled it well enough to last at least a couple of terms.

I doubt he believed half of what he said, but it earned him a sentence of only a year in jail with a decade-long probation to ensure his future good behavior. For the most evil Wizard of his generation, I thought he got off very, very lightly. I recognized the necessity of the deal, but that still didn't make it just. It was just another of the endless little sacrifices required to keep Umbridge at bay. It was hard not to feel dirty, even though I thought my participation in the mess had been largely positive.

McGonagall returned to Gringotts and Ellen as McGonagall returned to Hogwarts and was observed by half the school as she waved goodbye to all and left with Trew on what she described as 'a short vacation, I need a rest."


	111. Chapter 111

**Chapter 111 – To Vanish In a Cloud of Smoke**

May flew past and graduation approached. Harry, Mom, and Hermione were sworn in as Gamots. The Malfoys made another appearance at Hogwarts, showing up at the Gryffindor table for breakfast on a fine Monday morning. As the three of them sat down across from the four of us and next to Luna, I noticed that, whereas McGonagall would have come down from the head table and picked a fight, Neville just gave them a smile and a nod. In response to my inquiry of how things were going for their little family, Erin smiled and answered, "Really very well, better than I would have expected. We spent the weekend with my parents and all was calm happiness. We greased the skids for success by agreeing in advance to have little Erin baptized yesterday. Church of England, which was Dad's heart's desire. I know that is probably a touchy subject for you at this time, but there really was no choice. Luna wants to do another Light Guardian infant ceremony next week and we've agreed. I won't say it's to remove the C of E smell, but that was my parents' choice, not mine, and it doesn't hurt to supersede it. You're all invited. It will be at Malfoy manor. It should be safe. We still have auror protection, although we haven't had a hint of Death Eaters stalking us.

"Yes, the Daily Prophet has really been beating the drum for Church of England," Hermione responded, pulling yesterday's folded newspaper from her bag and laying the front page flat on the table between us. The headline blared at us:

**ALL THE BEST WITCHES AND WIZARDS ARE CHURCH OF ENGLAND**

**WHY GIVE UP WHAT WE KNOW FOR A TRADITION THAT HASN'T BEEN PRACTICED FOR A MILLENIUM?**

**WEASLEY-POTTERS PUSHING OLD SUPERSTITIOUS RUBBISH IN OUR FACES**

**THIS IS THE SORT OF QUACK WHO WORSHIPS THE LIGHT GUARDIAN**

Hermione turned to the second and third pages to show that this last headline was illustrated with pictures of Mafalda, Victoria, Xenophilius, Harry, and Erin herself. It was a repeat of the rogue's gallery of photos taken at the initial bonfire. The message was clear: we were all dangerous cranks that the Wizarding world listened to at its own peril.

"Yes," I reinforced Hermione, "not the best time to be mentioning Church of England, although that is what I grew up with. I too was baptized by that church. I hope our community isn't headed for its own religious wars."

"No disagreement from me on that," Erin replied. "I just wanted peace with Dad."

We spent a pleasant morning walking around the school grounds with the Malfoys and picnicking by the lakeside. Cissy joined us for the picnic and later escorted us to her castle for an early supper. We hadn't seen that much of her during the past month. She complained about the strain of all her classwork on top of her family duties and her foreboding about the coming exam week. She had studied and studied, but claimed that advanced transfiguration would always elude her. "It's the strangest thing. I can do Witch sculpting and Witch painting just fine in Professor Celine's class and club, but what you would think were easier transfigurations in transfiguration class seem beyond me. I think it may be that I associate that subject with McGonagall and always sense her invisible presence holding me back, even though she only taught the class for the first few weeks. What's worse, she's going to conduct the exam, personally. I'm going to have to stand before her and reveal myself as an abject failure. I think my mood would brighten if we could share another adventure before the end of term. You are really taking McGonagall's warnings to exclude me way too seriously."

It seemed a good time to let the secret out. Frankly, I was amazed that the prolonged disappearance of McGonagall and knowledge of Narcissa's brief escape hadn't been blazoned across the front page of both newspapers. The whiff of wrong-doing by one of their own had kept the other two aurors from leaking a word. The few Hogwarts faculty in the know were silent out of fear that Trew and Professor Sprout might be prosecuted for their role in Narcissa's escape.

I messaged Harry. He messaged back that the secret must remain secret, and that Cissy was sometimes a blabbermouth. Still, he took pity on her and told her a little of the truth. "Don't worry about Professor McGonagall conducting the transfiguration examination. She has informed the Ministry that she is most unlikely to return prior to the start of next term. She finds her studies in Asia as fruitful as Professor Trelawney found hers. They are enjoying sharing the new experiences and visions together. If it is only the presence of Professor McGonagall which frightens you, be assured that you will not have to deal with that. This is secret. Please do not pass it on to anybody. What she and Professor Trelawney are currently studying must not be disclosed. Even the extent of her absence must be kept as a tightly-guarded secret."

Harry messaged me that we should all monitor how well Cissy did at keeping this secret. She would at least be in a more confident mood when we visited her castle.

It was good to visit Castle Montaigne again, but the next morning it was back to the familiar grind. I worked with Hermione to develop answers to the tough questions that Dad and the Muggle Prime Minister had posed to her committee. Was continued contact with the new worlds safe, and what benefits did it offer? What should we tell the various communities about the Stone and the transporter? How public should I be as the Mother of the Future, and how much of my new knowledge and skill could be known beyond our circle? How could all the communities be assured that the Stone was safe, and that our community in general, and I in particular, wouldn't use it as a weapon against the other communities? Was there enough trust to sign a renewed Covenant? What would we do with a million Elves and a billion Leprechauns knocking at our door?

These questions were so much the focus of Dad's cabinet meetings that I was often invited to attend. Each cabinet meeting was preceded by a meeting with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, in which we tried to predict what questions would be asked, and what I could safely answer.

The problem was even tougher with the two emergency meetings of Hermione's larger committee. The Muggle Prime Minister wanted to see the other worlds for himself. Everyone was terrified of millions of Elves, except for the remarkably placid Cotto, who acknowledged the fears but declared himself unable to see how Elves could be viewed as so great a threat. Still, even Cotto trembled as he declared, "no person must ever visit Leprechaun World. To do so would be to condemn us all to death at the hands of those vicious beings."

Despite the best efforts of all committee members to work together for the common good, which species you mistrusted and feared seemed solely determined by one's own species. The Leprechauns had gotten the reputation for unthinking bloodthirstiness, despite no problem from Earth's Leprechauns in over a millennium. The talk sometimes became so wild that Dad had to caution "we don't want to stir up old enmities. There are very few Leprechauns left in this world. We wouldn't want to harm the few who are left. Remember, their ancestors chose long ago to stay here and live in peace with the rest of us."

Firenze agreed, saying, "The past is too much with us. Can't we forget the hurts to our great-greats over a millennium ago? Logic says that these events have nothing to do with us. We have only the accounts of those who stayed behind to tell us that the Leprechauns were as bad as they've been portrayed."

At the second emergency meeting, we had to agree to attempt further controlled visits to the other worlds. Harry and Hermione strongly objected, but they were junior participants in the discussion. The Muggle Prime Minister and Dad felt they must see Elf world for themselves, meet with the Elf leaders, and be convinced of the Elves' peaceful intentions.

As Tony presented the need for the trip, my truth teller skills alerted me that, if not outright lying, he was telling the smaller part of the truth. Hermione picked up the same vibe from him. As we chatted in our common room, following that rather tense meeting, Hermione observed "his less than truthful discussion of why he needed to travel to Elf World may be nothing more than a boyish whim to travel in space, before he is forced from office. On the other hand, it could be the first gambit in a plan to seize control of the Stone and transporter."

I agreed with Hermione, but had additional concerns. The committee had tentatively decided that Cotto, Hermione and I would make an initial trip to Elf World in order to prepare the way for the grown up diplomatic visit. This trip was a concession from the Muggle Prime Minister who ultimately agreed that a little advance diplomacy was not a bad thing, and that he and my father would be safer if safe passage was negotiated in advance. This left Dad in stutters, as he suddenly decided that this would have him hiding behind his only daughter and risking my life instead of his own. I knew Dad would be in a right state until I returned from this trip.

I shared some of my concerns with Hermione. "I'd normally argue to delay this trip, but I fear that Dad will just chew himself up until it happens and I'm safely returned to him. I can't help but wonder if the big reason that Tony wanted both of us to go on this initial visit is that it will require that somebody else operate the transporter. As far as he knows, nobody except you or me can operate the controls. Neither he, nor the rest of the committee, got around to the question of whom I should train as the operator, but I expect that will be coming soon. Want to bet that someone from the Ministry or one of Tony's aides is suggested as the operator?"

"The time has come for the transporter to fail," Harry suggested.

"Yes," Hermione reluctantly agreed. "I'm afraid that's what we must do. Ginny and I must delve into our memories and find a way for the Stone and transporter to appear to die."

"I think some Weasley Whizbangs might add a dramatic touch, but the Stone will have to do most of the work." I told her "it would be most dramatic if we had a huge accident while we were being transported and we just barely managed to return.

"For the best Whiz Bangs, we'll have to bring George and Lee into the plot, and we should keep the circle of conspirators as small as possible," Ron warned. "We can defend this action as a desperate last measure to ward of interference from the Muggle government, but we're also going against Dad and the official actions of Hermione's own committee. This is probably as illegal as using the 'Avada Kedavra'."

"It certainly is," Hermione replied, "but unlike the 'Avada Kedavra' it is necessary, and if we play this right, nobody will be hurt. It hurts me as much as I know it hurts you to act behind Arthur's back, but we must protect him. He has to be able to tell the Muggle government that the transporter simply failed on its own. You know Arthur couldn't possibly tell a lie. If this blows up in our faces, we also need Arthur to carry on leading the Ministry with an untarnished reputation. We can be the silly, headstrong kids who got in over their heads. This cannot be an official Ministry action. The response from the Muggle government could be unimaginably dire. It could be the end of free Wizards. The involvement of the Muggle government in our affairs leaves us nothing but awful choices. I hate myself for suggesting that we ever purchase cellphones. That increased their knowledge of us. The various Ministers of Magic just never should have talked to the Muggle Prime Ministers. Complete secrecy was the safest choice.

"We can't use Whiz Bangs, by the way. The Muggles have ways of detecting that something like that was used. That simplifies things. There will be fewer people in the know."

"I agree it was terrible to bring the Muggles into our business. We should have had no contact. Voldemort made that impossible," Harry reminded her. "He caused too much damage in the Muggle world. Besides, Wizards seem odder and odder in the modern world. Contact and change were unavoidable. I don't blame Arthur or even Scrimgeour. It was Voldemort. I take your point on the danger, however."

I spent a whole day with Harry, Hermione and Ron in the lower chamber of the Stone. We sat with our backs against the stone, arms linked, Fawkes jumping from shoulder to shoulder, as we considered ways of safely causing the transporter to fail spectacularly. We checked details of each suggested plan against our Light Guardian knowledge and the memories stored in the Stone. Some, like setting off hidden giant Whiz Bangs, were rejected based upon Hermione's Muggle knowledge. The Muggle Prime Minister and his experts would certainly discover the residue left by these devices and know that we had caused the 'accident'.

The Stone surprised us when Ron asked it whether the transporter could still operate with one of the small crystals atop the Stone destroyed. The Stone answered that it could operate with two crystals destroyed, but that some destinations would be impossible to access. Further diving into its stored knowledge revealed how damaged crystals could be removed and replaced. This gave me hope that we could cause a spectacular failure, without permanently damaging the transporter.

I was further delighted to hear that if we picked the right two crystals to destroy, that we could prevent travel to LeprechaunWorld and Wizardworld. That would be a benefit, rather than a loss.

I suggested to Hermione that we could make use of our ability to operate the transporter merely by thinking to the Stone. Nobody else, well nobody but Harry and presumably Ron, were aware that we possessed this ability to operate the transporter from anywhere except the little control landing.

Hermione was instantly excited. "We can allow a Ministry employee or even one of Tony's Muggle aides to think they are operating the transporter from the landing, while it's really under our control the whole time. If the accident damages the landing, everyone will view that as a further sign that the transporter is lost beyond fixing. It might also appear that the problem was caused by an error made by someone whom we were forced to accept as an operator, against our better judgment. That might leave the further impression that the Stone and transporter are very picky about who addresses them."

"But it's easy to operate and if there was a mistake, we would be blamed for providing inadequate training or faulty instructions."

"Not if Tony and Dad heard us provide the instruction and knew it to be extremely thorough and idiot proof."

"But, how can a Muggle expert make an error following idiot-proof instructions?" Ron asked in bewilderment.

"He could if he was confunded. It would have to be done quickly and reversed just as quickly, because the aide would likely be examined after," Hermione replied, "but it could work. There would be witnesses to the error present in the control room, which is good, but they would also be witnesses to the confunding and its reversal."

"The confunding could be done during the training session," I suggested. "Everyone would be so focused on the training that they wouldn't notice a confunding by whichever of us wasn't doing the training. A silent reversal spell would also be missed if the failure of the transporter were sufficiently dramatic."

"That could work," Harry agreed, "but isn't it awfully mean and unfair to the aide who operates the transporter. It will be the end of that person's career, if not worse."

"I don't know how to avoid it," Hermione lamented.

"We'll pick an aide we don't like," Ron suggested. "One of the guys Tony brought with him to the last meeting was unbearable. It was clear he saw us all as freaks, whom he'd squash under his heel if he were the man in charge."

"Still, it's likely almost his whole life we'll be ruining," Hermione chided Ron.

"I don't mind doing that to a guy who hates and would destroy us, if it is necessary to save our whole community. Besides, we could look him up after," I suggested, "and secretly bring him some good luck as a make-up gift."

That brought nods in agreement.

"Since Hermione and I will be transported during this little adventure, Harry and Ron will have to handle the reverse confunding," I stated the obvious. "Are you up for it?"

"Sure," my brother replied. "I'm a master of silent spells by now. It will have to be me. Harry will be chatting up Dad and Tony. I'll be the invisible Wizard in the control landing."

"There's more to worry about," Hermione warned us. "There is sure to be an inquiry after the accident. Both the Ministry and the Muggles will be involved. We'll all face truth tellers and Muggle lie detector machines. We'll have to practice our lie telling skills. That points to minimizing who is involved. I think just the four of us can be in the know. Ron and Harry will have to work with the Stone to learn to lie without being detected. Ginny and I already studied and practiced that, when we were trying to learn how Narcissa was able to get away with lying in front of us. We know how to use ancient priestess, light guardian and Stone skills."

"I agree that we can stand up to it, but what about Ron … and Harry," I fretted. "I'm not sure either of them, especially Harry, can lie convincingly."

"I'll practice until I can," Harry promised me. "I won't fail you. If I'm unable to lie convincingly, I will arrange to be absent during the training session and when the transporter is operated. That way I might not be questioned at all or at least not as intensely. I realize that puts a lot more pressure on Ron. We can have some truly innocents, along with your Dad in the control room and on the floor of the cavern during training and actual operation of the transporter. That will give the investigators more people to investigate. It's good our aurors are not here with us. We should continue to plan when they aren't here. That means in bed or through the Stone. Bill, Barb, and Ellen need to be able to swear with total honesty that they never heard us discussing any plans to sabotage the transporter. We should bury the investigators in innocent answers."

Practice for my NEWTS was displaced by lying practice. Hermione was great at tapping into her Light Guardian skills. She fooled me, as well as a lie detector machine that her father had secretly purchased for her in Germany. I was having difficulty. Both the machine and Hermione somethimes caught me out. They caught Harry almost every time. Ron appeared to be either an exceptionally fast learner or a natural liar. It was not that my brother was a bad person, it just appeared that, as with his use of 'Kill!' in Diagon Alley, he appeared able to decide what action he must take to safeguard our community, and then treat any bad behavior in pursuit of that goal as a good and justified action.

Hermione explained it to me one night.

"Ron believes that under these circumstances lying is a proper and moral thing to do, really the only possible right thing for him to do. He is so confident and unashamed as he lies that he totally fools his watchers. It is as if he is speaking a deeper truth. He couldn't lie in a bad cause, but he believes the survival of our whole community depends upon his lies. So, in lying, he truly is speaking a deeper truth. That's partly how I do it, as well. It is not only secret tricks of body control, I think you're actually better at those than any of us. it's how you think about the answer you're giving. Is it right to say something that will cause the Muggle soldiers to storm Hogwarts and destroy our whole community, in order to turn the Stone and transporter into a weapon of war? Do we want armed Muggles camped at Hogwarts? Of course not! So what is technically a lie is really the only possible honest answer."

I must have looked skeptical, as I thought, 'I'm glad to learn that my brother is such a deeply honest person', because Hermione interrupted my daydreaming, "did you read those Charles Stross books I gave you? Please do so! It will give you a different perspective on what is and is not the right and truthful answer to give, when you are questioned."

I read the books. I worried – a lot. I had vivid dreams. I don't think they were prophetic dreams, but they scared the crap out of me. I awoke with a jolt in the middle of the night, gasping for breath, shaking, crying, and screaming. Harry was truly frightened for me. When he asked what was troubling me, I told him "you just have to quickly read these books. I'm having nightmares about Darth Cheney. Nobody should have to dream about Darth Cheney. If lying will keep him away from Hogwarts, then we must all become totally convincing liars."

That perspective allowed me to pass the lying tests set before me. Harry also was starting to do much better. I also encouraged Harry to treat the whole thing as a totally harmless prank. I vowed that if Harry didn't do better, I would use my ancient priestess and Stone knowledge to confund him in a way that would be very difficult to detect, even if he was tested before I was fully able to reverse the confunding. I taught some of these techniques to Ron, lest Tony's aide be tested at an inopportune time. At the very least, the ancient confunding technique was different enough from the modern version that Dr. White would not recognize its residue after the confunding was removed. That much I could guarantee. It was still quite possible that he could detect the confunding before we removed it, although that was far from a sure thing.

Our final hurdle, before the actual event that is, was the last planning meeting of Hermione's committee before the big event. We had planned for this meeting for the whole prior day, anticipating what wrinkles Tony and Dad would throw at us.

Tony's first ploy was exactly what we expected. Since this was an advance party to pave the way for his own trip to Elf World, one of his aides should go with us. That was the only way that he could optimally prepare to make his own trip as safe and successful as possible. He explained that he didn't wish to give insult, but that clearly we spoke the dialect of northern England, while he and his aides spoke Oxbridge. It only made sense to give the Elves a taste of Oxbridge, before he put in an appearance. This was fine, but he nominated the nasty aide, whom we planned to blame for the accident.

Dad seemed to feel that if Tony was sending an aide on this trip, that he should send a Ministry adult "not that Hermione and my daughter aren't fully adult, but I think we need someone to protect you – someone who might be viewed as more, um… impartial."

Fine, Dad, if that's what you want.

"How about Director Shacklebolt," Harry suggested. "He's certainly a skilled protector and he has the prestige of a former Minister of Magic." Shacklebolt was surprised and pleased that he might be able to travel to another world. His enthusiasm was quite transparent and Dad could not deny him. At least that choice had gone as we wanted. Of course, Cotto would also come with us. I felt guilty keeping him in the dark about our plans, but was unsure whether or not an Elf could lie convincingly. It was too late to tutor him. He would just have to go along for the ride as an innocent, and we would all do our utmost to make sure he returned safely.

Tony did not surprise in demanding that he or one of his aides be trained to operate the transporter for us. Since Dad also wanted to do the honors, it quickly became a diplomatic necessity that this task be assigned to Tony's aide, rather than himself. That was agreed, as was the date for the training and actual trip. Both were scheduled for tomorrow. We would meet at Hogwarts at noon. Neville would lower the apparation barriers and I would apparate the traveling party to the top of the pyramid, Harry would apparate the control room crew and Barb would apparate the group which would watch from the floor of the pyramid.

An hour before we were to apparate into the pyramid, the Ministry received an anonymous report of an Umbridge sighting in Hogsmeade. Since Shacklebolt was traveling with me, Harry hurried off to supervise the Witch hunt. Ron would apparate the team to the little control room.

I positioned my traveling party atop the Stone and told them to wait, while I trained Tony's aide.

It took very little by way of mental communication with the Stone for Tony's second aide to totally fail to be accepted by the bench in the control landing. I made a great show of repeated efforts to ease his way, even preparing a second and a third ring for him. Nothing seemed to work. Finally, I suggested, "perhaps, Sir, it would be best if your aides switched roles in this endeavor?"

Tony nodded acquiescence and I took back the rings from Stewart. I apparated him atop the stone and brought Cedric to the control room. I gave Cedric the rings and asked that he try them, one at a time. As if by magic, the first ring worked and Cedric reported that "the stone spoke into my head and told me to sit myself down."

He sat and I began his instruction. I went over every detail four times, even insisting that he write it down. I insisted that he pretend to operate the stone, going through the process a dozen time, until he could do it from memory and totally drunk. Still, I insisted that he follow the written instructions every time. I moved him on to actually operating the transporter and sending off small gift packages to Elf World.

"No offense," I told Tony and Dad, "but I am going to make darned certain that Cedric is able to at least transport freight, before he tries to transport my person."

After the second gift package was sent, Cedric assured me "I'm sure that I understand what I must do."

"I brought three gift packages. You might as well practice sending the third. Don't get overly cocky about your skill with the transporter. You knew nothing about it until two hours ago. It is my life that is at stake if you make a mistake. Just one more practice, please."

I knew Cedric well enough to be certain that this extremely mild tweak from someone he viewed as his distinct inferior would produce at least a frown.

I was pleased to get both a frown and a "I know for certain that I understand how to do this. It isn't nearly as complicated as you think it is. We have much more complicated technology than this in my world."

Now it was Tony who was frowning. "This is important, probably the most important thing you will ever do! Just let her explain it again, and then you practice it again," Tony ordered.

Everyone seemed satisfied after the third run-through. Ron even gave an encouraging thumbs up.

We were just minutes from the start of our big trip. Dad insisted that we each double check the inventory of supplies in our backpacks. We had survival equipment 'just in case', in addition to more presents for the Elf leaders and a collection of small brass and silver sculptures and rolled up oil paintings, to convince the Elf World Elves of our cultural enlightenment. I apparated back to the top of the Stone and led my traveling companinons through a last check of our supplies. A thought crossed my mind.

"We have a lot of first-time travelers," I told Hermione. I'd be more comfortable if we had Fawkes with us he. He might be a help to those, like Stewart, who haven't been properly introduced to the Stone."

Hermione agreed that this made sense. Cotto said he could quickly apparate to Hermione's apartment and fetch her phoenix.

With just a minute to go, Cotto apparated back to us with Fawkes. We joined hands and stood facing the small crystals. "Make a full circle of joined hands," I instructed. "Whatever happens, do not let go of your neighbors' hands until we are at our destination. If you get separated from the rest of us, you could be lost forever."

I stood in front of the group, with my back to the little crystals, so that I could complete a closed loop, like a squashed circle. Now, even if one person dropped a hand, we would all be linked.

Fawkes perched on Hermione's right shoulder, the shoulder next to Stewart. As per our launch plan, I gave a very pronounced triple head bob, to alert Cedric that it was time to activate the transporter.

{{Goodbye Harry. I think this is probably going to work.}}

{[a flare of worry] Not what I wanted to hear. You MUST be safe.}

Our trip seemed to start normally enough, although Hermione and I had only launched from the Sacred Cavern in our past voyages. A wide swirl of blue carpet appeared at our feet and spiraled away overhead in wider and wider loops. "Step on blue strip please, good travelers," Cotto alerted us, reminding me that he was the only one among us to have previously traveled by the transporter.

The strip was wide enough that we all got aboard, without breaking our hand holds. There was the sense of soaring and being pressed down against the carpet, followed by a sense of falling and almost floating. I kept an iron grip on the two hands closest to me. After what seemed like minutes, another world loomed ahead of us and we were starting to fall, or rather drift towards it.

Then the carpet suddenly jolted us, as if some Giant had lifted an end and given it a hearty shake, sending a giant wave beneath our feet. "Don't let go!" I warned my companions, as I felt us being flung off the carpet.

"We're flying free," Shacklebolt exclaimed, "but I can still breathe. Can we make it down to Elf World?"

"I don't think so," Hermione replied, actual fear making her voice cut in and out and making me strain to interpret what she was saying. "I think we must return. Keep hold of your neighbors. We must follow Fawkes This had never happened before. Ginny and I will reach for the Sacred Circle. I can't communicate with the Stone."

I reached for the Stone and found it. I sensed Hermione was there ahead of me. I glimpsed Fawkes flying toward a rapidly retreating end of our carpet. I reached out and found I could catch onto his legs with just my mind. Hermione must have done the same thing, because her end of our circle, as well as my own, was drifting after Fawkes. My companions were growing panicked. Stewart screamed, and I had been told that he was a battle-hardened Grenadier.

Fawkes slowed a little so we could catch him up, and the nearer we got, the stronger an attraction I felt. As we drew close, Fawkes turned and put on speed, chasing down the fleeting carpet. We were flying upside down. I had no idea how we could be breathing, but we were. Even the screams and whimpers from Stewart made it to my ears. I was proud that Shacklebolt's only utterance was a "pull yourself together Stewart, before you make these girls lose their concentration."

I focused on Fawkes and the spiral of carpet, which we continued to approach. Nearer and nearer, until I felt my head make contact with it. We all rolled as we landed and struggled to maintain our handholds. I lost my grip on Stewart, but Fawkes landed on his shoulder. I could tell that Hermione was aiming calming spells at Stewart. I couldn't tell if he became calm or catatonic, but the screaming stopped. We were drifting and I felt weightless and then, suddenly, my butt smacked up against cold hard stone and Cotto landed atop my stomach. I couldn't breathe and then the World went black.

As my eyes began to perceive light and I fought for air, the image of Firenze, looking down at me, slowly drifted into focus. "You are fine, Ginny," he reassured me. "All five of you will be fine. You were only unconscious for about a minute. I guess you know that you are inside the Sacred Cavern. It is most fortunate that I was here."

After a few more minutes for all of us to gather our senses, I used Stone power to fully recharge myself. I then asked everyone to join hand so that I could have the Stone transport us back to the floor of its pyramid. At least I started to, until I realized how stupid this would be. I reversed course as soon as I disapparated, to bring us back to the Sacred Cavern. "Sorry guys," I apologized "I can't apparate into Hogwarts. Something is more wrong than I thought. We'll have to walk back."

I was trying to think of the best route to take Stewart, to minimize spying, when Hermione set out in the lead. We left the Sacred Cavern through the tunnel, into the Reception Hall, and past two Goblin guards, whose expression said we would have a lot of explaining to do. Hermione led us along the route to the Elf utility cavern, then the Hogwarts kitchen, and thence to Snape's office, where I leaned through the hole and yelled to George and Luna on the floor of the cavern. One of the aurors guarding Snape's office told us to wait, while the other went off in search of Neville.

There would be an investigation. Tony and Dad decided we all should be interviewed immediately, to find out exactly what happened, before memories could fade. Somehow, as we knew it would, the topic of truth tellers and Muggle lie detector machines was raised. It all happened so quickly, that we did not learn exactly what had happened in the chamber of the Stone, until the hearing began. This was a mere three hours after we had reached Snape's office.

Dad and Tony had been blaming each other for pushing for the trip to occur, admitting that we all could have been killed. They both demanded to be questioned first. Tony won. He described how Cedric "very clearly reached out and pushed the button to turn off the transporter, not more than a dozen seconds after he sent you off on your voyage. Everything seemed to be going perfectly, then Cedric just reached out and pushed the button, like this whole device was some giant toy. I asked him what he thought he was doing and he just calmly pushed the button and turned the machine back on again. Then we heard two loud bangs from the top of the black stone and the top of the stone was turning bright orange. I started to ask Cedric what he thought he was doing and then the bench that Cedric was sitting on just split in half and dumped him on the ground."

Dad, Ron, and Dad's auror all agreed that this is exactly what had happened. Poor Cedric said he didn't know what came over him. He just suddenly felt curious to find out what would happen if he pushed the button a second time. He agreed that this was against the instructions which I had given him, but that he had thought us already safely launched and wanted to see what would happen. When his Minister complained about what he had done, he hastened to turn the transporter back on, but then he heard loud bangs and sank onto the bench to think, when suddenly the bench cracked in half and he was on the floor and Tony was yelling at him.

"Must you play with the buttons? The Witch girl told you what to do and you just couldn't stop yourself from messing around. Now look what you've done! You're as bad as Gordon Brown pushing the buttons on and off and on again, while he was commissioning a new oxygen plant. Our government had to buy them a new main air compressor. Very embarrassing and not at all cheap. But you … you've set back inter-species cooperation by generations, and killed any chance I had of being a space explorer. What were you thinking?"

"I don't know Sir. I turned on the transporter and saw the travelers vanish, but almost as soon as they were gone, I thought I saw a flash of light and some smoke coming from atop the black rock, where they had been standing. I think it was not so much curiosity as fear. I thought something was going horribly wrong, and that my only chance to prevent the whole rock from exploding was to shut the thing down at once. Then, in an instant, I realized that I had probably stranded the travelers somewhere in the vacuum of space and couldn't believe I had just sacrificed them to save us, so I hurriedly turned the transporter back on, thinking that my only chance to save them. As soon as I touched the button again, the top of the rock seemed to explode. It was too late to do anything different. I'm very sorry Sir!"

As Ron recounted this same account of Cedric's movements, with Dad and Tony nodding that what he said was correct, Ron concluded "nobody was helping poor Cedric up from the ground, where he was sort of wedged between pieces of the bench. I suddenly realized that I must help, so I used my wand to slide one piece of bench to the side and gave Cedric my hand to help him up. He just looked so miserable and awkward lying there in a V, with his butt trapped by the bench. He was panicked both by his position and by everyone glaring at him and Tony yelling."

Tony and Dad stopped nodding and just looked sheepish, as Ron finished this account.

We had examined the Stone. Two of the crystals atop it were totally shattered, leaving jagged holes. A third crystal had cracked down the middle. The flat crystal that displayed the destination world and the sex and goodness of the traveler was now as black as the mass of the Stone, itself. I was very pleased when Tony pronounced that "the transporter appears to have died. It will take quite a while to fix, if you can fix it at all."

Dad somberly concurred with him.

Of course, Tony insisted on taking samples for analysis. Dad objected that it was too dangerous to let a Muggle lab in on the secret. Tony promised that the lab would not be told anything about the source of the sample. Harry encouraged Dad to allow Tony to have his samples. Hermione lent several vials to Tony. He filled them himself. He put pieces of the shattered crystals into one vial, dust from the surface of the Stone into another, and some samples of scorch that he scraped off the flat destination crystal with a pocket knife provided by Cedric.

Victory! Still, we had the ordeal of the formal investigation two days later. Dad, who would not consider ever telling a lie and could not possibly avoid detection if he were to lie, stated quite truthfully "I don't know how this could have happened, although I was standing right there, when it did."

Cedric took the blame and had to endure more scathing remarks from Tony. I thought Cedric's admission of guilt and letter of resignation would end the matter, but Tony broke in before Cedric could even finish resigning.

"I asked Gordon how he came to destroy a multi-million pound compressor, and do you know what he told me? He said he had always enjoyed pushing buttons. Do you enjoy pushing buttons, Cedric? Button pushing seems a sad avocation for a grown man. I fear for the future of Britain if you truly are the best that Oxbridge has to offer us. You needn't expect any recommendation from me. The sooner forgotten, the better. If you don't want your grave stone to read 'he really enjoyed pushing buttons', then I suggest you get serious about your life – somewhere outside of government."

I apologized for not warning Cedric of the things that he should never even consider doing if something seemed to be going wrong. Shacklebolt and Stewart confirmed our story of an aborted mission and miraculous escape from death. I certainly wouldn't have chosen this means of having the transporter fail, and I hadn't expected our escape to be as close a thing as it was. We had added Fawkes as a last thought, but without her assistance, we all would have died. The Stone had initiated the pyrotechnics a mite early, causing one of the crystals to flash and precipitating Cedric's action, before we had quite reached Elf World. Perhaps the Stone had a better plan than I had. Fortunately, there was no way for anyone but Hermione or me to interrogate the Stone. I didn't know whether or not it was capable of lying.

Tony had the lab results within a day. He said the analysis had turned up nothing untoward or helpful to our investigation. I was not as certain that it hadn't turned up something helpful to the cause of the Muggle government eventually building its own transporter. Tony had really wanted those samples.

The truth tellers and the Muggle machine found no problems with anyone's veracity and the matter was put to an embarrassing rest, with the finger of blame pointed partially at Cedric and partially at what I described as "the not unexpected problems of dealing with a two thousand year old machine, which comes without operating instructions or a maintenance manual, especially when some people insist on having non-magical people trained to operate it."

That last statement put a look on Tony's face that clearly said he wanted nothing more to do with this matter and would insist upon absolute secrecy.

That was fine from the Muggle side of things, but Dad and we were left with the increased urgency of having to explain to the Wizarding world how a vital inter-world transporter, of which they knew nothing, had been destroyed.

A week after the inquiry ended, Dad visited Hogwarts to tell us that the four of us and Luna, whose addition I think was supposed to insure good press from at least one newspaper, were now a secret committee charged with determining how much about the insides of the pyramid and our latest misadventure were to be revealed to the Wizard community and what the bravest, but least painful, way was to carry out this revelation. Dad had arranged the meeting through Neville and he provided a private table for us at dinner, erecting a privacy shield and providing the Snape anti-eavesdropping device to protect our privacy at the table.

The week following the investigation had been strange. Neville looked at us in a way that I was certain he knew actual events had been different than those described during the investigation. He had not voiced suspicions and did his part in assisting the sealing of the pyramid entrance from Snape's office. We and Cotto knew the proper spells to make the replaced pavers of the office floor look as if they hadn't been disturbed in centuries. We were fortunate that only four Muggles, two Centaurs, two Goblins, and less than a couple dozen trusted members of our and the Elf communities knew of the secret beneath the repaired floor. The wooden box with the clue to this entrance was long since burnt as kindling.

Like the original knowledge of the pyramid, we hoped that knowledge of this entrance would quickly become obscure rumor and then totally forgotten within a generation. Luna, Nika Goblanze, Cotto, Hermione, and I had added charms to conceal the secret of the stone floor. A number of aurors had been confunded to protect the secret, as had all of the Muggles, save Tony.

There had also been troubles with Dad. He did not suspect that something was amiss, but was having a prolonged case of the mopes, blaming himself for nearly causing my death. As he apologized again, as soon as Hermione turned on the privacy device and before I could even take the first sip of my orange juice, I decided, without even consulting Harry or Hermione, that my father must be told the truth. He could not be the best possible Minister of Magic or father, if he believed that his desire, now viewed as extremely selfish, to visit another world, had almost killed me. Especially not after belaboring Harry and me about all of the unnecessary risks we had taken. Without even taking time to frame my words, I impulsively launched into the truth, interrupting Dad in mid-sentence.

"What we did was very necessary, and you couldn't know until now, but the whole thing was a great hoax. We planned the failure of the transporter. We had a plan to get back safely, but it was a little closer call than we anticipated. We could have bailed onto Elf World and commanded the transporter from there. Given time, we can fix the transporter. I'm very sorry, but you know that you just can't lie, no matter how good the cause. If we told you in advance you would have given away the game to the Muggles, and if we told you after, you would have been caught lying. We had to protect you as Minister. It was our plan and the blame would have been totally on us, if we failed. I hope you aren't angry. We just saw Tony and the Muggles wanting more and more control over the Stone and the transporter. Hogwarts would have been occupied by Muggles, and our community would have been doomed. We discovered the transporter, we learned how to operate it, and we had to avoid the catastrophe. Please don't be angry. I'd have told you sooner, but I kept fearing another round of investigation."

"I knew it!" Neville declared. "That story just didn't seem right."

"I'm relieved that I didn't almost push you to your death, although I guess in insisting that the transporter be put back in service, I did my part in putting you at risk," a surface apologetic, but very upset Dad interrupted Neville. "I'm concerned that your group felt they could mess with people's lives like that. You know that you've destroyed Cedric's career and caused Stewart to think himself a coward."

"Cedric had a visceral dislike of us and all things magical," Hermione replied. "We didn't want to harm him, but neither could we allow him to move into a future position of government power, with that attitude. He could have severely harmed our community twenty years from now. Besides, we have plans for his future. He'll never work in government again, and Tony certainly won't give him a recommendation. He will be persona non grata for reasons unknown in certain circles for the rest of his life. I do regret that, at least a little. We've arranged for him to be the sales manager for our new Witch sculpture line of home furnishings and garden art. He'll be able to support his family. Quite well, in fact, if our venture is anywhere near as successful as I expect it to be. But he'll be a shopkeeper rather than part of the British elite. I think that is suitable punishment for the very evident intolerance he displayed towards us. I really wanted to put him in charge of installation and maintenance - let him experience life as a glorified tradesman. It would have been so appropriate and I would have done it, but I just didn't see him having the necessary aptitude for that job."

"We did nothing to Stewart," I told Dad. "His fear was very real. We all tried to calm him. IF screaming as he did in the face of an unknown risk, which he couldn't possibly begin to understand, makes him a coward, then he is a coward, with no help from us. Shacklebolt was caught every bit as much by surprise as Stewart was and he maintained complete self- control. He finally got Stewart calmed down. We didn't do anything wrong by Stewart. It wasn't our choice for one of Tony's aides to come on the trip. Stewart is lucky. We like him, so we rigged things so that he wouldn't be the one responsible for the transporter failure. We'll also check in on Stewart and make sure his life is okay. He's been confunded, so he won't even remember the screaming."


	112. Chapter 112

**Chapter 112 – N.E.W.T.S.**

A few days passed and Cissy had not spoken of McGonagall to anyone. I took that as a good sign. That's why I didn't panic when she came to me three days after we toasted the transporter and observed, "I've been waiting for you to say something, but you haven't and now I feel that I must speak. Three days ago I got a short, spikey headache and a sense of dread. I tried to contact you through the Stone, but I couldn't reach you. It was an hour before I could even reach the Stone and another hour until I could reach anyone through the Stone. I know that something has happened. The Stone actually seemed troubled."

I took a deep breath and decided that I was here, so it was up to me to decide how much to say. "We were transporting some of us to ElfWorld as diplomatic mission to prepare the way for Tony and Dad. I was ordered to do this by the Committee and to keep quiet about it.

"You'll remember that at the last meeting we had to agree to transport Dad and the Muggle Prime Minister to Elf World at some time. Well some time came very fast. This was a safety test and preliminary diplomatic mission to precede that. Well, the test failed and the transporter was at least temporarily destroyed. Because the Stone was powering the transporter at the time and then struggling to bring us back safely, it took a jolt. The Stone is fine. The transporter isn't. If it wasn't for Fawkes, Hermione and I wouldn't have made it home alive. The best I could have done was to land us on ElfWorld with no way home. The Muggle Prime Minister's aide was operating the transporter and he didn't follow my directions. He panicked and turned the transporter off while we were in transit and then quickly tried to turn it back on. That's when three of the transporter crystals were destroyed and the bench in the control landing split in half."

"Why, that's outright vandalism. The Muggles just destroyed the transporter because it's ours and not theirs. That's the way their security people tend to be. Father always warned me about them. He said we had to be seen and fit into the Muggle world, while still keeping a very low profile. He aimed to be a minimalist Lord."

"More foolishness than deliberate vandalism, I suspect."

I knew that Cissy was testing me for truthfulness and was quite sure I had passed. To be sure, I asked "You do believe me, don't you?"

She answered yes too quickly and I detected skepticism. I offered, "Would you like to see the damage for yourself?"

She would, so I made sure that she did. After a tour, I was sure that she believed me.

"What happens now?" she reasonably asked.

"The Stone still works," I assured her. "Although now we need to keep that fact very secret. The Muggles must think they have no reason to conquer the Stone and transporter. Well, obviously you know the Stone works. Otherwise, we couldn't have apparated inside the pyramid just now. We can still communicate through the stone and draw on it for strength. But until we decide otherwise, the whole Stone and transporter thing must be absolutely secret. The Muggles think that the Stone died along with the transporter. We want them to keep thinking that."

"I agree, and you can count on me. It should all be secret. Telling the Muggles was a mistake. Your father trusts them too much. That was one thing my fake father was right about. They will see us as either freaks to kill or special weapons to use in their wars. They thought we had a huge weapon. I'm not sorry they think it's broken.

"I also wish you hadn't told Professor McGonagall so much about it. I'm beginning to view her extended absence as a serious threat. She may be among other magical people who have the ability to learn what she knows. We shouldn't just assume that all magic is the same. We can fly brooms and use our wands for spells and curses. Others may be able to read minds or force people to answer their questions and do so truthfully. Even Cho attending Durmstrang is a bit of a threat, even though we all trust Viktor. Is there anything you're able to tell me of McGonagall?"

"She may never return, although she promises to be back during Neville's full-term as headmaster. She definitely won't be back to stand for election to the position. If she is back next term at all, she'll likely join me on my Quest. I feel it will start within the year. McGonagall fled Hogwarts with Narcissa. For now they are both regarded as secret fugitives. Most don't even know that Narcissa has escaped and been recaptured. They're in jail together."

"I thought it must be something like that. Thank you for trusting me with the truth. I can keep a secret. I know I can get overly bubbly, but I know what must be secret and I keep it secret. You won't be at Hogwarts next year. Neville, Margaret, and I are the only ones from your group who will be at Hogwarts. You'll have to tell us a lot of secrets over the summer so that we can do what must be done without you. There will be other returning former Slytherins, and there will be attempts at bullying the rest of us. Margaret and I will have to lead the fight. We've talked about it and we're ready. The more we know and the longer we have to plan with that knowledge, the stronger we will be. You must trust us. We will be your force at Hogwarts."

"I trust both of you," I assured Cissy. "There are a few more things to tell you, but I think I'll let you digest this first. Well, perhaps one more thing. Narcissa is important for all the reasons that you already know about, but also because she is actually Voldemort's daughter. His only child. Now, that is super top secret, so you know how much I trust you."

"Thank you."

My meeting with Cissy had me thinking about McGonagall. She had been locked up with Narcissa for quite a while. She had given us preliminary reports: she was making progress in soothing Narcissa and helping her to examine the secrets locked in her mind. There was a very deep and unconventional confunding. She was slowly pulling back its edges. She thought moving too fast might damage 'a truly exquisite mind'. Apart from that she told us nothing of value. Actually, I thought she was once again falling in love with Narcissa. It didn't seem as though Narcissa was returning the favor.

Two days ago, McGonagall had told Dad, "I think I could make faster progress with Narcissa, if the two of us could just have one day of sun, breezes, and open sky. It also wouldn't hurt if you could persuade Draco to visit his mother."

"You must think me a very great fool," Dad had replied. "I well remember how Narcissa's last day in the sun ended. I'm not willing to risk repeating that experience. I also know that Draco doesn't want to visit his mother. You and she have both deceived him more than once, just as you have deceived all of us. Knowing the two of you are together has removed any sense of duty that Draco felt about visiting his mother. I trust you are able to understand. Since we know that Narcissa carries a horcrux, I have demanded that the two Jadens stay away from her."

McGonagall had complained that this was cruel. Dad had told her that it was necessary.

Exams were soon upon us. I took N.E.W.T. exams in magical engineering, Wizard history, defense against the dark arts, transfiguration, divination and religion, Muggle studies, art, herbology, potions, and the care of magical creatures. That was a lot of exams. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, and George took most of the same exams. Well, George only took Muggle studies, defense against the dark arts, and care of magical creatures. I know that I did quite well in most of my exams. Hermione felt the same way. The boys didn't want to talk about it. It didn't matter for George, but if Harry and Ron ever expected to be aurors or professors, they had to pass quite a few of the exams. Luna seemed nonplussed, saying she did 'okay, about as I expected.'

The professors were spread very thin for the hands-on part of the exams. Because she had so many family members taking exams, Mom could not administer any of the N.E.W.T. exams. That left Neville to grade us on defense against the dark arts and transfiguration. I demonstrated my skills with the knowledge that I would call upon the Stone in real life, so I would call upon it now. I did dial back my power a bit, but easily out-dueled Neville, who had chosen that format to test me. I did a combination of standard transfiguration exercises and Witch sculpture for the other test with Neville. He was impressed. It wasn't showing off. I knew Neville well enough to know the lengths to which he would go to avoid a hint of favoritism toward his friends. If I wanted top marks, and I did, then I would have to dazzle him. I dazzled. It wasn't cheating to draw on the Stone. Not any more than it was unfair to use my Light Guardian or Ancient Priestess knowledge on the history and divination/religion N.E.W.T.S. This was all now a part of me and would be for the rest of my life. I was the Mother of the Future. If I was hired by the Ministry, Hogwarts, or as a private tutor, these would be the skills that came with me.

There were other performance tests required simply to graduate. I demonstrated that I was proficient with a broom. Despite having a certificate, I was also required to demonstrate skill at apparation. I had to read a chapter of a book aloud and answer questions about its content. I was given assumed facts and required to calculate the taxes which I must pay. As a Witch, I was also required to prepare a meal, repair a rent garment, and describe the proper care of a baby and an infant. I hadn't attended the two weeks of childcare instruction, but I had observed Erin, and Mom had told me things over the years. I felt quite sure that I would graduate.

Speaking of Erin, I ran into Draco and her at the magical engineering exam, which was my final N.E.W.T. Hermione and I made a group of four for the in-person part of the exam. A Ministry auror-magical engineer conducted the test, because Ron had to sit the exam, himself. I thought Erin performed very well in the hands-on portion of this particular N.E.W.T. She had been in the Great Hall, taking the written part of several N.E.W.T.s with me, but this was the first chance we had to talk about the exams.

"I think I did at least okay in all of them," Erin proudly told us. "The astronomy part of divination was tough, but Draco helped me study up for it and I think I was at least passable. That's important to me. I wouldn't want little Erin to grow up thinking her Mom is stupid. I have to set high standards for her."

Draco seemed content with his performance on the exams. Draco seemed very content in general. Marriage and fatherhood were agreeing with him. He seemed like a far more responsible person than the Draco of old. He was relaxed and friendly. The hard edge of competition with Harry seemed gone. Draco had his family, as did Harry. Each was content with his lot.

There were several days between my last exam and graduation day. Part of the time was spent explaining McGonagall's report to Dad. The four of us and Neville took on this responsibility. We had jointly edited and modified what McGonagall had prepared. The Cissy rule was gone. Little else was changed. Hermione corrected a couple of what she believed to be flaws in the logic which McGonagall had used in arguing for her recommendations.

Dad accepted the report. It was presented to the Hogwarts Board of Governors the day before graduation. The first question from the Governors was "Where's Professor McGonagall?"

Dad answered, "Professor Trelawney spoke glowingly of Tibet to her and asked Minerva to join her there. Minerva said she likely won't return prior to the election for headmaster. She has endorsed Neville Longbottom."

That cued Neville to defend the report. I thought he argued persuasively, incorporating anecdotes from his experiences as a student, professor, and headmaster. All of those memories were, of course, very fresh. The Governors accepted the recommendations. This wasn't terribly surprising, considering how many of the Governors Dad had appointed.

There was a severe downside from the Governors' meeting. The 'Where's McGonagall?' question was the next morning's headline in the Daily Prophet.

The government would very quickly have to decide what it was willing to say about both McGonagall and Narcissa. A decision seemed to have been reached that nothing would be said about the Stone, the transporter, or the other worlds.

Officially, the matter was still under review and a decision about what to tell the public was to be made shortly. In reality, everyone was acting as if this was a take-it-to-your-grave secret. That suited my purposes. To discuss all of that was to discuss me, and in a way that made me sound like a freak show. Harry could bury the Elder Wand and let the world know he was good old Harry Potter with the same wand he bought as a new Hogwarts first year. I was the Mother of the Future, Keeper of the Stone, Controller of the Transporter, and weirdest Witch in centuries. I couldn't bury my new self and be just plain old Ginny Weasley again. This is who I was. If that became general knowledge just now, I would be a target – for Umbridge and for many others. I really didn't want that. I support open government, but I wasn't a part of the government and wasn't eager to sacrifice my life for the open government principal. If that meant I was a selfish hypocrite, I would rather admit to that than live my life as a one Witch freak show.

Our discussion was interrupted by a Stone message.

**Narcissa and I would like to speak to your group. We've learned a little about what happened to Narcissa and would rather tell you and your circle than speak to your father and Shacklebolt or Mrs. Longbottom. I'd appreciate it if you came to our cell, right away.**

We couldn't really come right away, without talking to Dad. We apparated to Harry's office and quickly got Dad's permission to speak to Narcissa and McGonagall. Dad didn't mind our going. He just shook his head, commenting "I guess this really is a final and permanent break within my generation of the Order."

I assured Dad that McGonagall was not really of his generation and that she had decided to go her own way a very long time ago. It was healthy that he was recognizing this reality. I was pleased that he was done fretting about how he and Kingsley had wronged McGonagall and the older members of her Sisterhood. They had been disloyal. Any break was on them.

McGonagall was very excited as she met us. "I broke through all of Voldemort's confundus. Narcissa remembers bits of her life, before she joined the Black family. She remembers being exercised and taught by Voldemort, of seeing Jaden lying as if dead, and of being 'put to sleep' by Voldemort. She remembers Mrs. Black meeting with Voldemort in the basement below the shack and arranging for her to replace the real dead Narcissa. She didn't like Mrs. Black and she never saw Mr. Black in the basement.

For days, she was coached to walk like the other Narcissa, talk like the other Narcissa, curl her right leg under her bottom as she sat – just like other Narcissa did. Her hair was cut to match other Narcissa. She was no longer 'put to sleep' - she had to grow almost an inch to match the other Narcissa. She saw her mother exercised, groggy and not fully conscious. Voldemort taught her the things she was expected to know from home schooling. She was taught how to eat properly, what foods she found disgusting, what foods she loved, what games she played.

She had the sense that she had been forced to miss very much and that she was worthless and should consider herself lucky to be replacing this better, more loved girl. Voldemort hadn't been at all a good or loving father, but it still hurt that he was so eager to abandon her. She felt a little better when Voldemort said that she would accomplish great things, that he would watch over and protect her, that he would find a strong and powerful husband for her, that her life would be good as befitted his only child.

Then she had been confunded and the life which she had always remembered had begun. She had believed that she really was a very sickly child. That she had nearly died. That she needed to keep her distance from her sisters, lest she contaminate them and they share her fate.

"That's likely all there is," Narcissa told us. "I know that there is a piece of my real father inside of my head. I know it will always be there and that nobody will ever fully trust me, because of that. Well, and also the way I've acted. If I were a braver Witch, I'd try the approach that Dumbledore used with Harry. I'm afraid it wouldn't work and that I would simply die. Voldemort is dead. He can't drive the piece of himself from my head. I doubt anyone else can do that job in his stead. If your ancient wisdom reveals a safe way to remove the horcrux, I am quite willing to allow you to try, but I'm not willing to take a great risk to be whole. I honestly believe that the ghost and horcrux drove me to many of my bad deeds. The horcrux knew that I helped to kill Voldemort and wasn't pleased. Part of my nerves has come from terrible headaches. The horcrux and I fight. It is better, now that the confundus is gone. The horcrux doesn't have a safe place to hide from me."

I promised that Hermione and I would search our knowledge for a technique which could drive out or kill the horcrux.

"My work is finished. I'm ready to leave," McGonagall announced to us. "Narcissa and I have concluded that too much time has passed to resume our prior relationship. I want to return to Hogwarts and Trew. You may apparate me, I am without my wand."

"Um, no" Hermione told her. "You are still a prisoner. You helped Narcissa to escape. You tricked the Minister. It is the Minister's decision whether you are to be released from Gringotts. I'll pass on your request."

"Thank you. There is also no longer a reason to hold Narcissa. I have determined that the confundus is gone, the horcrux is weaker, and Narcissa understands and repents her misdeeds. Her headaches are almost gone. I see that as a sign that she has won control of her mind. Please pass that information on to Arthur. I really don't think either Narcissa or I could bear to live here much longer."

Dad was not inclined to grant a quick release. "Thank you for relaying that information and request. I will have to give it a great deal of thought. I really don't trust those Witches."

**Original text**

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	113. Chapter 113

**FINAL CHAPTER – A LAST BATTLE BEFORE WE GRADUATE**

We decided to meet in Harry's Ministry office, to sort out our conflicted views about full or partial disclosure of our various secrets. "Information has leaked out and more information will follow, some of it made up by the Daily Prophet, and with each new scrap being such a huge sensation that people can't stop talking about," Hermione warned Harry. "It's best to get as much as possible of the news out all at once, through reporters whom we can trust to tell the absolute truth. I think we should even give tours of the Pyramid and have blown up copies of the ElfWorld pictures on display. Let everyone know for certain what we've found, why the Ministry has made the decisions that they have, and what possibilities exist going forward. Then let all of the Wizarding people decide what they want to do. You could serve food in the Hogwarts Great Hall to give folks time to reflect upon what they've seen and then have a ballot box for them to vote on the way out."

"I agree in theory that your approach is best," Harry conceded to Hermione, "but that increases the risk that the whole story seeps out to the Muggle world."

"It turns me into a hunted freak show with a target on my back," I complained.

"You're braver than that," Hermione promised me, "and you already have a target on your back. You almost seek out danger. If we play this right, you'll be a leader and a heroine, not a freak. It should be Ginny the Light Guardian Priestess and Mother of the Future, not this scary, freakish Witch. You have the smarts, the courage, the boldness, and the extra knowledge to pull this off. In your heart, you know both that I'm right and that there also is no way we can keep these secrets.

"The Muggle Prime Minister already knows and, although some of his aides have been confunded, I'm sure others know. We can't confund them all, because we don't even know who they all are. They'll be having their own decision session, just like this one, trying to decide what to tell their people and how to deal with us.

"Even without the problems of the transporter and pyramid, which I think are behind us with the transporter dead, there is the issue of all the new magical adults who have started turning up. That has to be a little frightening to the Muggles. Tony has seen the Goblins and the Elves. He knows they won't be hidden forever. A lot of his equivalent of aurors know about us. We confunded most of them about the pyramid, but a half dozen of the Prime Minister's aides know about the magic, the bombs, Voldemort, and our hunt for Delores Umbridge. If we face war with the Muggles, the whole community deserves to know why."

"You're right, of course," Harry admitted, "but I'm not sure Arthur and his generation will see things that way. They're far more bought into the absolute need for us to remain hidden from…"

An auror, whom I recognized as one of the protectors at Malfoy Manor, burst into the office shouting "What's the danger, Sir? The Director said you were under attack and in extreme danger and we had to get back to the Ministry at once. I feared the Ministry was being overrun by the hordes from ElfWorld. Where's the Director? I thought he was a little ahead of us." I saw two other aurors beyond Albert, looking agitated and ready for a fight, as they waited in Harry's outer office.

"Weren't you supposed to be guarding Malfoy Manor?" Harry asked the auror.

"Yes, but the Director personally came to the Manor and said we were needed back here."

"Quick!" Harry shouted to us. "We need to apparate to Malfoy Manor. Umbridge and her allies must be attacking."

We all pushed our way past the aurors, linked hands, and found ourselves standing at the entrance to Malfoy Manor, or rather ten feet above the entrance, wands in hand. Two men, whom I didn't recognize, were guarding the door, wands at the ready. As we drifted to the ground, I fired 'Off!' curses into their astonished faces.

Harry touched ground first and went racing into the entry hall. Bill was close on his heels and Ron, Hermione, and I were not far behind. As I looked into the dining room, I saw Draco dueling with his father's estate manager and another Wizard, whom I didn't recognize. Draco saw us and shouted, "Save Erin! She's upstairs with the baby."

Hermione and I diverted into the dining room to help Draco, while the others rushed up the stairs to the second floor. I activated my protective shield, shouting 'shield' to remind Hermione as we entered the room. I hadn't realized that Draco had been fighting three assailants. The shorter masked figure, who had been hidden by the wall, almost cursed me as I entered the room. I slid and fired a 'Back!' spell as soon as I saw the third fighter. His curse few over my head and right in front of the on-rushing Hermione. He bounced off the wall and didn't move. I followed my 'Back' with an 'Off!'. I heard Hermione shouting 'Off' at the estate manager, and added curses of my own. He was soon on the floor - dead or alive I didn't know. Draco had the third assailant pinned against the wall and I quickly 'Off'ed him.

"Upstairs!" Draco shouted and we all pounded up the stairs. The fighting was all over before we arrived.

Ron came out of one of the bedrooms and prevented us from entering. "We need to talk, downstairs," my brother told us. Looking at Draco's face, I realized that he understood that the news would not be at all good. From adrenaline-charged counter-attackers, we were reduced by Ron's words to psychically wounded beings, barely able to move down the stairs and into chairs. Draco knew he had lost his family, and both Hermione and I were experiencing a rising terror that Harry wasn't with us and must have been killed.

As my butt hit a chair a thought burst into my head {[very sad and chastened] I caught your thought. I'm fine. I'm with Draco's baby. She is also fine, but Erin was killed. I'll be down in a minute.}

It was a cruel thing to do, given Draco's intense pain, but I couldn't help a joyous "Harry's alive!" escaping my lips, to be quickly followed by, "I'm really sorry, Draco, that was totally insensitive. Your baby is alive. Harry will bring her down in a minute. Erin was killed."

As Draco burst into tears and covered his face with his hands, Ron whispered, "I was about to tell you that, but in a gentler way."

Harry entered the room, cradling the baby girl in his arms. He walked across to Draco and handed him the baby, then came to my chair to give me a kiss and hard hand squeeze, before taking his own seat. Draco had his baby clutched tightly to his chest, which meant I was looking at his tear-stained face.

"Promise me," Draco spoke as firmly as he could manage, "that none of you will ever reveal that I am not little Erin's father. She's all I have left of my wife. If it became known that Silas was the actual father, his parents would try to take him from me, and little Erin would know that her father and grandparents were the worst sort of stupid criminals. I couldn't bear any of that."

We all swore our silence.

"What happened upstairs?" Hermione asked Ron and Harry.

"We don't completely know," Ron replied. We were a little late, because Harry stumbled over a dead attacker in the hallway. As we got up, we heard Shacklebolt's voice saying, "get away from the child and I'll let you live. Erin answered "Never!" then we heard 'Avada Kedavra' and saw a green flash just as we entered the room. Harry fired a 'protego' charm between the attacker and the baby, while I hit him with 'SectumSempra' just as he fired another 'Avada Kedavra' at the baby. It's very lucky that Harry got the 'protego' off just in time."

"I'm not sure I was quite in time," Harry corrected.

"Must have been, mate, it worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah, suppose so."

"What about Shacklebolt?" I asked Harry.

"I don't think it really was Kingsley," Harry replied, "probably Delores Umbridge on Polyjuice. She was starting to change back."

"Well, at least we're rid of her," Hermione said.

"Must be," Ron replied. "We saw the body lying in a spreading pool of blood and then it apparated away. I don't think there's any way she possibly could have survived that, could she? There was so much blood. She's has to be lying on the floor somewhere, finishing dying."

"Gotta' be," Harry agreed with Ron.

"Harry!" Draco called our attention back to him. "Did you know that little Erin is bleeding from her forehead?"

"Yes, that's why I was delayed. I thought I had the bleeding stopped. I didn't want to freak you out, thinking you were about to lose little Erin."

"You didn't learn the healing spells from the Light Guardian. I hope you didn't mess things up so that the poor girl will grow up with a scar," Hermione upbraided Harry. "I'll have her as good as new in a moment," Hermione assured Draco, brandishing her wand and running through a series of spells. She finally stopped to examine her work, then stepped back to glare at Harry. "You did mess up! I've done the best that I can. I'm sure the St. Mungo's doctors couldn't do a better job, but there is going to be a scar."

I took a look at the baby. There was a scar, but it didn't seem to be very big and bangs would definitely cover it. "It looks like a miniature version of your scar," I told Harry.

"I noticed that as well, after I got the bleeding stopped," Harry assured me.

"I wouldn't mention the scar to anyone," I told Draco.

"No, it might be really embarrassing to a young girl," Ron replied. "Bangs are definitely the thing. Make-up, until her hair grows in."

Draco numbly nodded agreement. He was limp as I gave him a hug. There really was nothing to say. He had been so happy and relaxed in his life, and now this had struck him. It was such a senseless attack.

I told him to sit down in the conservatory, away from the destruction wrought by the fight and especially out of sight of the stairs to the second floor. Hermione brought him a cup of tea, pointing at it until he drank it all down. Ron brought him a brandy. Draco drank that as well. Ron took a big swig from the bottle and passed it to Harry. It must have been a harrowing scene on the second floor. Erin had done well. Outnumbered two against one, she had slain one attacker and shielded her child. She must have been very fierce.

Hermione asked Draco what we could do to help. Draco mumbled a little, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. Then he was cooing to baby Erin, who had been clutched to his chest this whole time. It felt strange to feel so much sadness and pity for Draco. I felt helpless.

Others were arriving, led by Shacklebolt. We told them what had happened. Shacklebolt directed his men to remove the attacker whom Erin had killed, and to take the five stunned attackers to Gringotts. Don't let Narcissa or McGonagall see them. One of the five turned out to no longer be living. He and the other four were removed.

Hearing his mother's name spoken brought Draco back to alertness. He stared ahead for half a minute, and then told us, "I know you think I need my mother, but I don't want to see her now. She won't be a help. She never approved of either Erin, and anything she said now would seem insincere and just make me angry. As soon as you remove the attackers, I'd like a few minutes alone with my wife and then I think I just want to be alone with little… no, I think the person whom I need is Luna. She always helped us with the baby. She was always so bright and cheery. She's whom I need now. I'll talk to the rest of you later. Could you take little Erin?" Draco handed me the baby. "I don't want her to see her mother."

One of the aurors was levitating the last dead attacker out the front door. Draco raced up the stairs. He was gone a full ten minutes. When he came back down stairs, all of Shacklebolt's team had departed with the captured attackers. Shacklebolt told Draco, "I'll stay for protection until my aurors return. I'll leave you alone and stand guard just outside the front door. Yell if you need me."

We left Draco to his sorrow, planning to head back to Hogwarts and send Luna back to the manor to help him with the baby and to comfort him.

As we left the house, Shacklebolt asked Ron, "How sure are you that you killed Umbridge? I'd be happier if you had used the 'Avada Kedavra' or one of your personal killing curses. There are times when that is necessary."

"I'm sure… well, fairly sure. The whole front of her clothes was soaked in blood, and she was lying in a big pool of the stuff. That's why Harry was slow coming downstairs. He had to clean up the pool of blood, in addition to little Erin. How could she have survived that? Even if there was somebody waiting for her on the other end of her apparation, that person would have to know exactly what to do and to act very fast. She must have already been down two pints of blood."

"At least," Harry agreed.

Shacklebolt nodded his satisfaction. Of our entire group, I think Ron was the one whom he liked the best.

As we walked down the entry steps, we noticed that the fight had begun there. The front door was blown off. Harry stopped to hug me and apologize. "I'm sorry that I caused you worry. Things were so messy upstairs. I didn't want Draco to walk in on that. Bill and I cleaned up the blood. We also arranged Erin in less crumpled form. Ellen will look after Draco until Luna gets here."

We continued to peacefully stroll down the entry lane, four abreast, hands locked. We looked out at little farms, where we could see both the newly installed tenant farmers, and those young Wizards who had purchased half the estate with funds from the Young Wizards Loan Agency, plowing the rich earth.

"You accomplished something good here," I told Harry as we stopped for a moment to admire the rebirth of the Malfoy estate as a working farm, which would feed many Wizard families.

"Yes," my husband replied. "I've learned from my Ministry work to cherish small victories. They're hard won and scattered amid a lot of turmoil and setbacks. This is exactly the sight I need to fix in my mind in order to overwrite what I saw inside the house."

"It's odd," Hermione commented. "I never thought I could have a good feeling looking out on the Malfoy Estate. But then, if anyone had told me during our first train ride to Hogwarts that the four of us would be the sworn keepers of Draco Malfoy's deepest secrets, I would have considered them daft."

We linked hands and found ourselves on the landing outside the Gryffindor common room. I stuck my ring against the depression and we stepped into the surroundings that had given great comfort to all of us. All of the students were off at the Great Hall, ready for the end of term banquet. We just stared and gaped. Harry sent off his Patronus to search for Luna. I took this as a sign that Harry chose not to linger at Hogwarts. I doubted any of us would see this room again. When I voiced this thought, I amended "although since Hermione will be a professor next year, I guess she'll be here again."

"No, I don't think so," Hermione replied. "I'm not Neville and I'll be a year older than he is now. I know that I'm seeing this room for the last time. It has been THE key place of my childhood. I'm not a child anymore. Leaving here for the last time, even more than marrying Ron, is my final passage to adulthood.

"The room already looks different. It's lost its magic for me. It's time to get on with my life. I don't know how many years I'll teach at Hogwarts, but that won't be the entirety of my life, either. It will end. I promised McGonagall that I'd teach next year, and I will. Mom wants to stay one more year at Hogwarts. I want to get my parents settled back in the Muggle world after that. I'll take a leave from Hogwarts, and then maybe give it five or ten years.

"I want to help the other magical creatures, and if Hogwarts is just for Witches and Wizards, then once I've helped get the new curriculum in place and the new Slytherin is running smoothly, my work here will be done. I told both Neville and McGonagall that I was determined to never set foot in Gryffindor again after I graduate. They both accepted that decision. I think I've had the best, most interesting and exciting passage to adulthood that any girl could possibly have. I'm an adult now, and it isn't good to dwell on the places of your childhood.

"People are a different story. You'll be my best friends forever, and we'll have some more adventures, but we'll have them as adults. We've grown up together and I know we are all determined to keep learning and growing. But as for being a Gryffindor, it's time to move on, already. If I advise a house, it will be Ravenclaw, or even Slytherin. I won't take any crap from those aristocratic little shits. I won't be mean, but I will civilize them."

Hermione then launched off on one of those tangents she was prone to, asking my husband, "by the way, Harry, I don't recall ever hearing about your birth or the weeks after. Do you know if you were ever baptized?"

"Don't know. Aunt Petunia never talked much about my parents or my unnatural history prior to coming to her home. She never…"

"You were," Ron interrupted him. "My Dad told me. It was C of E. Dad didn't think Petunia would have accepted you into her house, otherwise. He told me it was the only time he had met your Aunt. That was before she married. All of your parents' Hogwarts friends were at your baptism. Apparently your non-magical grandfather insisted upon it, and your father said that he would agree to it, but only if he could bring the Hogwarts gang as witnesses. He said it might be the last great adventure of their group, and a chance to tweak Muggle sensibilities. You take after your Dad, Harry. You both enjoy a good adventure."

"I don't want any more adventure just now," Harry told him. "It may be silly, but I'm still really not fully over killing Thicknesse. I'm glad you fought Umbridge instead of me."

"It's not silly, Harry," Hermione smiled up at him. "I think it best that you never fully get over that."

"Still, it might have been better had I used the old 'Avada Kedavra', Ron replied. "Sometimes you want to be sure and not go into battle with your second best weapon. She could still be alive, you know."

"Ron!" Hermione stopped him. "I thought you had learned to follow the law and take the bad guys alive. You've learned so much, but sometimes you revert. Are you sorry you returned to Hogwarts?"

"Not at all. McGonagall was right," Ron told his wife "I am glad that we finished Hogwarts. I'd hate for our kids to find out that we were dropouts. You couldn't have been a professor, without graduating. Even if you don't want to do that for long, that's something nice to tell the kids. Still, I hate to think of Umbridge treating our kids like she's treated us."

Luna entered the Common Room. We started to explain what had happened at Malfoy Manor, but only made it halfway through, before she stopped us. "You've told me enough. I must get to the Manor. Little Erin and Draco need me."

Luna opened the passageway to the Gryffindor landing. She said a quick "bye" over her shoulder, then the door closed and she was gone.

"Hmm… So shall we go to the Great Hall to graduate and stuff our faces, or just hop back to the Ministry?" Hermione asked Ron.

We chose the Ministry. There was work to be done.

We were about to apparate, when I noticed that Harry looked worried. I dropped hands and voiced my concern "What is it Harry? You seem very troubled."

"I was thinking of my mother. I've always considered her uniquely self-sacrificing for what she did to protect me as a baby. Now, Erin has done exactly the same thing. Perhaps my mother wasn't as special as I thought she was."

"Or, perhaps Erin was equally special," Hermione reassured him. "We'll have to remain a part of baby Erin's life and make sure she turns out well."

"Of course," I agreed immediately.

We linked hands and apparated.

For me, in particular, Harry's comment resonated. It was clear that Erin was the Martyred Bride, and that the time of my Quest was very near.

**Original text**

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	114. Chapter 114

**EPILOGUE – 15 August 1999**

We decided to reveal most of our secrets to the Wizarding world. It's not that I lost the argument or that anyone over-ruled my concerns. I came to recognize that the Mother of the Future must be a leader. Hiding in the shadows and not even admitting that I held the position or giving any inkling of its significance was to play the coward and give up any ability to influence my community. I could avoid foolhardiness, but I must at least match Cissy in courage. Being the Mother was at least as important as being the Keeper. It was a very great honor, but also a very great responsibility. I couldn't be a good Mother of the Future in secret. If I wanted my community to honor the best of the ancient ways, if I wanted to improve the status of Witches, if I wished to have my community accept the other magical species as worthy and equal, then I must become a very public advocate for the Covenant.

If that made me a target for derision or violence, then I must accept that and use a thick skin and my very capable defensive skills to survive, prosper, and spread my message. I wholeheartedly endorsed making most of our secrets public. Although not as skilled a speaker as Hermione, I found I did alright. My fear from the elevator ambush was overblown, more a defensive reaction to Dad's concern. I also found that I was very good at expressing my thoughts in writing. I met with Ernie more than Harry did, giving him written statements in addition to answering questions. I had a new confidence from the knowledge that if I wrote or said anything untoward, the blame and consequences would fall upon my person, not that of my husband or father. Mafalda egged me on and gave me courage. She also encouraged Victoria to be present in our community. Most of the Witches and Wizards seemed more baffled than hostile about what we told them. They had forgotten their people's past, but weren't opposed to learning how their great-greats had lived and thought.

By the time I started playing for the Harpies, everyone knew that I was the Mother of the Future and would soon have to give up Quidditch for the Quest. They knew that I had once been able to operate an ancient transporter to other worlds, but that this marvelous machine had died. They knew that I could still at least message my friends through an ancient Stone and that it could sometimes provide me with important advice. They knew that this Stone controlled a second ancient circle beneath Hogwarts and that its reactivation had led to stronger magic in Scotland and northern England. They had been told about Castle Weasley and the reactivation of its circle. They knew the details of the battle at Malfoy Manor and some more about the misdeeds of Professor Slughorn.

The secrets of others made for more difficult decisions. I was as convinced as Harry and Dad that Narcissa's true parentage would slip out. Slughorn would either be out of jail within the year or the details would have to be disclosed during his trial. I certainly didn't trust Slughorn to keep a secret, other than in self-preservation. Government secrets are corrosive things. They keep trying to eat their way out of the box you've confined them to. More and more effort, of dubious rightness, is required to contain them. When they inevitably leak out, they do enormous damage to the citizens' faith in their government. I really felt for Narcissa and Draco and the unwanted attention they would receive, but I wasn't willing to risk sacrificing all the improvements we'd made since defeating Voldemort to protect them.

Draco said that we must do what we must do. He was at peace with whom he was and realized that he was generally disliked in any case. Narcissa was frightened. She and McGonagall argued that she would be kidnapped or murdered if her secrets came out. After all her conspiracies and bad behavior, perhaps I didn't feel as badly about that as I should. It just seemed that she was already known as the rich Witch who had successively betrayed Voldemort, us, her husband, and us again. We agreed that the horcrux would remain secret, but insisted upon telling at least the basic fact that Narcissa Malfoy was Voldemort's only child.

We agreed to Narcissa's request to keep her mother secret for now, although the presumed kidnapped and murdered Jaden Caulfield was identified as Narcissa's real mother. The various Lucius versus Narcissa conspiracies were also revealed as were the details of Narcissa's initial escape from custody, her near murder by an auror, and McGonagall's role in that escape and my role in her recapture. It was revealed that Ollivander was now able to produce a superior line of new wands.

There was an open tour day inside the pyramid and another at Castle Weasley. They were well attended. Interest in the ancient ways had increased and our community took pride from what our ancestors had achieved. Voldemort and Bruce had proclaimed Wizard superiority and pushed Wizard pride, but had left our community feeling diminished and helpless.

The product of my Ministry Committee had been a weekend open lecture series in which I, Hermione, Victoria, Mafalda, Luna, Trew, and Ostara explained the old religions and the duties of the Mother of the Future and her Muse. This included a tour of the Hogsmeade church and an invitation to new congregants. Many joined our little church. I spoke at the church every few weeks, but Luna and Ostara became its leaders. Cissy was playing an increasingly large role. Aberforce blessed our participation.

I was received better by my community than I had feared. The Prophet was somewhat snide, but the demise of Umbridge had convinced their editor that we were the only game in town. Despite my initial misgivings, it had been a huge relief to shed all of these secrets. I enjoyed my Quidditch much more, because I could be my true self in public. My fellow Harpies were most supportive, including pretending not to notice the two aurors, whom Harry always stationed in the stands, when I practiced or played.

I was totally enjoying my summer. It sometimes felt a little self-indulgent to spend so much of my time on Quidditch, by I had wanted to be a Harpy since I was a small child. The Light Guardian had given me a brief window of time to indulge this dream. I was every bit as good a Quidditch player as I had imagined I would be. I still had much to learn, but was already among the better players on the team. I savored every practice.

It was a hot and sunny summer afternoon, but I was flying fast enough that the breeze kept me cool. This was the final practice before a match, so I was flying as hard as I could, being precise in my turns, using my peripheral vision to anticipate other players attacking me, and basically keeping my wits about me. I was a Harpy, but I was the new kid. I'd played less than a dozen games with the team and I had been assigned to play Chaser, rather than Seeker. I didn't think that made the best use of my skills, but was happy to get onto the pitch in any capacity. I was a pro! The dream of half a lifetime had come true.

As the Quaffle was passed to me, I scooted toward the center goal, veering to avoid a Bludger and climbing to avoid an opposing Beater from bumping my broom. I passed the Quaffle to my left at the last possible instant, pulling up on my broom to fly over the top of the center goal. It was a good maneuver. Just as I was congratulating myself, I felt as though my head was suddenly bloated. Then came the message from the Stone.

**It is time for your Quest. Appear at the Cave of the Elves at noon tomorrow. Bring your Muse with you. Harry, Ron, and Neville may also attend.**

So, this was it. I would not have all of summer for Quidditch. I would have to make awkward excuses to Gwenog Jones, but I had alerted her that this moment might arrive at the most inopportune time. This was the time. I was finally feeling like a useful cog in the Harpy machine. Now I would appear to be a dilettante athlete. I must do what I must do. This explanation would be easier, with the team knowing most of my secrets.

It was difficult maintaining focus for the rest of the practice session. Harpy practices were far longer than Hogwarts practices, but I was only a half hour from its conclusion when the message arrived. It's a wonder that my day dreaming didn't get me seriously injured. I did get a badly bruised shoulder and was almost knocked from my broom.

Gwenog was understanding. I had told her of the Quest when I auditioned for the team. She knew it was not a frivolous undertaking. She wished me well, hoped for my survival, and said I would be welcomed back on my return.

I wasn't confident that my discussion with Harry would be as smooth.

How could I convince Harry that all was well, when I was troubled? Did I command the Stone or did the Stone command me? Doubtless its power greatly exceeded my own. It was missing a lot of recent history, but its knowledge still exceeded mine. Somehow it actually seemed to be learning recent history. Perhaps when one of us communed with the stone or was one with it, the exchange of information was two way and the Stone now knew everything that any of us had learned or experienced during our lives, possibly even forgotten knowledge that we couldn't retrieve ourselves.

I hoped that the meeting in the cave would answer my basic question about the Quest. I had figured out that restarting all the old stone circles was important to the proper restoration of magic. I could understand that there were some ancient Gods and Goddesses that might need to be brought on board with the plan or pushed out of the way. But why did this venture need to be conducted according to such rigid and seemingly cruel rules? Why could only females participate in the Quest? If there was essential work to be accomplished, why not bring the largest army of fighters, magical engineers, and thinkers to the battle? If success was vital, wouldn't an army of hundreds increase the chances of success? Wasn't that a good thing? And my biggest question: exactly who or what was setting these rules? Why? How would the rules be enforced?

I know that Harry wondered about all of this. I couldn't answer his questions. I knew in my heart that the Quest was necessary – vitally important. I couldn't explain that to Harry, because I didn't really understand it myself.

The summer had gone as well as I could have hoped, even if it would be shortened. Harry and I were living in our new house, with Ron and Hermione right next door. Even though Hermione was researching a paper with Ellie on the contents of the Peverell room and I was spending six hours a day with the Harpies, we still saw each other daily.

Harry was a full-time Deputy Minister and Ron was now his top assistant. They were both taking auror courses at the Ministry. Despite Harry having had to suspend Shacklebolt for a week over the attack on fake Narcissa, they were doing actual auror work one day per week, in addition to the courses, to get a feel for what the job was like.

I had been putting off making the final determination about whom I would invite on my Quest. I realized that not all whom I asked would accept. I had to work quickly. I had only twenty hours until I had to be in the Cave of the Elves, and didn't know if I would be required to present my list of assistants at that time. I'd have to ask permission of the Goblin King to even attend that meeting. I did have the advantage that he wanted his daughter on my Quest team.

For the initial invites, it really came down to whether I included a Goblin and an Elf and whether I chose McGonagall or Cissy. Taking a young Goblin pointed me in the direction of not including the very young Cissy. McGonagall and Narcissa had been released shortly after Erin's death. Dad had relented that much, possibly believing Draco needed his mother's support, but refused to allow a return to Hogwarts. "I cannot allow Hagrid and Narcissa to be so close to each other or Narcissa to be that close to any possible little pieces of the ghost."

Draco had met with his mother and then had a second meeting with both his mother and McGonagall. He insisted that Luna be present. Despite their pleas, he told them that he couldn't bear to live under the same roof with either of them. A fuller reunion with his mother would have to wait until he felt stronger. I don't know why McGonagall had expected to be welcomed into Malfoy Manor, but Luna reported that she was as disappointed as Narcissa, when Draco said that they must find other lodgings and that he wanted no more meetings for at least a month, while he sorted things on his own.

They were staying in a rented dwelling owned by McGonagall's brother. He was eager to discuss wandmaking with his sister. McGonagall still had the small amount of sand I had given her. I refused to give her more. McGonagall and Narcissa had appeared together before the reporters and answered an hour of questions. They had each formally entered guilty pleas and been sentenced to a decade of probation plus time served. The Prophet thought they both got off very lightly, but there was a fair amount of sympathy for them - well at least for McGonagall.

McGonagall viewed Edinburgh as very temporary and was pushing that she and Narcissa be allowed back into Hogwarts. "Hagrid doesn't need to set foot inside the castle and Narcissa can stay far away from Slytherin. There is no reason for her to even enter the basement. I can keep a close watch on her and continue to help her remember. She isn't a danger and her full recovery requires a lot of careful nurturing in a favorable environment."

Narcissa had no desire to go to Hogwarts or to remain in Edinburgh. She had set her mind upon a return to Malfoy Manor, as soon as that was possible. Draco was close to relenting. George was becoming less and less happy with Luna being Draco's ever-present support system, so she was restricting her visits to an hour a day to check on baby Erin. Middle-aged Jaden was living with Draco and her presence prevented him from hiring the housekeeper and nanny he really needed. Jaden was his grandmother, but was also a near stranger to him.

Narcissa pronounced herself "cured and ready to resume life as a productive citizen. I know I'm on probation and I don't have a wand - that should make me no threat to you. My son needs me, even if he doesn't realize it. I want to get back to my house and my family. You really have no right to force me to continue living with Professor McGonagall. She is wearing on my nerves. I've remembered all that I care to remember of my distant past. I think she is trying to rekindle fond memories of my senior year. That won't happen."

This presented a dilemma for Dad. Narcissa's cheeky tone upset him, but he didn't want a public stink over this, since she had been granted probation, and he didn't want the perception that he was trying to drive her back into McGonagall's arms. Despite being Minister, Dad still had to take a lot of crap from people.

I was about to set off for Edinburgh to determine whether McGonagall was still willing to join the Quest. I had my broom and planned to apparate to the point where we had broken into the park in back of 10101. I could fly my broom to McGonagall's rented house. I told Hermione of my intention and her response surprised me.

"Do you really want to do that. She has betrayed your family quite a few times. I just don't trust her."

Neither did I, but I also didn't want Cissy. I had rebelled against the suggestion that I might be required to take Cissy, but I realized that for all her thrill-seeking immaturity, I trusted her more than I trusted McGonagall. I really didn't want to include McGonagall. I had enjoyed Hogwarts more with her gone. I left the decision for tomorrow. They had both begged to join the Quest, if either refused after tomorrow – not my fault. Mainly, I just didn't want to discuss a Quest invitation with either of them this moment. I might hear something tomorrow which would eliminate one or both.

I found that I was totally committed to the principal of making this a multi-species Quest. Tendra and Catta would be part of my team. That gave me three females meeting the 'young' criteria. Goblins had been former enemies of Wizards and her Dad had shoved me into the Sacred Cavern at sword point. Did Tendra fill the bill as a former enemy or rival? Including her was sort of an inter-species piece offering. The Stone wanted Cho. If the Stone was some sort of arbiter of the rules, it wasn't a bad idea to curry favor with it. I liked and trusted Cho and she was very skilled. Viktor's problems seemed over. Cho could be counted as a former rival, if the grand arbiter didn't accept Tendra. Mafalda would be my old Witch and unfortunately first to die.

I messaged Cho through the Stone. She agreed to sign on to the Quest. That gave me my five assistants. It wouldn't hurt to have a few backup candidates in reserve, in case one of my choices was rejected by the mysterious grand arbiter.

I wanted Adrienne and I wanted Luna. They both cheered me. Without McGonagall, Adrienne's transfiguration and Witch sculpture skills would come in handy. I thought her Siren skills might help if we progressed as far as Greece. Adrienne had taken the time after end of term to travel first to Lesbos, then to Crete and finally to the highlands of mainland Greece. She had made a study of the history of the Witches and Gods and Goddesses of her ancestral homeland. That might come in handy.

Luna was a tougher choice. I thought my brother George might benefit from a bit of a marital vacation, but he was craving more of Luna's time. I didn't think this would end well for them, but didn't want to be the cause of George having to fend for himself for several months. That would make me forever the cause of a failed marriage.

Dad's release of prisoners also made Rita Skeeter available. She had been released on the same day as McGonagall, Narcissa, and Slughorn. Like the rest she claimed to be on good behavior, but I doubted I could trust her any more than I could trust McGonagall. It would have been handy to have bug Rita, but she would be a deep reserve. As I thought of released prisoners, I realized that my husband would have his hands full in my absence. Dad had also released the Parkinsons, and Mrs. Frakes. The other Frakes were to be tried on the full charges. I'd do Harry a great favor if I took Rita with me.

I'd love to have Margaret on my Quest. Her personality meshed so well with mine and she was totally loyal. But… if I was required to take young Cissy, I didn't think I could also handle young Margaret and then there was the issue of her father. Hermione had said that I really needed to consider Ellie. I would keep her on my spare list, even though I had never spoken to her about the request. Barb Rich was a spare for sure. Her fighting skills and ability to sense threats would come in handy.

If I didn't have Margaret, I realized that I needed someone who could fight super well if the magic failed. A female Centaur would be great, but likely too large for many of the places we would be traveling to. This brought me to the topic of swords. Tendra was quite good with hers. I would have to borrow the Sword of Gryffindor and the full Joan relics. This Quest had so many rules, that I fully expected to encounter something nasty, like the sudden absence of magic. That got me thinking about what other charmed relics I might borrow or create for the Quest. The nice thing about the Joan relics was that they had magical power even when Witches couldn't tap the circles for traditional wand power. The Rod of Asclepias had also worked well when magic was spotty, while Madam Pomfrey had been reduced to using her sewing kit when magic failed. What else could I take on the Quest. My mind turned to other relics, then Fawkes, then other pets. I was swimming in rather random thoughts and forced my mind to take a time out.

Hermione and Ron came over to our house for dinner. I didn't say anything until we had finished dessert and a full bottle of Witch sherry, although I could tell that both Harry and Ron realized that something important and dread-worthy was about to be broached for discussion. They kept their concerns to themselves until I finally announced, in as calm a voice as I could manage, "the Stone informed me today that the Quest is upon us. We are to be in the Cave of the Elves at noon tomorrow. I wasn't asked to bring anyone other than Hermione. You, Ron, and Neville are allowed to join us in the cave, if you want to come."

"If we want to come!" Harry exploded. "Neither of us is happy with the Quest, but of course we want to come. We need to hear first-hand what you are in for and how we will be permitted to assist you.

"You've long since convinced us that we can't persuade you to simply give up this whole dangerous Quest idea. I, I'm sure both of us, at least want to hear enough to believe that it makes some warped kind of sense and serves a purpose worthy of our wives voluntarily risking their lives."

"Yeah, why would you think we wouldn't want to go?" Ron challenged me.

"It was a poor choice of words," I apologized. "I did think it might be very painful for you."

"The whole Quest is certain to be both very painful and very lonely for me, but I have to at least understand it. I certainly want to know what I'm allowed to do to help you complete the Quest safely."

We drank more sherry. It worked with Harry – he is a happy, sleepy drunk. Ron got a bit more belligerent, demanding further explanations, which he had increasing difficulty comprehending. He had quieted down and was nearly asleep when Hermione dragged him back to their own house.

We arrived at the Cave of the Elves at precisely 11:58. I didn't want to be either late or too early. We were met at the mouth of the cave by the Goblin King and three of his young warriors. "The Mother of the Future is welcome to use the Cave of the Reborn Goblin Nation for her meeting. Please go in, we shall not disturb you, but will stand guard so that your meeting not be interrupted. The cave is empty."

As we waited, Hermione and I speculated that friendship between the Goblins and Elves had not progressed as rapidly as might be hoped. At 12:02 there was a loud bang and Cotto appeared upon a rock in his full regalia.

"You're here as the Messenger Elf, aren't you," left my lips.

"Yes. I have received guidance from the Keeper of the Universe, well you know it's from Firenze. It includes some things the Light Guardian told us when it was here, but it didn't tell us much. I am to instruct you on the rules for your Quest. What the new Goblin King told you of the Quest is not strictly factual. He at least told you to bring the proper number of Witches. I see you brought only Hermione, which is all that was required for now. I hope you have a suggested list of the other five Witches. Since that particular Goblin is not entirely to be trusted, you and your assistants will not be penalized for any breach of the rules, since you are now officially hearing them for the first time.

"Your Quest starts here in two weeks. You must all put your affairs in order. While the Goblin King is wrong that more than one of you must die, death is certainly a possibility you must consider. The objective of your Quest is to re-tune, re-start, or re-create all of the ancient Circles, which made this a magical world. You also must convince the remaining ancient Gods and Goddesses to permit you to do this, to swear at least a partial loyalty to the Light Guardian and Covenant, and to protect and maintain the Circles in their domains. Among your team, you know all which you need to know to accomplish this goal.

"A great reward was mentioned for completing this Quest. It is this: if you succeed, a multitude of sentient beings will acquire the ability to use magic - perhaps all of them. They will be able to live in peace, without the interference of the dark forces caused by the present distortion of the magical forces in much of the world. A reasonable world would thank you for sacrificing to achieve this. I cannot guarantee that this will happen.

"Certainly your own magical powers will be greatly strengthened, as you will be able to commune with and draw upon all of the Circles you visit. The Stone knows the location of all the Circles you must visit. You must recreate the old Circle in what you call the Chamber of Secrets. If you succeed, magic throughout Britain will become both stronger and far more unstable. It will be intolerable, causing both madness and increased magical strength. To solve this problem, you must proceed to the next Circle and the next, because true balance will be restored only when all of the Circles are operating properly, as they were meant to be. This will leave the world in peaceful harmony among greatly magical beings. All madness will be driven out. Your Voldemort and Bruce and the Goblins' Ruppasta were products of the imbalance in the magical forces. They were especially attuned to it and able to harness its dark energy. The instability both promoted their particular madness and gave them their special abilities. There is no dark energy in a fully stabilized magical force. That is why proper tuning is so vital and the number one duty of the Mother and her Keepers.

"Now, I must examine your choice of assistants and tick them off against the required categories. Who is your young Witch?"

Since I might only have three Witches to choose, I decided to hold Cissy in reserve. I answered 'Cho.'

"I am not sure she is young enough. She is older than you and Hermione. In the past, the young Witch has been eleven to fifteen years old. We would not be so cruel as to force you to subject the very young to our Quest, but I will have to consult the others about Cho. Who is the old?"

"Mafalda."

"No offense to the dear lady, but I cannot fault Ginny on that. Who is your first to leave for another realm?"

"Not first to die?"

"No, not exactly, Goblins are not always good at nuance, when it is not a business matter which can be turned to their advantage. They can be quite literal beings in most matters. That is why they value art so highly. It is the only permissible break with their literal upbringing. But you stall. Who is your choice."

"Mafalda."

"She obviously is accepted. That choice was yours alone and not contestable. Who is the former foe?"

"Cho."

"I'm not sure that is acceptable. She is the wife of your ally and helped you capture Bruce. Please explain."

I did and Cotto answered, "She might be acceptable, I will think on this. List and explain your reasons for choosing the other members of your team."

"I have a question. Am I limited to just Hermione and five Witches, or may I bring females from other magical species?"

"There is no rule against other species and strictly speaking, they don't count against your five. There is also no precedent for this. In prior Quests, the candidate Mother was not close enough to the other species to choose from their number. I assume you have decided to take Catta. I am pleased. Which of the Goblin King's females travels with you."

"Tendra," I answered.

"That is fine. She is young enough to fill the 'young' role except that I believe all the assigned roles must be filled by Witches. I was going to say I can also check on that, but it doesn't really matter. I must warn you that the other species will be trickier. There is simply no precedent. I cannot guarantee that a female Unicorn or Centaur or Mer-Person could fit or survive in all the places you will be going. The Quest was designed for your kind. If one of your party is unable to travel to a required location, the rules don't specify whether she must wait behind and join you at the next stop, quit the Quest, or die. You could also bring a Leprechaun or a spider."

"May I think about that during the next two weeks? I don't suppose you could do some research and clarify the rules, regarding the Centaurs and Unicorns."

"I will check, but I promise nothing.

The Goblin King was correct that as the female Keeper, Cissy must be on your team. I know this strikes you as cruel. She IS very young. By immutable law, after the Muse, the Keepers are the primary assistants of the Mother. While the Keepers answer to the Mother and must follow her direction, the rules of the Quest are clear. If the Mother has a female Keeper, that Keeper must participate in the Quest. Since she is a Keeper, you must choose Cissy. She may be your young Witch."

"That gives you two more Witches to name."

"Barb Rich is a great fighter and has an enhanced ability to detect danger and bad intent. She volunteered to be first to die, so I know that she is both fearless and determined that we succeed. Adrienne is a Siren. She is also the most creative member of our team. She has the ability to keep the rest of our team cheered up and possibly to charm a God or Goddess. She has studied the Greek Witch history and Goddesses and is my transfiguration expert."

"I must accept Barb. She was accepted by the Light Guardian. Adrienne is a most dangerous choice. She can charm yourselves and your adversaries, but she also has the ability to drive your whole team to despair. If Adrienne is broken, you may all are broken. If you choose to take her, you must carry art supplies. She needs them to maintain her happy mood. I cannot reject her, but I urge you to reconsider this choice. She is a creator, not a fighter. Bruce Montaigne came within an inch of breaking her and driving her mad. Bruce is hardly a God.

"You have two weeks to reconsider who is on your team. Bring one or two spare assistants, in case any become too frightened to continue, when they hear what I tell them."

That certainly was a big help.

"There is one other thing, which I must tell you. It is actually a little bit of cheating to help you. We all want you to succeed. It is very important to all of our communities. You may disregard this or use it to your advantage. There is another living Witch, who was groomed from birth to lead the Quest. Her father thought this would strengthen his control, but when he learned that a successful Quest meant his destruction, he hid the training deep within the child. He left himself an out, should he change his mind and decide the Quest must take place. There is a phrase to break the spells, which lock that part of her brain. That phrase is "I Am Lord Voldemort, go forth and seek on my behalf, I command you, my daughter." That message comes from a part of the Stone memory which will remain closed to you, until you either complete your Quest or your death is at hand."

"Voldemort knew of the Quest and the Stone? He entered the pyramid?"

"Voldemort knew of the Quest. He did not enter the pyramid, although he roamed the passages around it. The Stone knew of Voldemort. He and his daughter progressed as far as the Cave of the Elves, but turned back, when they heard the rules and details of the Quest. He spoke to the Stone through me, without understanding it or knowing what it was."

"Voldemort and his daughter applied to enter the Quest? How? I thought the Quest chose me, not the other way around. Was his daughter also the Mother of the Future? She would have to be, to lead the Quest, wouldn't she?"

"He thought she was; she may not have been. The Stone chooses. Candidates are nominated or merely present themselves and the Stone chooses. You were picked by prophesy. The Stone's choice rippled back through time."

"How old was she when she presented herself for selection?"

"She was seventeen. That is the normal age."

"What? That makes no sense at all. She wasn't with…"

"Before you ask, I don't know how she was nominated. She may have done so, herself. Only a Witch, a Unicorn, the Goblin King, a Keeper, the Keeper of the Universe, or the Messenger Elf may nominate a candidate. That is enough questions. When you return here in exactly two weeks, bring your final team. I guess there was another, other thing. Neither I nor the Gods can accept Cho as former foe."

"Then I choose Tendra. Her species and mine were at odds for centuries. This is a reconciliation."

"I accept Tendra as a former foe. Her father marched you at sword point, regardless of the reason. Goblin daughters inherit the sins and rivalries of their fathers. So do the sons, by the way. Unfortunately for our present needs, the former foe or rival must be a Witch."

"You are really determined to make me choose Narcissa, aren't you?" I complained.

Cotto continued as if I had said nothing.

Hermione asked if she might ask a question. This was permitted. What use was a Muse if she couldn't question and advise?

"When Voldemort and his daughter abandoned the Quest - was it during their first or second visit to this cave?"

"It was on their second visit."

"Then they had picked Narcissa's Muse and Witch assistants. Who were they?"

"I will think upon the wisdom and legality of revealing that information. Perhaps when next you stand here?"

"Now, you want to know about Harry and Ron. I have been training Harry, as much for this Quest as for his Ministry duties. I have been training Ron in a more subtle manner. They are ready to assist you. They have a formal role in the Quest. That role had the name of Keeper Of Her Soul In Our Reality, which has since been shortened to Keeper. They may be in constant mental contact with you and your Muse, by way of the Stone. The others on your team will not be permitted contact with the outside. Harry is already approved for that role. Ron is not. For him to participate, you must name him a Keeper. If you do, you must fashion a new ring and have it blessed in the normal manner.

"There are rules for the male Keepers. I apologize for this. The Light Guardian is a most kind and rational being, but it is still a God. The Gods must play their little games. The more easily bored among them play all too many games and destroy their subjects and themselves in the process.

"The Light Guardian is a most serious God. Be glad it is so. A light-hearted, frivolous God is not at all a good thing. It is a short step from a Godly jest or game, to becoming the bully of the universe. This is a digression, but you should know that some of the Gods whom you must face are jestful Gods, who have all but destroyed themselves through boredom and frivolity. Know them for the bullies that they are. That also makes them weak. They are lesser Gods.

"Know that any God or Goddess with a gender is a lesser God. Some of these Gods even chose to mate with humans. That has never ended well. Some may choose to mate with you or your Muse. I must strongly discourage such actions on your part. More than one Quest has ended in failure, by that route. I have cheated on your behalf to the maximum extent I am able, based upon my limited knowledge, which is also restricted by the rules.

"Now then, to the rules. As to your Keepers, they may not have physical, visual, or even sound contact with any of you during the course of the Quest. They may not speak of the Quest's progress to anyone. They may not slay a God or Goddess on your behalf – not that it is likely they would be able to do so. They may not offer up their own lives as substitutes for the lives of any on the Quest. They may not mate with another, while you are on your Quest. They may not send you or procure for you either diamond or fire or chocolate, while you are on your Quest.

"For you and your Quest team, the rules are simpler. This is essentially an underground Quest. The rule is, once the Quest begins, you may not stand upon the surface of this world, until the Quest is complete. The surface of the world includes both the ground level earth, any above ground portion of a structure which is open to the outside world, and anything both solid and open to the sun or moon. Other than that, there are no rules. That is only fair, the Gods and Goddesses whom you encounter will make their own rules and will disregard them as they see fit. If you have questions, it is possible that I will be able to answer them."

"There have been previous Quests?"

"There have been six previous Quests. Two of them succeeded. The last of these was two millennia ago. There have also been four Quests prepared for, but not undertaken."

"Is it true that we can leave the Quest, without penalty, before reaching Durmstrang Cavern?"

"You may depart the Quest at Durmstrang. The penalty is the instability you will have created by that time. Britain alone will be safe from that instability."

"How many stops are there on the Quest?"

"There are as many as fourteen and as few as nine. Durmstrang will be your fourth stop."

"Can my Keepers bring supplies to us?"

"Your Keepers may either transport supplies by way of the Stone or deliver them in advance of your arrival. The transporter will work for deliveries on this world to each destination, save one."

"And that destination is?"

"Unknown to me."

"What happens if we die?"

"You are dead. If you have been brave on your Quest, you will likely be honored in Beyond World, with the Valkyrie eager to serve you. Your death may not be spoken of on this world. That would anger the Gods."

"So we must battle and defeat at least nine Gods and Goddesses."

"I never said that. You must visit at least nine former Circles. I don't know whether all of them still have Gods. Some may have more than one. If they do have Gods, I would strongly urge you to avoid a fight, if at all possible. The odds of defeating nine Gods or Goddesses in combat do not seem favorable."

"When we meet you in two weeks, will we start the Quest immediately?"

"You will begin at midnight on that day. You may bring any supplies which you and your Keepers can carry, and leave them in the cave for that twelve hours."

"You said that Harry and Ron have the title Keeper of Her Soul. Does that mean that we can travel to our destination as spiritual warriors as we did when we defeated the Dementors? Does it mean they can be harcruxes for us? And if Keeper really means Keeper of Her Soul, whose soul were the Lords Montaigne supposed to keep?"

The answer to those three questions is maybe – there is no record, possibly – there is no record and I don't know how that might be done, and probably their daughters if they really were Keepers, rather than usurpers."

"Who enforces the rules? What happens if we break them? If the purpose is to turn on all of the circles and evict or get the support of the Gods and Goddesses, isn't it easier to do that with a bigger team and no rules?"

"Perhaps I should have defined 'rule'. There are no written rules, just as there were no written rules on how to summon the Light Guardian when all of you entered the Sacred Cavern. Could you have summoned the Light Guardian from the Reception Hall, without risking your lives? I don't know. All any of us know is what legend says about what has worked and not worked in the past. Firenze, the Goblin King, and I have searched our memories of our people's legends. I have consulted the Stone. What I list as rules are our best guess of what will work. The smallest part of what I tell you comes from the Light Guardian. None of us knows what happens if you break the rules. None of us knows who enforces the rules. The Stone knows more than any of us and I have learned as much as it will tell me. You are a smart Witch. You should follow the rules unless your only choices are break the rules or fail. Then I would break the rules and see what happens. It might be very bad, but also very bad to fail – your choice. I say foolish to break rules before you must."

So, there, I had the perfect clarity of other beings' best guesses and no evidence that the rules actually came from the Light Guardian itself. I knew that Harry and Ron would find this to be every bit as wonderful as I found it to be. I wondered if Voldemort might help me gain a better understanding of my Quest.

"You have not given me one reason to believe that there is any benefit or reward to fixing the circles by dangerous Quest, rather than the safer approach of taking a hundred aurors and magical engineering experts, male as well as female."

"I thought that was obvious. Unless the Stone tells you, you'll never find all the circle locations. There are Gods who would slaughter male intruders, but might be kinder to females. Bring a horde of beings with you and none of the Gods and Goddesses will take a friendly view of you. You will not become the Mother of the Future and your prophecies will be dead. Firenze, King Gobbledegook, the Unicorns, and I will lose respect for you as a good and brave person who honors and understands our shared heritage. Do you require more reasons."

"No. I had to ask. Unreasonableness and a lack of logic bother me.

"Do you have any other advice for me?"

"In two weeks, you may ask me three more questions. Think carefully upon what you will ask. Also, pack plenty of chocolate. You and your Muse should go. I must talk to your male Keepers."

**Original text**

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